Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Outlawz Sketch/J&G/Jennifer

Today's post could be very short. I could just tell you about my latest card as a GD for The Outlawz Sketch group. But, you know me. If I can say it in 1000 words instead of 100, I will. Besides, I have to tell you about our trip to J&G Steakhouse at the Phoenician in Scottsdale on Saturday night. We had a group of 13, from our monthly dinner club, meet there for a wonderful meal at 6:00 p.m. There were supposed to be others, but they called at the last minute and cancelled. Believe me, it was their loss! Saturday night was the start of Restaurant Week again in the valley, and J&G's special menu is $40 for three courses. Drinks are extra, but they have a great half-price/bottle wine list. I had a glass each of three different ones, (Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir), and while they were all good, the Riesling was a star!

Gary and I have eaten at J&G three times before this meal. And each time, I got the steamed shrimp salad, which is so divine it should be illegal. The dressing is a champagne vinaigrette, and besides three big shrimp and scrumptious greens, there are enoki mushrooms and avocado slices. It's an OMG salad if you love sweet, tender, juicy, flavorful shrimp. And I do, boy howdy. Of course, for your first course, you also have the choice of tuna tartare with avocado, spicy radish, and a ginger marinade; or asparagus and goat cheese in a grilled shiitake vinaigrette. The tuna was pronounced delicious, but only one person had the asparagus; and he described it as "good". Not the best recommendation. So, if you go, stick with the shrimp or tuna, if you're not allergic to them. (As an aside, my spell-checker didn't like the word "enoki". It wanted me to use "nookie" instead. The very idea!)

For the second course, your choices are:  slowly cooked salmon in a sweet and sour carrot sauce with basil vinaigrette; Parmesan crusted chicken with white asparagus and basil lemon butter; or grilled beef tenderloin with pear-horseradish puree and comte fritters. Gary had the steak, which he loved. I have had steak there and really enjoyed it, but I wanted to try the salmon. OMG! Am I ever glad I did. Flavorful, tender, juicy. Soooooo good! I think most everyone ordered steaks. Their loss, IMHO! 

The dessert course was a choice of:  pear brown butter cake with spiced ice cream and pear sorbet; warm chocolate cake with caramel ice cream; or lemon-meringue tart with crushed raspberry and lemongrass ice cream. I opted for the pear cake, which was fantabulous, although I wasn't crazy about the ice cream or sorbet. Gary got the chocolate cake, which he loved. I took a bite of his, and, while it was delicious, it didn't hold a candle to the pear cake, which had a sweet, crusty top and melt-in-your-mouth creamy middle. Mmmm, mmmm, good!

It seemed everyone had a good time, although we couldn't all sit at the same table, so that was a little disappointing. But the view from the restaurant is spectacular, the service impeccable, and the food fantastic. What more could you ask for? Seconds, perhaps? Oh, and it was a leisurely meal--we weren't done until 8:30. Just the way I like it! If you are in the Phoenix area this week, try to get to J&G for the $40 special. You will not regret it!

Well, back to business. I just made myself hungry again. Hate when that happens!

Here is today's sketch:


I took a few liberties with the sketch, as I am often apt to do. But, I think, for the most part, it is still recognizable. Sort of. Kinda. Well, isn't it? Sandi, if it is not, my apologies.

Keeping in my Halloween theme this week, I decided to use Saturated Canary's My Bite image, which I find impossibly cute. Just had to use her this fall. Had to. And this Create with TLC sentiment seemed to be the perfect fit. I printed the image on MIC blending card and the sentiment on Stampin' Up CS. I used SU CS, (ooh, I just realized what that spells. My bad again!), for the card base and the die cuts. I love the DP I used: Bazzill All Hallows Eve. The chevron pattern is so cool, and I was able to use a SU Chevron Embossing folder on CS to repeat the pattern. I added a bit of SU ribbon to divide my DP paper. 

Never being described as "die-shy", I used plenty of them on this card. I accented the corners with the new La La Land corner die. I also used the Memory Box bats die, as well as Spellbinders classic circles, scalloped circles, and classic heart. 

After coloring my image with Copics, I accented it with a white gel pen, added Glossy Accents to her eyes, (which she said did not hurt), and used a clear Copic Spica pen on the dog's tag. The Copics used:  R20, BV00, BV01, BV02, BV04, E000, E00, E11, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, E49, YR00, YR01, YR02, YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG99, C2.


Do join us at The Outlawz Sketch this week. We'd love to see your creations!

Last, but definitely not least, I want to give a big shout-out to Jennifer Scull. I received a wonderful package from her last week. It seems she drew my name after Jen's Sunshine Blog Hop for her blog candy of breast cancer support and vintage items. How cool is that? And the package had so many wonderful goodies in it. I am going to enjoy using each and every one of them, from two darling Itty Bitty Unity Stamps to seam binding to buttons to lace to tags. So many things from such a big heart. So, Jen, thank you so very, very much--not just for the great blog candy, but for being you! You hang tough, Girlfriend. We need you in our blogland community. I am sending you the biggest hugs possible. 

17 comments:

  1. great idea for this card, love it

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  2. Great design, Penny. I don't know how you managed to do so well with that unusual sketch.
    Thanks for all the sugar you left on my blog. \
    Blessing hugs,
    Teresa

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  3. As always, I enjoyed your dining story, Penny! I should eat half as well as you do! Anyway, your card is fantastic! Love all the diecuts and the cute image! Terrific coloring!

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  4. I should know better than to read your restaurant posts if I'm even the slightest bit peckish!! Going to grab a bite now which is appropriate given your fab card :) Love how you worked everything into the great sketch and wonderful colouring as always!

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  5. Well, your dinner sounds out of this world. Very good description, enough that I am starving to death. I love your card. Your coloring is always beautiful. I have to say this design is spectacular. You did a great job. Love all the dies..

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  6. Fabulous take on the sketch. simply fantastic. Just a note, to thank you for your visit and leaving the sweet luv. Hugs

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  7. wow! You have me just salivating over the wonderful dinner and wine! That sounds like a fabulous place to eat!

    Your wonderful sketch card is just gorgeous! Love the colors!

    Hugs,
    Marie XX

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  8. Hi Penny,
    you made a really nice Halloween card! I love the Saturated Canary image!! You put so many lovely detail on it! Really wonderful!

    Hugs,
    Conny

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  9. Ok Penny now I want something to eat... All the food makes me want to go out and eat! WOW!! That is some sketch you did an awesome job with it, I do have to say, love your image of course and all the wonderful embellishments, you dp is perfect love your corners and your colors and to say your coloring is stunning.
    Hugs, Patricia

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  10. Gorgeous card Penny :-) love the whole halloween theme, the image is fab and I love those bats,,,Very spooky :-)

    luv
    Lols x x x

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  11. I'm hungry just reading about your dinner. It's a shame they couldn't seat the whole dinner club together, but it sounds like it was a great meal.

    Your card is fabulous. Interesting take on the sketch. It's recognizable AND you made it yours, which is what it's all about (not the hokey-pokey).

    Great coloring and I do love the way you use die cuts!

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  12. OMG love these die cuts......Penny.Thanks for your comment at Rubber Stamping is my game (Pat) blog, feel free to ask me your fav product from all my stuff for free e.mail me to nicecrane@yahoo.com

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  13. Wow Penny, your meal sounds so yummy (except that I don't eat any type of meat lol). Glad you had a great night out :) Thanks for the love on my blog...as you know, I haven't been getting around blogland much lately and really appreciate the people who still visit when I post something. LOL at the 5 DTeams...way to go...well done!
    Hugs xx

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  14. Penny you are so naughty you have made me so hungry your meal out sounds divine and so scrummy!!!!!

    Love the card the theme is just wonderful and superb detail! Chanelle xx

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  15. Aww, the girl on the card is so cute! Nicely done, Mom! And now I'm also hungry for that shrimp salad.

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  16. Best oldest sister BarbaraSeptember 23, 2012 at 10:04 AM

    The dinner sounded so good, I love shrimp! But, the card is really delicious! What a take on Halloween and the image is really darling as usual. Makes me even love Halloween!

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  17. Just a note, Thanks so much for visiting my blog and leaving the sweet luv. Hugs

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Thank you for visiting my blog! I appreciate the kind comments more than I can say! :^)
Hugs, Penny