Etsy store is now open!!

So, at long last, my Etsy store is now open for business.  So far I have only managed to put up necklaces, I still have loads of earrings and bracelets to get up there as well, but I already made two sales so I figured I had better just go with it!  

The photos put a kink in my timeline...I found it very hard to get the lighting just right.  (Especially with my cheap little camera)  Finally, I had to wait for the nice weather because the best light is the natural, outdoor kind. 

So, next up is the earrings...no idea how I'm going to go about that...but we shall see.  

Do stay tuned...

Live model drawing at the MFA

I recently discovered through my good friend Christine  that the Museum of Fine Arts has free live model drawing on Wednesday nights.  How convenient, since Wednesdays are free (with a donation requested...)

It is held in different spots throughout the museum each week, which I think is great!  I've added some of my sketches here...now, keep in mind I haven't sketched live models since probably art school, and that was AWHILE ago!

I arrived early so was also able to catch the Durer exhibit, fantastic prints!  Also, I viewed the "Bharat Ratna" Jewels of Modern India exhibit, Toulouse Lautrec's  "Cafe and Cabaret" and the Luis Melendez exhibit, which was *amazing*...although it made me hungry!  I've added the Globe review of the Melendez show after this post.  I also wandered around checking out all the new parts of the Museum, and some old favorites.  We were evacuated at one point, so I was also able to experience the Babyheads out back.  They are VERY cool!  I wasn't able to snap a picture though, we had to BACK AWAY FROM THE BUILDING!                                                                
All in all it was a fun night, I will definitely go back, and cudos to the MFA for offering this as well as free supplies should people need them.

I love this city!

In the hands of Meléndez, food comes to life - The Boston Globe

In the hands of Meléndez, food comes to life - The Boston Globe

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If you can get over to the MFA, check out this exhibit, it really is worth the trip!!!

Spring is coming!!

As you can tell from the few pitiful posts here, I have not been too creative lately.  I blame the long winter, after the holiday season my creativity sort of fizzles out.  I walk the dog in the cold, dark morning, and come home in the dark as well.  The couch and a good book then claim me. 

 However, the other day on my walk to work down Commonwealth Ave. in the Back Bay I spied some Snowdrops and Crocuses in a front yard.  I felt the first stirrings of creative energy in awhile!  I went home that night and started the seeds for my garden.  

I've started some Collards and Kale, San Marzanos, thai and jalapeno peppers, dill, basil and thyme, Morning Glories and Sunflowers.  Right into the dirt will go my sugar snap peas, carrots, spinach and radishes.  Hopefully my lavender, chives, and some Perennials come back again.  I can't wait!

The garden is a little forlorn at the moment, but that will change soon enough!!

 
 All of this Garden preparation and planting of seeds has jump-started my creative energy.  I've registered my etsy store to start selling my jewelry, put away and organized my new beads, and have some new ideas for paintings to add to the list of paintings I still haven't started.  I have grand plans to start those paintings as well, but maybe I shouldn't get too ahead of myself AS usual....

Carioca

This past weekend was my Mom's 65th birthday and she had a great party to celebrate.  The theme was tapas, my favorite!  Tim says I'd eat anything if it was in appetizer form...I think he's probably right.

 I made delicate little crepe cones, filled with smoked salmon, julienned carrots and celery, and a filling made up of cream cheese, sour cream, cream, chives, gerkin pickles, lemon, tobasco, and capers.  There was high drama when I realized I forgot the smoked salmon back in Boston, and panic ensued when there was only 1 wee little package to be found in all of Scituate.  D saved the day driving out to Cohasset, of COURSE they had it!  Sadly, after all this, I forgot to take a picture, but they were very elegant and tasty.  A success!!

Tim made my Mom a wonderful "Carioca" cake from Pierre Herme's dessert book she bought him a couple of years ago.  It had 3 layers of genoise soaked in an espresso syrup, with alternating layers of dark chocolate mouse, finished with bittersweet ganach and glazed almonds.  It turned out delicious!  However, I do think next time we might add more of the espresso syrup, it was so strong we were worried it would overpower the the delicate genoise, but this was not the case.  

While Tim made the whole cake himself, including his home-made cake rings, I commandeered all of the decorating.  (after having my wrists slapped for testing too many glazed almonds...)  I think it came out pretty nice, no? 

Creative weekend

So I just spent a very fun weekend with a bunch of creative friends and loved ones in VT, at the home of my brother and his wife.  Being the potters Stone  

Last year for my birthday they gave me some porcelain clay to try making my own beads with.  Clay and I do not work and play well together, so I waited until I could be up at his studio for some expert help.  Sadly, the clay had gotten too hard to work with due to my neglect, so while D makes it better I practiced with some other clay he had on hand.  

I had my assistant, Sugar there to provide comic relief when the clay started making me crazy!   She thought it might taste good...

I did end up having some success, I made a bunch of beads for D to practice some glazes on, and see how they fire up.  Sadly, I couldn't hang around in VT for the final product...that real job thing dragged me back to reality.

I'm excited to see how they turn out...

Do stay tuned!!

Toy Chest

   One of my favorite things to paint are toy chests for kids!