Moonlight Delights

More cookie designs finished. Each sugar cookie is individually handmade making for a unique edible little work of art that I initial a signature at the bottom. Before packaging the some of cookies are backed with dark Girhidelli chocolate for an extra gourmet touch. The shelf life of these Artisan cookies is easily ten days. A perfect gift that I have given to family, friends and clients since 1988, many kept their cookies for weeks, claiming they were too pretty to eat and reported that they tasted "wonderful". Currently I am experimenting with sealing individual cookies in an air vacuum packages like the Seal-A-Meal concept. For now they are still individually sealed in zip lock bags as soon as the icing is dry. They give me great pleasure to make - obviously since I am still baking and the Christmas holidays are past!

Valentines and Easter will be my testing time to find out if people want to buy my tasty, edible art!

Arizona Centennial

Guess what?! Out of 225 entries, my mosaic Gila Dream was one of the ones selected for the Tohono Chul Park Arizona Centennial exhibit! Yay! I am thrilled that one of my favorite pieces will be on display. Tomorrow is the reception so I will be there with my little name tag to meet everyone, mingle and of course snack on the bites catered by Trader Joes.

Can't wait to see the rest of the fabulous art. I always love the anticipation of seeing what is in the rest of the exhibit!

Moonlight Cookie Mania

Still making my lovely sugar cookies. It's a winter thing. I enjoy baking on a chilly evening while listening to a book or music. The cookies are another canvas that is relaxing and makes me happy. I have about 70 vintage molds and will eventually catalog all of them for a new site on Etsy so stay tuned! The key is to give my "photo models" to friends so I don't eat them!

I will be having a Valentines cyber studio sale and will be including these mini mosaics in the sale.

The mosaics are about 4" and the cookies range from 3" - 5". Both make very unique specialty gifts.

The cookies are made to order and come wrapped in a clear bag with a ribbon tie. Some are on my Facebook album.

Moonlight Cookies

2012 is of to a great start. I am finally making my specialty cookies to order. Since the late 80's I have been making gourmet art sugar cookies for family, friends and clients as holiday gifts. The sugar cookies are made from vintage molds I have collected since the 80's.

When asked to make more my response has been " I don't have time".

This year I just kept baking in the evenings to unwind and now am looking into making them to order.

Last week I asked an aquaintence at a cafe about selling cookies and showed her some of the cookies and she Loved them and said if I want to market my very unique cookies I would first have to get "certified". O.k., so I have to get someone from the county health to come inspect my kitchen and pay a 56.00 fee - yikes!

This week I will find out more about the inspection, possibly get a checklist of what they want etc. Meanwhile cookies are still being made and posted so I have a link with photos to show. So far the cookies are being posted on my Facebook album and this blog. Should I put them up on my website, or have a seperate site/blog ?

Let's see if this idea is worth taking further. Meanwhile the house smells like fresh cookies - Yummm!

Holly's Gracie

Gracie was a fun and challenging commission - I have always loved horses and years ago had a beautiful Arabian mare Arabit Inturah out of Fadur lines. Hope I got the spelling right - it's been a while.

After finishing this commission I visited the Al-Marah Arabian horse farm and fell in love with Arabians all over again. There is a huge Arabian horse event in Feb. at West World that I will be attending. and a small event this weekend at the county fair grounds. Time to go back to horses and get re-acquainted with an old love.

This is the year to embrace all that makes me happy and I love. Stay tuned for my new Cookie making endeavor.

The Girls

Well I have been so busy that I neglected all the posting :~(. Here is my last commission I was able to squeeze out just a week before Christmas. I love the way it turned out.

Lately I have been painting more that mosaics. Had some personal and financial setbacks and now the painting is easier on my hand. Since I am a dog and animal lover, painting them is one of my favorite things! Will be getting back to a mosaic I started and can now work on again. Can't wait - I have really missed my mosaics!!

This is a 24x36" acrylic of Jordi, Maci, and Dani - The Girls. Painted on museum quality gallery wrap canvas as a surprise gift for a very lucky husband.

Tip: I use mirror/picture boxes from moving supplies that fit up to this size perfectly for transporting. Nice, sturdy box for 5.00.

Tina Humphrey Crufts 2007

The relationship between these two is so special. They deserve so much credit! It is exhausting to watch, yet amazing. Memorizing such a long routine is NOT easy for human or dog - extraordinary!!!

GIRLtopia

I liked what this video had to say and would love to get involved in next year's Girltopia event. What a great concept to empower our nieces, daughters, granddaughters, students.

Saving Grace

Gracie the greyhound is one of the lucky ones who found her forever home thanks to the dedicated caring staff of greyhound rescues. She did not win all of the races, but she did win the hearts of her new owners. She will be featured in the Nov. 5 AZ Greyhound Rescue Fall Festival.

Gracie is 12" x 24" acrylic on gallery wrap canvas and comes ready to hang. She is also available on my website www.suebetanzos.com.

National Geographic BioBlitz 2011 Wildlife!

This weekend I attended and participated in this year's special event BioBlitz sponsored by National Geographic. Each year a different national park is selected by National Geographic for an intense two days of collecting, identifying and recording the flora and fauna of that area. As the environment is always changing, adapting, the natural world is adapting and evolving new species from fungi to new insects, plants, animals.

Saguaro National Park was selected for 2011 BioBlitz. It was an honor to have three of my wildlife pieces chosen and displayed in the visitors center of Saguaro National Park at this amazing and special event. I can only hope that through my wildlife artwork the public will gain an appreciation of the beauty and frailty of our natural world and above all the message that everything is connected in a vast skein - a network of life. Every thread that is broken weakens the whole.

Get ready for some serious glass mosaic - I am also working on a large mosaic sign for Tucson Wildlife Center. They are a non-profit organization who's mission is to rescue, rehab and release wildlife that has been injured or suffered the impact of urban encroachment. Let's face it - we already know that wildlife habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate and with it the bio diversity.

My goal - that my artwork will help change perceptions. Next time people look at one of my bat paintings, or Gila monster mosaics their perception of that species will change from "Eeeww, ickk!" to " Oooh, beautiful, fascinating animal!"

Queen of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? - Official Trailer [HD]

An Excellent film I plan to watch.

In Tucson AZ we have an increase in the aggressive, African Bees. These are not the sweet, industrious bees described in your story. They are aggressive and will sting in force. They are difficult to distinguish from regular bees.

I recently got rid of an angry hive on the back side of my house due to the danger they posed for my animals and neighbors.

The sad part is that they are slowly outnumbering the nice, native bees. The African Bees Are NOT native to the US - they are an Invasive Species that are now established and spreading, taking over native populations and areas.

Siempre - Always

Siempre - Always is what I know - that our pets forever remain in our hearts. My aussie Risa is gazing at Kitty Kat in the mesquite tree.

This leash rack is inspired by the love we keep for our pet companions.

Custom orders are welcome. You can contact me here and at my website www.suebetanzos.com

Mosaic mixed media on recycled cabinet door 13x9".