A fun book~ and I guess a recipe too;)long...

Postcard from Torino♥

You know I am happiest at home..but when I get beautiful postcards..I travel in my dreams..
Hélène travels like no one else I know..
She lives in Cannes..with her beautiful family..and travels and travels and explores..
I send all her posts to Jacques.
I have loved watching her beautiful young boys grow into men..
I have loved watching her work with people that need help ♥
I cannot imagine a kinder caregiver.
I have loved seeing what a great daughter, mother,spouse,chef,friend ,author,photographer,poet, she is..
They were recently in Torino..I am sure a blogpost is to follow..right now..  there is a nouveau post..but not yet Torino;)
I am so looking forward to it..
every trip she takes..  we get to see everything..:)
Love that.

Today..Sunday  August 16th,2015...

See one of our trees in the backyard?  FALL colors starting..I noticed in town driving out today also..OM  way too soon:(

Since my blog is ..really a food blog..but I can't help but share fun stuff I find for you to try..I had better start my post w/ a recipe and what started my quest..

See the shrimp cocktails?
I fell in ♥ with this presentation at Cooking Melangery..not the first thing that I have copied from Yelena..
That blue ice and the pretty vintagey servers..  so ..I am not a tartare person..nor is Jacques..I really really wanted to make something pretty for my daughter's 40th birthday..as a starter..
if you can believe..I commented on Yelenas servers and she kindly offered to send me hers..I told her that one day she would be making a special dish ..for her own daughter ..and to keep them..but how nice was that?

so..I was on a quest..and I found 8..  4  each of 2 styles..resales..from local people here..
took a while..but I did find some..the hard part was the blue ice..can you believe I practiced?
That's the practice shot above w/ the practice cocktail sauce..too mayonnaisey~

My blender ..did nothing but whirl air below the ice cubes...even if I let them melt a bit or add water..
my ice cream machine..made ice around the circumference and a puddle in the middle..what finally worked was making blue ice cubes..putting them in ziploks..and smashing the ice..repeatedly.:)
Even Jacques was involved..

Giuliana..  placed the ice in the servers..while I fiddled with the rest..Had to make 8..The Littles just got shrimps on a plate w/ the sauce..The Middles got a real one..and so did the Bigs.

So here finally is the recipe..and not for the sauce you see in the photo..

a better one..a perfect one..

I made Ina's for Mylène's birthday and it's delicious..I love horseradish so I went heavy on the horseradish;)

Just in case you ever want to make shrimp cocktail served on blue ice;)
I am totally impressionable



I always love those quirky,cute,sweet cards I see here and there.
In May ..I pre-ordered a book from Amazon.. Creative Girl by Danielle Donaldson.
It FINALLY just came..
Enchanting.
I have never painted this genre..I followed her tutorial for one of her projects one morning and loved doing it.Imagine the possibilities.
The book is pretty..has tips..tricks..tutorials and ideas.
I then tried my hand at  making cards.. thought they would be so sweet.
What a talented girl Danielle Donaldson is.
You could certainly personalize each and every idea..
FUN book.♥
I would say this book is great for  ages 13-113..and I give it a full 5 stars.
That's saying something..it is already looking a bit worn..usually a book looks new..like FOR EVER.
How many books do we fall in love with online only to find not much applies to us?

This one is for everyone who likes whimsy.
Above are some practice runs..3 cards reserved for sure..I know exactly for who..and I have since added personalized words..messages..glitter..gemstones..:)
The girl w/ the blow dryer  and scissors and comb in her pockets..is my haidresser..I shouldn't say hairdresser..  I leave w/ wet hair.. she adds highlights  and low lights ..
In and out in one hour.
She is so kind..  and is a gardener..thus the gardens growing out of her head..:)
she dreams about her gardens while doing hair..she started very very young doing this..she just turned 40..it is her salon..the team never changes..that's how happy they are there.
Omygosh not fancy schmancy at all..another thing I love about it.
I have slipped and gone elsewhere over the years....my niece..is a hairdresser..and an excellent one and I love her.. but she could not do two colors..
not pink and blue..  brown and beige.
She too is accomplished..her own salon..a success story!
Anyway..all that to say I sent Josée the card..


You can make them itty bitty..or full page..

I know a certain talented  young girl in the US..California..Palo Alto..to be precise..who might enjoy this ..she is so crafty.
You do need watercolor paper..and watercolors..and a brush..scissors ..there is a list..but one can easily get away with just those.
Years and years and years ago..when I took a painting class with Sandy Ferguson..she taught us how to use liquid watercolors..w/ just 3 colors.. she had us paint a painting..mixing them to obtain other colors..that year..we were in Fl..and these PH Martins were so affordable compared to here..I bought a set..the sets have changed..but for the cards..I used them as DD does talk about them also.So happy to have found a use for them..love the bottles..
I also used vintage Grumbacher paints..a set of 18..in a metal box..watercolorsin tubes ..2 flip palettes..the paints are used..but have more than half in the tubes and they are all fluid..not dried up..
The original price on the cardboard box was still affixed.. Spécial..$1.49..!!!
Imagine that.

PS forgive the pics..day was dull and dark..and humid)  and again and again..  what a funny week here weather wise..
All my cameras hate that weather...being my offspring and old too..they are very much like me now.
The pics in DDs book are clear..and inspiring!
I must admit ..I find..when artists share how to books..they are being so generous with their talent..and giving such enjoyment to sooo many people.
A great gift.
A huge Pay It Forward~
PS She has no clue I am talking about her book;)
She has no idea who I am..:)

There are a multitude of ideas in this book..
If I take it to bed..it means something.
Anyone can make these dolls...and her other projects..
The book is available so many places.. online is where I got mine..at Amazon.ca.
Go have fun.