recent work..

chrysocolla & sterling

resin, copper & sterling

fluorite, recycled glass & beach glass

vintage glass & sterling

join us at the travis heights art tour. i'll be showing my work at margaret adie's house this weekend!!

november 3 & 4: 11am-5p

@ 1403 Alameda Austin, TX 78704

 

matcha pistachia nut butter cups

yummy looking recipe for these green beauties!!! wanna make these soon.

Matcha White Chocolate Pistachio Cups Adapted from Sweetest Kitchen Makes about 10-12 mini cups

Ingredients For the outer shell: 140 grams good quality white chocolate (at least 30% cocoa solids) About 1/2 teaspoon matcha – or enough to get a nice pastel green color

For the filling: 1 cup pistachios, shells removed pinch of salt 1 tablespoon flavorless oil, but you may need less or slightly more (I used canola) pinch or two of matcha 25g icing sugar

For the filling, place pistachios and salt in a food processor and blend until it starts coming together in a ball. This could take up to 15 minutes and you’ll have to scrape down the sides of the bowl often. If you’ve ever made your own nut butter, it’s basically the same process. With the motor running, add some oil slowly until the nut butter begins to thin out. Do not use too much though as you don’t want it to be runny. About the consistency of commercially prepared peanut butter is good. Add a pinch (or two if you like) of matcha to the nut butter and blend again until well combined.  Set aside.

Place 12 mini cupcake wrappers into a mini cupcake baking tray. Note, I only got 11 1/2 cups using this recipe!

For the outer shell, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly. Do not let the bowl touch the water, and do not get water into the chocolate. When chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from heat, immediately sift over matcha and stir until well combined and matcha is dissolved. Do this in small amounts so you can ensure you get the green color you want. If you put in too much matcha, you might get an unappealing dark green color that no one wants to eat!

When you reach your desired color, place about 1 even teaspoon of melted chocolate into each mini cupcake liner. Using the back of a small spoon, bring the chocolate up the sides of the paper liners and smooth down the bottom to make it flat. Repeat for each liner. Place the tray in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to set.

Meanwhile, measure out 96 grams of pistachio butter and transfer this amount to a clean bowl. Sift over the icing sugar and stir (or use your hands) to thoroughly combine. Form 12 balls from the pistachio butter/icing sugar mixture using about 1 teaspoon, just slightly rounded, each. Place on a clean surface. Take out the baking tray from the refrigerator, ensure the chocolate is hardened, then slightly flatten the pistachio balls with the palm of your hand and place 1 ball into each chocolate cup. The trick here is to be sure that the pistachio balls do not touch the sides of the chocolate, as you want the white chocolate to completely cover the filling (unlike how you see in my photos!).

Pour 1 teaspoon of chocolate (you may need to re-melt it) on top of each pistachio ball, ensuring the filling is completely covered. To get a smooth top, do not use a spoon or knife to flatten or spread it; just pick up the tray and tilt it around (you may need to tap it gently on the countertop) to get the chocolate to cover the filling and you should end up with a completely smooth top. Repeat for each cup. Refrigerate until set, around an hour.

To serve, let the cups come to room temperature and for a more intense matcha flavor, dust some matcha over the top of the cups. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week (maybe more??).

i found this recipe here via pinterest.

 

neon fruit punch...

new fruit punch triple pendant necklace: oxidized sterling, polymer clay, repurposed plastic teddy bear nose, vintage glass

*this necklace was inspired by my new tennis shoes!!! they are neon pink orange...i can't wait til it cools off a bit so i can wear them more :O)

blue hole

we went to blue hole in wimberley yesterday to celebrate our friends birthday. this little out of the way hidden gem is such a wonderful swimming hole. the best i've ever been too. i highly recommend a visit if you've never been. go early as they only allow 150 people per day. it's a little nature oasis. the water is crisp and dreamy with it's well manicured foliage and gorgeous cypress trees. what a gem!!!!! lucy had a great time too and it was so fun to see her crawl in the grass and explore.

wedding rings...

 above are the wedding rings i made for the lovely couple and amazing ceramic artists jenn datchuk and ryan takaba. all the wonderful photos were taken by bend the light. bend the light is incredible and captured so many beautiful moments. you can feel the love and sweetness in the air that day. see more breathtaking photos of their special day here.

icy mint.electric blue.japan

icy mint triple pendant necklace: oxidized sterling, fluorite, recycled glass, beach glass

electric blue single pendant necklace: oxidized sterling,  plastic (this photo has shadows on the stone but it is a solid opaque blue)

i bought several squares of bright colored plastic sheet at an awesome hardware and craft store while we were in japan. this blue piece is the first piece i've made with any of my japan materials. i wish i could press a button and go back to that place and get a few more things. YES!!!! i think, if i remember right, the place had 8 floors. each floor was a different kind of "department" store. one was luggage (vividly remember that because i really wanted a bag there that i didn't buy....oops!! instead i bought colored plastic :O) washi paper tape, a thin long sleeved black shirt that was rated for cold cold weather (i about froze while we were there) and a christmas card for my grandma. art supplies, paper products and clothes all in one shopping zone....i was so in trouble :) that place was incredible. if i really could just press a button and go back to japan i would go back to:

-that many story shopping building and do some window shopping with a possible treasure or two

-the small town of higashiyama where we walked around the charming streets looking at amazing local pottery

-donq bakery for donq balls. well, that's what i called them....it became one of the jokes of the trip. they were mostly like an old fashioned cake donut, but in donut hole form

-eat at the most incredible indian restuarant i've ever eaten at next to robert's apartment

-any little walk up place where i could have another cup of coffee-japanese-style (it was just different there, in a good way) or, to have another green tea ice cream.

-ride bikes around kyoto (although it made me so incredibly tired and i had no idea why)....i was about two weeks pregnant with baby luc at the time but we had no idea yet.

i know i could list tons more but my face is about to fall into the computer!!! nighty nite.

matcha smoothie

my new favorite smoothie originally found here.

1 large banana, frozen 1 1/4 cups watermelon, frozen 3/4 -1 cup soy milk....i used almond milk since soy doesn't quite agree with me anymore. 1 tsp chia seeds 1/2 - 1 tsp matcha powder

** i also added a little spirulina to mine the other day.

photo and recipe by healthy, happy, life.