(Inside A Black Apple)

A Nest of Stars

Hello there!

I hope that the weekend is treating you well. I've been holed up in my studio making dolls, watching movies, grabbing sushi and...listening to Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks. Maybe that last bit is embarrassing, but I am not ashamed (though I know they are kind of silly). One of the things I love about Midlake is that they make me feel less alone in my love for a band that doesn't have tons of cred (at least in my experience with those that dole out cred). You see, the truth of the matter is that around the time other middle-schoolers were listening to No Doubt or Coolio, I was jamming to Rumours and feeling like I couldn't relate to anybody.

I'm not sure what exactly it was about them...maybe the drama and the mystical sensibility? Anyway,  so I had a very long love affair with the 'Mac as a youngster, especially the Gold Dust Woman, Stevie. I was also really into the VH1 Behind the Music series at the time, and I had the Fleetwood Mac installment taped. I think Stevie might've had her own episode, too, and you KNOW that, too, was taped.

So, to make a long story short(er), listening to them now in the muted drear of the Portland November is extremely comforting. There is something warm and blanket-like about music you loved when you were younger. That's if, of course, it doesn't make you cringe too much to listen to it.

On a front that it a little less classic-rock, I have a new little drawing + print I wanted to share.

My Coat Is A Winter Skyline    Approx. 6" x 8"    Drawing + Digital color

I kept getting this image in my head when I was out in the city with my black coat billowing around me.  I love the way the huge inky trees and buildings here look when they're matted against the darkening sky. Then, after that, comes the loveliest time to be drawing near to Portland (or any city, in my opinion),  when all the lights are clustered together twinkling in the night. I'm reading The Stranger for the first time right now, and in it Camus describes driving into a city as driving into "a nest of stars".

So simple and so perfectly true.

I will be posting the date + time for the holiday update in the next day or so, I'm thinking it will be late next week. See you soon!

Cozy Orphan-Thanksgiving For Four

I hope that those of you United Statesians enjoyed your Thanksgiving yesterday! We truly did...it was a really lovely day. It was my first Thanksgiving on my own, and I think Josiah's, too.  I read that people refer to these gatherings of misfits (who can't or just don't go home) as "Orphan Thanksgivings", and it struck me as very cute that there is a name for these things. Ashley and Drew came over to join us for dinner, and there was so much laughing, wine, genuine good cheer, and so very many carbohydrates.

This is some of what I made for the festive day (curiously, my photos seem to mainly be of desserts! Hmmm...)

Thanksgiving Macaro(o)ns! I couldn't help myself.

The opal-ly pink ones are filled with cranberry-buttercream. They were insane. Insane! I'm learning on my odyssey with these cookies that the less-sweet the filling, the better (because the cookies themselves are so sugary). The miniature ones jumbled alongside them are chocolate with orange-cream cheese filling (the chocolate mac recipe came from David Lebovitz).

I also made a little pinecone cheeseball like Heidi posted a few weeks ago. They're so flipping cute! Mine was just cream cheese + herbed goat cheese. It was meant for snacking before the big meal,  but we ended up devouring it at 9:30 pm as we sat around the table and talked and talked.

I just realized as I was writing this that the little candle-centerpiece above includes a pumpkin from the trip the four of us took to Sauvie Island. And as you can see, both a regular-turkey and a Tofurkey graced our banquet.

Drew took this photo as the taper candle dwindled into one-ness with the pumpkin (that was around the time we finally ate the cheeseball).

We finished off the night with a pumpkin cheesecake I made Wednesday night. Those things are so good (especially for a non-pumpkin-pie-person), and there are so many recipes for them out there now! To make the pattern, I just dusted ground cloves over a doily I had laid on top. It was an easy little impromptu trick, and I think it gave it a sort of disheveled elegance.

Today I'm going to work on some little dolls for the upcoming update, and go to see Milk, which I've been excited for since I saw the trailer a few months ago. His story (this documentary tells it well) is so fascinating, sad, and virtuous all once.   And goodness, Gus Van Sant could never have known what a timely movie it would be upon its November 2008 release.

Happy Friday!

Thankful

I have a lot to be grateful for today...an exceptional partner-in-crime, a supportive family, good friends, a sweet little cat, a great job, a new city to keep exploring, and all of my internet-pals (you applets!). 

I am so very thankful for all of these lucky things, and while I try to count my blessings every day, I love that there is a day specifically set aside to ruminate on such things. It is just a happy bonus that while thoughtfully considering all of the goodness that you are grateful for,  you can also fill your tummy with mashed potatoes and pie. Two more things to be thankful for!

I'm off to get the turkey ready, and put out the rolls to rise, and lots of other little tasks. I wish you the sweetest and most restoring and warmest holiday.

xoxo,
emily

(image above from The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, by Beatrix Potter)

Candy Canes + Snoop Dogg

Just a little post today, to let you know that there are Candy Cane Train prints in the shop.

Also, as several of my friends informed me last week, I am now only one degree removed from  Snoop Dogg. I never thought I'd be able to say that, so I'll cross that off my "To Do in 2008" list. I especially like it when M.S. asks for a vocabulary list to "get along in life these days".  I know that people have very mixed feelings about Martha, but I find her persona by turns peculiar, a "buttoned-up" sort of adorable and very funny (intentionally and...otherwise).

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Oh! I've gotten a few emails about this, so I thought I would let you know that I've changed around the comments section to utilize the moderation tool. All this means is that your comments will be visible a few hours after you post them (depending on how quick on the draw I am with my email-checking).

Macaroon(ed)! Part 2

So, when last we spoke about French macaroons (or macarons, if you want to be fancy), I was feeling pretty good about them. I had made one batch, my first batch ever, and sure...they looked a little like amoebas, but hey...they had the correct texture, little feet, everything. Since then, however, I have been ma(ca)rooned on the Island of Persnickety Cookies, trying my darndest to recreate that first batch.

Seriously, folks, like 7-or-8-failed-batches-trying.

I spent hours and hours researching recipes, technique, etc. (because this seems to have been a recurring obsession of internet-bakers, there is a TON to look through). I read and re-read Tartelette's tutorial and tried, and tried again. But they just. weren't. right.

(Vanilla Macaroons with Toblerone creme filling)

This story does have a happy ending, so don't get depressed yet.
See, up there? Those pretty, sandy little things?
Well, my magical mom (cold-fixer and nice-weather-bringer) also got in on the macaroon obsession when she was here on her visit. We tried making a few batches together, trying out two different recipes, and both failed, so she got all monomaniacal like me and resolved that we WOULD indeed get some decent macaroons. She searched around a bit online, and came to the A La Cuisine! post on macaroons (which I, curiously, had seen but hadn't tried).

(Grapefruit Macaroons)

And it seems to be the perfect macaroon recipe. I'll have to try it a third time before I declare it nearly-bulletproof, but applets: this is the one to try if you want to give the tricky little things a go. After trying and failing so many times, nearly being in tears with frustration, this recipe just worked like a dream...I think his proportions are just right-on-the-money. I now feel confident about the 5 lbs of Blanched Almonds I've got sitting in my kitchen, because I know they will turn into something good. I also thought I would try to outline the tips I found especially helpful in making these (so that something worthwhile came out of all the blood, sweat, and near-tears).  They're illustrated by bad photos that were taken at night, so don't judge too harshly.

If you want to continue on this baking-geek-out odyssey with me, please click below to read on!

Babe(s) in the Wood(s) for Small

Excitement!
I worked on this little collaboration with Small Magazine on the sly over the last month, and now that the Winter '08 issue is live, I can share the illustrations with you.

I love Small, and their sensibility and mission...it's quite like Milk, but free and, better yet, I'm able to actually read it. I did their "fashion illustration" story for this season, and I hope you enjoy the tiny woodland fashion-plates!

(Please click on over here to view the spread in context, with the clothing links, and to see the rest of the lovely, Winter-y issue!)

 

The originals for these all measure 8"x10"x2", and are acrylic on canvas. They will be available as part of the mini-update I'm planning to have in a few weeks. I will also have a handful of dolls and  some sweet little ornaments I'm cooking up right now...most assuredly in time for the Winter holidays.

See you soon...

And have fun over at Small!

* 2008 Holiday Cards *

Thank you so much! The last of the cards just sold, so that completes the limited run of this year's holiday cards. Thank you for all the orders!

EDIT: THE CARDS ARE NOW IN THE SHOP!

Hello applets!
My wonderful mom is on her way back home, and I am sad about that...but very grateful for the great time we had. Thank you for all the sweet words from my last post! I'm glad to see so much mama-love abounding.

Aaanndd...I've got the 2008 Black Apple Holiday/Christmas cards to unveil!
There is one new design this year (in keeping with tradition!) and a second set of smaller cards with a sweet little gal that will probably be familiar to you. The cards from 2006 and 2007 were oversized postcards, but this year I decided it was time for traditional folding cards. Each set comes with 10 glossy cards (with blank interiors) + 10 envelopes.

Here is the new card for this year, The Candy-Cane Train which will be available in the shop tomorrow (November 18th):

It's a large(ish) card (5.5"x8.5"), completed with beautiful Paper Source envelopes in cherry red.  The original painting of this year's card will be available in the shop in a few weeks, as part of a mini-update.

Little Fiona is the other holiday card set that will be available tomorrow for the 2008 holiday season (a little less candy-cane-y + a bit more serene):

 

These cards are smaller than the Candy Cane Train cards, at 4.25"x5.5". They also include lovely envelopes from the 'Source, in moss green.

There is a limited run of both of these cards, and I won't be re-printing them, so if they strike your fancy I hope you're able to scoop a set or two up!

Oh, it's such a perfect (couple of) day(s), I'm glad I spent it with you (two).

This is the best couple of days I've had in a long time. My mom is here and we are just having the best of times...which is why the blog is very quiet! One of the most fun things about living in a new town is getting to show visitors all the restaurants and shops and sights we are really loving.

Yesterday (the first beautiful, rain-free day in weeks!) was full of lots of cozy things...

lunch in the park...

Powell's (my mom's first trip!) + Anthro-ing (that Christmas window is the best) + cups of tea and cocoa...

Glasses of wine, and the best pizza there is.

Today, we kept with the cozy theme, and woke up late...

had lunch and real macarons/macaroons at Pix ('cause the ones I made in honor of my mom's arrival are pretty shameful)...

We went to the 'Depot, and to the Portland Ikea, and then we were treated to quite the dinner at home by one Mr. Josiah:

Also known as world's best salmon-pattie-chef (I put that 'pron on him, so it's not his fault).

We had the best dinner. Even the littlest one wanted to get in on the salmon-action...

Look! a three eyed kitten!

We finished it off with the Alicia apple pie...

Also, (and I think you'll be most interested in this)...

   
just by being near, my mom cured my cold.

xo

Ex Libris

I've got a new product to unveil that Josiah and I are both just smitten with...

New bookplates!

 

Lots of folks have inquired about more boy-ish bookplates (since the others are as far as can be from snips and snails and all that). I hope these even the playing field a bit! When I was scheming products I wanted to have in the shop by Christmas, these bookplates were at the top of the list, and I'm glad they're finally in the shop and ready to go. They're packaged neatly in glassine envelopes, just like the Swan Girl bookplate packet.

Thanks for all the well-wishing in re: my horrid cold. One enormous pot of peppery chicken noodle soup, and a more modest pot of butternut squash soup later, and I'm still not 100%. Still, I've got to hop to it because my sweet, highly anticipated mom flies in to PDX tomorrow and I want everything to be nice for her!

A Tiny for A Tiny

There are three things that I know about the middle Chicken-little (Delia).
One: She is the human I know that is mostly likely to secretly be a fairy.
Two: She loves dolls.
Three: She loves tiny things.

So when her birthday rolled around last week, I knew what was in order. A tiny doll. You might remember last month that I made a sketch/artsy themed birthday present for her elder sis...it's amazing how different children's personalities are even right at the beginning of their lives. Those two are so special and quirky and such individuals already.

Right, but back to the tiny doll.
This photo is about to scale (the doll is probably around 5"-6" inches tall):

I made her with a little nightie on, and then a removable dress, capelet, hat, and scarf. I thought about tiny, 1/2" felt removable shoes, but then I thought about all those literally tens of chewed-on Barbie shoes that went missing during my stint as a little girl. So painted-on, it was!




I had a little bakery box (which I think was intended for cookie-giving), and she fit very sweetly inside...almost like a doll from the store.

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She's really like a teeny shrunken Sophie doll (I redrafted the pattern rather than shrink the existing one, especially because I wanted her to have a shorter torso). Her new owner seems to be a big fan, as I watched her walking around clutching her and fussing with her tiny clothes and such. Hooray!

Sorry if this post is a little crazy, I am having a bad post-election-anxiety migraine/cold right now, and I'm a little whacked from the medicine that is, quite seriously, the only thing allowing me to look at the bright glare of the computer screen without sunglasses.

4...5...6...New Doll Kits!

Hello, everyone!
The three new sets are now in ye olde Black Apple shoppe, featuring:

Harlequin Fairytale Fabric

Wee House Fabric

Red Riding Hood Fabric

I really love these three particular fabric designs, and I hope you will too! I agonized over the selection of pretty much every element in these kits, and I'm pleased to offer them up for holiday gift-giving and project making. Thanks to Mrs. Lucy Berkley for help assembling these, what a pal!

Cheery Movie Interlude

It's no secret that I'm a very happy girl today, and what movie could better suit my giddiness this gloomy Portland afternoon than one of my favorites, Une Femme Est Une Femme (A Woman Is A Woman).

It suits my mood perfectly.

I want to dance around in an impromptu beehive with a sudden brass band a la Anna Karina, but instead I calmly watched my movie and packed up doll kits.

But I'm dancing in my heart.

If you're a United States-ian...

Please do!

We cast our ballots via mail last week, and while at first I thought that was a neat "Oregon-way-of-doing-things", I now feel a little cheated. I suppose I just feel like I'm missing out on the feeling of citizenship and ebullience I've always experienced after the going to the voting booths.

But I think it's really more about the sticker. There IS no sticker when you vote via USPS.

I always really love the feeling of going around through your day, going to work, school, the grocery store, and seeing lots of people of all stripes with their little sticker on. It's just one of those things.

I still loved voting, it just wasn't the communal experience I'm used to. I'm so excited/anxious for tonight, and for the election to be over!

See you soon, and I'll have doll kits in tow! Hooray, hooray.

xoxo

Post-haunting

We had such a nice Halloween night! I posted about our costumes on Some Girls Wander, if you'd like to see them. The image above is a very vague hint.

For the first time in years, I got to hand out candy to cute trick-or-treaters! The four year old "rockabilly vampire" stole my heart. And we watched a troubling movie (Changeling, the new one...we re-watched the old George C. Scott movie last week), and we had dinner at our current favorite Mexican restaurant. Nothing says Halloween like...burritos?

This weekend is about getting doll kits cut out and finished and ready for the shop, and wrapping up a few other little projects. Happy Weekend...and hey, Happy November, too!