It snowed

….we made goat cheese

….and had a party.

The recipe for the goat cheese was courtesy of kiss my spatula. Goodness, I love that blog. The cheese came out so well that I can’t wait to do it again. But it was a close call. I bought ultra pasteurized goat’s milk because it was all I could find. The milk wouldn’t curdle. I almost threw it all out but I took a chance on adding the juice of another lemon. I poured the liquid into a dishtowel that was draped over a colander and walked away, sure that nothing would come of it. But surprise!  In a few hours I unwrapped the towel and found some very lovely cheese! Here is a photo of the unveiling. Do you see a face? Is the moon made of goat cheese?

Next time I will search the farmer’s market for pasteurized, or (dare I dream to find it?)  unpasteurized goat’s milk.

Graphic Beans

2010 has really taken off running! I can’t believe January is almost over.  The first thing off the presses was this portrait of Katrina Wagner, the “head bean” at her marketing firm, Graphic Beans.  The illustration was commissioned for the cover of a New Years card sent to their clients. The copy reads… “This New Year’s it’s important to remember the old adage: You have to experience the bad times to really appreciate the good times.”.  Inside the card Katrina looks skeptical about that…

It was such a joy to work with Katrina. Her open, friendly and clear communication made for an incredibly pleasant experience (it was so much fun I feel like I can’t even call it a job) I am looking forward to working with the Graphic Beans team again!

Merry Christmas

Trees

Yes indeed,  it has been busy around here. Above is an illustration I did for TreeBaltimore.  I am pleased to say that it has been accepted into the Illustrators Club of DC, MD and VA members show. The show will be at the Art Institute of Washington- Arlington and runs from  January 9, 2010 – February 7, 2010

I’ve learned a lot about the benefits of urban trees. This illustration is a diagram showing the various types of locations where trees can be planted in order to increase our tree canopy. It will be used on a website to promote the Million Trees Project in Baltimore (more on this project when the website goes live!) In the meantime, here is a fascinating article by Jonah Lehrer,  How the City Hurts Your Brain. The largest percent of available planting area in Baltimore and many cities is residential. If you’re planning to buy a Christmas tree, think about getting a live tree that you can plant later. I know, they cost a bit more, but check out this nifty benefits calculator.  Or, if  the weather outside is frightful, snuggle up with a book of trees and dream about what you’ll plant in 2010.

ps last minute gift idea… adopt-a-tree in your community!

First snow

Caught me by surprise.

Happy Thanksgiving

They dined on mince, and slices of quince,

Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,

They danced by the light of the moon,

.

From The Owl and the Pussy Cat by Edward Lear.

Best wishes for all of your journeys and feasts.

A bit of sunshine

Last week’s rain turned pine needles into hedgehogs. Is that you Esme?

 

Housekeeping

I am by nature a collector. I accumulate a LOT of stuff. Every once in a while I attempt to tame and organize it.

Thank goodness for my IKEA guru. She is helping me reorganize my studio.

We live in an old house and  are always discovering things left behind by previous owners. The best was $2,000 cash in an envelope under a radiator cover.  I insisted on returning it to the lady from whom we bought the house. I was spurred on, no doubt by my love for Edgar Allan Poe’s story, The Tell Tale Heart. I do live in Baltimore after all. I am sure that if we had kept the money that radiator would hiss at me until I went mad. We also returned a diamond ring. But we kept the cement Indian head and the old toys and watercolor instruction books.

This was found in the rafters on a recent trip to the attic….. Should I save it? Or is it a sign from above that I should be getting rid of stuff??

November

Happy Halloween

Y manana, El Dia de los Muertos!