Welcome I’m so glad you’ve stumbled upon the inaugural issue of the muse, a place to explore creative living. I’ve had this dream of publishing my own magazine for a very long time and I’m so happy to be able to finally make it happen. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my family, friends and sponsors. A little about me: I’m Pam and I live in Stratham, New Hampshire, USA with my husband and our dog Lucan (if you look close, you can see our cozy cottage way behind me in the photo). It’s 10 minutes from where I grew up and 10 minutes from the coast. I’ve lived in this beautiful area all of my life, except for the time I spent at college in New York City where I have many friends and relatives. My husband, Garrett, is a transplanted Dubliner whom I met while going to school, which means we have many friends and relatives on the other side of the Atlantic too. I’ve owned my own adv/marketing/pr company for nearly 20 years and have operated an esty shop, Bates Mercantile Co., since 2010. I’m a designer, photographer, cook, writer, blogger (the muse), artist, fun-loving person and all-around-creative type. The muse is dedicated to all things creative and inspirational. I hope you enjoy your time spent in these pages and that you’ll come back to peruse the next issue. In the meantime, happy holidays in your corner of the world!
Pam
the
m u s e In This Issue take a walk with us: nature & places from the kitchen: recipes make it: diy
favorite finds: things we like in residence: creative people retail therapy: dine for you: free printables
VOLUME ONE
Take A Walk With Us: sunset meadows
FR E E Pr int abl e: Gift Wra p
FR EE P r int able: Gift Wra p/Se t o f 3
From Kitchen: Cookies
Pearl's 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies [gf] makes 20 or so small peanut butter cookies *preheat oven to 350F 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup of peanut butter (chunky or smooth) 1 large egg Mix (by mixer or hand) all three ingredients until smooth. Drop by spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes, depending on oven. Don't make these chewy cookies too big, or they will break. Press with fork when there are two minutes left on the clock. Remove from oven and let rest on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes. After that, move to cookie rack and let finish resting for a few minutes.
I n R e si de nc e : C ar i - J a n e H a k es
shop & blog: Hybrid Handmade gold/silversmith, architect, jewelry designer, photographer, artist, collector & chronicler of things, writer/blogger *shoes by Julian Hakes [article photo credit Cari-Jane Hakes ]
What is the first thing you remember creating? I think it was teeny tiny 'self published' illustrated books on my typewriter! Was your creativity nurtured as a child? Not particularly and I don't mean this in a bad way - I think as a family we were always a bit busy moving house. Where did you grow up and do you think it has an impact on your current designs? Hmm, where didn't I grow up? I went to 7 different schools as a child spread all over the UK. I think the biggest influence on my designs are what I'm surrounded by right now, but bits of wild remote Scottish highlands definitely creep into many of my pieces. How do you nurture your own creativity now? I'm always amazed at what can occur when I create a little time and space and sit down with my sketchbook and just draw and draw and draw.
That and getting out and about with my camera. Getting right down in the dirt on my hands and knees and looking at teeny tiny things up close is a constant source of wonder to me. Share some of the steps to your process? It will often kick off with a theme, like the recent 'Into the Wild' (or the one before that 'The Myth of the Aurora Borealis'). I'll collect colours and images connected to the theme and then I make prototypes. Precious metals are so expensive now so I need to know that a design idea is going to work before I commit to cutting any silver. Paper and card models are all very well, but I often have to go the extra mile and actually see it in brass or copper. Favorite materials to work with and why? Silver, naturally. I find it amazing how many guises it can take - the way it accepts leaf skeleton textures still knocks me for six every time I get a really good print.
I love the way silver patinates (when it
Is there something people would be
oxidises and goes black) which gold doesn't
surprised to learn about you?
do. It is a very versatile material.
I accidentally moved to France for 4 years. No one saw it coming, not even me (though
What tool can’t you live without?
back in England now).
Rolling mill! It's the way I get all my textures into my silver. That said, my brother is build-
What does it mean to you to be creative?
ing me a hydraulic press - so I reserve the
I honestly can't imagine NOT doing what I
right to alter this declaration at a later date.
do. I'd go as far as to say that it is essential to my being as a person. In moments when a
What’s your favorite thing about creating?
design comes together I feel completely
Sending the pieces off. I love the thought of
whole.
these pieces scattered all over the world, becoming part of people's heritage, story,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
being passed down and on. It is a privilege
shop: www.hybridhandmade.etsy.com
to be asked to create these special pieces.
blog: www.hybridhandmade.blogspot.com
for more of this interview visit the muse
favorite finds: m is for man
1. whiskey decanter: little things favors 2. pocket square: the honey press 3. cuff links: white truffle 4. passport cover: plain cases 5. fish pillow cover: michelle buttons
favorite finds: all about her
1. infinity scarf: milo & molly 2. purple top: nata fashion 3. art brooch: firuzangoker 4. suede boots: MDesign Workshop 5. french vintage chair: Harris Marks Home
F R E E P r int ab le: Wa ll Art
a modern mercantile for home & business
I n R esid enc e: An drea Ha ma nn
shop & blog: Strong Southerly landscape architect, project manager, designer, photographer, artist, writer/blogger
[article photo credit Andrea Hamann ]
What Take A Walk W i t his the Ufirst s : thing you remember creating? doing a silk screen when I was s u n s e t m e a dI remember ows maybe 7 years old with a family friend who was a potter/silk screen artist/all round traditional craftswoman. She was probably my first real introduction to creative industries, and that you could do art/creative industries as a profession. Where did you grow up and do you think it has an impact on your current creative work. If so, how? I grew up in country Victoria in Australia. The landscape there has always been a major influence - big open expanses, or alternatively scrubby bush. I also spent a lot of time in the mountains as a kid and the sense of space and the moodiness of the weather in the mountains really impressed on me. Since then I've really been interested in the effect of weather on light, clouds, colour, and the way the landscape reads differently with each subtle change in the weather. I try and experiment and capture those aspects in photography. The other major influence has been and continues to be travel. I travelled a lot as a child, and then in early adulthood, and have spent a third of my life abroad. I have this rich memory of the markets in PNG (Papua New Guinea)as a kid, a riot of colour and busyness. The fine details of life in different cultures are also something that crops up in my photos. Was your creativity nurtured as a child? As a teenager more so than as a child I think. I used to go to pottery classes after school, for instance, and my parents had no qualms about helping me pay for art materials. In retrospect, forking out money for canvas and oil paints for a teenager is a big cost.
How do you nurture your own creativity now? My blog has always been my 'thinking zone', and often gets my mind going. In the past few years I’ve set myself project lists; goal setting to achieve different projects. For instance, I set myself a project to do 10 portraits in different styles. Alas it’s unstarted as yet. Nurturing anything to do with oneself is a hard task when you have a toddler to chase after. I'll get there eventually. I guess the other thing that is always good for my inspiration levels is getting out with a camera in nature! You’ve had a variety of careers, how have you manaaged the wide range of professions? Graphic Design, Landscape Architecture and Project Management- it has been an evolution of scales and challenges. I think you can safely call me a challenge junky when it comes to my job. I trained in Landscape Architecture, but did a one year traineeship in graphic design in an Ad agency in Germany. I realised fairly quickly I sucked (can I say that?) at graphic design, and really didn't like the cheap and nasty below the line 'sell shite to idiots' (editor’s note: Andrea was literally designing toilet paper packaging) marketing promo design stuff I was doing, so I decided to move into my actual profession. I got a job as a Landscape Architect in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and was very spoilt to work on massively interesting projects (i.e. a women's university). Then, coming back to Australia, suddenly I was working on...carparks and really benal, small-scale stuff. Project management was my avenue to bring some challenge and complexity back into my work. I now work on project managing the development of new sportsfield and recreation projects which is both challenging and rewarding.
When did you start blogging and why, and tell us about your blog? I started blogging a million years ago. July 2002. I started blogging in Germany, shortly before I moved to the UAE. I was blogging back when you needed to know code to make a blog look good. I knew enough to get by, and my blog was a combination of observation of life from the UAE, and of observations of what I discovered on the net. My focus (and blog focus in general) has changed since then. I started my current blog 3 years ago. It has evolved slightly since I started it, but is mainly a combo blog now, part lifestyle, part art/photography/design and part my opinionated take on what's going on in the world. I am quite capable of a good rant about the issues that interest me.
How did you come to start taking photographs? I was given an old Praktica (an East German camera) with Zeiss lenses by my father when I was in school. I also had his old Rolleicord camera. Like most kids I guess I did photography in school. I had the added benefit of being able to sift through and be inspired by my parents photos and cine film of time in PNG and Africa. What are you favorite things to photograph and why? Landscapes. Landscapes, People, Cityscapes, and Landscapes. Why? Because they are bloody beautiful, constantly changing and forever interesting. And because I am much much better at landscapes than anything indoors.
What tool or equipment can’t you live without? It's not the tool I can live without, but my favourite piece of equipment was my old Minolta X300s SLR film camera. Between that camera body, and the lenses I had I was able to take some really beautiful photos. Unfortunately it's completely kaput now. I've been trying to track down another body through Ebay with no luck. It's funny, these days everyone talks about 'noise' in photos. I like a bit of noise, it gives them a bit of grainyness and life. Like the scratchy sound of a record player. I found it much easier with film cameras to get the types of life I wanted into the photos I took. I find it much harder with the DSLR cameras.
What’s your favorite thing about creating? Learning and Discovery, and Suspense. Learning new skills, discovering the creative piece brewing away and watching it evolve. I like the suspense of it. The fact that you can start at A and only very extremely controlled and talented people will ever be able to predict where they finish. For me, I could end up at K, or G and stop at Z or PP on the way. Who knows. It was something I used to love about ceramics, who knows what is coming out of the kiln. Photography is a bit the same, painting definitely, even drawing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ shop: society6.com/Strongsoutherly blog: strongsoutherly.blogspot.com
Take A Walk With Us: the coast
From The Kitchen: Cake
Torta Di Mele al Burro (buttery apple cake) from Williams-Sonoma Savoring Italy
1/2 cup (4oz), plus 1 tbs of unsalted butter 3 Renette or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thick slices 2/3 cup (3.5 oz/105 g) all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp of salt 2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup (8oz/250 g) granulated sugar 1/2 tsp lemon zest confectioner’s sugar Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) Generously butter a 9 inch round cake pan with 2 inch sides
In large frying pan over low heat, melt butter. Pour 6 tbs in small bowl and reserve for later. Add apple slices to pan and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until apples are tender. Remove from heat. In small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and the salt. In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs and 1 yolk until blended. Add the 6 tbs of butter, the vanilla, the granulated sugar, and the lemon zest. Stir flour mixture and apples into the eggs. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake until browned, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert cake onto plate and lift off the pan, then invert cake back onto wire rack and cool completely. Just before serving, place confectioner’s sugar in a small sieve and dust the top of cake.
Make It: paper heart garland {Tutorial created for the muse by Kristen of Milo & Molly}
For this project you will need: paper (per heart) - two 1.5 x 12-inch paper strips - two 1.5 x 8-inch paer strips - one 1.5 x 6-inch paper strips (Use coordinating quality cardstock or double-sided scrapbook paper. Double-sided scrapbook paper works best, since both sides of the paper show. If you use single sided paper, you will need to glue two strips of paper together so each side has a pattern showing (if you use a patterned paper). ribbon -at least 1/2-inch wide and 48 inches long Hole punch, preferably 1/8 inch scissors or paper cutter; stapler; ruler or a measuring tape
To construct hearts: Cut all of your strips. Then, starting with the shortest strip, take the two long strips and sandwich the short strip between them with the pattern you want showing facing in and upside-down. If this sounds confusing, bend the top of the long strip down to the bottom of the strip and see what side is showing out. The pattern you want, should be showing and when bent should be right side up. If it is not, turn the strip so it will look the way you would like. Do the same with the medium strips, one on either side, so that in your hand you have a stack that goes: medium, long, short, long, medium. Bend one of the medium strips down so the top of it aligns with the bottom. Do the same with the long strip next to it. That should construct one side of the heart. Now, holding those, do the same on the other side, bending both strips so the tops meet the bottom. This creates the second side of the paper heart.
Make sure all of the edges are lined up flush at the bottom and staple about 1/4- inch from the bottom. Then, punch a hole at the top of the short strip about 1/4-inch from the top. Set aside. Repeat this process for any other hearts you're making. To assemble the garland: Decide in what order you want your hearts to hang on the ribbon. Measure about 6-8 inches from the end of the ribbon. Tie a knot in the ribbon at that mark. This knot will hold your first heart in place. Rolling up the ribbon to fit it through the hole in the heart, slide one heart onto the ribbon and push it all the way to the knot. Tie another knot on the other side of the paper strip as close as you can to the paper strip to secure the heart in place. This will keep it from sliding around. Measure 6 inches from the second knot you made in the ribbon. Tie a third knot at that point. This knot will hold your second heart in place. Like the first, slide the heart onto the ribbon and tie a fourth knot to secure the heart in place. Repeat these steps for each heart, measuring 6 inches between each heart. Trim the ends of the ribbon so they are equal lengths from the end knots. This will ensure that the garland hangs more evenly.
FR E E Pr i nt ab l e : N o t e C a r d
Retail Therapy: Let’s Dine Here
Blue Moon Evolution began as a natural/organic food market to fill a need in the community of Exeter, New Hampshire. Owner Kath Gallant has continually evolved the business over nearly 19 years from market, to cafe, to a very well-received, award-winning fine dining restaurant. The one thing that hasn’t changed is Blue Moon Evolution’s focus on providing local, fresh, organic fare. Blue Moon Evolution is Certified Local by the NH Farm To Restaurant Connection and can be found at 8 Clifford Street, Exeter, NH, USA. 603/778-6850. www.bluemoonevolution.com
I n R e si de nc e : L e o n a W e a v er
shop: Lee’s Whimsy photographer, naturalist, jewelry maker, all-around-creative
[article photo credit Leona Weaver ]
What is the first thing you remember creating? I remember being given tracing papers, and I would find pictures I liked and trace, trace, trace. Eventually, I would try and copy the tracings freehand. It's a toss-up between the tracing and mudpies – I could make a great mudpie! Where did you grow up and do you think it has an impact on your current designs. If so, how? When I was a small child, until 8 or so, my father was a United Methodist minister, so we moved a good bit. He worked in extremely rural areas of middle Georgia, and made very little money, but was given a home to live in by each church he served. The church members usually helped out with other expense items also. We, apparently, were quite poor. At that time, the congregation “passed the hat” to collect the minister's pay. Everyone around us in these areas was poor – but I learned you take care of each other. You give. I learned you don't really NEED a lot. I don't remember being poor. I only remember being a happy, secure child. I try to convey that sense of simpleness, peace, happiness, and security in my photography, and even in my jewelry pieces. It's an important jumping off point – the peacefulness – for so many things you have to face in life, big and small. Keeping my jewelry pieces simple and nostalgic/vintage comes from that background. My photos are a celebration of the small, simple things that people tend to miss as they walk through their everyday life, but which bring such joy. I also think, on a more practical note, I try very hard to keep my items affordable for just about anyone.
Absolutely. My parents were the ones who
How do you nurture your own creativity now?
told me I could be anything I wanted to
Our house is surrounded by woods, as is
be, and could believe anything I wanted
my in-laws', who live next door. I try to
to believe. I drew, painted, collected,
walk around our properties as much as I
pondered, wrote, read, built with just
can ( we each have almost 3 acres and
about anything I could get my hands on.
most of it is woods), and be out in nature.
My Mom and Dad were also creatives,
Everything in nature is a miracle to me! I
though they were working too hard to let
am lucky enough to be with a man who
it fully come forward...but they made it
makes me feel loved and secure; that
possible for me and my two sisters to
goes a long way toward allowing your
express, create, and share. They never
mind to venture OUT THERE – you aren't
shied away from philosophical or difficult
worried/insecure/anxious. And I always
religious discussions with us either. Our
feel better when there is music – almost
house had many books, and trips to the
any kind makes my mind start flowing
library were many!
more.
Was your creativity nurtured as a child?
What’s your favorite thing to listen to while you work? My Spotify playlist. It has a variety of music on it, and it's so long that I can't memorize it, so I'm always surprised by the next song! What’s your greatest inspiration in your work? I'd love to say family or my husband, but the truth is I can't really separate these things from the combination of things that inspire me on an ongoing basis: my children, my husband, my extended family, my memories, nature, my philosophical/religious views, even my pets! Can you share some of the steps to your process? My process is quite mental...by that I mean that I generally roll an idea around in my head forever before I actually start physically trying it out. I have jewelry supplies I've had for years just because I'm not sure in my mind exactly what I want to do with them. I like to have a very concrete idea about a piece before I make it. With photography, sometimes I just go out and snap, snap, snap pictures of everything and anything, and on reviewing them, one jumps out at me. Other times, I see a “scene” and just know that I have to have that shot. What are your favorite materials to work with and why? Paper – whether I'm cutting it, painting it, folding it, writing on it, printing on it, drawing on it – a blank piece of paper is an open invitation to me. What tool can’t you live without? My photo editing program! So many possibilities!
What’s your favorite thing about creating?
When is ‘your time’ in the studio when you’re
For me, Creating (yes, I spelled it with a
really ‘on’?
capital C) is something I simply have to do. It
When I'm here alone – hubby at work, kids at
is my outlet, and an activity that makes it
school, music on, sun shining. I definitely
possible for me to go through this world. If I
don't concentrate as well on the creative
never sold one thing, I would still Create! I
stuff when they are home, because I'm in
suppose Getting the Idea is probably my
Mommy Mode or Wife Mode.
favorite part...And the final product. What’s your favorite memory of creating? Is there something people would be
Making homemade Christmas ornaments
surprised to learn about you?
from acorns, pinecones, and gumballs with
I think many people would be surprised at
my Mom and Dad...we strung
how open-minded I am, and what a softie I
popcorn/cranberries also. They both grew
am. I used to wear punk-style clothes. And
up on farms, so they were good at stuff like
this is my third marriage. How's that?
that, thank goodness.
Messy or organized? Ask ANYONE – a complete and total mess. If you could sit down and enjoy a glass of wine with anyone (living or dead) and talk about the process of creating, who would it be? My Dad – We lost him in 2001. He had such a Big Picture view, and was quite the philosopher. I would like to discuss all facets of creativity with him. What does it mean to you to be creative? To me, being creative is something everyone does – society may not recognize you, but you create every day, all day long. We create our own little world. That's a lot of creating! To go beyond that, and do Art or Music or Dance, etc., is simply to find a way to SHARE. And I believe that it is imperative that we interact with others. Creating allows us to do that – sometimes without words. Favorite place? Home– the literal place, and the figurative one where you're with the ones you love, and you're in a place that embodies security and love. Favorite thing to create? A smile on someone else's face. Is there a quote that speaks to you as a creative person? “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” - Pablo Picasso Can you share two pieces of advice with other creators? 1. Do it your way, and don't let anyone talk you out of it. 2. Always listen to your inner child. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ shop: www.leeswhimsy.etsy.com facebook: www.facebook.com/leeswhimsy
handmade clutches and bags
a modern mercantile for home & business
Prosciutto Roll Ups
From The Kitchen: Appetizer
1/2 pound of thinly sliced prosciutto capers (approx 1/3 of a 3.5 oz jar) whipped cream cheese (approx. half of a 12.5 oz container) Cut slices of prosciutto in half lengthways. Put generous dollop of whipped cream cheese at one end and roll. Dip one end into capers. Put a toothpick in it for easy eating. Makes one platter or about 36.
fun & affordable handmade jewelry
Take A Walk With Us after the snow
Acknowledgements First and foremost: Thank you to my husband and my parents who always encourage me to chase dreams. I want to thank my family and friends for their never-ending support and caring. I am very grateful to those who have been hanging with me on the muse since I began blogging. To my sponsors, your belief in this project was essential and very much appreciated. I’d be a lonely gal without my office companion Lucan, who keeps me company every day. Of course, what would the muse be without you, the reader. Thanks for spending time in these pages. Interested in becoming a sponsor? email pbates (at) speakeasyinfo (dot) net with ‘muse sponsor’ as the subject line, for more information. Want the next issue delivered to your inbox? Send an email to pbates (at) speakeasyinfo (dot) net with ‘muse subscription’ in the subject line. All content copyright (c) Pamela J. Bates/the muse, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission. Accuracy and credit have been ensured as best as possible.
the muse blog twitter
bates mercantile co. facebook instagram pinterest