Fall Recipe

baby granddaughter ,Penny

fall is here

oak leaves in the sunlight

the path I walk in the woods

I thought I would post one of my favorite recipes for Zucchini Bread/Cake
 

ZUCCHINI BREAD

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
•  1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• flavored cream cheese spread as a glaze

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar apple sauce together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool
5. I use pumpkin cream cheese spread (for bagels) and spread on top when the cake is still warm.  This melts slightly and is a glaze or frosting. Omit this step if you want more of a bread.

Penny and Miles ( he wants to have his hair the same as hers)

 

Happy Fall !!!

Spring Art Show at the Village Artists

The Village Artists will be having a

Spring Art Show on  Saturday May 5^th-  for one day only- !!!

10-3 pm- It will be similar to our holiday boutique.

Yours truly will be present and displaying my work. Stop on by and take a look at our co-op of artists- 

Village Artists Gallery and Studio
1957 Ridge Road, Homewood IL

"FERN" Sushi plate with chop sticks

Trinket Dish for rings and things

I use mine while washing dishes!

 

 

Also RetroBabs will be participating in the Vintage Bazaar in Chicago IL

Sunday June 10th at the Aragon Ballroom 1106 Lawrence Ave.  The plan is to share a booth with AmeliaBedeliaVintage from Etsy.  Delia is coming all the way from California to sell her wonderful vintage clothing!!

Here is a fun tid bit:  This ballroom is where my parents met back in the 1940's.  I admit I'm a romantic at heart because they were married for over 50 years!! 

2012 -the new year begins

Well folks, I had a busy Dec 2011.  The kids came for a visit all the way from California and I had a successful art show at the Village Artists.

Here I am at my display table of pottery and standing in front of my paintings.  The show ran from Dec 2 and 3rd to coordinate with Homewood's tree lighting ceremony.  It was great to interact with the community especial all the kids.  They were so excited to see the tree lit and Santa was transported down  Ridge Rd via a fire engine!  A good time was had by all.

I gave away some of my art as gifts as usual. 

Here you see some rice bowls I made.

I especially like the glazing on this one. (Jade green and black)


Also created a new paintings for the show and framed one inside a shadow box.

I know it is hard to see in these photos but the seashell painting is actually a shadow box, recessed about an inch into the frame.
As you know, I also refurbish vintage furniture.  My husband found this lovely chair in the garbage.  I used fabric with a theme of picnic goers from the 1950s- "living the high life".  I think I just may have to keep this one!!!

  This is another chair I refurbished and it is currently at the Village Door.  They are a consignment shop that gives their funds to cancer support.  I think their charity is fabulous and I wanted to support them.

I used a piece of vintage hunting fabric on this one.  I think it is from the 1940s- very art deco don't you think?
Well I will wrap this up for now.  Check out the Retrobabs blog to see my New Years Resolutions! And keeping with such....... I off to throw something on the wheel.
Blessings
Babs

Holiday Boutique at the Village Artists Gallery and Studio

Dear Family and Friends,
I hope You can come to an art show and holiday boutique where I will be displaying my work.  I will have jewelry, pottery, watercolor paintings and vintage boxes just in time for your holiday gift shopping!

Hope to see you there!

Collaboration

I have been making pottery for over a year and I've started dabbling in jewelry.  What I like to make besides bowls are leaves out of clay.  I have had a few of my designs on Etsy featured in the RetroBabs Vintage shop.

I made this maple leaf necklace for the fall.  It happened to catch the eye of a wonderful artist, Barb Herb-Bonk.
She makes beaded jewelry and asked me to collaborate with her.  Barb created these designs using my pottery leaf and medallions.

I think they look fantastic and she really enhanced my work!   I am thrilled.

Making jewelry is another outlet for my pottery.
Here are the designs I came up with for the Village Artists show.  The show will be a Holiday Boutique on Dec 2-3rd in Homewood, IL.   They are located on Ridge Road and the gallery will features many artists from the group.

You can see I took a different route, than did Barb, but I tend to like simple jewelry.   I fashion these leaves and medallions out of clay slabs, hand sculpt them and then they are glazed at a high temperature in the kiln to give them that patina. 

I hope you can come to the show and celebrate the holidays with me!
A heartfelt thanks to Barb for a wonderful collaboration and using my pottery in her jewelry.
Blessings
Babs

Girlfriends in Homewood

I wanted to introduce you to a new friend-
Helen Fortino from GIRLFRIENDS in Homewood, IL.  She is the
proprietor /manager.  It is part upscale - resale and thrift store and part charitable animal awareness.  She donates part of her proceeds to NAWS -National Animal Welfare Society.
GIRLFRIENDS is located at 18046 Martin Ave. in Homewood, IL

She has agreed to show my wares as handmade pet dishes.  You can see a few of them here on this bureau.  Her customers are very receptive to this idea.  My bowls are bottom heavy and large, we think they will not move around or tip when the animal eats.  I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Her shop is filled to the brim with wonderful items, from clothing and  housewares to animal products.  I know I will enjoy collaborating with Helen.

I have been making some new designs with vintage silver plate spoons.  Helen asked if I would make a pet grave marker.  Here is what I came up with for her.
( Rest in Peace Felix) This was for her beloved pet.

Buying the silver plate spoons, hammering them flat, and stamping them is a lot of work.  I'm usually in a flop sweat by the end of the process!
I have made garden markers for herbs and  left a set with her.   I will custom stamp the names of the HERBS that the customers request.
You can see more spoon art at RetroBabs Vintage on Etsy.

I look forward to adding new art work and thinking of new uses for the silver  spoons.  Made this coat rack for a family member, personalized hooks.

You may reach Helen at the shop 708-206-2080. 

WWW.NAWSUS.org for the organization.
Blessings, Babs.

Kiln

It feels very good to work with clay again.  I have thrown four bowls on the wheel at the Village Artists studio.  I have also been working on more leaves for necklaces. 
Best of all I have been given a free kiln!
  It is currently not working but I have not given up hope.  The kiln is a model 181 Skutt and it is old from 1960-1979.  I was given this from the Beverly Art Center, I answered an ad on Craigslist!  They told me that if I can get it working it can be used to slump glass as well as fire clay.  Of course this picture is off the Skutt website and is a new small kiln but this will give you an idea of what I am working with size wise. I am pretty excited.

We are getting ready for our Grand Opening and we are also going to have classes again.

The Village Artists will be starting classes again at our new space.  Artist, Pat Moore, has graciously accepted the teaching position.
The classes are as follows:


2011 Class Schedule
1957 Ridge Road
Homewood, IL 60430
708.798.4774

This beautiful art work is by Pat Moore, our Instructor.

Kids Classes ages 5-9 -  Instructed by  Artist Pat Moore

Art Variety 1
Saturdays: 2PM-3PM, May 7, 14, 21, & 28
Fee: $60 Materials included

Youth Classes ages 10-18 - Instructed by  Artist Pat Moore

Art Variety 2
Saturdays: 3:15PM-4:45PM, May 7, 14, 21 & 28
Fee :$75 Materials included

Teens and Adults Classes - Instructed by Artist Pat Moore

Mixed Media
Mondays: 3PM-4:30PM, May 9, 16, and 23, June 6 &13
Fee: $75 Materials not included