Beeswax. I Love It. You Love It.

 

 

I can see by my traffic here on this website, that people spend time looking at photos of what I make here at M Design Boutique. So I give you a new set of photos of my beeswax candles. I began working with beeswax a couple years ago, and I find it to be sculptural and versatile. They can be simple, elegant and sophisticated or primitive and historically inspired. This group of photos shows a range of color, texture, technique, size and style that I’ve been able to create since I first got my hands on beeswax! I even snuck in a photo of some of my cold process soap made with beeswax! Enjoy.

Drippy Beeswax Candle

Sunday Dreams

Ya gotta take some breathers in life. I had this cold glass of wine with berries, grapes and pineapple on the deck while the wind blew through the trees and my thoughts.

Rhododendrons In Bloom

These are blooming in my back yard. Just below the blooms, the shrub is bare because the deer eat the leaves and buds before they have a chance. I should be annoyed, but the deer are so sweet, and I like watching them all year round.

Sun Coming Through Japanese Maple Leaves

We have a Japanese Maple Tree in our front yard. The colors are stunning from the moment Spring arrives till the last leaf falls in the Fall.

 

 

Some Recent Event Travel Candles

June 2013 Blooming in East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Throughout the year, colors, textures, fragrances, patterns and sounds of nature make their way in to my studio. I currently live in Southern Rhode Island where my studio looks out through a wall of windows onto my yard that is bordered by the woods. I have the good fortune of visitors such as cardinals, deer, frogs, wild turkeys, wood peckers, and a huge variety of other birds.

This is the new “Studio Inspiration” section of this blog and website. I invite you to see what I see as inspiration. If an opportune time arises, I will add some short movies so you can hear the breezes, the birds, the frogs and chimes too. Please enjoy!

There are several colors of Peonies blooming in my yard right now. Everyday I bring in several blooms to allow the next ones to have the plant’s energy to bloom. My house is filled with the delicate aroma and everywhere I look is a puffy cloud of petals.

Recipe For Fish Tacos

(Updated June 3, 2013 — Added Photo)

Okay, so a month or so ago I searched high and low for a really good fish taco recipe. As usual, I ended up with my very own recipe based on things I saw in lots of recipes that looked good. I’ve made these twice and they are by far the most authentic tasting fish tacos I’ve ever made…and they’re healthier than some of the other recipes.

I use a couple of short cuts in my tacos because I am lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s. Here’s what I use from Trader Joe’s:

• Shredded Cabbage
• Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo-ish)
• Frozen Cod Pieces (These are cheaper than the fillets, but they’re frozen, so if you want fresh fish adjust your shopping list)

Yes, I said Cod Pieces.

The first time I made these I used Cod, and then the second time I used Tilapia. Both were good, but my favorite was Cod.

You’ll be making two things in prep for the tacos, The Sauce and The Fish Marinade.

The Marinade: Mix together the following ingredients and then rub them on the fish, covering all surfaces. Allow this to sit in the fridge for around 4 hours, although at least 2 hours should do.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of miced garlic, depending on your preference
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

The Sauce: Make this when you make the marinade so that it can sit for awhile and the flavors combine. Combine all ingredients and mix well.

• 1 & 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (you can replace some of this with mayo and/or sour cream)
• 1/2 cup minced cilantro
• juice & zest from 1 large or two small limes

I am a charcoal griller. So, I place the pieces of fish into a grill pan with holes and cook them for around 7-10 minutes (till they’re flakey and white, not translucent). You may also broil or bake the fish. After cooking, chop the fish up.

While the fish is cooking, place corn tortillas wrapped in foil on the grill, or in the oven to warm them up.

Assemble the tacos layered as follows:

• Tortilla
• Fish
• Cabbage
• Salsa
• Yogurt Sauce
• Hot Sauce of your choice such as Tapatio or Cholula. My favorite is Chipotle Cholula.
• Lime wedges to squeeze over the top, before folding

There you have it! If you choose to make these, please feel free to take photos and leave your feedback below, including any twists you tried.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!