Happy New Year!

Wedding season has begun, so I didn't have time to wish everyone a happy Cambodian New Year last week.

Happy New Year!

To celebrate I made a pot of curry-- all fresh ingredients, which takes a ridiculous amount of time, especially if you grind spices in a mortar and pestle.  I cheated and used this modern invention called a "blender."

                                             

We also bought a durian.

                                               

If you ever choose to tackle one of these spiky, stinky fruits, don't start hacking away at it with your cleaver; find a seam at the base of the fruit and slide your knife (or finger) along it.  It will split open to reveal the creamy, fragrant part of the fruit.  I, like any good Asian, crave durian; however, it's not a favorite of most westerners.  They tend to describe the flavor as something like "onion pudding."

                                                 

Mango and coconut rice for desert:

Sour s'dey chnam tmey!

This Week's Dose of Mischief

This weekend I visited the lovely ladies at Mischief's Brewing Coffee and Tea to add a bit of spring to the menu boards there.  There is no better way to work than with a mug of delicious coffee that you can refill at a moment's notice.  I've had the privilege of designing and drawing a majority of their menu chalkboards since they opened last year; if you haven't given them a visit yet, drop by and grab a quick drink, or visit their website at www.mischiefsbrewing.com.

 I love drawing chalkboards to match different personalities. The owners of this coffee shop always remind me to add a bit of mischief to each board.

This week's mischief was especially enjoyable; it's about time spring stopped by.

A Sample or Two

Hi, this is Anna here.  Seeing as I got my start in the chalk business as a kid, scribbling on concrete slabs in Northeast Cambodia, I may just be going places; now I'm in Libertyville, Illinois, designing menu boards for coffee shops and sales signs for thrift stores. There's a lot to learn, and I'm enjoying the challenge.

Here are a few details of work I've done in the past:

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Getting Started

Thanks for visiting ShortCake Signs.  Pictures of my work are on the way!  The Canuck and I have been apartment hunting, which ends up taking more time than you would think; but in between checking out studios the size of bathroom cupboards and peering into ancient two-bedrooms that smell like stale dishwater, I've managed to fit in a few chalkboards at a local coffee shop.  I'll be sure to post some pics from my past projects as well.