Redwood Coast Creative Arts

Almond Brittle

Almond Brittle, MMMMMM! This is a totally, yummy, crispy, crunchy treat! It is easy to make and is great for gift giving! You can use any kind of nuts, seeds, or peanuts. Shredded coconut also makes a nice addition. Have all the ingredients for this recipe measured out and ready. This recipe requires that you move quickly. You do not have time to measure ingredients in between steps.

Kick it up a notch by using espresso instead of water and drizzling some melted chocolate over it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup water (Espresso makes a great substitution. Omit almond extract.)
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened.  Do not substitute.  Only use real butter!
1 teaspoon baking soda




DIRECTIONS:
Prepare large baking sheet. Grease or line with silicone or Teflon sheet. Set aside.

Toast the almonds, medium heat, in a dry pan, until browned. About 5 minutes.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, boil sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 of the salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

Slowly add extract. Stir in well. Be careful it may splatter and splurt.

Stir in almonds, quickly.

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter then baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet.

Sprinkle remaining salt on hot mixture.

Smooth mixture out as thin as possible. Using two forks to lift and pull mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches;

After a few minutes it will be firm enough to lift out of pan

Cut into 18-20 1 ½ inch pieces while it is still warm

Cool to room temperature and store in an air tight container such as a mason jar

Enjoy!

Vox Sacramento presents Polymer!

Clayville California and other California Based Polymer Artists will be showcasing the diversity of one of the art worlds newest mediums, Polymer. Featuring sculpture, jewelry, vessels, masks, and functional art objects. 

Featured artists include: Mary Fassler, Jacqueline Dodd, Michael J. Marx, Amy Fort, LaLa Ortiz, Marie Segal, Jennifer Young, Mary Lu Ellliott, Rachel Young, Yoli Rodriguez Manzo, Anita Sterling Winthrop, and Adriana Ayala of ClayCatShop


Afro Inspired Urban Tribal Necklace by LaLa

Saturday, August 11th, 2012 @ 4-9 PM

Vox Sacramento 1818 11th Street, Sacramento, California 95818

http://www.facebook.com/voxsac

Final Patina on my Greenman Sculpt

Greenman patina moments after spraying with Ver-Day Patina

Final patina on my Greenman sculpture. Direct sculpt in polymer, patina achieved with Ver-Day paints and patina from Ten Seconds Studio

I still need to give it a dark patina to bring out the detail and then seal it.  I have decided to create a woven wire collar and turn this into an elaborate neckpiece.  More photos will be added later in the week.

Greenman and his Ver-Day Patina Progress

As promised here is the progress on the Greenman and his Ver-Day Patina progress.

Here is the back of the piece.  I textured it with a rubber stamp by Donna Kato.  If I choose to use this in a neck piece the texture will give a nice feeling against the skin.

This is the back of the Greenman while the patina and paint are still wet and just starting to develop.

This is the face just after applying the Ver-Day Patina Solution. 


And just moments later, while the Ver-Day paint and patina are still wet, the natural patina begins to develop right before my eyes!  I love this effect and I am so pleased with the detail it brings out in my Greenman!

Introducing The Greenman-WIP

I just recently received a set of Ver-Day Paints and Patinas from Ten Seconds Studio.  I am having the best time painting and patinating my polymer sculptures and wire work.  I have so many ideas running wild through my head I don't know how I will ever get them all done.

Here is my first Greenman ever.  I have wanted to create one for years and the thought of creating one with a verdi-gris patina gave me the final push I needed to just do it.


Here he is with his freshly sculpted leaves.  Yes, I hand sculpted each and every little leaf and every tiny vein by hand.  I am just crazy that way!  I spent an inordinant amount of time sculpting the leaves and then arranging them onto his head just right.

 

Here is my Greenman with his Ver-Day Copper Paint.  The paint has actual copper, metal particles in it so, when I spray it with the Ver-Day Patina solution it will develop a natural verdi-gris patina over the course of a few hours.  Once the patina has developed I will be back to share the final results.

What have I been up to???

Well, I will admit that I have been spending a lot of time in the garden, in the pool, and lounging on the hammock.  However, I have also put in quite a few hours in the Cabin of Curiosities and I have the pictures to prove it.

New faces. Two very peaceful gentlemen came into my life while I was on retreat at Poly-Palooza (Clayville California's Annual Polymer Clay Artists' Retreat). I am looking forward to getting to know them better. They both came with such kind and gentle spirits.

So far I know that the gentleman on the left is a spirit reader and a healer and the one on the right is a tribal leader and an herbsman or medicine man.  They are both very gentle, wise, and kind souls.  It has been really nice working with them thus far.  I will share more of their stories as they unfold.

Namaste