While She Naps

Earth and Air has opened at Lark & Key

I'm busy here working on a big project that is rather all absorbing at the moment.  I will have a second Humpty Dumpty to show in a day or two.  But I did want to let you know that my show at Lark & Key has opened.

Please call Sandy (704-379-1826) or shoot her an email at info@larkandkey.com if you are interested in any of these pieces.  I think the lark already sold, but there is a gull with some blue and orange on its wings that is not shown above. And if you live near Charlotte, NC, please stop in and see Sandy's lovely shop in person. 

back from our trip

We had a great family vacation in D.C.  We stayed in Dupont Circle and saw my family in Maryland, ate delicious food (Hank's Oyster House was a favorite, with Mr. Yogato tangy yogurt with mochi for dessert).  We spent some quality time with Lincoln and the Wright Brothers.  And we got a sneak peak at the spring flowers that haven't yet bloomed up here in Boston.  It was so good to get away for a while.

And today Stella turns 3.  I made a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and pink and green frosting, at her request.  The party is at 11:00 and she is so thrilled.  My baby girl is so big!

magazine stuff

My sister-in-law's house is on the cover of Metropolitan Home this month.  Those little girls are my nieces, Jordan and Ellis, and on their heads are felt birthday crowns I made for them when they turned four!  How cool is that! 

And Passover is officially over tonight. The pizza guy should be here any moment and we are salivating with eager anticipation. 

I spent this week working on a project for Australian Homespun. And here is it:

Humpty Dumpty will be featured in the magazine at the end of this year, along with the pattern and sewing instructions so you can make your own little Humpty.  Of everything I've ever made, this doll is the most popular and most admired by my kids.  I'm so glad Homespun asked me to make him. It was a pleasure to dig out to he pattern and craft a new Humpty.  He is all cotton, stuffed with wool, with embroidered features, tab button joints.  Even his hat and shoes are Kona cotton. This was a really fun project. Early next year I will put the doll for sale in my shop.

Stella has a pink kitty that she loves so much.  He is her special guy and she drags him everywhere.  He has been her constant companion for three years now and he is a bit worse for the wear. Lucky for kitty it is his birthday every day.  She sets a nice table and invites a lot of guests.  You can see him there propped up with many silks - his body is very floppy now and he does not sit by himself.

I got a few minutes the other day to play with my book on how to make Japanese garnishes.  I love garnishes.  I love to eat them, much to Charlie's major embarassment.  And I think they are so cool to make.  Here are a few cucumber cups with cherry tomato centers and some cucumber chains. 

There are massive amounts of leftover torn fabric strips hanging around in a big pile on my desk right now.  A big jumble of color.

And a new gull is flying overhead.  This bird is the last piece for my show at Lark & Key.  Blue and orange - very soothing together.  I have a few new projects to prepare for, and a family vacation to D.C. and Stella's birthday, too.  All good stuff.

little bird and Pesach cooking

Last night I finished this little bird in orange and blue for my show at Lark & Key. I took a few birds over to a nature preserve that abuts our property called Cronk's Rocky Woodland. There is a great old house there with an outdoor fireplace. The mantle is covered in moss and is a super backdrop for soft sculpture birds.  I will post a few more photos from my morning photo shoot up on Flickr soon.

This kids are out with daddy delivering Pesach meals to homebound elderly people in Brookline. And I just got back from Whole Foods with all the stuff to cook the Seder.  Here is the menu:

First:

Matzoh ball soup
Homemade salmon gefilte fish
Hard boilded eggs
Charoset, Homemade horseradish, other Seder plate foods

Then dinner:
Grandma's sweet and sour brisket
Pan-roasted asparagus
Red cabbage salad (from A Homemade Life)
Kugel

And dessert:
Sponge cake with homemade strawberry sauce and sliced strawberries
Homemade coconut macaroons with chocolate ganache (from A Homemade Life) - I made these yesterday and they are amazing!

Whew.  I better get started. 

blue bird

Just in time for Spring. I finished this blue bird today and she is up in my shop now.

Passover is approaching fast.  We are cleaning out the pantry and the fridge this weekend and then I need to start cooking.  I'm making my own gefilte fish again, with smoked and fresh salmon, plus the usual matzoh balls, brisket, kugel, and sponge cake.  I'm also going to make coconut macaroons - they seem so easy, I don't know why I've always bought the can in the past. I hope they come out well. And maybe tsimmes.  There was a good recipe in yesterday Globe for tsimmes and I've never made it before.  Of course this will be too much food, but that's how it's meant to be. 

For Roxanne Passover is an excuse to be Pharaoh all the time. But what else is new.