December 15, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
I remember the funny nativity scene that my grandma had and when we would all get together on Christmas day (home videos play in my head as we speak) someone would read that passage in Luke. We each got to carry a character in when our part came along in the story. The best part was the figurines, they were about a foot tall and had plastic heads and hands but their bodies consisted of starch-stiffened brown and tan washclothes folded as robes. How the washclothes were stiff was always a fascinating mystery to me as a kid. I think that was all I was thinking about when I carried mine in. I also have a horrifying memory of my father as one of the wisemen in the church advent service. He was the darkest person (and handsomest) in the congregation, and got painted even darker. It was kind of scary I think. Mainly his painted head swathed in fabric and cheap gold stuff. Anyways enough! I am changing rabbit trails. After Marsh was born I really thought a lot about the incarnation. Jesus was somehow more real because I had become a mother. Oh Mary! how did you push out that baby in a barn!? I bet the cows made you feel much better.
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. - Luke 2:16-20
December 15, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Annie, Artist Love, Like + Love
I think my Christmas style might be categorized as “great-grandma’s estate sale”. . . which sounds kind of ridiculous, actually. I think I just really like Christmas to feel nostalgic and old-timey. This year it was old-timey and toddler proof. Unbreakable pompoms, all wooden ornaments (they are the best) collected from various thriftstores across the country, and the tree is wired to a wall mounted book shelf. It wish it was real, I do, even though the fake ones are a bit easier. We had a lot of tree farms in the area that I grew up in. Every year we trudged through some dense pine forest, through snow, I love snow, and bickered continually about the qualifications for best tree. The cold never affected our opinions. Then dad would start hacking away at the compromise and a jump-suited man would appear out of the distance to drag the victim back to the car. Driving home was the most terrifying part, it seemed so possible that the wind really could rip it off the car. This one is pre-lit, three feet tall and perfectly tacky, it was our first tree, I still remember picking it out and paying for it with tip money. (most likely)
A must see blog this Christmas. Oh yes, and this one. heeheehee, go on, click the link, you have to.
December 14, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
A very quiet day yesterday, joy at church and then a husband and toddler who slept for three hours straight in the afternoon. The fog was whisping in continually and and everything very dim. I ate the last of the salted truffles (heaven!) and perhaps one of the hip-hop (another story) cut out cookies. I had an idea! Got this pair of nine west black leather boots at the thriftstore awhile ago. The softest leather ever! But you see, they cut off at the widest part of calves. . .and so I made the very difficult decision to amputate part of them to give my thin ankles some air time. Booties! The first slice was hard to muster up the courage for the first cut, but alas, I have no regrets.
speaking of elegant, you must look at these!
December 13, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life, Like + Love
There are three foods that Buffalonians (I originally am from Buffalo, NY ) eat in large quantities, hot wings, thick pizza, and sponge candy. I personally am addicted to it. Isn’t it crazy looking? Fits so well into the current crystal and asymmetrical prism-gem trend. Besides it being delicious. I attempted to search the web and see if anyone else outside Canada and Buffalo eats it (when we ask, most people look at us like we asked them if they eat “Dishsoap Cake” or something just as absurd) and discovered this wikipedia article. And also I just have to paste in the list of other names it has around the world. . . my personal favorites are cinder toffee and yellow man. Though I suppose I should just keep calling it sponge candy for loyalty’s sake. Anyone else out there familiar with any of these? Southerners usually don’t have clue what I’m talking about, it doesn’t lend itself well to humidity.
- honeycomb toffee in Britain
- honeycomb in South Africa, Australia and Britain
- cinder toffee in Britain
- yellow man in Northern Ireland
- puff candy in Scotland[1]
- hokey pokey in Cornwall and New Zealand (especially in the Kiwi classic Hokey Pokey ice cream).
- sponge candy in southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada - Erie, Pennsylvania and Buffalo, New York, USA
- sea foam in Maine, Washington, Oregon, California and Michigan, USA
- fairy food candy or angel food candy in Wisconsin, USA
My sister and I made it one afternoon last week for her famed Christmas party, three batches! I had never attempted to make in SC, but she has several times, this year being the best I think. We used to help my mom and grandma make it in the winter every year. It had been years since I had done it. Below is an interpretation of my mother’s cryptic recipe, I’ll add tips for candy lovers in humid environments, it tends to turn into a giant rock instead of a light airy crisp if certain precautions aren’t taken. Yes, it looks like that foam insulation in the can, it does not at all taste like it, trust me.
In a semi-deep saucepan add:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 Tbls. white vinegar
Cook over medium heat, stirring just until sugar is dissolved. Monitor temp closely with a candy thermometer attached to the side. Cook with out stirring until temp reaches *300. Meanwhile, set out a 9×9 pan or a 8×8, silicon is best, but you can use a greased glass pan or a metal pan lined with parchment (it still sticks even if buttered, found out the hard way). Also have the 1 tablespoon of baking soda measured and ready to dump in as soon as the candy is hot enough. Here a note to tropic dwellers or anyone lower than the tip of the Great Lakes, before you start this recipe make sure your heat is cranked up so the air is as dry as possible, also use a heaping scoop of baking soda as apposed to a level one. OK ready? make sure little children and curious dogs and cats are put somewhere safe, the candy is so hot and you have to move fast. When it hits *300 remove from the stove, stir in the tablespoon of baking soda, it will rise and foam and lighten in color, stir quickly until all the baking soda is incorporated and then pour into the pan, it will sink down a bit eventually. Let set until coolish, it doesn’t have to be cold, about one to two hours. Next cut/break into pieces, slowly until you get the hang of it, if you hack too hard you end up with a pile of delicious crumbs. Dip in very good chocolate or eat straight like it is. Though the chocolate does help it to last longer without getting stale. If you are making it for a party, I would advise no earlier than one day ahead, so it is as crispy as possible. Oh yes, and the crumbs and chipped bits make very good clusters when mixed in with the last of the chocolate.
December 13, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Friends + Family, Life, Uncategorized
My sister Erin, her hobby is entertaining, I mean the party sort of entertaining. . . everything is perfect! carefully crafted labels on each tray of food, chocolates that scatter the table as numerous as little sea shells on the shore, a HUge punch bowl. . . and lots of nice friends. I especially liked the nice friends and the salted truffles shown above. Amazing. Oh yes, and I forgot the exactly coordinating presents under the silver tree.
Friend Lib ( check out her sleek paper products here) and Marsh had a few moments of successful peekaboo. He loved the party. He is such a socialite. Ate loads of sweets and stayed up til 11! I took a photo of mine and Lib’s legs, but it didn’t really turn out, we both were super cool and wore black tights and flats and denim minis. . .we’re so hot. . .she’s hotter.
December 12, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
In the town where my parents moved, Salem, there is a coffee house called Friend’s. Above the coffee shop is a little antique store with old buttons on cards, lots of jewelry and a fascinating selection of Turkish pieces. The man liked to talk, so we listened and then he gave me a stack of vintage cardboard Christmas cutouts. The edges were quite crusty with yellow scotch tape so the other day Marsh and I turned it into our first decoration of the season. For reasons beyond my knowledge, he refers to Santa as Popeye despite my attempts to correct him. I do not see the resemblance at all. . . can you imagine a Santa with a Popeye laugh? ukyukyukyukyuk. Is that it? Haven’t watched Popeye in a while. . .
December 11, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Friends + Family, Life, Our Artwork
Two pieces of a four part commission for a friend (I can’t very well give away all parts at once you know), a very nice pair of married friends, John and Rebekah who have a funny little boy named Jonas. He was born ten days after Marsh in Prague. They introduced us to this penguin and this mole . We adore Pingu, Chris and I have been watching even without Marshall, it is so funny.
I have alot of work to do on them still, branches and paint and varnish. . .
I have a little bird feeder on my porch. The chickadees and the titmice are always there and I enjoy their chatter so much. They are cute, and kitchy yes, but truly sweet and happy. I was not truly sweet and happy while taking these photos. . . below, the two insistent participators that I did not appreciate.
December 10, 2009 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
Is this a strange photo? Should I be asking that question? It seems a little creepy, but I liked it at the same time.
The last of the mohair yarn. . .
Found the pompom necklaces I’ve been craving. She nailed it.
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