My Christmas Baking Tradition

My domestic skills are, sadly, quite poor. I avoid the kitchen at all costs unless it involves washing paintbrushes! I do have one baking tradition though, and that's making dog biscuits at Christmas time. Don't tell the pups, but the ingredients seem "edible" for humans so I often sneak a few for myself. :)

Today I gathered up the requisite ingredients (improving a bit this year), stopped at Dollar Tree for some baking trays, and dug out the old cookie cutters. With the Carpenter's Christmas album providing some background festivity, we got to work.

'We', of course, being relative. :)

The kitchen sharks...

...always hoping I'll drop something on the floor!...

Well, I'll never win a 'pretty cookie' baking contest (unless I was the only contestant of course), but no matter...

The taste test...and...

 

....APPROVED!

We hope you and your family have a yummy & blessed Christmas season!

~Jen

Molas and Musings

It's funny how much tastes can change over time. When I was younger, I just loved photo-realistic art and was the pickiest eater you can imagine. Now I adore folk art and will eat anything put in front of me. :)

This summer, I bought five beautiful molas in Panama. These are the biggest two--I had them custom framed at Michaels-- my favorite souvenirs from the trip! They are applique and embroidery, and although I tried to figure out how they were made so I could give it a whirl myself, I just couldn't. I've hung one in my studio and am trying to figure out where to put the other. I bought them in Panama City, but they were made by the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands.

There's something about folk art that makes it come alive for me these days. It seems much more vibrant and "real" than the most photo-realistic painting I can think of. How is that? I don't know.

Anyway, I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging and drawing regularly, since it's been a crazy year at the office and life kind of got away from me. :oP I'm trying to explore how to use color and the style of folk art in my work, when I normally lean very tight and realistic. I wonder, is it right to fight against my natural style? Or is the difficulty a kind of growth?

Something to ponder for the day. :)

~Jen