Goodbye Yuanxiao

Becky graciously loaned me these Chinese banners meant for the front door where your guests enter the party. They are hand calligraphied in gold ink on a vibrant red paper. I love them. I had to capture a picture today before I say good-bye to all her goods that I borrowed for my party on Saturday.

Who is Coming to Yuanxiao Tonight?

The Invitation from Olive Branch Design

This bamboo tied off card intructs honorable guests to come by the light of their own handcrafted lanterns


When you walked in the party room, this is what you saw when you turned the corner.

We decided to make this an interactive cooking night. Chinese just doesn't taste the same cooked ahead of time. I probably should have realized how insane that would be, but it was so good and did I say fresh?


The gyoza John makes is the real deal. I realize this is Japanese, but dumplings in general are a Chinese New Year thing. And John's dumplings are incredible.

As you can see, we love men who can bring home the bacon then fry it up in a pan. Here is Jeff prepping for Kung Pow shrimp.


Nanette served up a mixed mocktail drink of cranberry juice, fresh orange juice and Sprite.

Jean-Michel and Carla are owners of JMA Classics a hand-crafted furniture design studio. They do beautiful work, and their lantern was no exception to their standard. It was made of natural alder wood and leather strapping. I was trying to confiscate it for the "United States Intermountain Region Chinese New Year Lantern Awards", or so I was claiming to anyway. Uh huh. They are going on to Regionals. They didn't buy into it though, they took it home. Dang!

The handcrafted lanterns most honorable guests brought illuminated on the front porch.

Our friend, Warren Lloyd, of Lloyd Architects drove all over town trying to find rice paper for his lantern, (someone even sent him to an oriental market to the wonton wrapper aisle- next time try Utrecht or Reuel's. He lived in Japan and studied under some serious Japanese architects, so he took the Finding Nemo in Tokyo approach to his project. We wondered what architectural plans he had for his lantern when he and Jennie were over an hour late to the party...all because of the handcrafted lantern project. Sorry guys!

Lantern Riddles were slipped in Chinese New Year envelopes and placed under each guest's plate. This group was a smart bunch and guessed them all!

Photographs courtesy of Becky Loveless. Check out her blog for more of the fine details of our party. Thank you Becky for your inspiration to this party in the making for nearly four years, and for coming to take photographs so I didn't have to.

It's a Go on the Show Today and Wednesday

11 am - 7pm Tuesday, and on Wednesday from 10 am - 5 pm. So come on over!

Valentines Art Market Set for Saturday

These little sissel cones are adorned with handlettered mini banners of love phrases with vintage tissue rounds and silk ribbon. You can hang them on a doorknob for your friends or on a Valentine tree. Shall I mention chocolate kisses are inside? I have 30 available.

I made my annual Valentine fortune cookies again, chocolate dipped and gold dusted. This time the messages are all beautifully hand lettered with words and phrases for your love. There are over 200.

Do you have a Valentine tree? Add a couple of these sweet glass ornaments to your collection. I have 12 available.

Here is a set of 6 cards; handsewn, watercolored, hand lettered, topped with a silk ribbon for all the Valentines in your life. Comes in a little notebox with a silk heart sachet. I have 9 boxes available.

Tired of the same old cards from the department store racks? Here are some playful toy Valentines for kids and adults. I even caught a teenager trying to win at the maze.

In addition to the above merchandise, by morning hot off the sewing machine, I'll have Valentine pouches to stuff with family Valentines and little treats. I'll also have some little shadowboxes with hand lettered phrases and fabric collages inside (the varnish is still drying as we speak).

Eternal Work - wreaths...

I have 11 large with a white dove and ribbons in a pale pink/brown or a fuchsia/chocolate brown color combination. Also available, 12 small gold wreaths with red glitter bird with red, pale pink & fuchsia ribbons. All available this Saturday @ Art Market, Sugarhouse Garden Center starting at 10 am. Call Nanette Amis at 801.244.7275 for additional information or go to http://artmarketutah.com/

Says It All

I have 42 of these for Art Market this weekend. Come visit me everyday this week and I will show you what my imagination dreamed up, sketched up and made just for Art Market... These little garlands are dedicated to the beloved President Gordon B. Hinckley.