Results of the mac and cheese challenge

The 3 brands tried were: Our Specialty at 37 cents, Great Value at 50 cents and Kraft at 88 cents. The prices on Kraft vary widely from around 80 cents to well over a dollar depending on where and when you buy it. The wild range of prices is what made me want to look into this. The weights and cooking instructions on all three were the same so you don't run into the differences until you get to the facts and ingredients panels. It would probably take a chemist to break those down and explain them so all I can say is that the old saying "you get what you pay for" seems to apply here because the taste and texture of each of the products was better at each of the different price points.
It is interesting that the best tasting one also has the highest cholesterol and had more protein as well as more calories. I find myself wondering why but wasn't interested enough to follow it further.
How does this tie in with a blog about painting? The answer is simple, there isn't a lot of money in art and sometimes those extra few pennies you save can help you stretch a dollar and stay fed a bit longer in between things.

To Market, to market-the big finish

 Here's a wide shot of the chaos as I continue to work at the dining room table.

 One last look at the inspiration photo from my garden alongside the painting.

 I'll try listing this on eBay first. The next attempt will be on etsy. It isn't about preferring one to the other, it's about using my free listings first.

I've attached the inspiration photo to the back along with a little information on the painting.

Making it big

Well, as you can see this painting is taking up a good share of my living room and my table so I've had to set the painting aside at this point and move on to some other projects. Just now the painting stands in the doorway between the living room and dining room and I'm folding a load of laundry on the table which of course is a lot easier on the back than tossing it on the bed or the sofa.

People are a bit startled to find the dining room table in the living room but everyone agrees it's so much handier when we're working on things and we gain an extra window that way as well.
Thinking "outside the box" is a way of life for me and I can highly recommend it in these tough economic times when most everyone has got to find the best ways of using the things they've got to make life better, brighter and more pleasant for everyone.

Well, it looks like I'd better get some housework done before I jump back into this painting. Whatever your particular struggles are today I wish you the best and remind you to take a minute to play as well, it  changes everything.

 Don't put it off or wait till you have the perfect project or materials. Draw silly things on your paperwork, see how many ways you can fold that receipt. Make people wonder and smile. You may not be able to change the world but you can change how you feel about it.