I saw this giant molasses cookie in the store the other day and let out a little gasp.
When I was a kid, we'd walk over to Heintz Bakery in
Country Club Center * to get treats. They had these gigantic cookies (to a kid's eyes, anyway), and it was always exciting to get to choose one from the display case, then the have the nice bakery lady in her bakery lady uniform reach over the counter to hand it to me, wrapped in its little piece of tissue. They had sugar cookies with scalloped edges, peanut butter, chocolate chip, and molasses.
I just had to draw this. And I decided to make it one of my 'architectural food' pieces since I haven't done one for a while. Its a sort of odd thing to do a side and section view of, but then I thought, why not? The inside has a wonderful rich, dense section where all the molasses kind of gels together. These are sprinkled all over the top with white sugar. They are just sugar bombs, pretty much. But they smell heavenly, and are delicious.
I also scanned it as I went, so you can see how it developed.
The drawing is 8' x 10", on Fabriano Artistico paper. I used almost all Caran d'ache Pablo colored pencils on it, with one layer of Polychromos, and wee bit of white gouache for the sugar at the end.
I like to establish the pattern on something like this, then work into it with more details.
At this stage it looked like one of those chocolate cookies with the powdered sugar on top.
Here it looks like a toll house, without the chocolate chips.
Here it looks like peanut butter.
Crumbs! There are always crumbs.
This is the layer where I added some Polychromo Bistre.
And here I dabbed some white gouache on for the sugar. All done!
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The yard is in full swing now. I noticed today that all my white flowers are in bloom. Not sure if that means anything, but thought I'd take a few (blurry) pics for posterity.
The magnolia has some new flowers, but they're all so high up, I can't get a good photo. You'll just have to take my word for it that that white bit in there is a lovely magnolia flower.
My little miniature rose struggles valiantly in this heat. It lived in a nice foggy yard in San Francisco for many years, so now I have it nestled in with some other green things to help keep it sheltered, and try to remember to mist it often.
And gardenias! They smell so wonderful. I don't think this little guy bloomed last year, so I was so happy to see flowers on it today.
Phyllo, looking three sheets to the wind, helping me examine a magnolia cone.
These things are so cool, but not so cool to step on on the lawn. Its a wonder I haven't broken an ankle stumbling over these.
I'm itching to get out my watercolors. I think some picture book art is on the horizon next . . .
"Greetings and Salutations!" or maybe "Wait, wait, don't take it yet, I'm not ready!"
This is my silly little (or not so little, actually) man, Phyllo, on his roll of paper towels. He has a 'thing' for purses, bags, bunched up wads of dish towels, pillows - anything poofy that he can lay on. That quilted paisley fabric to the left is an earlier attempt to appease his need to lay on something padded. He completely "becomes one with" my quilted Vera Bradley bag, as well as my Mom's purse when she comes to visit. The other day I just casually laid a roll of paper towels on the table, and a new obsession was born.
Phyllo showed up last April. He just popped his head in the cat door one day, and wouldn't leave. He acted like he'd always lived here. I didn't let him in right away though - I confess I was hoping he'd go on to the next house. But for 5 days he kept coming back, even though it was raining and he had to find a spot on the dry side of the back porch to sit on. I'd peek through the shut blinds to see if "that orange kitty" was out there (and I'd be whispering to the other cats to be quiet), but he'd see or hear me, and start tapping on the window and meowing. He'd tap tap tap and meow at the cat door too. Like "MOM! Let me in!"
Finally, on day 5, I couldn't stand it anymore, and brought him out a plate of wet food. Before he ate it he kissed kissed kissed my hand all over. When he'd finished eating, I gave him another. He left for the night, then came back the next morning, and this time I let him in.
He's a love. I have no idea where he came from. A foreclosure victim maybe? He was neutered and well fed and in good health. I'll never know. Now he sleeps with me at night and sits on my chest and kisses my face and gives me love bites. He talks in his sleep (really LOUD sometimes!) and eats like there's no tomorrow. One day I was sitting at the kitchen table crying about something, and he licked the tears off my face. I know. He's pretty special.
Just thought I'd share, since I had this cute picture.
Made homemade spaghetti sauce today (haven't actually done that for a while) and it was sooo goood. Drew this afternoon, and got back into the groove a bit. Have an idea for some children's book art, maybe a book. Its such a simple idea, but I usually over-think things, and this is refreshingly uncomplicated.
I finished transferring all of my knitting from my Tweedy Crab shop on etsy over here to the blog, and I put up a few more prints too. I'll probably add a thing or two now and then, when I have the time. Otherwise, I'm going to just do some art for a while now. I still have Painter taunting me, but I'll get back to that later. I have a hankering to do some watercolor painting again. Whatever blooms on my table, I will share.
Off to watch some more Olympics and feel oh so very unathletic.
Love your kitty story, Phyllo looks a handsome chap! They love sitting on anything warm and soft, one of mine loves a nice warm pile of ironing and perches somewhat precariously on top!
I'm watching the Olympics too, GB doesn't do well usually, though we did get a gold in the women's skeleton - basically hurtling down an icy chute on a tea-tray - good grief! :)
Love your Phyllo story. Seems to me its lucky you found each other. Poor guy, no knowing what he went through before. I've got 2 myself and they
provide solace and fun and I am about to make them a couple of new cushions. They like Vera Bradley bags for sleeping too. We certainly have a lot in common. ;-)
Your friend in Adobe Illustrator, CC
The sweetest story! I'm a little jealous. We inherited a cat whom we love but she is very skittish, doesn't like to be held, wouldn't dream of comforting me under any circumstance; tends to sit and stare at the wall, can't imagine what she finds so interesting. Still she has her adorable moments and we are her slaves.
Lovely story and such a gentleman!
Sounds like a win-win for everyone when he came to you. I do think they're mindreaders sometimes - I guess because they read emotion and tone of voice rather than words.
I like the part about spying on him through the blinds and shushing the inside cats...
I have a crush on Apolo Ohno.
And Janet, your comment about the tea tray has me laughing quite hard! :)
What a wonderful story! I'm sure he makes a wonderful friend!
What a sweetie!! Sounds like he might be your Guardian Angel.
:)
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Your story made me smile. I had an orange boy that found me. He's gone now, but he really was the best cat. A few years ago, another orange cat broke into my dad's hotel room. He's had him ever since, and is another great, cool kitty. I think these orange boys are a special 'breed'! :)