The Stew That Takes Care of Me

A big pot of vegetable beef stew, made ahead for the busy creative days waiting at my wax bench.

There are days when I know I'm going to be spending six hours at my bench, sculpting wax.

Six hours of looking closely.

Six hours of shaping tiny pieces of wax with my hands, making adjustments, adding texture, taking something away, and watching a little piece of art slowly become what I saw in my mind.

I love those days.

But I've learned something over the years.

When I know I'm going to be completely absorbed in my work, I like to take care of tomorrow's me today.

And for me, that means making a big pot of stew.

Not because I don't have time to cook.

Quite the opposite.

I don't want to finish a long day of creating a tiny piece of art and open a can of soup.

I want to walk into my kitchen and already know that something wonderful is waiting for me.

After a long day of sculpting, this is how I like to finish the day—a hearty bowl of stew, fresh herbs and a glass of wine.

I think that's one of the things I've learned about creativity.

It doesn't always happen at the jewelry bench.

Sometimes creativity is choosing the ingredients.

Sometimes it's growing herbs in a sunny kitchen window.

Sometimes it's putting together a meal that makes an ordinary evening feel special.

And sometimes it's simply knowing that tomorrow is going to be busy...

and doing something today that will make tomorrow a little sweeter.

I don't just create jewelry.

I create moments.

And this stew is one of them. 

❤️

🌿 Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate

Every piece of jewelry I create begins with nature.

A twig becomes a ring. A leaf becomes a pendant. I don't force the design—I let nature guide it.

Recently, I realized I cook exactly the same way.

This dinner didn't begin with a recipe book. It began with the herbs growing in my own gardens, both indoors and outdoors. Instead of asking, "What herbs should I buy?" I asked, "What is growing today?"

That simple question changed everything.

Fresh herbs from my gardens, a glass of chilled white wine, and a comforting bowl of Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate. Together with ChatGPT, we built this recipe around the herbs I grow at home, creating one of the freshest and most flavorful Italian dinners I've ever made. Sometimes the simplest ingredients create the most memorable meals.

🌿 Fresh Herbs Make the Difference

For this Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate, every herb came directly from my gardens.

Fresh basil.
Fresh parsley.
Fresh rosemary.
Fresh thyme.
Fresh oregano.

Together with ChatGPT, we built this recipe around those herbs instead of adding them as an afterthought.

The result was one of the most flavorful Italian dinners I've ever made.

🌱 My Indoor Herb Garden

My indoor herb garden isn't fancy.

It's a simple shelf beside my kitchen window where herbs continue to grow year-round. It isn't about creating the perfect display—it's about keeping fresh flavor within arm's reach every time I cook.

Those little pots have become one of the most important ingredients in my kitchen.

Fresh herbs don't just season food.

They inspire it.

🍷 From Garden to Table

After the herbs were picked, they became the heart of this meal.

Tender chicken.
Perfectly cooked penne rigate.
A splash of white wine.
Freshly grated Parmesan.
Garden basil and parsley scattered over the top.

Every bite reminded me why I love cooking with fresh herbs.

It's the same feeling I get when finishing a new jewelry design.

Nature always knows best.

❤️ A New Creative Journey

For over twenty years I've shared the stories behind my jewelry.

Now I'm discovering that recipes have stories too.

They begin in the garden...

grow in the kitchen...

and end around the table.

Just like my jewelry, every recipe starts with nature.

And that's exactly where the best creations begin.