AN UNEXPECTED THANKSGIVING

I found out yesterday that since the in-laws are both sick, we would not be having Thanksgiving Day dinner at their house, but that I had to prepare it instead...and that my husband invited company over for dinner! AHHH! I wasn't planning on this! Last night I did all the prep work I could. A hand-me-down turkey, smashed potatoes with gravy, my mom's delectable sausage stuffing, my favorite creamed onions, and green bean casserole. And then the desserts! A delicious pumpkin dip with vanilla cookies, a pumpkin pie, and a dozen individual little chocolate pies. They will each be graced with a dollop of my gram's recipe for homemade whipped topping. She did it the old fashioned way with sugar and heavy cream. It's the best I can do on short notice! But the prep went surprisingly smooth. And my mood was certainly lifted when I got out the vintage pie plates! I think I picked up this little gem at The Street of Shops in Lewisburg. A favorite haunt! Gobble, Gobble!

CAPTAIN COSMO'S DREAM SHIP

Here's my new favorite art quilt. I love it! It is "Captain Cosmo's Dream Ship" by Terri Haugen. Visit her site at www.terrihaugen.com

NOEL EN NOVEMBRE

Christmas came early to Mock Pie Studio. We don't ask for the world...just a few scraps here and there....and that's exactly what we got! Boxes stuffed with all kinds of material were recently given to me and look what goodies I found! One woman's scraps certainly are another one's treasure! I get all warm and fuzzy knowing that I will give these cast-offs new purpose. A little love was all they needed...even the ugly ones. They will do just fine. Here they are all neatly trimmed, ironed, folded and ready to join forces with the rest of the hoard!

9 VIALS, BABY!

Yikes, the phlebotomist took nine vials of blood today! I might as well have donated to The Red Cross!

PORCUPINE RACETRACK

Look what I found!!! It's not the clearest copy, but it's still "Porcupine Racetrack" in all it's glory! Finding this made my day...

"MOCK PIE" MAKES REAL PIE

I have been a busy, busy girl! I made and froze 12 Dutch Apple Pies yesterday! It was the first time I've used my apple peeler...it works great, Mom! It makes the loooongest apple peels!

They look so yummy! I can't wait to enjoy one!!!

CHAT AVEC UN BOUTON

The latest. A kitty with a strategically placed "bouton".

MURDER BY DEATH

I found these shots while going through some of my old portfolios on Halloween, no less. Interesting story...I took these photographs at a burned down house that was abandoned and wrapped up in police tape.

I wasn't about to let that get in the way of documenting this on film. Look at these first two shots...beautiful! Since the location was on a sort of back road, I just ignored the "do not cross" warnings and spent a few hours in the place...literally. It was the middle of winter and I brought my honey along for the company. We nearly froze our baguettes off!

It always perplexed me how this curtain ended nailed up OUTSIDE the window...

This photograph is haunting. With a loop, you can almost see a face dead center in the debris.

On the inside looking out. This place had a neighboring farm. There were the remains of a recently eaten lunch on a burned table in the corner room.

Rear exterior shot. Looks war torn.

So here's the interesting bit. Being from NY, I had no idea the local PA history of this place. I only felt the call to come and shoot. My now husband said to me as I was in this room with the chair, "Well, you know, two children died in this fire." My heart dropped. I was suddenly brought back to reality. This wasn't just a photo shoot. This had been someone's home. Someone's dream. Someone's life. How could I be here walking all over what was left of it? Then he said, "Just kidding." Not funny, right? Sadly, he and I are on the same page when it comes to our whacked sense of humor. However, the idea of the lost children never really left me. I created this digital image from one of the photos. That's my brother and me in the wall. Notice the "baba" nipples on the floor? I really had fun shooting an entire roll of film on nothing but rubber nipples. See? Twisted.

HANDMADE HALLOWEEN

Trick or Treaters encountered these white hand drawn, candle lit paper bags on our front walk.

These were along the side of the house...

"I'd turn back if I were you!"

This was the scene in the backyard...more candle lit bags and lots of hand painted Chinese lanterns!

Jack Skellington!

Spiderwebs, a black cat on a fence, and a headless horseman...spooky!

What's he looking at???

At the back door, there leaned a really old door and loud, spooky music was playing.

Earlier in the day, things looked pretty normal around the place.

Then the creepy crawlies started coming out!

There were cannibals everywhere!

People started getting sick!

This guy was a little punch drunk!

We started seeing things as the sun went down...nice reflection in the glass!

Look at that grin...Jack must have been in on it!

So I may have gotten a LITTLE carried away this Halloween, but it's such a fun time of year that I just can't help myself. And, you know, it isn't going to get any better...Christmas is coming!

LE JARDIN DE L'AMOUR

Here is the first of hopefully 10 art quilts that I will be donating to Collage Mania 2009. The quilts will be available for a donation to the American Cancer Society. May 5, 2009 will be Gold Donor Day and the pieces will be available for a minimum donation of $80. May 6- May 7, 2009 the pieces will be available for a minimum donation of $40. All money will be given to the American Cancer Society, so any contribution over the minimum would certainly be welcome. The organizers are hoping Collage Mania will raise at least $20,000.

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/CollageManiaArtists09.html

This is also the first of what I anticipate to be 10 emotional creative experiences. It was created in memory of my grandfather, Merton Utter, who died from cancer not too long ago. Actually, it was nearly six years ago. It doesn't seem real, though. "Le jardin de l'amour" is as much a good-bye as it is a tribute to him. It is so hard to lose someone you love so much! Shortly after his death, I compiled a list of things I would miss terribly:

the camp

swimming in the lake

fishing

riding in the boat

those enormous orange life jackets

chicken slooow roasted

blueberry pancakes

fried zucchini

roasting marshmallow over the campfire

making floats out of logs and attaching flowers with mud, lighting candles on them, and pushing them out onto the lake at dusk

brown paper bags with lit candles and sand

the 4th of July picnics

fireworks

happy lanterns

sizzling black snakes

horseshoes

jarts

the bikes that folded in half

the motor home

the garden rides in the lawn tractor

pumpkins

the potato gun

never winning Othello or that silly Atari game

Andes mint chocolates

blue shirts embroidered with "Mert"

tomato juice and celery

warm milk over green beans

his journal

his white Santa Claus beard

his big belly

his smile

the best and strongest hugs

AFTERNOON DELIGHT

One of my biggest projects this last week was getting the drapes made in the studio. I was so busy measuring, pinning, sewing, trimming, and ironing that I nearly missed this beautiful sight. These two panels were already completed and hung so I wasn't paying too much attention as I tried to complete the other four. But I'm glad I took a second to look up just as the sun was shinning through the yellow and orange stripes! Reminds me of a sunset.

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER

Cover girl...

The two sweetest things in New Jersey...

Cooper

Gracie

SWEET, SWEET SWITCH PLATES

Fact:

I am psyched about the new Van Gogh switch plates in my studio!

Fact:

Each plate has a different Van Gogh painting of flowers in a vase. (Yep, I planned it that way!)

Fact:
Even though I'm not as seriously into painting as I am into fiber, some fruit loop of a guy used to call me Van Gogh.

Facts:

Van Gogh was extremely enthusiastic about religion and art. He suffered from epilepsy, exhaustion and depression. He drank absinthe, cut off part of his ear lobe, and ultimately committed suicide by shooting himself.

Fact:

Van Gogh said, "I am risking my life for my work, and half my reason is gone."

Fact:

Van Gogh also said, "It is only too true that a lot of artists are mentally ill - it's a life which, to put it mildly, makes one an outsider. I'm alright when I completely immerse myself in work, but I'll always remain half crazy."

Fact:

Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Now that's better. A freshly painted, snow white, anally organized closet. Since taking this photo, I have put the upper shelving back in and loaded it with all my tubs of supplies and the outside wall has been painted...purple! Two walls in the studio match the white in the closet and the other two are purple. Funky, right? More pics to come...

OCTOBER ARTWALK

The sign says it all...Mock Pie Studio was an "Official Participant" in the October ArtWalk! No, I didn't bring the yellow mums, but I couldn't have planned it better as they match the sign perfectly!

Could be Main Street anywhere, but I love this one. Small, artsy college town. Keep walking and you'll run into Starbucks..."flavors my senses, sweetens my disposition, stirs my imagination, nourishes my dreams"...love it!

The setup inside Sneidman's. The display cases provided the perfect surfaces for my goodies.

Sweet $50 teddies. Pricey, yet 100% handmade. I will be listing some on Etsy shortly. The newspaper hats are actually sewn from printed fabric made to look like newspaper.

Got a visit from a crazy blue dino...lovely pose, Rach!