Holiday Cheer

A friend is visiting this week, so we went up to Chases's for lunch yesterday, and did a little shopping and "driving around to look at the Lights". Remember that? We used to do that when I was a kid. We found some pretty impressive ones. Chase's has a new show of small works and some great amaryllis varieties for forcing if you are into that...which I am.

Sketchbook Project Pages

I've been doing pages for the Sketchbook Project every day this week. I'm letting the story of this book evolve intuitively. Many of the pages are being built on top of an old Progressive Spelling textbook I found a few years ago. I think the idea of progressively learning each day of my life is getting put into this work. I am constantly struck by how there is more and more intense learning for me with each passing year. I didn't expect that! And I like getting back to blue pen drawings and collage, which is a true love.

fineartistmade...a Maine thing

I was still thinking about cookies this morning. I thought...wouldn't it be cool if there were artists out there making special artist-made cookies? I don't know what I expected exactly. Maybe something sculptural, or along the lines of the anatomically correct gingerbread people we made one Christmas in a hilarious baking frenzy. But when I googled artist-made I got the nicest gift. This site and blog for fineartistmade, a Maine (proud!) duo of artist and photographer who make handcrafted furniture, kitchens, and baths. Oh my! You just have to go there and see what they do. Being the owner of an old, really old (1763) house in Maine I can really appreciate the genius they are bringing to their work. I think I found the people I want to renovate my creaky kitchen! I tried to bring over some pictures for you from their site, but they were too pixelated, so you will just have to trust me and get thee over to their site. In the meantime, maybe this picture of more cookies, from Alice Mendrich's cookbook Pure Dessert  and some beautiful spoons also made by hand in Maine (but I don't know by whom..sorry), and gorgeous Fog Linen, will suffice. There are two places I know of to get Fog Linen around here...Chelliswilson, a BEAUTIFUL shop in Portland, Maine, and Pod, another BEAUTIFUL shop in Brookline, MA.