A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

As the Fourth of July quickly approaches my thoughts have turned to the sunny outdoors, delicious barbeques, and sitting by the water (pool or ocean, I don't care!) And so, with all the inspiration, I started sketching a delicious barbeque food display... mmmm... What are your plans for the coming weekend!?

A Picture A Day

More BBQ fun. Drink labels! I think the raspberry lemonade label might be my favorite.

A Picture A Day

Sorry for the delay this morning, it's been a crazy one, but finally, here is the picture of the day.

Since I've been working on creating/finishing my new website I've been doing a lot more updates on existing drawings and a lot less new drawings. Here are some that have changed or have been updated so that I can add them to the illustration section on my site.

Before

After

Before

After

All of these images are by Michelle B. Please do not copy or paste without linking back to Sweet Musings.

Sweet Muse

WestElm.com

WestElm.com

We are planning a barbeque for mid-July and there is so much to do to get our yard, and house, ready for the event. Here are some lovely images to inspire me to work on the house and make my backyard pretty, welcoming, and ready for great friends, delicious food, sweet drinks, and happy chatter.

A Picture A Day

One more sketch/study based on the gorgeous photos of Elle Fanning from Marie Claire.

Sweet Muse

The article that the picture of the day, today, was based on included pages and pages of beautiful mod clothes and hair and I had to share some of them. Plus Elle Fanning is absolutely stunning. They are all from Marie Claire's July 2011 issue.

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

From a photograph in Marie Claire Magazine that I thought was beautiful. I wanted to sketch the light airy quality of her clothes and hair. You can see the photo here.

Currently Reading: South of Superior

barnesandnoble.com

South of Superior, by Ellen Airgood, is about Madeline, a woman whose mother left her when she was a baby and her grandparents refused to take her in. Madeline is left in the care of Emmy. Emmy is the closest thing to a mother that Madeline has, and when she struggles for years with cancer and eventually dies Madeline feels lost with no ties to her past and no real feelings about the future.

Shortly after Emmy's death, Madeline receives a letter from relatives asking Madeline for help. These are two women whom she has never met, and she partially blames for abandoning her as a child, but she still packs up and moves to this town leaving behind her fiance, job, and long time home in Chicago.

The inhabitants of the town have next to nothing and get by helping to support each other in any way they can. They live in ways that Madeline has trouble comprehending at first, but as the story progresses she begins to fall in love with the place, learn more about her past, and understand and care about each of the characters who are now her neighbors and friends.

It's been a great read so far. One that sucked me from the beginning. It's a little sad but there is hope and love in each of the characters that reflects off of the pages and makes the book quickly appealing

A Picture A Day

A possible Tour de Shore tee-shirt for Klicious Cupcakes

A possible back of the tee-shirt

Klicious Cupcake's team for the Irish Pub 2011 Tour de Shore, a bike race that goes from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore, asked me to design a tee-shirt for their team to wear during the race. They asked that I design something race related for the front and put something with the cupcakes/company on the back. Above is one possible front and back designs for the tee-shirts. I have a few other options as well, so we'll see what they pick, but for now enjoy a little sneak peak.

Sweet Muse

Emilio Pucci Resort 2012

Chanel Resort 2012

J.Crew.com

A Picture A Day

 

Instead of creating more finalized colored sketches I've been drawing in my sketchbook ideas for a new story. Above are story board sketches for the potential story.

An Early Birthday Surprise

Not to get all sappy and lame, believe me this is a rarity [just ask my mom], but I have the best husband. A package came in the mail early this week from Kate Spade! And beautiful gold shoes were inside! He gave them to me early so that I can wear them to a wedding this weekend, and I thought it was a really sweet surprise.

Aren't they pretty ...

KateSpade.com

A Picture A Day

As you probably already know I have been working on new branding and a new website over the last few weeks/months. And while I can't wait to announce the official launch of my new site, michellebaron.com, it's not quite ready yet. But since I am so excited, and patience is not one of my strong traits, I thought I would share a little sneak peak of the site. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Friday Sweets! xo

Designs by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings and MichelleBaron.com

Sweet Muse

 

I'm loving the bright colors this season, especially the poppy color... so pretty

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

Sweet Muse

 

Loving the colors, materials, and beautiful photographs from the Zac Posen 2012 Resort collection.

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

Sweet Muse

love the shoes on the left, and of course, how cute is that pup!?

I want that bike!

All images are from http://jcrew.tumblr.com

So I'm probably freakishly behind, but, I just found out there is a J.Crew blog! All of their entries are "random musings" which I (obviously) think is cute, and they have amazing imagery, decorating tips, interviews with their designers, outfit suggestions... basically it's a guide to living your life as if you are in a J.Crew catalog...  I'm def in love!

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

Currently Reading: French Women Don't Get Fat

 I know you are thinking, what does this picture have to do with the book. You are also probably thinking didn't you already tell me about this book... and yes, you would be right, I did, but there are a few sentences  I loved and wanted to share. Keep in mind this is a book about the importance of moderation and joy of eating, so while she deliciously describes Champagne, there is a lesson in the full paragraph (I just cut that part out. Iit's on page 173 if you want to read the whole thing.)

How perfect is her description of the glamorous qualities of Champagne in these few lines:

...You see, I still get a kick from Champagne - a big one. To me Champagne is magic. It's also a supremely feminine wine. I love everything about it: the seductive honey color, the tiny bubbles, (they should dance for you), the scents and tastes (citrus, pear, apple, dried fruit, brioche), the lovely, long, yeasty aftertaste. I love the mood Champagne creates, the feeling no other wine can come close to: celebrations, life-affirming joy...

If that paragraph is not enough to make you want to go buy a bottle of Champagne and enjoy a long leisurely dinner with friends, this recipe, also from the book, will probably do just that:

Chicken Au Champagne

Start with the best and most flavorful chicken you can find. Organic, free-range chicken is more widely available than ever. As for Champagne I recommend Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut. (Quell Surprise!) Okay, here's my disclaimer: I work for the company, but I am also addicted to its rich, full-bodied style and quality. Lots of good sparkling wines are made around the world, but they don't taste the same as French Champagne. And even Champagne vary a good deal, depending on the grapes used, winemaking, and aging. Champagne has two reliable properties for cooking (or drinking). The first is dryness. Champagne is an austere wine, high is acidity. With chicken, I am not looking for sweetness, so Brut is the style of Champagne that works best. Second, I consider the flavors the wine imparts to the chicken. Veuve Clicuot is notable for its rich, full body and full flavor, having been made mostly from red grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) with about a third Chardonnay. 

Ingredients: 

4 chicken breast (with skin and bone)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chervil, tarragon, or thyme (optional)

1 shallot quartered

1 cup Champagne (Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut recommended)

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken breasts in a roasting pan, skin side down, and season them.  Pour 1/2 cup of the Champagne over breasts. Make a slit in each Breast and insert a piece of shallot. 

2. Place the Pan under the broiler for three minutes. Turn and broil the other side for five minutes, until the skin is nicely brown. 

3. Remove the chicken from the broiler, baste with the pan juices, and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Champagne. Adjust the oven temperature to 475 degrees and bake the chicken for 30 minutes, basting once or twice more. 

4. Serve over brown rice. Sauteed mushrooms add a special touch and go beautifully with Champagne. (In a warm frying pan with a touch of olive oil, add clean, roughly chopped mushrooms, and cook for  a few minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice, freshly chopped sage, seasoning to taste, and one tablespoon butter.) Pour the cooking juices from the chicken over the meat and rice. Serve the remainder of the bottle of champagne (about six glasses) with the meal.

Hope you enjoyed!!

A Picture A Day

Illustration by Michelle B. Please do not copy or use without linking back to Sweet Musings.

Sweet Muse

 

I mentioned Wednesday the Annual Kids-N-Hope Gelatin Olympics. We went that night and had a great time. Here are some photos of the event and the sliders who slid into a pool of jello to help others!