No Apology

So, it has been almost a month since I have posted on either blog.  Without apology.  The end of summer vacation was a stronger draw than the uncomfortable office chair in our warm and stuffy office.  Plus, I have found that if I blog with the sense of obligation, it will feel like a job, a duty, a chore, a chore worse than doing laundry.  So, I blog without obligation, without apology. 
The end of summer was filled with bike rides, a trip to Elitch Gardens Amusement Park, trips to the farmers market, back to school shopping, afternoons at the local pool and making s'mores.  No regrets.
But, I am back.  To share more art, more recipes, more about my little town.

I found this little man of an eggplant at the Isabelle Farm Stand at Thomas Open Space in Lafayette, Colorado.
I asked the farmer who grew the eggplant, how he got "arms" to grow.  He told us he talks to them.  That made me smile, thinking of this young man stooping over to cajole the eggplant into growing appendages.  I am going to have a hard time cutting this one up.  I think he's so cute with his two arms and little hat. 

My favorite way to prepare eggplant is to slice it and grill until soft.  I usually salt the slices and let them sit for a few hours before grilling, that will take out the bitterness.  Grilled eggplant is decadent served with a smear of goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  But, I like it plain, too.

I may just have to start with the two Japanese eggplant and save the little man another day!

Art with Hearts - another collage



"An understanding heart warms all that are graced with its presence."

 Another collage with a prominent heart, paper mounted on foam core to add elevation.  The piece is on a flat canvas, but I didn't like the flat look, so I built a box from scrap wood and placed that behind the canvas.  I painted the wood to mimic the design on the paper.  I also used metal objects, shiny red brads, a Chinese fortune, and a wooden piece with the words "care more"

Side view - showing you my handi-work with the painted wood behind the canvas.

Recipe - Antipasti & Marinated Vegetables

This is one of my favorite appetizers to serve at a party or before Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.  I love the art of it.  Just look at the color and the texture.  The flavors are just as good.  The sweet marinated cherry peppers play nicely off the hard, salty cheese and the crisp and tangy vegetables.  Serve with good bread and good wine.  Each person can mix and match to suit their tastes.  It's a crowd pleaser!

Antipasti Platter

1 pound assorted sliced, gourmet deli meats (such as Italian salami, spicy capocollo, prosciutto,  and mortadella)
1/2 pound high quality Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into irregular chunks
Marinated vegetables (recipe follows)

Marinated artichoke hearts
Kalamata or Marinated Olives
Peperoncini or marinated cherry peppers (or both)
1 loaf focaccia bread, sliced

1 box crispy Italian breadsticks

Arrange the meats, cheeses, and focaccia on a large platter. Place the marinated vegetables, olives and peppers in small serving bowls.  Place breadsticks, upright, in a decorative container. 

Marinated Vegetables

8 cups assorted vegetables (such as carrots, green beans, zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli)

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Cut the carrots and zucchini into long stick, about ¼ wide.  Break cauliflower and broccoli into florets.  Blanch each type of vegetable to desired doneness.  They should be bright and crisp.  Stop the cooking by rinsing in cold water.  Drain well.

Whisk all remaining ingredients in bowl; toss with vegetable mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. Bring vegetables to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

• Find a good olive bar to buy the peppers and olives.  Any variety of interesting olives and peppers would work for the platter.
• Use a variety of meats, vegetables, olives and peppers to create colorful appetizer.

Decorating with collections

I inherited a gene for collecting.  Some call it hoarding, or being a pack rat, hopefully it really isn't that extreme and it can be more delicately called "collecting."  Collecting can cause it's own problems: where to store a collection, when to stop, and what to do when a collection gets out of control.  Never fear, collections can be tamed, and in some cases it is okay to say goodbye to a collection.

My first collection gone wild was a collection of suns and moons that I started in the 90's.  Remember those?  Celestial imagery was everywhere.  I thought it was charming, so I bought, created, and collected many, many suns and moons.  My family got on board and I couldn't pass one holiday or birthday without receiving at least one celestial gift.  You can imagine that eventually it spiraled out of control.  I had a solution.  Confine them.  Instead of having suns and moons strewn about the house, I decorated the bathroom with them.  It wasn't even a full fledged bathroom, more of a powder room.  To embrace the theme, I painted the walls a bright orange and hung the best of the suns and moons on all four walls.  I must admit, it was a bit overpowering, but it was confined and contained.  It was kitschy and cute. 

 

Since then, I have broken that collection and I only have one unique ceramic sun left on a wall in my home.

I learned a lesson, though.  Grouping items is a great way to display confine a collection.  I used this technique when designing one of the bathrooms in our 1890's home renovation. I have a large collection of vintage photos.  Some are family shots and some have been collected at flea markets and yard sales just because they are interesting.

Using black and white in that bathroom seemed like a natural choice.  I found a white waffle weave shower curtain, and simple black towels.  I framed my collection of hand me down antique photos in black wood frames, and incorporated some black and white artwork as well.  I decoupaged a tissue box with black and white imagery.  I scoured the other parts of my house for a white kettle, a white pitcher (to put flowers in), a black glass bowl (for soaps). I painted the walls white and the built in shelving, window trim and door trims black. 

The overall effect is quite nice and was easy to achieve.  I didn't have to spend much to get the look.  I used old photos and vases.  The frames, if they weren't black, were painted or found at local discount stores.  I made the tissue box and the polka dot candle with black and white papers and Mod Podge. 

With white walls and only black accessories, there is potential for an easy switch up, if I want one.  I can add red towels in December for a pop of color.  If I find a really great antique accessory with a bit of color, I could add that too.  It's a great look, and I haven't tired of it yet!