Message in a Bottle

I haven't slowed down enough to blog lately, there is a lot going on in Studio B. I don't have photos of all the things in the works at the moment but I have a big show coming up this weekend so I've been in full tilt production mode.

I wanted to show these olive oil bottles because I'm really pleased with how they turned out. The glass is from Spain, the colors are either cobalt or red. And they come with cork and a pour top. Did you know that having your olive oil in a dark glass is good for the oil? Heat, air and light are the enemies of oil, read more about keeping your olive oil happy and healthy here.

I've got blue square ones with metallic gold details:
And some with white pearl details:
And two for my own kitchen that I labeled "Canola" and "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" (These are my favorite oils!)
Oh, and while I was working I decorated this cute little cobalt vase that also hangs out in my kitchen.
I ended up with a few red ones as well, these are decorated in pearl:
And these are decorated with gold detailing:
I think they are cute as can be, it took a while to do them all but worth it. Most have a spray of flowers down one side with a wreath of flowers around the neck, some have a more all around look. None of them are ever exactly alike even though the designs are matching. So chose one or more and pair them up for your favorite cooking oils.

Want one of these olive oil bottles for your kitchen or to give to a friend? $22 each, just email me using the link on my profile page.

My new favorite salad dressing is a combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and honey. It's ultra fast and easy to throw together and the proportions are very forgiving. Stir some together and taste, then add vinegar if it's too sweet, add honey if it's too tart, add olive oil if it is too thick and add more dijon if the oil won't mix with the rest. Stir for a while and serve as a salad dressing or a dip. I stirred in a little bit of sriracha hot sauce tonight and that added some real kick to it. Tonight at dinner I ended up finishing my salad first, then enjoying a piece of pizza dipped in this amazing stuff.... even the crust that got a tiny bit over done was amazing in this. YUM!

We have two students with us from a local girl's boarding high school, they are here for Thanksgiving break. They asked me tonight to show them how to make this dressing so I had a little impromptu cooking class right here at home. It was fun!

I think olive oil is a wonder food, there are many good-for-you reasons to make the switch if you haven't already. And if a pretty bottle would help you make the transition, then let me know.

We were baby sitting for some lovely cherub type children one evening last week and I was decorating these bottles while my husband tended to them. They watched me painting bottles and started talking about sending a message in a bottle. What a lovely idea! If I were going to tuck a message in one of these bottles, it would be a simple reminder: Take the time this holiday season to slow down long enough to be intentionally grateful. And P.S. You are loved.

Happy Creating and thanks for dropping by!
-Carmen Rose