Play Date...

It has been a busy week here in Southwestern Pennsylvania!  The days and evenings have been full.  Besides the general demands of the Store and the events that we've been hosting, I have also been getting ready for ArtFest.  I was fortunate enough to take a little break during the week and have a little get together out at the property.

Gina, Karen, Pam, Judi, and Vanessa came in from Pittsburgh for a play date.  It was a fabulous time!  They are the first guests to come out to my home with the sole purpose of making things and being creative!

 I made a few dishes for lunch (slow-cooked beef with a modified beef bourguignon sauce, maple-flavored mashed sweet potatoes, spiced pulled pork and white wine pulled chicken with a sweet and spicy chutney on the side) and Gina brought a beautiful berry salad with a balsamic dressing flavored with cardamom.  Her daughter made a tasty ginger-mint lemonade, that was the absolutely perfect thing on the warm spring day.  We also had sips of chilled rhubarb wine... you know... to help lubricate the creative juices.

We focused on making molds and carving polymer clay.  It was a good time and I think everyone did a great job!  I was really impressed with high level of talent and loved the work they made!  The above picture isn't of cookies, but of the molds they made before they went in the oven.

While our molds were in the oven, we took a stroll around the property.  First, we headed out to see one of the waterfalls, careful not to crush the spring beauty blossoms heralding the season.  We found a deer skull near the edge of the creek and Pam made her way down the steep bank to retrieve it.

It was a most excellent day and I was just thrilled to have them over.  It was nice little creative break and just what I needed to fuel the creative process and celebrate the first day of Spring!