Pizzaccoutrement

I work at a pizza place. Whenever I work anywhere, I get asked to draw the signs. That's me with the new chalkboard we got at work (no one else is allowed to draw on the chalkboard now, according to my boss).

Whenever it's slow my mind goes hyperactive and I have to occupy myself. I could get a lot of work done, in this time, except I'm not usually allowed to sit down. This uncomfortable limbo yields a lot of quick sketches on Guest Checks.

Halloween is also a very special time of year for me. I love making Halloween costumes. This year, if I get my idea together in time (I'm going to be a shaman priest slaughtering a goat) it'll be awesome. Halloween, or Samhein, is also... THE WITCHES' NEW YEAR!! which is really exciting.

This is what happens when I get into the spirit while I'm bored at work:

The pictures above are ordered in the sequence I drew the pumpkin. I think each consecutive one is better. I used a Sharpie (actually several).

And, of course, more chalk. These two drawings are on either side of the sandwich board right now. Spot this sign in Chicago; you'll find me inside! I won't give you free pizza.

Birthday Cake

 

 

Back in April (around the 26th, to be exact) Andrew had a birthday and I made him a birthday cake at his parent's house in Grand Rapids. Andrew likes dinosaurs.

It was supposed to be a surprise but then the time spent making the dinos became too long of a period to exile Andrew from the kitchen. They're built around tin foil armatures, covered in butter frosting mixed with food dye. Andrew's cousin Donny helped decide on the right prehistoric skin/scale tones.

The blood is made from that colored gel stuff you can buy at the cake-decorating section in any big grocery store. The nails and eyes and stripes are black gel stuff, applied with a toothpick. In some pictures you can really see the dynamic, violent action and exquisite pain in the face of the green dinosaur. You really feel the cake.

I got the candles at that fancy-ass pastry counter at Whole Foods. And the cut up strawberries are supposed to be exotic plants.

It is a chocolate beet cake with cream cheese frosting, and gluten-free for my crippled celiac self.

Potluck Planning

And here is something more from that old sketchbook. I used to throw a lot of dinner parties. I love cooking and I love hosting and I think I'm pretty decent at both. In this instance, I was planning a meal for about ten people, including some vegetarians, and because, well, not really because of anything, I drew pictures to go with all my ingredient lists.

Here is another thing from the same sketchbook that I think is really funny. Like, really funny. I don't know what it means so don't ask, although I do vividly recall completing these steps on several occasions.

Christ on a Cookie

Courtesy of my girlfriend Mandy, around about Easter time: