I am so happy to have had this entire weekend to spend in the studio and the woodshop working on stuff for my upcoming show at UCR SweeneyArtGallery.  Unfortunately I had to turn down some things, but hours and hours of time to work on this stuff has left me feeling quite excited.

I don’t want to show too much, but above are some of the pieces of a larger puzzle.  Below is one of the oval pieces that will be in the show, but unfinished of course.  (Well finished (as in stained), but not finished (as in completed).)

Here is just some doodle daddle:

And here is a blurry image of my studio with my new bookcase (Good Will) that I painting a chartreuse color. It was previously more of a kelly green:

And lastly, I have been eating like a little pig this weekend, because studio mate and chef from a past life Christine Jane has been filling my tummy with many goods and has to make everything look and taste so goooood:

This year I decided to take a stab at candy making and I think, much like my stab at jewelry making last year which I love and continue to do to this day, I think candymaking is here to stay.  Yes, the chocolate and the cream and the butter and the chocolate and the cream aren’t the best things to consume, but perhaps if I space it out or discover something healthy to infuse in these truffles and bon bons, then I will be quite the happy camper!

I also got quite a kick out of packaging them.  I really just raided the Martha Stewart aisle at Michael’s but hey, it works.

These are the things I gave away this year and I had a lot of fun making them.  I even dreamt about making them after spending 2 whole days melting chocolate, measuring flour and trying to figure out how all this works.  I really want to make a chart…like chocolate plus cream equals truffle, or chocolate plus butter and cream equals fudge.  Or what the heck do all these crazy combinations mean?  It’s so scientific, and I am quite excited!

I’ll get all the recipes up on ArtistsCookbook very shortly, but first, Brian and I are two episodes away from finishing season 2 of Mad Men and we must finish first.

I hope everyone had a great Holiday and was able to do the things they enjoy, spend time with family, eat good food, and work in a little relaxing time.

A baby magnet, a baby nativity and some cute little felt flower hair thingies have landed in the shop! Leftovers from the Boutique, which was quite fun I must say. I got many fun things, ate many things, and had a very gay time indeed. I hope everyone is having a nice Holiday! It’s nice to take some time to be with family, food, and the best part: to relax. I’ve been in a version of pj’s all day, didn’t shop at all, and actually have just been adding recipes and these here items. But the recipes, I don’t know what it is, but I have been bitten by the baking bug, so expect many more baked items from me.

Here’s one, that bit me and in turn I had to bite back. I do that sometimes.

I also put a little piece into a show at Sea and Space, which is kinda like a solo show. But in a very group way. I called the show “Forecasts and Parades”. I’m also working on a ton of things in my studio so the other part of my 4 day weekend will be at school in the studio or in the sculpture lab, making things like there’s no tomorrow.

My friend Christine made me this lime syrup drink and there’s seriously no turning back.  I keep thinking about different ways to tweak the recipe. I think next I am going to add a green tea bag into the water when I’m warming it up before adding the sugar.  A little caffeine never hurt anyone.  And then there’s also trying different citrus.  Or kiwi.  The possibilities are endless and I’m totally suffering from a sugar high right now. I think I have had two of these already!

Well for this recipe anyway, please check it out at ArtistsCookbook.

Some of us work harder than others, as is the case with my cat Lily.  She is exhausted from her very hard job of looking cute, grooming herself, and begging to go outside only to come back in 3 seconds later. Therefore, this little worker is spending her labor day in bed.  On a towel.  Don’t ask.  Some cats just prefer terry cloth.  I always call it her magic carpet.

Me, on the other hand, have had some recent visits with girlfriends Ramona and Christine, and we have done some creative things.  Like suddenly everything in my life needs to have ric rac, including you.

For cost efficiency, I have begun with skirts that I made:

But my favorite thing so far about this weekend, is making yummy food with my honey, who also shares the same appreciation for food:

And we’re also watching Friends which is great too.  We started at Season 1 and are going through the whole shebang.  Right now we’re already a couple seasons in, and just waiting for Monica and Chandler to come out with their relationship to everyone.  We’re always like, ok one more episode…