An Abundant Life - The Artists Have It

One of my favorite places in Hoboken has taken to the streets and the owner is reinventing and creating up a perfect storm of design. Sedona Hand Gallery has been evolving over the past few months into Daisy's Wearable Art, and if you ever visited Daisy at Sedona, you'll know that if she's creating you want to be a part of it. I had written about Sedona Hand Gallery last fall because from the first time I walked in the door I knew that I had found a special place. But someone like Daisy is so full of creative energy that four walls can't contain her, and now you can find her in fine weather on First Street between Park and Willow on some week day afternoons and on Saturdays. She's also hosting jewelry parties in select locations. Email her at daisyswearableart@yahoo.com to get on her mailing list or to find her at her sidewalk boutique. Her tagline says it all: "Artful finds for creative women - All women are creative express yourself"

Daisy's Wearable Art

Unique Women's Apparel & Accessories

daisyswearableart@yahoo.com

From One To Another

While I was visiting with Daisy, Ricardo Roig of Roig Gallery stopped by to say hello. I had been wanting to meet him because Katie Duffy McGeehin, one of the artists I know from Ho'bart Cooperative Gallery, had sent out an announcement through Instagram that she was in a show there. I wasn't able to attend the opening, and every time I walked by I was on my way somewhere else and couldn't stop in. When Ricardo stopped by to say hello to Daisy, it seemed a perfect opportunity to ask if he had time to talk. I was on my way to Modern Retro Finds, another favorite store that is right around the corner, but Ricardo said the gallery was open until 9pm, and so after I finished talking to Daisy and took my trip to Modern Retro Finds, I stopped by Roig Gallery to finally meet Ricardo. I'm so glad that I took the time, and you will be too - he's really an amazing creative force - a wonderful artist who helps support other artists by hosting shows and sharing information about the shows and studio spaces they have in the area. I love to connect people, and I think I met my match in Ricardo. When I walked in the door, he was talking to a lovely sculptor and painter, and while I met with him, he gave me so many cards for so many different artists my cup runneth over. The photos I'm sharing here are for the show that closed on Saturday, but you can always find Ricardo's wonderful work there, and he can connect you to your heart's content to everyone who is anyone in the area who is creating wonderful art.

Ricardo Roig At Roig Gallery

Original Fine Art

252 First Street

Hoboken, NJ

www.RicardoRoig.com

Sculptures By Katie Duffy McGeehin

To Another And Another

Last year I had walked into a delightful jewelry sample sale on my way home one day, and a few days ago when I received the invitation to the Partners In Crime Jewelry and Accessories Sample Sale, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the lovely women I had met last year had remembered me. I stopped by on a day when it had gotten so rainy and colder again that if I didn't have such a lovely destination to go to, I would have decided to stay indoors. But going out in the rain was worth it, and the new Bullet Necklace Collection is all that and more. Partners In Crime are two awesome women you want to get to know - their vision and style is enchanting. And in the space where they were holding their Trunk Show, I saw one of Ricardo Roig's numbered prints, connecting all the dots from my seemingly chance meetings, and confirming I was in the right place at the right time.

Partners In Crime

www.PartnersinCrimeJewelry.com

A Ricardo Roig Print Lighting The Way

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Food For The Soul

I've written about Ed Ramirez and his wonderful community projects and spaces before, and this past week I attended a gallery opening at Harry Street Coffee for the wonderful artist Swati Rastogi. It was such a lovely event, and there were so many lovely people there. Ed has the ability to bring amazing people together in the beautiful spaces he creates. In an artist's statement for the event, Swati Rastogi wrote, "My art is a combination of fine arts and crafts. I have developed my own style which involves my study, culture, aesthetics, emotions and intellect. My works are noted for creativity and attention to detail. They have a social and cultural value. My soul is highly influenced by folk and tribal arts of India - motifs from these reflect consistently in my art, like potteries, candles, wood panels, fabrics, murals, canvas and items of home décor and utility. I am also proficient in decorative body art in the form of henna/mehndi." I will add that Swati herself is a lovely presence who brings peace and joy and beauty with her. Stopping by Harry Street Coffee is always a beautiful experience, and with Swati Rastogi's art in residence it is even more.

The Art Of Swati Rastogi

www.facebook.com/swatirastogifinearts

Gallery Opening At Harry Street Coffee

695 Bergen Avenue

Jersey City, NJ

Facebook HarryStreetCoffee

An Outpouring Of Art And Beauty

Several months ago I first saw one of the amazing artist Norman Kirby's fence art pieces when I was crossing 18th Street in Jersey City. I took a photograph and posted it on Instagram under the title "Unexpected Beauty" and added to the caption the attribution of Unknown Artist. I had never seen anything so wonderful before, and I was enchanted by the style and beauty of what I saw. I wanted to take a photograph not only to post it for the world, but also to have a record that I might be able to print and hang on my own wall some day. Ed Ramirez knows everyone who is wonderful and creative in Jersey City and beyond, and he commented on my photo with the tag @normkirby. I went to Norman Kirby's Instagram page so I could find out more about who this wonderful artist was and there are a few photos of him on his page, so I kept looking for him around town. One day when I was at Harry Street Coffee, I saw him and introduced myself, and when I was at Swati Rastogi's gallery opening, I had just seen another gorgeous post that he had made. When I saw him there and told him how much I loved it, he said it was right outside, so on my way out I was able to photograph it. A dear friend of mine who is a teacher of world religion had shared with me the many deep meanings in the figural representation of the word "Om", and it seems the perfectly fitting piece to be outside of Harry Street Coffee.

Norman Kirby - "Om"

On Instagram @normkirby

Mothers And Daughters

This week has been so rainy and cold that it feels more like March than May, and weather like this is more like New England than what I usually experience in the more temperate New York area that I now call home. My mother was a baker at heart, a wonderful cook whose parents both were from long lines of bakers, so making coffee cakes and scones and muffins was an every day occurrence in the house I grew up in. When the weather is chilly and the days are not sunny, the combination of my mother's example and my heritage from her German family and my father's German and English and Irish one, make baking something warm a natural and easy thing for me to do. This week I made scones from a recipe my mother gave to me years ago, and I add her recipe here as she wrote it out for me, with a few slight modifications I've made. I made them this week with whole wheat flour and cranberries, and you can feel free to use different types of flour and add spices or raisins or fruit. The recipe does not call for sugar which is something that I like about it, because it allows me to add honey or a sweet jelly or jam when I serve them hot with butter.

Scones

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Sift into a mixing  bowl  2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt

Using finger tips, work in 3 tablespoons of butter

In another bowl, beat 2 eggs and add to the flour mixture along with 1/2 cup cream or milk

Add a little more cream or milk if needed to make the dough just firm enough to handle but still soft. Knead gently about fifteen times. Cut the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball, press each down into a round about one half inch thick and cut into wedges like a pie. (Craig Claiborne says eight, I think I did six). Place the wedges on a greased cookie sheet. Bake until deep golden brown, about twelve minutes.

Warm Cranberry Scones For A Cold Gray Morning

Served With Spaghetti And Eggs

Another Simple Treat I Learned From My Mother

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Freedom

Over the years there have been many different catch phrases and movie titles and songs that have celebrated the idea of freedom, but one that has never gone out of style is the freedom we are given to choose how we will live and act in our lives. In "Hamlet," Shakespeare wrote "All The World's A Stage," and that is very true - we are all actors in this thing called life and as actors we have actions we can take no matter what our circumstances are. For many years the Salvation Army has been continuously doing the work of sharing the Gospel in order to help people learn about the freedom available to them through the love of God, and one thing they have always done which has always impressed me is to meet the needs of people where they are. They provide food and clothing and shelter, supportive services and job training, and on any given day in any neighborhood, we can always find a Salvation Army thrift store that sells clothing and housewares at reasonable cost for anyone who wants to walk in the door. I've learned through my travels that the best way to reach people with the love of God is to share it in a tangible way - we can talk about it all the time, but our actions speak louder than words. The Salvation Army puts words into action, to the benefit of neighborhoods nation-wide.

In New Jersey, two of my favorite Salvation Army Thrift Stores are in Union City and and Jersey City, and I like them not only for the delightful home products and clothing I find there at wonderful prices, but also for the delightful people who work there. Whenever I have time I like to take a walk and visit, and I've found some great things and had such enjoyable times there that these places are a regular destination.

The Salvation Army

salvationarmyusa.org

Some Finds From My Favorite New Jersey Thrift Stores

248 Erie Street

Jersey City, NJ

&

900 Kennedy Boulevard

Union City, NJ

Freedom To Express

Last week I was invited to another wonderful event by the fabulous Stella&Dot stylist Jennifer Sutton. I always know where Jennifer is creativity and freedom of self expression will abound, and at the event I attended at Celebrate Life Studio in Hoboken, I was able to meet another gorgeous stylist with such a beautiful ability to celebrate the inner beauty of her clients that I walked home feeling like I was dancing on air. The fun and creativity abounded, and the styling tips were on point. I so much enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with the wonderful women there in such an affirming, celebratory and meaningful way!

Style Me Pretty Happy Hour
Fashion Styling Event

At Celebrate Life Studio

Hoboken, NJ

www.celebratelifestudiohoboken.com

Jennifer Sutton of Stella&Dot And Dorian Cattani Of The Closet Rescue

www.stelladot.com/jennifersutton

theclosetrescue.com

Loaves And Fish

As the days get warmer we still have a bit of chill in the air, making soups and stews a nourishing choice. Since childhood one of my favorite foods for the soul is any kind of New England Chowder, corn or clam or fish. I'll give the recipe for fish chowder here, but feel free to make it however and with whatever you like. This is the basic old stand-by, but any variation can make it your delicious own.

Fish Chowder

• Chop one large or two medium potatoes and add to a large soup pot. Cover with one or two cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Add any kind of fish, a pound or more, depending on the amount of fish you have and people you want to serve. Cook until the fish is completely cooked through and if using a whole piece of fish, break it apart in the water.
• While the fish and potatoes are cooking, dice a one inch square piece of salt pork and sauté in a pan over low heat until golden brown. You do not need to add any type of fat to fry in as the salt pork will release its own fat as it cooks. Remove when golden brown and place on a dish to cool.
• Peel and chop one medium or large onion and add to the pan, cooking over low heat in the fat from the salt pork until beginning to show clear in color. Do not fry or allow to brown as this will make the taste bitter. Turn off the heat when just beginning to show a clear color.
• Add one tablespoon of flour to the onions in the pan and stir to coat the pieces. I have used whole wheat flour or regular, and any kind will do. Add the mixture to the cooking fish and potatoes and stir together.
• Add two cups of milk and the golden brown diced and cooked salt pork pieces.
• Cook over low heat for a minimum of a half an hour, the longer the better for richer flavor, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with chowder crackers, fresh pepper and a small piece of butter to melt in the soup.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Jannie Susan