Merry Mulling, 2006!

I hope everyone has a wonderful end to their 2006 year. What a ride. Although not as awesome as 2005, I'm ready to move onto 2007! Health, Happiness, and Hope for everyone!

Here's a nice recipe for all to enjoy:

Mulled Wine

The word "mulled" simply means heated and spiced, similar to the German Glühwein (glowing wine), the French vin chaud (hot wine) and the Italian vin brulé. In medieval times these wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after the physician Hippocrates. They were thought to be very healthy, and indeed, with wine at the time being far more sanitary than water, these heated drinks probably did keep people healthy through the cold winters.

2/3 cup sugar

1 750ml bottle wine (a decent merlot)

1/2 cup brandy

6 to 8 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

orange peel from 1/2 orange

1: Pour the wine into a nonreactive saucepan and place over low heat.

2: Cut the zest off half an orange with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler so that only the orange part is removed. If some of the bitter white pith is still attached to the zest, cut it off and discard it.

3: Lightly pound the pieces of zest with the back of a knife or a mallet to release the aromatic oils. Add the zest to the wine. Squeeze some juice in, too.

4: Add the remaining ingredients.

5: Stir occasionally. Do not let the wine come to a boil.

6: When the wine begins to steam and is very hot, it is ready to serve.

7: Shut off the heat and ladle the wine out into mugs or glasses, leaving the seasonings behind.

Lawn Dandruff Night 2006

A fun night had by all, riding around with good company, warm spirits, and a smattering of Kenny G. Lawn Dandruff Night will now be a yearly tradition. Some of my favorite decoration included marshmallow roasting penguin and snowman, Santa on a chopper, and the weirdo santabear peeping tom. And! On a good note, we didn't get shot at or attacked by dogs!

Illustration Friday: Help

I am notorious for putting on my mittens before zipping up my jacket, then searching for help. You need to do that because it ensures minimal wrist exposure! Chilly!

Tagged!?!?!

I've been tagged by Sweet Pea! I'm not quite to sure what this means, but I feel a bit like a Texas Steer. I'll try not to moo too much.

4 jobs I have had:

• Part-time Faculty at the Montserrat College of Art. Just wrapped up the beginning of my forth year there, and I am so lucky to have met the students I have over the years. *awww*
• Gallery Monitor during my college years. That was the best damn job ever. They actually pay you for that.
• Strawberries! Movies, Music, and More... How may I help you?
• Lead Paint Scraper. Now, I was a college student, in desperate need of money. But with the huge dilemma of needing a good tan in the summer. And I have to admit, the tan was rocking that year. Bloodstream.... not so good.

4 movies I could (and have) watch over and over:

• Amelie
• Glory
• Sense and Sensibility
• Tombstone
• I have soooo many more though...

4 places I have lived (apart from where I am now):

• Ok, I'm sheltered!
• Kellycrazyland
• Rhode Island (very similar to Kellycrazyland though)
• Paris in less than a month!

4 TV shows I love (lord, this will be embarrassing):

• Masterpiece Theater/PBS
• Most Extreme Challenge
• Anything of TLC, Bravo (Ooh! I miss cable! Project Runway), Nat'l Geo Channel, Animal Planet...
• Bachelor, Laguna Beach, Flavor of Love, RR/RW Challenges (ok, I will stop)

4 places I have been for a vacation:

• Civil War Battlefields, with my parents when I was younger. LOVED IT.
• Ireland
• Drove across the US in eight days with a great friend and saw every Waffle House you can shake a bowl of grits at.
• Oooooh, Brussels! All about the Atomium, friends. Make sure to see it when sleep deprived. Much funnier.

4 websites I visit daily (more dorkiness!):

• Drawn.ca
• Who the Sh*t Drank My Beer. Damn that girl is witty.
• Oh no, here it comes... MySpace
• Glubibulga

4 favorite foods:

• Instant potatoes
• Candy (Skittles, Circus Peanuts, Swedish Fish, Hairbo's I can't get here)
• Bread
• Salt and Vinegar chips... oh hell, any chips.

4 places I would rather be:

• In bed
• 4 years ago, before I hurt my knee... skiing and skating with glee.
• By my mum's pool, on the lounge chair with cat Clancy and Lils on the other chair. Note the subtle humm of Cicadas. HEAVEN.
• Back in school, with all my friends.

Now, I think I am supposed to hog tie, I mean tag four other people. FOUR... hmmm, the mystical number it is. Trrrricky devil, number four.

Dantat
Tracers
Jarrett
Linda S. Wingerter

If Only I Was a Claudette

I just had to share this. I'm part horrified, part JAZZED that I am spending time in a country who's produced wonders such as Claude François. Is it just me, or are they crumpin'? Le telephooooone pleure!

Santamime!

This past weekend was a festive one indeed. A chance to get out of the studio, and participate in some holiday cheer! I have to admit! Iwas really jazzed by some of the costumes. I saw a Bob Cratchett, a Mardi Gras Santa, all 9, 11 or whatever amount of reindeer there are, and an Elvis! The best part was just being goofy with my core Santa's and handing out candy canes to all who would accept them. But, as luck would have it, in a wild pantomiming session, Santamime tweaked her already injured knee. Honestly, there were no spirits involved in these actions (ok, not enough spirits to warrant it as a "drunk" fall). The right leg is back to being braced, the girl is hobbling, and honestly praying she didn't tear a miniscus or anything else in that god forsaken joint. Next year...? NO skipping and hopping for Ms. Gimpy Knee.

I Heart DPI Magazine

Awhile ago I was contacted by Lulu Tzeng from DPI magazine, asking me to feature some of my illustrations in their design magazine. Today, my copies were in the mailbox! I could not have worked with a more amazing editor and design team. Although I know NO taiwanese, I can tell from the content and calliber of people working there, it's an amazing magazine. And as they say, "every designer has PC or MAC ,and a dpi magazine!" For my own benefit, I will add that everyone have a Taiwanese dictionary too!

Dragons and Draggin'!

We had our first snow of the season, here... finally! And although the transition from unusually mild weather to bitterly cold temperatures was quick, it's a welcome one for me! I'm happier with eight layers on. Typically, the holiday season for me is insane and this year prooves it true once again. But I feel as though I finally have my projects under control. I am painting finishes for Brand New Baby Blues, starting another crazy big project for a toy company, sketching out the third season poster for Shakespeare on the Sound, and getting approval on my ninth picture book Hush Little Dragon, by Boni Ashburn. Below are a few of the spreads. I am actually really excited to start painting these. The color palette will be very reminiscent of the medieval manuscripts, with rich golds, pinks, and blues.

Motivation

Sometimes it's the smallest of words that keep you going. I was re-assembling my workspace and looking through some old books in my abode and came across a message from Antoine Revoy from YEARS ago. Seeing this again made me smile and made me want to work for another 5 hours tonight. Thanks Rhat!

Illustration Friday: Might

The little trollkin was mighty.... mighty!

Brand New Book

I have started painting for the next picturebook entitled Brand New Baby Blues written by Kathi Appelt. I'm sort of excited because I am using more and more oils in my finishes. I feel it creates a softer glow to my pieces, which is something I'd often fight with when using the watercolor. But after painting number eleven, I am sure I will be just as angry with the oil as I am with the watercolor. The name of the game!