Cool Christmas

This poster belongs to a series of ads that Black & White Scotch Whisky launched in 1965. The slogan reads: "The answer in gift scotches is as clear as "Black & White"". Blackie and Whitey dressed up in Santa suits, people in the background, for sale at the Deco Dog website, dimensions: 10" x 13", very good condition. What's cool about this ad is that the edition of that year already came on a Christmas themed box so you didn't even have to wrap it!

I don't know if you share this thought but there is something about old vintage ads that is just so fascinating. They reveal a cool, sophisticated world of a bygone era. I am pretty sure I can recreate a party just like that in one the spaces of my kingdom. Say, The Red Room. Yes! That's where I'll through my Christmas party this year! RSVP by December 23. Please don't forget to bring the turkey, the Dom Perignon, the ham bread and, if you're fortunate to enough find them, the hallacas.

The T* train

Poster courtesy of the talented Johanna Kriesel.


Interesting poster I spotted at a railway station during my flash visit to the UK.



*Terrier. Nice puppies, although I am much much cuter. Isn't that true mummy?

Egg Nog Recipe Scottish Style

This classic holiday beverage is sinfully rich, thick, and delicious. My recipe uses rum extract, but many folks prefer to spike their eggnog with the real thing. The recipe makes 2-3 servings; to serve a crowd you can multiply it, make it through the chilling stage, and then quickly finish it by adding the extract (or rum), whipped cream, and nutmeg.

2 eggs
1/4 c sugar
Dash salt
2 c milk
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 c whipping cream, beaten until stiff
Nutmeg

Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in top of double boiler or heavy pan. Add milk; mix and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture barely coats a metal spoon. Chill.

Stir in extract. Fold in stiffly beaten whipping cream. Pour immediately into glasses and add a dash of nutmeg.

You can also add a little bit of whisky to the mix but not too much. The excess may knock you out for three days.




Photo Courtesy of Black & White Scotch Whisky. Please drink responsibly. Happy Holidays.

It's Christmas time!

If you love art and also happen to love Westies then you should pay a visit to Candace Whittemore Lovely's website sometime. Candance is the talented artist whose work has been discussed on this blog before. Her paintings sell at big bucks at auctions and have, in some instances, been the object of desperate biding wars among collectors. They simply can't get enough. Well, Candace has come up with a solution for those who can not afford an original but still want to own a piece of it: Gliclée prints.

As she explains on her website, Giclée Prints are one of the most accurate methods of reproducing artwork today.

The technical part of making a Giclée print starts with a digital scan of the original art work .The digital scan is sent to the printer, where archival paper is fed into the printer and sprayed by six calibrated color streams of archival inks.

The result is a beautiful continuous tone print with the latest technology of printing hue, value, and intensity from an original work of art. After the Giclée is dry, it is then sprayed with protect coats for a life time of enjoyment.

"Christmas Westie Ornament" by Candace Whittemore Lovely. Reproduction (c.2008)

I never thought a Westie could be a theme collectors would care for...which leaves me wondering if I should start painting with the the nastiness I collected today when I rolled in the mud.