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cookie chang = ramey holsman

cookie chang

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cookie chang (cookiechang): 43, Female
GB

Etsy Shop:: www.cookiechang.etsy.com

Website:: www.cookiechang.com

Blog:: www.cookiechang.blogspot.com

Flickr:: www.flickr.com/pbratty88

About Me:: cookie chang is Ramey Holsman – a painter, graphic designer, illustrator, former newspaper publisher, doll-maker, kinda writer and artist.

Originally from Portland, Oregon USA, I now reside in England -- precisely half-way between London and Brighton . . . and just outside the Ashdown Forest.

This location, as it happens, feeds my obsession with picking wild mushrooms . . . and I closely guard several secret spots from the north coast of Oregon to the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. (Though I have been known to share them when inculcating enthusiastic proteges.)

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NEW! crumfiti uk POSTCARD & BADGE pack!

Added Jun 4 by cookie chang.

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shrooomin' august!

I know I should be really disappointed that the weather has been so crappy in the southeast corner of the UK, like . . . for the entire SUMMER. But I just can't be! 1.) I don't really like hot weather and get far too sticky and grouchy; and 2.) It's brought out the only thing that rivals my obsession with making art and cookie chang . . . MUSHROOMS!!!!!

So this morning when I took Poppy to the Ashdown Forest I figured I'd slog through the mud on our loop while she chased creatures up trees and rolled in any number of suspiciously stinky spots on the trail. And that's how it was going . . . until I spotted a very familiar little glimmer on the embankment to my left. CHANTERELLES!!!!

Now this is my third mushroom season here in Jolly Olde, and I have only ever found a tiny handful of these little golden nuggets. I have to face facts that it will never be the same as the deep old growth Hemlock, Spruce and Douglas Firs of Oregon where I could easily trek out with 10 pounds of Pacific Golden Chanterelles (cantharellus formosus) on my back. But I gotta make do with what we have on our doorstep here . . . .

. . . and what we do seem to have in abundance is hedgehog mushrooms -- hydnum repandum! (Sounds like something Harry Potter might say.) And they are as delicious as chanterelles -- if not a little more meaty and equally exciting to find!

When I spotted these little guys on a leaf covered knoll, I thought at first they were older, faded chanterelles. But having found my first hedgehog mushroom last year, I've since learned they are often mistaken for one another. Either way, I was ecstatic with the find -- two handfuls! "That will make a nice, nutty addition to our dinner tonight," I thought.

But as I tromped deeper into the woods, following the stream Poppy was happily submerging herself in, I stumbled upon the MOTHERLOAD! This photo doesn't even show them all. Rather than a "nice little addition" to our meal, pied de mouton will be the main course!

=(V)

cookie at brighton's west pier market

I haven't made any new posts lately because I've been very busy for the past two months getting cookie ready to launch down at Brighton's West Pier Market. After a very blustery weekend and a failed attempt last Saturday, I checked the Met Office for Brighton's weather forecast, packed the car up and headed down bright and early yesterday morning. With just a light breeze off the sea and the sun poking through the mist, I set up my stand with the beautiful, eerie skeleton of Brighton's West Pier as a backdrop.

OK, so I didn't make a fortune (cookie) -- which may have been a little anticlimactic -- but what made up for it were the amazing PEOPLE I met. And to me, that was everything. My neighbor stall owners were helpful, encouraging, friendly and very welcoming.

Though the weather was stunning, there weren't a lot of people down on the pier, and everyone agreed it was a particularly slow day but that I shouldn't let it discourage me from coming back. Who knows, maybe it had something to do with it being a Wednesday, or maybe people were just shocked that we finally had a summer's day in England and it took them a while to remember where the beach was.

Either way, I'm not judging anything from just one day. I'll be back down on Saturday! (Let's be realistic, if everyone had an office space like this, that wouldn't be a very difficult decision to make, would it?)

Lady Day

Just did this today -- oil stick and pencil on board. I'm not sure why I keep painting Billie Holiday, but every few years she just pops up.

I guess I can think of worse things to do with my time...

(image ©2008 ramey n. holsman)

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hey, cookie finally made it to a treasury!

Thanks and thanks byproducts to aScandalinBohemia! The treasury is no longer up, but will live on in my mind . . . yah, mahn. =(V)

Posted by cookie chang on August 12th, 2008 at 12:54pm — 2 Comments (Add)

mooooooo!

What the hell? I feel like a cow drifting down a never-ending stream of molasses consciousness and honey - bunches - of - freudian - oats . . . or something weird l…

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Posted by cookie chang on May 13th, 2008 at 5:50am — No Comments (Add)

cookie do whatcha make of it. (heh?)

It's a rainy, dreary day in Southeast England and my youngest sister (mert) is no doubt tucked up safe and sound in her bed in Seattle after her long flight home yesterday. For the two faaabulous weeks she was here with us, I did very little work on cookie . . . so today I followed my other little sister's (mel.e) lead and got me a spot on blogspot.

Since I launched…

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Posted by cookie chang on May 1st, 2008 at 7:26am — No Comments (Add)

street magnets! a kinda how-to.

I'm blatantly plagiarizing my blogspot entries from yesterday and the day before, but who cares. I just found etsylove.ning.com, and they definitely belong here too.

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I lied when I said that I haven't done ANYTHING to market my cookie chang products. Last fall I had this idea to do what the crumz were already doing -- graffiti. But, being a 42 year old woman in a new country, I thought it might not be too sm…

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Posted by cookie chang on May 1st, 2008 at 3:30am — 2 Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (11 comments)

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At 12:35pm on June 11th, 2008, Stephanie Baker said…: Thanks so much, I hearted your shop too! Your items are so cute. :)

At 5:41pm on June 4th, 2008, nicoletattersall said…

thank you for adding me as a friend.. your characters are just adorable.

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nicoletattersall

At 2:22pm on May 18th, 2008, Coffeemonkey said…: thanks for the comment. By the way, I forgot to mention that I think your marketing idea with the magnets is brilliant. Good luck!

At 9:17pm on May 16th, 2008, Coffeemonkey said…: Hi Cookie! Thank you so much for the invite...I love your art! Can't wait to see more of it!

At 5:25pm on May 14th, 2008, Repsychoed Artist said…: Love your work on etsy! Very very organized. I bet you'll be in toy store soon with your get up.
Good luck,
RepsychoedArtist

At 4:11pm on May 13th, 2008, Marilyn said…: Your stuff is SOOOO cute! Thank you so much for the add!

At 11:00am on May 6th, 2008, Jammertail Designs said…

Welcome ! Thanks for the friends invite! I noticed you were from Oregon.....how fun now England....wow

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At 3:22pm on May 4th, 2008, Wunderkind said…: Hey Cookie! Loving your OOAK dolls!! Thanks for finding us so we could find you!
:)

At 5:12pm on May 2nd, 2008, Tara said…: How so super fun are your creations!?? Loving your shop!

At 11:44am on May 1st, 2008, QueenofQueens said…: Your cookie peeps are divine AND I just checked out your portraits on etsy, they ROCK! Thanks for the request!

xo
QoQ