MyStudio

Recycle Artwork into New Designs

2012-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

Here's the perfect project to get you off your computer & enjoying some hands-on creating!

Ever wonder what to do with all of the art work your kids make at school? Are you running out of wall space to hang it all, or do you have boxes & bins over-flowing with drawings that you can't bare to part with? I do!

Here are just a few of my favorite watercolors done by my daughters.

I decided to take a Zen approach to my issue....cutting little pieces of each of the paintings to create one collage. This way I could view a little of each one, or at least feel that they were represented. The result was a piece of art not only created by my daughters, but myself, as I patiently leafed through the paintings, cutting and arranging to make a cohesive piece.

Next, I'd like to try a combo of their paintings, drawings, and writing....stay tuned!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2012-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Homemade Oreos from SmittenKitchen.com, Adapted from Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa {i used Equal Exchange Organic Baking Coca}
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening {i used Spectrum Organic Veg. Shorting}
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

the batter was thick, drier than your usual cookie dough

with a scooper I was able to get even sizing

you'll then want to hand-roll each cookie, this will create a smoother edge. I tried just flattening the "scooped dough" and the edges broke. while it tasted the same, it didn't look like a true Oreo. Also, be sure to flatten them enough, they don't spread as much as you might think, my first batch resembled more of a Whoopie-pie than an Oreo.

In conclusion, lots of time & effort goes into these cookies. You have to really love Oreo cookies for this recipe. I personally don't like Oreo's {sorry} but my girls wanted to give it a try. They loved them, and the flavor was spot-on {without all of the junk that's in conventional oreos}. This is a fun novelty treat for someone special.

Another....Six Layer Cake

2012-01-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

Match your cake to your party!! Here is my daughter's 12th birthday Cake. I debated on serving the cake as shown below, without the outer-layer of frosting, but opted to frost it in the end. With the amount of frosting piled between each layer, there is plenty to balance the cake even without the outer layer. This way, you can showcase your colorful design!

Six Layer Cake

2011-09-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

I once again tried the six layer cake (using the "rainbow Cake recipe") in a previous post. This time I went for a "watercolor" effect, using shades of one color. I think this would work perfect for a color-themed party or baby shower (in shades of pink or blue).

GLUTEN FREE Chocolate Chip Scones

2011-09-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite scone recipe. BabyCakes raspberry scones were top of my list for a long time, but these Chocolate Chip scones are tough to beat!

My Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Scones have been tested by my "gluten-loving" family, and they have been given rave reviews!!

Here is my super-easy {and flexible} recipe

{preheat oven to 350}

• 2 1/2 cups of almond flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

whisk together dry ingredients---

• 1/3 cup of coconut oil or grapeseed oil

{i used 1/2 of each to equal 1/3 cup}

• 1/3 cup agave nectar

• 2 large eggs

whisk together wet ingredients---

• fold in 1/3 cup of old fashioned oats

• fold in 1 cup of chopped dark chocolate

{for this batch I used 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped milk chocolate bar. Just happened to be what I had it the house}

use a 1/4 cup scooper to scoop on baking sheet.

I like mine cooked a little crispy, so I cook for 15mins.

depending on your oven, I'd say 12-17mins.

Yum! perfect for breakfast {good source of protein} or dessert. And, they freeze perfectly. I pull them out of the freezer, place in microwave for 20 seconds.
Enjoy!

Logo design HELEN OF MEMPHIS

2011-07-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

A local Artist, formally from Memphis, needed a logo for her budding craft business. Her dream is to one day have a store where this antique store sign will adorn her store front. She needed a logo that while different from the sign, would represent the same feel. This is what I came up with.....

you can learn more about Helen on her etsy shop.

Mini Blueberry Tarts

2011-07-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you are heading to the HUDSON VALLEY this weekend, there's still time to get in some blueberry picking! I went last weekend to HODGSON FARM in Walden, NY where they said their blueberries are chemical-free!

We picked enough blueberries for snacking, smoothies, freezing, and baking.

Our first baking project were these simple Mini Blueberry Tarts.

I used Spelt flour for a "nuttier" more healthy treat.

Ingredients

- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white SPELT flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- Salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 cups blueberries
- whipped cream

Directions

Mix flour, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt to combine. Add butter, and with a pastry cutter, work until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.
Cut dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day. Cut 1 disk into 12 pieces; on a lightly floured work surface, flatten each piece into a 2-inch round. Press a round onto bottom and up sides of each cup of a 12-cup nonstick mini-muffin tin. Repeat with remaining disk of dough and second muffin tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes. OR- to make the process quicker use a melon scoop an scoop dough onto a cookie sheet & put in freeze for about 5mins. Place ball in mini muffin tin and press with wooden tart maker.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Add berries; toss to coat. Fill shells with berry mixture. Bake until crusts are brown and filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins. Run a knife around tarts; remove from tins. Let cool completely on rack.
top with fresh whipped cream & lemon zest.

Best Rainbow Cake Recipe

2011-07-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

I've seen many posts on "Rainbow Cakes", and my daughters 13th birthday gave me the perfect opportunity to give it a try.

{I want to give myself a disclaimer on the photos and cake decorating. With the limited time I had on this baking project, decorating was a "quickie" and the photos were shot super-fast with my iphone}.

This recipe, taken directly from the "Whisk Kid" blog, was PERFECT!!
I was amazed how evenly and flat each layer baked and the flavor was delicately textured. The only adjustment I made to the cake was decreasing the amount of food-coloring {for a slightly more natural look}.

For the frosting, I followed the the recipe for the "fill and crumb coat" but I used a lighter frosting on the outside.

This is after assembling and "coating" the outside of the cake. I baked the cake in the evening and refrigerated it over-night. The frosting hardened, making it the perfect surface for a final frost. While I'm a big fan of "it's best the day you bake it", in this case after bringing it to room temperature it still tasted perfect.

For the outside frosting I wanted to use something lighter, a little more fluff and a little less butter. This helped to balance the richness of the buttery frosting on the inside, but with the warm weather of the day, the frosting started to melt before we cut-into the cake. Minor miss-hap, but something to consider.

Here is the Last Piece Standing!! {p.s. I know I messed-up the order of the rainbow!! It made for a good laugh. Once you place that layer, there's no taking it back :)

I can't wait to make this recipe again! Next time I'll try shades of one color!

{RECIPE BY WHISK KID RECIPES}

Super Epic Rainbow Cake
I'm adding a disclaimer here: THERE IS A LOT OF FROSTING/BUTTER IN THIS CAKE. I used a lot because I wanted the cake to be very striking visually. It is intentional. Put in less if you want. Also, I'm not forcing you to eat this entire cake by yourself, so - seriously - quit freaking out about the butter.

White Cake (but not really)
I made things difficult on myself and altered a coconut cake recipe for this. I don't know why I didn't just make a white cake from a white cake recipe, but.... I didn't. Here's the source if you're looking to make a coconut cake. It looks divine, but my friends don't like coconut :(
2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp
2 1/3 c (466 g) sugar
5 egg whites, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 c (375 g) flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 c (355 g) milk, warmed for 30 sec in microwave to bring to room temp
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple GEL food coloring. Liquid will not be vibrant enough!

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Oil and line how ever many 9” cake pans you have (I have three and I just reused them).

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter, then add the egg whites (I cracked them all into one bowl) and add them a little at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Then, alternating between wet and dry, add the milk and flour mixture in two parts.

Divide the batter amongst 6 bowls (I did it by weight. Weigh your mixing bowl before you begin adding ingredients and then subtract the weight of the bowl from the final measurement after the batter is completed. Divide that number by six and add that weight of batter to each bowl), and then whisk a fair amount of the appropriate food color into each bowl. Keep in mind that the color of the unbaked batter will be the color of the baked batter. Pour into the pans and bake for 15 minutes each.

When you remove them from the oven, let them rest on the cooling rack, in the pan, for ten minutes. Then flip, cover, and stash them in the fridge to cool quickly.

To fill and crumb coat:
9 egg whites
1 ¾ c (350 g) sugar
4 sticks (532 g) of butter, room temp
2 tsp lemon extract

To frost:
5 egg whites
1 c (200 g) sugar
2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp
1 tsp lemon extract

Cook the egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved (test by rubbing some between your fingers. If it's completely smooth, it's done). Pour into another bowl (a stand mixer is preferable) and whip on high speed until room temp. Then, on a medium-slow speed, add the butter, waiting until each piece is completely incorporated before adding the next. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer back to high speed and whip until it has come together, about five minutes. Add the extract, beat briefly and then use.

If the buttercream seems soupy after all of the butter is added and does not come together after whipping, refrigerate for 5 to 7 minutes and continue whipping until it becomes fluffy and workable.

Assembly
Stack the layers in your preferred order and fill and frost as you would any other cake.

Once frosted, the cake can be left on the counter without any problems, but feel free to refrigerate it. Just be sure that the cake is at room temperature when serving or the frosting will be hard, not smooth.

SIMPLE LEMON CAKE with a "twist"

2011-07-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

I looked to my garden for inspiration & knew I had to do something with my beautiful Peonies. After doing a little research, I discovered that these edible petals were used as a garnish in lemonade. I thought, lemon cake would be close enough & I went to my trusted Martha Stewart site for a lemon cake recipe.

Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) - In China the fallen petals are parboiled and sweetened as a tea-time delicacy. Peony water was used for drinking in the middle ages. Add peony petals to your summer salad or try floating in punches and lemonades.

I wanted to keep the look of the flower without using the center, so I tried {tried} to recreate the center with something that would be edible.

I sliced the lemon rind & mixed up some powered sugar and lemon juice.

My hope was that the sugar would harden & "hold-up" all of the lemon pieces to replicate the flower's center. {i didn't account for the natural oils in the peel that would continually keep the sugar moist. So, this was only mildly successful}

This was a simple Lemon Tea Cake. Dense and moist, not too sweet, with a strong lemon flavor.

Here is the MARTHA RECIPE:

Lemon Cake

This recipe was also featured on "Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn."
Martha Stewart Living, March 2008 http://www.marthastewart.com/255933/lemon-cake

Rated

(24)24

Yield Serves 8

Ingredients

- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs plus 3 large egg whites
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
- Borage or other edible flowers, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.
Combine sour cream, vanilla, zest, and juice. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream mixture. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Transfer to pan, and smooth top.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out cake onto rack to cool completely. (Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.) Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar, and arrange flowers on top.

Yummy Muffins Sweetly Packaged

2011-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

I made coffee cake & blueberry muffiins, and spelt/agave sweetened wild blueberry scones for my daughter's class trip. I thought for sure the kids would go crazy over the super-sugary crumb topping of the coffee cake, but the big hit was the blueberry muffins! Both the coffee cake & blueberry recipes are from Martha Stewart. The blueberry muffins had a wonderful dense sweet flavor. I used frozen organic-wild blueberries, they were perfect!

The spelt/agave sweetened wild-blueberry scones i made (but not pictured) were adapted from a BabyCakes recipe. Fig & Sage blog has posted the recipe, check-it-out. The only substitutions I made were the blueberries & I used organic white spelt flour. What the recipe doesn't mention, but I always do, is slightly melt the coconut oil. These scones are always a hit with the parents & my kids love them too. If you're watching your sugar intake, or want to try a healthier alternative to white flour, the BabyCakes spelt scones are a must!!!

Salt & Pepper, please.

2011-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some photo's I took of my Nirmala's Kitchen Salt blends & unique peppers. Check out Nirmala's Kitchen website for recipes from around the world!

Here we have Mysore Green Peppercorn , Tasmanian Pepperberry, and Brazilian Pink Pepper.

ReUse yarn & ribbon left-overs to create custom Art

2011-04-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

I've gone a little crazy with the photos of this one, but I'm addicted to the textures, colors, and overall feel!

This was a labor of love. One of those side projects that take forever, and often get neglected. But little by little I hand stitched each thread & ribbon exactly where I wanted it to go.

I used felt backing as my base.

My intention was to frame this Art in a rustic wood custom frame. I wanted space between the art & glass to show the uneven edges and the depth of texture. But, for now it's going in a basic black frame wedged against the glass {I had this extra frame from a "buy-one, get-one free" sale} . For now this will do. On the up-side, the black creates a nice contrast to the vivid colors.

I hope this inspires you to get out those yarn scraps!

If you would like more information on custom art for your home or office,

contact me!

NIRMALA's KITCHEN Risotto

2011-04-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

I got just tried this Risotto from Nirmala's Kitchen & yum-yum. I know risotto is technically intended to be a little runnier, but I like mine a tad drier. It was so easy, I just added a little bit of left-over roasted chicken with parmesan sprinkled on top & it was the perfect little meal.

Baklava and Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-03-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my daughter's class play Julius Caesar, I whipped-up some yummy treats topped with Caesar himself! {see below}

If you like Baklava, you can't go wrong with this recipe from allrecipes.com.
It's 5 star rated with over 1,000 reviews. It's so easy, it's a must try!

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES I made these Red Velvet cupcakes with a revised Martha Stewart recipe.

1. I added a 1/2 cup of coconut oil to replace the vegetable oil,

2. I used apple cider vinegar instead of white,

3. I used 1/2 the amount of red food coloring.

So, technically it wasn't your typical red- red velvet, but I couldn't bring myself to use all of the red dye {and one of my daughters is sensitive to red dye}. It actually made a really cool swirly purple-ish red color. I'd definitely do it again, everyone love them!

{homemade cupcake liners & cream cheese frosting}

CUSTOM gifts by MaureenMae

2011-03-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

I recently ordered a customized necklace from MaureenMae handmade jewelry and I couldn't be happier! Maureen was great to work with, super creative, and the end product exceeded my expectations!

This 1/2 inch charm is so delicate, yet the fine detail is very apparent. On the back side I have a name & date stamped. Even on such a tiny charm, the inscription is clear & easily readable.

I loved it so much, I purchased a second to give as a gift. The packaging was beautiful & really made for a special treasure.

MaureenMae does custom work which I think has many possibilities in the bridal market. This would make a perfect BRIDESMAID gift. Have a little image relating to the theme (a flower, leaf, star, etc...) and on the back inscribe the date.
The chain comes in various lengths too. I JUST LOVE THIS SHOP! Check out her shop on etsy.

Wrapping with Burlap

2011-03-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

I reused this awesome box that I got from Anthropologie. No need to wrap this beauty, it could stand alone. But, I thought I'd just add a little to take it to the next level. In comes the burlap.

I roughly cut some burlap and used the frayed strings to to tie it together. After weaving the burlap strings through to hold it, I weaved some red silk tread to add a little contrast and color.

Next, I topped it with a wisteria pod. I am enchanted with these pods at the moment! They are so cool. They look & actually feel like velvet.

I love to add a little nature whenever I can. Now I'm off to see what else I can create with these pods!

Nirmala's Kitchen- Web Design

2011-03-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

I recently finished designing the website for Nirmala's Kitchen. Nirmala's site is a travel journal and excellent source of information on exotic spices, recipes & and place to buy unique spices, salts, and grains. Here are a few of the many mock-ups I made for the site.

This is the Home Page

Here is a sample of the wonderful spices!

About 90% of the site product photography was done by me.

Here are some travel pictures from Nirmala's travels.

And lots of detailed information on the spices & their origin.

So, check out Nirmala's Kitchen, it a great source for all types of cooks!

{fyi the programmer is still working-out the kinks, but if you have any difficulties, please be patient and use their call center for orders}. Enjoy!

2011-03-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

For the knitting enthusiast, here is a sock yarn to take you into the spring. It's soft and ligth-weight, but still has a little bit of wool to keep your toes toasty as the snow melts. The added bonus, it's variegated so it creates a lovely, effortless pattern with no thought at all. So, sit-back, relax & start knitting!

If you're in the Hudson Valley, stop by our local sustainable fiber shop- White Barn Farm Sheep & Wool to get your yarn. Each sock will be different so it adds a cool little twist. And, one ball of this yarn made 2 pairs of socks, one small adult & one med. child pair.

German Pancake

2011-03-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

I thought this recipe was definately worth sharing!
Not only did the kids love the taste, it was fast, easy, and fun to watch it cooking!
It grows big and fluffy & then deflates like a balloon. I like that all of those eggs add a lot of protein, but for the kids it taste just like dessert.

Here is the recipe taken from the April 1, 2011 Woman's Day Magazine.

Winning with Waldorf Logo design

2011-03-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

This is one of those "things that make you go hmm". I stumbled across this logo comp I designed for a Waldorf School fundraiser a few years ago. The logo would be used to advertise their Pro-Am Golf Tournament fundraiser. While I never thought I'd use Snell Roundhand for anything (let alone a logo), I kinda like it. But at the same time, I kinda don't. I guess that's why this is one of those "things that make me go hm-hmm-hmmm."

Bring in Spring!

2011-02-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

After a winter storm with lots of wind & ice, my daughter found these broken branches on the ground at the park. We brought them home in hopes of forcing some blooms & after 2 weeks of waiting they are just about ready to pop!

It is evidence that spring will be coming soon! Not only has it been fun to watch the process, but they look beautiful too {at all stages}.

Homemade Twix Bars

2011-02-14T07:55:00.000-08:00

I came across this bolg, Not Without Salt, and saw an enticing photo of a homemade Twix Bar & thought this would be the perfect valentine's treat for my kids to share at school. While I'm an avid baker, I've always had this fear of candy making- so face that fear is what I did and the candy making began!

I followed the recipe {almost} exactly and ran into a challenge with the caramel.
The recipe says a key moment is when the sugar syrup turns a "golden brown". Well, I used organic sugar cane and by nature the color started as a "golden brown". Nervous, I watched intently until I got to 300°F. In the end, the caramel wasn't as "solid" as I think it should have been & the taste wasn't as smooth (it tasted a little over-done, but the texture was a little underdone?? I need more practice on this one).

The rice in the recipe was awesome. It added a nice crunch, definitely don't omit it.

The recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, I used 1/2 milk chocolate, but it still tasted like dark chocolate. I think the next time I'll go all in on the milk chocolate.

In the end my taste-testers gave it a 2-thumbs up!

Carrot cupcakes

2011-02-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you're in the mood for carrot cake, try these super moist & easy cupcakes from Martha Stewart. I made 2 batches & got rave reviews! This is a definite keeper for the recipe box!

Living in the Tao of the Seasons (my logo design)

2011-02-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

THERESE SIBON, M.S., LAc., is a licensed acupuncturist with private practices in New York City and New Paltz, New York. She has also led classes at SUNY New Paltz, teaching RNs (registered nurses) about acupuncture, complementary medicine and how they work with western medicine. Therese teaches seminars in New Paltz, NY and New York City on self care, Chinese Medicine and living in the Tao.

Therese's blog Living in the Tao of the Seasons has a wealth of information on health and well-being. You will find many lessons, recipes, and even a pattern for a hot water bottle! Subscribe to her blog today!!

Another "Thank You" Project

2011-02-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

I like adding a personal touch to my handmade cards. Here is a "thank-you" card I recently made with my lifestyle craft letterpress machine. My literal interpretation of "many thanks"!

On the opposite side of this bronze card I will write a personal note.

I tucked my "many thanks" in a brown craft box. I re-purposed an old catalog to make a filler. The "filler" was make in my vitamix blender! I figured if it can chop-up an avocado pit, it could surely do paper. It worked perfect!

Practice Pictures LOGO DESIGN

2011-01-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Information on Practice Pictures to come.......

Wooly Wrapping

2011-01-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

Another treat from White Barn Farm Sheep & Wool- natural, hand dyed wool roving! This beautiful wool doubles as the perfect ribbon to spice up any gift!
Start with natural kraft paper or even a brown-paper bag (re-purpose!), then use any fabric scrap you have & sew on a band for added contrast. Next, wrap around your roving (yarn scraps work great too!). Finish it off with a bow, or button (this button available at White Barn Farm, is sustainably harvested & made to support an impoverished village in Africa). This will be a treat for any knitting enthusiast!

Have you Any Wool?

2011-01-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a t-shirt I designed for White Barn Farm Sheep & Wool a local farm/fiber/yarn shop in the Hudson Valley. Excuse the poor picture quality which doesn't give these super-soft organic cotton tee's justice. Silk screened locally by ANTILOGY screen printing. Stop by Paula's shop to get your tee, have some tea, and craft till your hearts content with other local artists.
Information below from White Barn Farm Sheep & Wool website-

BLINK- logo design

2010-12-13T06:21:00.000-08:00

Blink, coming soon to Avon, CT, will be a cool, hip, open-mic venue for teens.
I was excited to do this project because I feel it is important for teens to have a fun & safe environment to express their talents. I hope the idea catches-on and more cities follow suit!

I can't wait for t-shirts, I want one!

Edgewood Consulting & Services

2010-10-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a personal guide to the most amazing views in the Hudson Valley, look to EDGEWOOD CONSULTING & SERVICES. Ekaterini's services extend to both the casual hiker & the larger business community. The photo above, taken by Ekaterini, is one of the many locations she can guide you or your group to!

Expressing both the "business" and "casual" side to Edgewood Consulting & Services, is what made this logo design a challenge; sophistication and approachability. Here are a few of the ideas I came up with. My fave is #2.

The votes came in and my client went with logo #4. We decided on adding the rough oval to gear more toward the individual or family hikers. The logo without the oval will be used on stationary and business correspondence.

Organic Cotton Bags from "Green Promotional Items"

2010-08-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

I ordered some great Organic Cotton bags from GREEN PROMOTIONAL ITEMS.
They worked great for this little tote I designed.
The prices are very reasonable, and go down as the quantity goes up.
The great thing is that you can pay a small fee of $15.00 to NOT meet a large "minium order". I needed 20 bags, I paid $2.28 per bag (yes, that's for organic cotton!), plus the $15.00. I still thought it was a great deal.

Check out Green Promotional Items, they have a lot of great looking products & customer service was great!

Apple Embroidery logo

2010-07-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to help my cousin with designing a logo for her home-based Embroidery business. She was pretty sure she wanted an apple image, but she wanted it to convey a "home-crafty business" feel. She wanted a one sided business card, but I gave her an option for 2 sided also. Here is what I whipped up......(she chose to go with the top option).

Menu Headers for "A Natural Chef"

2010-07-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Cathy A. Vogt owner and executive director of "A Natural Chef " is a whole foods chef, educator and certified health counselor. A Natural Chef's mission is to empower and positively change the lives and health of all clients.

For her workshops, Cathy needed ideas for a menu header and layout, plus signage for her work table. Here is the menu layout and headers for the menus she will be passing out at her workshops.

I thought it would be appropriate to have a different header to reflect each of the seasons.

To join Cathy Vogt, A Natural Chef, in the lovely farm house kitchen and learn how to prepare foods that are sustainable and in season, support your health, and support local farming, visit Brook Farm Project or A Natural Chef to sign up for a class. Bon appetit!

Photos From my new Canon 7D

2010-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Her are some of the first pics from my new camera. I recently purchased the Canon 7D and I couldn't be happier! This is the best camera! It has many features (including hd video) and it is very user friendly. These pictures are all unaltered and as shot from my camera. Maybe they could use some tweaking, but I thought "not so bad" for a medium res jpeg without editing. I'd highly recommend this camera.

Invitation Design

2010-04-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

I'm a little slow on getting this post up. Here is an invitation that I designed for The Waldorf School of Orange County in CA, back in the fall.

This was a community event & fundraiser for the non-profit private school. The event took place at Strawberry Farms Golf Course in a big red renovated barn. It was the perfect rustic-contemporary place for this fall soiree!

Biodegradable Ribbon

2010-04-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to report that on a recent trip to The Container Store I found Biodegradable ribbons. I originally went with the intention of checking-out what recycled wrapping paper they had, but was delighted to find these ribbons. The company, Charles Clay & Sons unfortunately is in England & only takes wholesale orders, but if your in the neighborhood of a Container Store, you can pick them up there.

This is the first time I've seen a biodegradable ribbon that actually looks and feels like a thick satin ribbon. I'll be testing it out soon so check back to see how it looks in action. Plus, I will test how it irons-out. A good way to re-use ribbons is to iron them first, they often look brand-new.

Save the Date for building a Green School

2010-03-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

I designed this "save the date" card for The Waldorf School of Orange County, CA. This event spearheaded their fundraising efforts to purchase land and build a "green certified" school for pre-K through high school. This plan would also include a bio-dynamic farm for the students to tend-to.
In two years, this campaign has raised close to $2,000,000 in funds and pledges!

Sustainable graphic design with New Leaf

2010-03-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

New Leaf paper has a new and improved website. It's great, you can do an Eco-Audit, find a local printer, and watch a counter of resources saved by New Leaf's eco-practices. In an age of information sharing, I will share with you some information on SUSTAINABLE DESIGN that New Leaf shares, which was borrowed from ReNourish.

What is sustainable graphic design?

Sustainable graphic design aims to eliminate the negative immediate and future social, economic, and environmental impacts of the printed and digital material produced by the profession. Paper fiber, the substrate most used by the graphic designer currently, should be collected, recycled and injected back into the market as a post-consumer product in order to move towards a sustainable industry. Ideally disposal of paper fiber will be eliminated altogether and instead a Cradle-to-Cradle practice of manufacturing and recovery will be utilized. Sustainable graphic design considers the impact of its creations on communities where materials may be sourced, and aim to support a local economy by working with vendors in their region to increase prosperity and minimize their environmental footprint. Global interdependence, environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability are the goals of the sustainable graphic designer. Achieving these goals will thereby improve our quality of life overall.

Re-Purposed "wrapped-up"

2010-03-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

My daughter was invited to a birthday party for one of the boys in her class who is turning 11. I knew I wanted to wrap his gift (gift certificate to local book store, Inquiring Minds) with Re-Purposed materials, but I wanted it to look a little less "green" and a little more edgy. I got my inspiration from a bag my husband brought home from the liquor store (he should know better!).

I then headed to the garage and poked around and came across some gray plastic netting I found. The color was a perfect match to the gray stripes on the bag.

I wanted a contrast in color, so I headed to my daughters crafting materials and found blue duct tape. The result was quick and simple, but I think it will stand-out.

Creative kids Rock!

2010-03-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

My 11 year old daughter came home last week with a pair of socks she knit in Handwork class at school. These socks were knit with 100% wool, hand dyed with vegetable dyes. You can read more about Handwork in Waldorf Schools from the AWSNA site.

Almost FREE EcoWrapping

2010-03-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

My daughter inspired me when she brought me this beautiful bouquet she collected from the yard. Pussy Willows, a sure sign that Spring is around the corner! (yes, that is snow holding the bouquet together).

So, for my next "wrapping" I will Reuse a brown paper grocery bag. This bag from Stop and Shop actually has a nice printed graphic, it has a "hand-stamped" texture in person. The cloth bag is from a set of organic cotton pillowcases I purchased from Target. I've Reused the bag to hold the hand-made artist book I purchased as the gift.

Now going back to the Pussy Willows. I put the cloth bag in a recycled box and wrapped it with the brown paper bag. Then, I used jewelry wire to connected the pussy willow twigs and wrapped them around the wrapped box.

The brown twigs and the brown paper needed a little color for contrast, so I added-in some green moss. Once this is dissembled, the pussy willows and moss can make a nice natural accent on a book shelf, table, or framed in a shadow box.

Hand Made Birthday invitations

2010-03-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few Birthday invitations I've done for my girls over the years. Each one follows the theme of the party; an animal theme, fairy party, princess party, horseback riding, and tea party. I've always tried to stay away from buying pre-packaged invites and stuck with making something with the crafty supplies I have on hand.

The "Zoo" party invite was my favorite. This invite I used fabric left-over from a dress made for my daughter (that she wore for the party). The party was a zoo. To add to the festivities I made cookies from Martha Stewart's "Noah's Ark" cookie cutters for all of the little guests.

Look to the past for inspiration.

2010-03-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

We can often find solutions to current problems by looking to the past for insight. In the early 15th century Gutenberg revolutionized printing when he produced his 42-line Bible. Gutenberg was famous for his breakthrough in movable type, but his experiments with ink are less well known. At the time water-based inks were being used. Gutenberg found that the water-based inks were too fluid, so he adapted techniques used by artists of the time and began to use oil-based inks made from linseed oil (veggie-based inks are not something new!). It wasn't until the growth of the petrochemical industry in the 1940's that we began to introduce petroleum and toxic solvents into our printing. (until the middle of the 19th century, the main ingredient of paper was cloth rags, hemp, and grass. Using wood for pulp is relatively new, but that's another topic) Fortunately, again the printing community is embracing soy & veggie-based inks for their environmental benefits, vibrant colors, further spreadability, and for making paper easier to recycle.
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Looking to the past often creates insight, or gives us a new perspective on a current issue. I have several "artist books" I made years ago out of used and re-purposed materials. When I've been doing a lot of computer work, I like to take-out my old projects for tactile inspiration.

Green Printing on a budget

2010-03-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

I am currently finishing up a card for a local Acupuncturist, Therese Sibon. We are just about ready to print. These cards will be printed at Greg Barber Co. on Neenah Environment 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Greg Barber offers an environmentally friendly, cost effective solutions for short run printing-
QTY: 500

Price: $75.00

QTY: 750

Price: $100.00

QTY: 1000

Price: $125.00

This is an excellent example of how printing "green" does not need to cost more.

Greg Barber Co. is featured several times for their environmental printing in the book, "Big Book of Green Design". This is a great resource for finding green printers in your area. This is how I connected with Greg Barber!

Therese Sibon is an amazing Acupuncturist serving the Hudson Valley. She has an office at Water Street Market in New Paltz & one in NYC. She also does hospital work in the oncology units. If you're looking for a holistic treatment that focuses on the Body, Mind, and Spirit, make your appointment with Therese today!

I just love chipboard!

2010-03-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

Check out the final printed version here.

The team at Pinball Publishing once again exceeded my expectations! Thanks Pinball for being so great to work with.

I know many of you think of chipboard as cliché, but I still can't get enough of it. I remember in the early 90's when I would cut-up brown paper bags into 8 1/2 x 11 and jam them through my printer. I loved it then & still love it today. Now we can find many sophisticated lines of chipboard in various thicknesses & textures from many of the leading paper companies. Neenah is one of my fave's, their Environment line "dessert Storm" has the look of chipboard, but with a smooth-refined finish. Check out Neenah's environmental commitment & test-out their paper calculator.

Inspiring Re-Purposed Gift Wrapping

2010-02-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

How do you know when someone knows you? Well, for my birthday this year my mother-in-law surprised me with these amazingly wrapped gifts. She looked around the house & yard and used nature & re-purposed items to make some eco-chic wrappings. For me, the wrapping was as much a gift as what was inside!
Become inspired.

Off to the printer

2010-02-12T05:57:00.000-08:00

This card for counselor & life coach, David Brownstein, just went to the printer. They will be printed on Neenah-environment, 100% post-consumer recycled paper
and it will be printed by PINBALL PRESS. I highly recommend the team at Pinball, they are helpful, courteous, fast, and their work is beautiful.
When looking for an environmentally friendly printer, consider Pinball. They not only use soy inks & 100% pc recycled papers, but they also re-purpose their ink with a local cement manufacturing company. They burn the ink as a part of their manufacturing process. Now that's "looking at the loop"!

Crafty Holiday Season

2010-02-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

This past December I made a poster and signs for around town to advertise our Holiday School Fundraiser. My girls attend a Waldorf School & their fundraiser focuses on "gift making". It's a magical event for children to feel the sense of community & to create seasonal gifts out of natural materials. Some of the activities included- pine cone bird feeders, natural bee's wax candle dipping, wreath making, decorating candle holders made from small wood stumps, and more.

Some of the signs I designed & created to be "table-top" advertisements that were displayed in local shops. I added "hand made" accents to give a feel for the day.

The weeks before the event I hosted Craft Making time at my house. We made angels, gnomes, felt pins & necklaces, hid bells in walnut shells, and made acorn babies. Again, using what we found in nature & natural materials. These little gifts were prizes for the children to discover on the day of the faire.

Waldorf Education does an amazing job of educating Stewards of The Environment. As tax time approaches, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to your local Waldorf School, or visit ours, Mountain Laurel Waldorf School .

Diversified Home Services- logo & flier

2010-02-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick little logo & flier done for my "handy-man" neighbor. Diversified Home Services sells and installs Energy Star windows & offers general maintenance services. So, if you want to save on your winter heating bill & cut your carbon footprint, call Bill today! Serving Hudson Valley New York.

Three Sun's Farm-logo

2010-02-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

"Three Sun's Farm" is a small organic family farm named after the three sons in the family. This logo was designed as two separate stamps, the inner flower & the outer name & address. The intention was to allow for a two color logo that could be stamped on recycled brown paper bags & egg cartons.

A Natural Chef- Design Idenity

2010-02-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

Cathy Vogt is a board certified Health Counselor and professional whole foods chef. She specializes in customizing meal plans for families and individuals & her passion is for using local, organic & seasonal whole foods. I designed her logo, business cards, and template to be used for her seasonal recipes.

Check out Cathy's website www.anaturalchef.com, or sign-up for a cooking workshop for lots of tips, techniques, and strategies to bring local whole foods into your life!

Project ReFashion

2010-02-08T06:47:00.000-08:00

Project Refashion was a very fun collaborative effort spearheaded by Paula Kucera and Jillian Grano. It was a not for profit local design initiative to inspire creativity, raise recycling consciousness, and serve the community. Focused mainly on pre-teens and teens, this event concluded with a Run Way Show where the participants could walk the "runway" and showcase the outfits that they "ReFashioned" from used & recycled fabrics.

This was a pro-bono design project where I designed the logo, posters, and program for the event.

Hand-sewn Poster Design.

2010-02-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

This poster was done for a client who wanted something simple, yet wanted a look that would stand-out among the other fliers & posters hanging in the local coffee shops. This was printed on 100% pcw recycled paper, with a hand-sewn cotton pocket to hold business cards on the top.

"Thank-You" ReDesigned

2010-02-06T16:48:00.001-08:00

Sometimes saying "thank you", or sending a card, just isn't enough to express the heartfelt gratitude you feel. Above are a few examples of some "thank you art" I have designed. Each of the "thank you's" were created to relate to the gift received, and all were created using re-purposed materials, or using materials I had around the house. This bottom-right thank you was for a hotel certificate received, it was created from the free shoe buffer in the hotel room. Above that, a thank you put inside old contact lens containers. Also shown, old matchbox, knife box, found twigs, & left-over fabric.

My Studio Designs

2010-02-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

My Studio is where I create. I love to bring a creative twist to all aspects in life, be it designing an identity, wrapping a gift, or decorating a cupcake. I guess you can say I have a love for the tactile experience.