soup can

soup can

Originally uploaded by sarajane helm

Some things simply don’t come canned and condensed, and Aunt Acid’s one of them–so’s her 3 Mother’s chicken soup, made using a blend of recipes from Chinese, Jewish and Hippy Earth Mothers. But it DOES make for a nice graphic and this one was for my 3d assignment in Adobe PhotoshopII.

The real thing is well worth making–freeze some and have it handy when somebody has a cold–this one burns out all the germs and even cuts through the dreaded rubber-cement mucus.

With peppers, onions, garlic, mustard, horseradish, ginger, lemon and more in this delicious soup, you’ll find you can breath again. Its practically an Auntie-biotic!

How about a hand for Aunt Acid?

And a foot too…thats what talented polymer clay artist Chris Rutter sent as a lovely gifty to ME! She’s sent along a gorgeous set of single extremities, trimmed in gold cord and black maribou feathers, all set onto a gold and black covered 6″x6″ ceramic tile.

While the toes sport a lovely fire red nailpolish, (made using acrylic paint and varathane as people-type polish doestnt do well on polymer clay in the long run) the nails on the hand are left unpainted, the better to show of this translucent pc manicure. Now if I ever need a hand, I’ve got an extra. Thanks bunches, Chris!!

Someone’s In The Kitchen With Aunty….

What’s cooking with Aunt Acid!

Originally uploaded by sarajane helm

I’m serving up a look at another assignment in my Photoshop II class. This one was to design a book cover using the various masks and modes that we’ve been studying. I also used three photos (good thing I’m also taking a digital photography class) and a food image that I created in Illustrator last semester–I LOVE Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop! (and I love using my homework more than once….thats Creative Leftovers which can be lovely reheated or served cold!

So here’s a look at what’s been cooking here at my house. Someday I’ll put the insides of this book together—I’m saving up some great recipes. But only the cover was this week’s project!

Aunt Acid’s Flower Power

April is always full of surprises, such as weather that can go from 15 inches of new snowfall to 80 degrees and balmy in just a day or two. Blossoms in the snow have been sighted recently.

It’s also yer auld Aunt Acid’s birth month!

Just a year ago, the wrappings came off and the beauteous mug that is mine-own shone forth!

In special celebration, here’s a  poster rendered in homage to the style of Alphonse Mucha and his lovely floral femmes.  Al  set the stage for beautiful curves in the art of advertising in his era.

This image also shows how flowers come together. No need to send the kiddies from the room–it’s just art, no birds and bees involved.

A Valentine’s Wish

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you who celebrate this lovely holiday. May you always have access to as much chocolate as you want, and never have reason to regret it! Here’s a Valentine Collage made using Adobe Photoshop with a digital camera picture of polymer clay hearts, a scan of antique laces, a digital scan of a 35mm color slide by Bob Greiser of a polymer clay Shady Lady by Sarajane Helm and the letter “V” in a dingbat font called Vintage. Photoshop fun! When she’s not acting as head plaesthetician and wardrobe mistress around here, she’s back at college, learning how to tart things up even more around here.  She seems to think this counts as homework.

(Hershey’s) Kisses to you all from Aunt Acid and all the Ladies at Madame’s House.

Mushrooms From Outer Space

This is not a bad B movie premise…or rather, it goes far beyond that.

My dear friend Edward says that mushrooms first came to Earth from Outer Space.

He told me that the first spore arrived with meteors that struck the earth, carrying the beginnings of these fruiting funguses. Fungi? Yes, he is, but that’s a different story.

There are huge, massive, gigundous fungi that spread (some for miles)under the ground. What we know as “mushrooms” are the fruit, springing up after rains, when the weather and soil conditions are right.

The kinds that we can safely eat are just a few of the many that are growing in the wild. Most are pretty toxic to our systems in a liver and life threatening sort of way, so do NOT go out looking for myco-goodies in the cowpats in spring.  Those who study such things (mycology) will tell you that its safest to eat the mushrooms that are commercially grown. Liver failure is not a pretty thing, so stick with the varieties known to be safe…and ever so yummy!

That’s not such limiting advice, either, as there are many wonderful tasty varieties of edible mushrooms. Everybody has seen the button mushrooms sold at grocery stores and beloved on pizza. But there’s so much more! There are many kinds available between the big chain grocers, organic grocers, farmer’s markets and specialty markets. Shitake, Oyster Kings, and Lion’s Beard—some sound like rock bands or something out of Alice’s Wonderland. I like them best when sauteed in butter and garlic. But then, most foods are improved by a heated discourse with butter and garlic.  But maybe not ice cream or pancakes!!

Madame’s Boudouir

Here’s a peek into the private side of my dear friend Madame’s house. This is Madame’s own room. The bed is made with polymer clay over wooden skewers. Even the plants are polymer clay!

Madame’s vanity table in the corner of her room.

She’s got pics of Andy, Ava, and “Mr. K”. Ah, those were some memorable parties…..

Aunt Acid has friends in all SORTS of places, big and small! And these are small; 1/6 scale . Not including Mr. K.

The Holidays at Madame’s House

Another Holiday Party at Madame's House

There’s always a party at Madame’s place and at this time of year the ladies all keep an eye on the mistletoe as well as on the guests. You never know who will be hanging from the chandelier….

These dolls are between 9 and 11 inches tall, and made of polymer clay. Though created in a different scale than your Dear Auld Aunt Acid, these Shady Ladies are not lesser beings, just smaller.

Older cousins and sisters, and none of them young and dewey-eyed, but still lovely in their own quirky ways, as are we all.  Let me join the Ladies one and all in wishing you happy holidays all throughout the coming year.

These are photos taken by Bobby Grieser in 1992. The princess waiting for Santa on the bearskin rug in the picture shown below is about 10 inches tall, and the setting is fashion doll scale(1×6).