Fine Art Prints from Texas Eagle Gallery

Grab a cup of tea and join us for a slide show of some of our favorite images.  All are available through Fine Art America in your choice of papers, canvas, or metal!  They make great gifts too!

Big News!

We are super excited to announce that Texas Eagle Gallery has joined forces with Fine Art America!  We can now offer more print sizes, framing, and specialty materials like acrylic and metal!

And it all comes with a 100% guarantee too!

Come take a look at our new digs....we're adding new prints daily!

Texas Eagle Gallery

ireland photos

Handmade Soap Challenge

Who knew that I'd fall head over heels in love with SOAP?  It was "Love at First Try" when I received a sample of Fresh Snow from RWest Designs.   I couldn't believe the difference I felt over commercial bars and body washes!  They either left me feeling oily or dry, with no in between that just felt Clean.  I knew I'd never go back, so I started a quest to try as many handmade soaps as possible.  I promised a review of my favorites in October, so here we go:

My mission was to fully explore each bar, not just do a quick hand wash test.  I quickly discovered that these long lasting soap bars would take me months to enjoy, so family members from ages 2 to 80 were engaged in my challenge.  My Dad enjoyed washing his hair with one; my little granddaughter needed some skin soothing softness.  I adored the long soaks in the tub with soothing lather and scents.

Bars were sliced into pieces so a full range of opinions could be gathered.  That said, there were NO losers.  Every single bar of soap was a delight to use.  Soap qualities were graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest standard.  So here we are to share all our winners with you.  We hope you will try some of these amazing products and find your own favorites.  (Please visit these fine shops by clicking the embedded links)

As you can see, the highest rated soap of all was the aptly named "True Love" by Uber Dreamer Concepts.  The lather is luxurious and leaves the most amazing silky smoothness to your skin.  The scent is simple and clean.  Check out Uber Dreamer, as the research and insight into each product's ingredients is obviously well done.  Additionally, all Uber Dreamer soaps scored highest among Men, so there's a fine gift idea for the Males on your list!

On the subject of gift giving, it's a great idea to keep some extra bars around for last minute gifts.  Who wouldn't love these sweet handmade treasures?  My favorite packaging reflects the simple goodness of all things Handmade.  Tierra Verde won the highest marks for packaging, and her soaps are lovely and diverse.

Our other recommended shops are Soaps that make Scents and Tenth Avenue Soapworks.  I hope you'll check out all of these fine handmade soap shops.  Every single bar was a delight to use and far superior in every way to commercial products.  There are still dozens of soaps in the cabinet to discover, so join us for another edition of our Soap Challenge soon!

Just one more thing...check out that fantastic washcloth in the photos...you can find them at The Needle House!  They are super!

Driving in Ireland

Just home from another lovely visit to Ireland, and thought I'd share some insight on one of the most asked questions about Ireland....."What's it like driving in Ireland?"

First, let me admit, I've never driven in Eire.  Dear Hubby has assumed that task with great skill and devotion.  However, I must agree with many who have said that driving is easy - it's being a passenger that takes a strong stomach!  One strong, manly firefighter even told me he "screamed like a girl" when it was his turn to leave the wheel and become a passenger.  So, here's my attempt to explain in pictures.  Come along as I take you on a little journey from my side of the car in the splendid Emerald Isle.  These are from Clonmel to Killarney, to Ballina, then out to Achill Island.  Enjoy!!!

Castle views....

and narrow lanes

and that breathtaking Green Whrrrrrrrr!

Landmarks

 and sharing the roadway...

wondering how SatNav (GPS) knows this road???

Traffic,

See the slot cut by the side mirrors into the hedges?

and pulling in your shoulders as you pass...

scenic views...

and Turn Arounds!

Ruins round every bend

and more GPS shortcuts!

Rain, Sheep, and Roads that Rise Up to Meet you!

Views that take your breath away....

and thinking these sheep are the luckiest creatures on earth!

and finally, a reward at the end of the journey!  What a view!

Ireland, a Land of Beauty

Howdy!  It's been a long while since we've posted here, but I think the wait was worthwhile!  Dear Hubby and I took a nice long trip across the pond during the month of September.  We shared good food and good times with dear friends, and came home with another 20,000 photos of the lovely Emerald Isle!  Many of them are in a charming watercolor or illustration style.  As you can imagine, it will take some time to get the best of them edited and listed for sale, but here's a preview!  Hope you enjoy them as much as we loved taking them!

Available for sale in the Wee Irish Gallery section of our Zibbet shop!

 

We're adding new pics daily, so stop on by for a look...and a virtual cuppa!  Slan!

Possibilities!

I'm married to a true visionary!  This can be such a blessing....and can also drive me to madness!  I've never met anyone who can walk through Home Depot and find an alternate use for every single product on the shelves.  When asked if we need help, I usually just grin and say "no thanks" because explaining is way too complicated for my simple mind.

We've used plumbing fixtures for furniture, galvanized gutter for crown molding, cattle tanks for bathtubs, and on and on.  I plan to share more about the projects soon.  Today I'm remembering my introduction to "creative thinking" and recycling.....not to mention a life of crime!

Many, many years ago my dear hubby came home from work with a sparkle in his eye and a plan in his mind.  He'd seen a railroad cart in a trash dumpster and had to have it.  I was told to dress in black, put my hair inside a dark ball cap and join him for a ride.  We drove in the darkness to an industrial area, parked in a nearly empty lot and snuck inside an open fence.  He stealthily climbed into a huge dumpster and handed down a large dirty cart.  It was heavy and I was frightened, but exhilerated at the same time.  We quickly packed the treasure into the truck and headed home.   I didn't sleep much that night, partly from fear, and partly from the noise in his workshop.  By morning, he'd dismantled the cart into neat piles.  I was told this would soon be my new coffee table.  Hmmmmm.....not so sure about that one, pardner!

Within a few days the weathered wood had been sanded and stained.  The metal parts had been cleaned, primed and painted.  I wasn't so sure of the bright green and red, but like always, I trusted his artistic eye and keen sense of style.  This was the result:

This beauty now graces my living room and is such an amazing source of pride and memories.  It was our first "project" together, and set the tone for our future artistic adventures.  We've since built a new home and are still in the process of putting that personal touch into the final finishes.  I still value dear hubby's vision and eye for seeing the possibilities!

Homemade Egg Rolls

Everyone loves eggrolls, right?  Whether fried, steamed, or baked - they are a family favorite!  And you can feed a crowd with only a few ingredients!  Win/win!  So, here's my take on homemade Egg Rolls.

1 pkg prepared egg roll wrappers
2 or 3 lg carrots, shredded
2 or 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 lg onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used red)
1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cumin
cooking oil
optional - 1 can chicken (or 1 cup any other cooked and finely chopped meat or fish)

Shred and chop the veggies and mix in a large bowl.  Add soy sauce and spices and stir in meat if desired.  You can add other spices and adjust the taste as you like.  Let set 10 minutes.
              

Remove wrappers from packaging and cover with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Fill the center of each wrapper with a large spoonful of the vegetable mixture, taking care to drain any excess liquid from each spoonful.

Fold the corners to meet as shown,

then fold over and roll from the other side.

Seal with a bit of water and set aside - use a pastry brush or just dip your finger and run along the side like moistening an envelope.  Just press it gently down and it's sealed.

These cook quickly, so it's best to make them up first and cover with damp towel (or have another set of hands to help roll them as they fry) 

In a deep fryer, or large deep skillet, add at least 1 inch of cooking oil.  Heat to med/high.  Drop rolls carefully into hot oil and cook until bottom side is brown, approximately 3 minutes on my stove.  Turn and cook other side until done (approximately 1 1/2 minutes).  Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on paper towels. Continue until all are done.  Makes approximately 20 large egg rolls. 

You can keep them crispy in a warm oven for half an hour or so until ready to serve. 

Serve with soy sauce, hot mustard, or sweet and sour sauce.   Great appetizer or meal!  Yummmy!

These can be frozen and reheated in the oven to retain the crunch.  You can also steam or bake your eggrolls for a more healthy alternative.