Jolie Guillebeau

58 days.

There’s a giant Maple tree right outside our bedroom window. In the winter, the moonlight falls through the branches on to the opposite wall and creates lovely creepy shapes. In the spring, the squirrels chase each other with loud shreiks as they claim the tree for themselves every morning. In the summer the whole window is filled with green as the tree (thankfully) blocks my view of the eccentric neighbors as they sunbathe.  And in the fall, it slowly changes to a fiery red. It’s the first thing I see every morning and I love it.

59 days.

I might have mentioned this, but Fall is my favorite season. I love the colors and the weather, but my favorite part of fall are the traditions. I love eating a bowl of soup after a long walk, finding the perfect pumpkin, or lighting the first fire of the season in the fireplace.

I have my own fall tradition of searching for the perfect fallen leaf and painting it every year. Except it’s a lot of pressure to find the most perfect leaf, so this year I found 5 and decided to share them with you this week.

First, a leaf from the neighbor’s Dogwood Tree. It’s still a little green, but it was on the sidewalk and the color changes were impressive.

62 days.

This timer hangs on the bulletin board above my desk. I use it when I’m painting, as a reminder to get up and stretch occasionally, and it keeps me focused when necessary.

Sometimes if I’m having trouble with a painting, I’ll set the timer for 15 minutes and just paint without thinking too hard about it. Then I’ll step away for a few minutes and usually when I come back I’ve figured out the problem.

It’s a good way to stay focused.

63 days.

You might expect the most expensive thing on my desk to be something different. But this tube of Cobalt Blue cost me $36.

It will last at least a year, and I’ll get dozens of paintings from it, but it still causes me a tiny bit of pain whenever I have to buy this color. It’s worth it, though. It’s beautiful

64 days.

Of those 34 pens I found on my desk yesterday, at least 4 are fountain pens.

On the first day of 2nd grade, my teacher said to me, “Oh. You’re left-handed. You’ll never be able to write with a fountain pen.” I didn’t even know what a fountain pen was, but suddenly I was determined to prove her wrong.

I think about Mrs. Gattis everytime I refill one of those pens.

So of course, I had to paint the ink bottle.

65 days.

After yesterday’s painting and list of things on my desk, I decided to clean it off today. I found 34 pens. Yes, 34!

I love pens, but even I think that’s a few too many for one desk.

66 days.

I think you learn a lot about someone by looking at his or her desk.  For example, Chris’s desk holds exactly three things right now– his laptop, a printer and a lamp.

And mine? Well, it has a laptop and a lamp, but it also has two cups with pens, a brush holder and a set of brushes, a water glass, some index cards with notes to myself, three ponytail holders, a candlestick, two balls of yarn, a bottle of orange ink, four books, a camera and case, a plaster copy of my own hand, and a bottle of lotion.

Oh– and this tape dispenser. I found this lime green tape at Alder & Co and had to have it. It looks so pretty in my shiny red tape dispenser.

69 days + my oatmeal recipe.

The finishing touch– and the best part. The brown sugar.

Oatmeal Creme Brulee.
Make your oatmeal the way you like it best. I use 1/2 cup oats with 3/4 cup Almond Milk. Then I top with blueberries, bananas and brown sugar. Here’s the best part.

It’s my creme brulee torch.

I use it to melt the sugar in to caramelized crunchy goodness. If you don’t have a torch, you can put the oatmeal under the broiler in your oven for two or three minutes for the same effect. Try it– it’s sooo good!

70 days.

This week is all about breakfast. I had to paint the most important part. And tomorrow, you’ll get my oatmeal recipe with my secret ingredient.

Meanwhile, have you seen all the suggestions for oatmeal toppings on my Facebook page? I can’t wait to try some of these.

71 days.

I’ve always really wanted to like bananas more than I do. I mean, I like them. But they’re not my favorite. I think of them as a good base for toppings. I love banana and peanut butter, or banana and Nutella, or even banana and cheese (I know, it’s strange). But I don’t really like them on their own.

However, I think they’re great on top of cereal in a certain red bowl.