How to Display Your Child’s Artwork—Creatively!

If your budding artist creates so many priceless paintings that your refrigerator is looking a bit cluttered, it may be time for a new way to display his or her art. There is a wide variety of ways to hang kids’ art in your home, and they’ll still even help you to stick to your current design scheme. Here are some of the top things to do with kids’ artwork.

  1. Hang a clothesline of art. Using a thin, clothesline-style rope, you can easily hang your little one’s paintings on the wall and transition them as often as you please. Simply fasten the rope at either end, attach a few clothespins and hang the artwork freely throughout.
  2. Turn a painting into a postage stamp. If your home is already filled with your child’s artwork, why not show his or her paintings off in other creative places? There are a number of different sites that enable you to scan and upload any photo you choose to a fully functional, U.S. Postal Service-approved postage stamp.
  3. Create a matching series. Give your child some watercolor paints in a few complementary colors and let him or her go wild. Afterward, frame the paintings in elegant white frames to create a gallery-worthy series that’s perfect for display.
  4. Turn it into a large canvas. Through the magic of the Internet, you can now scan your children’s artwork and have it printed on a large, high quality canvas in any shape you choose.

3 Ideas for Displaying Kids’ Artwork [Real Simple]
Kids + Art! [Babble]
What to Do with Kid Art [Parents.com]

Happy Holidays!

We wish you and your loved ones all a very happy and safe holiday season.

Ferguson Library: So Much More Than Just Books

Local libraries reflect a community’s commitment to provide locals with educational opportunities, computer resources, and cultural enrichment, and Stamford’s Ferguson Library does just that. The interior is spacious and welcoming, offering many spaces to read and work (with lots of electrical outlets for your laptop or tablet). The library staff is always willing to help you locate a book or film, assist you at a computer terminal, or reserve one of the library's meeting rooms for you. Book lovers and bargain hunters will also enjoy the unique used bookstore located on the library’s main floor.

Expansive offerings for kids and teens not only include books, magazines and films, but also age-appropriate social programming. Other events at the library include public readings by authors, workshops and classes, film screenings, essay contests, and musical performances. Check the calendar on the library’s website to see what events are scheduled next.

Ferguson Library
1 Public Library Plaza
Stamford, CT 06904
(203) 964-1000
www.fergusonlibrary.org
www.yelp.com/biz/ferguson-library-stamford-4

Make Rice Pudding Tonight With These Simple Recipes

Rice pudding brings to mind cozy winter days in front of the fireplace, enjoying its sweet and creamy taste with friends and family. The old-fashioned dessert favorite takes on new life through a few simple and unique recipes, and it's incredibly easy to make at home. Here are a few of the best rice pudding recipes from around the web.

Rice Pudding [Simply Recipes]
Unlike the heavy cream and other fattening ingredients in traditional rice pudding recipes, this one offers a lighter take on the dessert dish. Combine whole milk, white rice, one egg, and a few sweet spices to create this simple treat.

Baked Rice Pudding [Food Network]
While most rice pudding is boiled, Paula Deen's recipe bakes the rice mixture for a thicker consistency. The result is rich, fluffy, and lightly browned on top.

Gingered Crème Caramel Rice Pudding [Fine Cooking]
If you want to add a gourmet flair to your usual rice pudding, this is the recipe for you. It features a sticky caramel coating and fresh ginger to add an extra spicy kick.

Joy of Cooking Rice Pudding [Joy of Baking]
For the visual learner, this rice pudding recipe includes a video tutorial that will help you to perfect each technique involved.

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope everyone has a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Try the Tamarind Margarita at Casa Villa

Head south of the border without having to dig out your passport at Casa Villa in Stamford. Fans of the Mexican eatery rave about its flavorful selection of authentic food served in a warm, welcoming setting.

Start your feast and fiesta with a tamarind margarita or glass of sangria and an appetizer like gorditas de maiz—corn tortillas stuffed with tomatillo sauce, fresh cheese, lettuce, onions, and crema Mexicana. The cocktail de camarones, on the other hand, is another solid option: a shrimp cocktail with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Of course, you can always go with the classic guacamole with crispy tortilla chips.

The entrée menu features flavorful options like fajitas with chicken, steak, shrimp, or vegetables; enchiladas with chicken, mole sauce, and cheese; and tacos al pastor with pork loin and grilled pineapple.

Casa Villa
866 E. Main Street
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 348-0622
www.casavillarestaurant.com/restaurantecasavilla
www.yelp.com/biz/casa-villa-stamford

Calling All Artists: Check Out These Drawing Tips and Tutorials on Pinterest!

You love to draw, but taking a pricey art class seems too time-consuming and well out of your budget. Just like with most things, you can find everything you need to improve your art skills right on the Internet. Pinterest boasts a number of drawing tutorials, painting tips, and other ways to connect with experienced artists without leaving the comforts of your own laptop.

Drawing Tutorials
If you’re a visual learner looking for a bit of assistance improving your sketches, the Drawing Tutorials board on Pinterest can help. This board is filled with links to videos that will show you the mechanics of drawing landscapes, sketching the details of a person’s lips, and even creating beautiful drawings on a chalkboard.

Draw
You don’t particularly need to watch instructional videos, but you could use a bit of guidance when it comes to drawing. This board contains endless sources of drawing inspiration, as well as diagrams and daily assignments to help you improve your drawing skills. You can also use the additional tabs at the top to browse the Draw board by doodles, anime, sketches, or whichever type of drawing that you’re most interested in.

Unleash Your Creativity at Franklin Street Works in Stamford

As cities develop, property owners recognize that not every building can be a profit center. Sometimes you need to create space for an area’s cultural life to grow, and the Franklin Street Works is in Stamford a great example.

This contemporary studio and cafe has developed into a hub of the city's up-and-coming arts scene, and its mission is all-inclusive. Franklin Street Works consists of three separate gallery spaces and an attached cafe. founded by Kathryn Emmett. She's a former partner at a local law firm who decided to follow her passion and create a space where the art she loved could flourish, and she’s done a spectacular job. The galleries also host a variety of programs that serve to further illuminate the art on display. In addition, numerous workshops give hands-on art instruction to locals for free. The cafe is notable for serving high-end artisanal coffee, perfect for kick-starting your synapses in the morning.

Franklin Street Works
41 Franklin Street
Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 595-5211
www.franklinstreetworks.org
www.yelp.com/biz/franklin-street-works-stamford

Churros and Coffee Make the Perfect Pair at Stamford’s Lorca

Lorca’s owner studied the art of making churros in Spain, but learned to brew great coffee right in Connecticut. Her two talents converged to result in her own cafe in Stamford. Fans of this great little coffee shop, bakery, and cafe love the ambiance, friendly servers, and yummy array of drinks and food. Of course, the main event is the churro, a spiral of fried dough sprinkled with sugar. Order some of them here and they'll arrive freshly prepared with sugary dipping sauces.

Lorca also serves croissants, muffins, and alfajores—better known as butter cookies with dulce de leche, coconut, and powdered sugar. St. James cake is gluten-free because it’s made with ground almonds instead of flour. The menu also includes a quiche of the day, ham and cheese croissant, grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar, and the classic sandwich with bacon, egg, and cheddar grilled on a panini press.

Lorca
125 Bedford Street
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 504-2847
www.lorcastamford.com
www.yelp.com/biz/lorca-stamford

Don’t Forget to Vote!

Today is Election Day! Make sure you go out and vote today!

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