
Puzzles For Sale!

Sue Storm and Her Fantastic Tree

Finally got a free day for the first time in a couple of weeks. Lots of really exciting things are starting to happen, from jumping aboard new comic projects to getting started on my fourth picture book. 2010 is going to be good, I can just feel it!... So of course, when I'm not painting for work...I'm painting for selfish reasons. Above is what I cooked up this afternoon. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday!
Fashion fades. Style is eternal.








Caramel Apples...And Some Cute Owls!

- 1 1-pound box dark brown sugar
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 candy apple sticks (you can find these at specialty food stores, candy making supply shops, etc...)
- 12 medium Granny Smith apples
Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 15 minutes.
Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into metal bowl (do not scrape pan). Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 20 minutes.
While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with foil; butter foil. Push 1 chopstick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolates.
Holding chopstick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared foil. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on foil). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple from foil. Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to foil. Repeat with remaining apples.
Firmly press decorations into caramel; return each apple to foil. Or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or candy. Or drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations.
Enjoy! xoxo
Attention Shoppers!!!
I'm excited to tell you that my online store is now open! Thanks to the very talented (and handsome) Rob, we are now in business. I've got some prints up there to start and will be posting lots more goodies in the coming weeks, including more prints, a few original comic book pages and some illustration originals both framed and unframed. I'll be sure to post more as the items go up there!
Recipe for Halloween





October...already?!


