Shadow Box Workshop at Saffron & Genevieve

Started the first sample for the Shadow Box workshop at Saffron & Genevieve...

Shadow Box Workshop at Saffron & Genevieve

I am so excited to announce that I will be teaching a Shadow Box Workshop at the amazing Saffron & Genevieve in Santa Cruz on Friday, September 10th. This space is charming and full of wonderfully unique and special antiques, treasures and things for the home. Come join us for a night of creation and inspiration and go home with your very own work of art!

Feel free to reserve your spot on our Facebook event page in advance!

Feathers, Fur & Scales

Here is the beginning of my sample for the new workshop Feathers, Fur & Scales I'll be teaching at SFCB. The Fall Schedule should be out soon. By then, this little guy should have some wings and be living in his new home, San Francisco Center for the Book!

I'll also be teaching an Image Transfer class as well as a Faux Bois Accordion Book class! More posts soon!

Colette Fu

Recently purchased Papercraft: Design and Art With Paper and found Collete Fu's work. These amazing collage pops are unlike anything I've seen...


These two pieces are from a series entitled Haunted Philly. The pop up below is of Byberry State Mental Hospital. The following excerpt is from Fu's website...

"Byberry State Hospital was a federally funded health facility opened in 1912 and closed down in 1990 due to unlivable conditions and mistreatment of patients. There have been reports of screams bellowing from the basements."

Fall Window at Anthro

The new Fall window is up and is all about local travel... 

The map on the window surface is actually of Berkeley!

I layered in details of things I like to do in the Bay Area. Of course, all of these details have some reference to my favorite eateries!

A Perfect Saturday

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So a "perfect" day for me would include tea, something delicious to eat and a walk in a pretty setting. If you add a great find of unique store or some treasure, then the day is complete. Based on those guidelines, I guess I had the perfect Saturday...

First, Earl Grey at Cafe Triste in Berkeley...

Second, a trip to the Farmers' Market for French melons, nasturtium salad greens and some other goodies...





Third, a trip to UC Berkeley's Botanical Gardens...

Last, lunch at Sol Food in San Rafael. Delicious plantains, homemade sparkling limeade, black beans and rice and greens tossed in the tartest, spiciest hot sauce I've ever eaten!

Then a peek in Donna Seager Gallery at the book show on now... I love these book pods...

Summer Strawberry Lemonade

I lived abroad for a year while in school, and had a craving for my mom's homemade lemonade one hot summer day. Although lemonade is simple enough to make, I called my mom for her recipe and it has always been my favorite. What's great about making lemonade from scratch is that you can add the water glass by glass, keeping a jar of lemonade base in the fridge all summer long. 

I would make this often that summer in Bordauex. Alicia and I would eat the candied peel hot, straight from the pot, as she would mix a tart and sugary spoonful into her beer.  To make a strawberry version of this delicious drink, just add fresh strawberry puree. This is wonderful mixed with fizzy water instead of still. I also like to add sliced strawberries and fresh mint, making it extra fancy! 

Homemade Lemonade 

Boil the following for 5 minutes in a small pot...

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

Rind of 2 large lemons cut into strips

1/8 tsp. salt

Cook and add juice of 6 lemons

Strain and keep in fridge

To enjoy a glass of lemonade, 2 tblsp syrup and 1 glass water!

Yesterday we celebrated Mila's 4th birthday. Aaron and I made too much food!  Although the cupcakes were delicious, I'd have to say the most pleasing was the strawberry lemonade... 

Mila, the Mermaid Princess turns 4!

My Dream House

I've spent my whole life imaging various ideal homes for myself. They have taken many forms over the years. On any given day I can imagine myself in the quintessential Parisian apartment complete with peeling flocked damask wallpaper in raspberry red or perhaps I live in a Mexican style house with an inner courtyard and patterned handmade tiles in azure and orange. But yesterday while visiting Katie at Anthro Corte Madera, I came across an image she had saved of Japanese architect, Terunobu Fujimori's work.  I think if you asked me today where I would want to spend my ideal night, it might be in one of these structures...

I love to walk with Aaron or even alone. During every walk I always wish my journey lead me to some secret Tea House tucked away on a woodland path. I think this is what I had in mind...

These creations remind me of something from a Miyazaki animation, part dream, part nature, something remembered and internal, wholly wondrous and magical.

I had to share!

Having Fun...

Having fun with my new iPhone apps, polarizer and quad cam.

I will be demonstrating at Open Studios in Benicia from 10am -1pm. Demos will be held at Arts Benicia located in the historic arsenal area on the water in Benicia. I will have a table set up for making Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) but there will be lots of other art events going on for adults and kids. Hope you can make it!

Natural Easter Egg Dying Workshop

The day before Easter I taught a workshop at Maison Réve in Mill Valley on natural egg dying. There were toddlers, teens, parents and great aunts all assembled to learn how to create these beautiful naturally died eggs. The dying was easy, but the distillation and preparation of the dyes before hand was very time consuming.

After researching and experimenting I decided I liked the red cabbage dyes the best, which created this beautiful French blue hue (shown below). Boiled tumeric produced a sunny yellow, and red onion skin produced an olive green. The crazing effect happened all on its own.

For best results on creating natural egg dye, boil 6-8 cups water with 1 head chopped red cabbage for about 10 min, then simmer for another 20. Strain and allow cabbage water to sit for about 2 days before use. When using tumeric or red onion leaves, follow the same process substituting cabbage with the skin of 5 onions and 1/4 cup tumeric respectively. For all dyes, add 2 tablespoons alum (found in the spice aisle) to the water mixture. Alum is a mordant that will help the dye adhere to the egg shell. Allow the eggs to sit in the dye awhile. When you remove the eggs, allow them to dry so that the color will stick to the egg. Try not to touch the egg too much or wipe off the dye. You should have beautiful naturally died eggs great for egg and hunts and Easter decorations!

My New Website - Paper Musings

I am so happy to announce my website Paper Musings is up and running, although still in progress. You can find it at www.ccerruti.com (or courtneycerruti.com)  which used to point to this blog. Fear not, you can access my blog directly from my website. On the site you'll find a portfolio of work as well as the workshops I teach.  Oh, and any feedback is welcome! Enjoy! Thanks!

Spring

I visited my friend Ellen and came home with a armful of beautiful flowers! This bunch of tulips in one of my antique tea pots is one of my favorites...so spring!

New batch of Paste Paper in an Autumn palette.

A Day at the Beach

Took Max to Half Moon Bay on Thursday. I was hoping the weather would hold out for our trip and miraculously we had sunny skies! I've had Max since I was 12 and he lives at home with my parents. I don't get to see him so often, but he will always be my baby.  MJ took some film of him running around. Hopefully she'll send it to me so I can post it soon. Isn't he the cutest?!?

Coraline

picture source

Saw Coraline last night and was so pleasantly surprised...it was better than I had expected. I loved the story and the animation was hauntingly beautiful. Every detail in the movie was perfectly executed; I was so impressed.  I don't know how it compares to the book, but I already want to see it again!

Sticky Sushi Rice

Thanks everyone for all the support!  It helps tremendously!  I will be posting more regularly now. The last 10 days or so I have been hiding out at my boyfriend's restaurant and so I haven't been home much. Good stuff to come..

Went to Ichiban Kan (my favorite japanese dollar store) and bought these plastic molds for making rice balls and sushi. I made the girls avocado sushi for diner and they had cucumber rice flowers and hearts for lunch the next day. I had so much fun making them. I even have a little bird shape to try also. 

Kiwi with a Hint of Mint

Made kiwifruit jam with a hint of mint. It turned out beautifully! I had reservations about making a tropical fruit preserve, but the tangy sweetness of this chunky preserve is delicious!  I also made a batch of buttermilk biscuits to complement although its wonderful on buttered toast...

A Year in Pictures 2008

A random sampling of my life in pictures over the last year.

Christmas Giving

Photos of girls who had a wonderful Christmas!

I made Aaron a paper magnolia. Inside the pod little curls of paper with written sentiments are tucked into each well. A few red berries unfolded from their hiding spot revealing little pictures or writings. I also painted this miniature for him...us as two rabbits.

Aaron did a beautiful job wrapping my gifts!  My favorite present from him is this bowl made of red and yellow winter leaves.