After my friends Stephanie & Danielle both made chocolate zucchini cake/bread I’ve been inspired to create my own grain/gluten free version.

Ingredients:
2 medium/large Zucchini (or 1 monster one the size of your head!)1
1 bar dark organic chocolate (I used 1/2 Green & Blacks 85% & 1/2 Sirius 70% Icelandic Chocolate) or 1/3 C chocolate bits
4 eggs (if not using coconut flour you can reduce eggs to 2)
1-1/4 C yogurt (or applesauce for dairy free version)
3 T raw honey
2 droppers of liquid Stevia
1/2 C Organic ZERO (Erythritol or use other sweetner of your choice)
1/3 C Coconut Oil (liquified)
4 t ground cinnamon
1 t himalayan salt (or sea salt)
1-1/2 t Xanthan Gum
2-1/2 baking Power
1 C Organic Cocoa Powder
1 C Coconut Flour
1 C Almond Meal/Flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Shred zucchinis and put into big mixing bowl with finely chopped chocolate pieces.
In mixer or food processor, blend till smooth: Oil, Eggs, Yogurt, Honey, Erythritol & Stevia
Add & blend till fully mixed: Salt, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Xanthan Gum, Cocoa, Almond & Coconut Flours (this batter will be rather thick)
Add batter to shredded zucchini & chocolate pieces and mix well with your hands till evenly blended.

Spoon into greased loaf pans (2+ depending on the size of your zucchinis) or a 12/large muffin/cupcake pan & 1 small loaf pan. Put into 350° oven check after 30 mins. I cooked mine for 65-70 mins as muffins and a small loaf pan.
The flavor & texture is better the next day after they’ve cooled and had a chance to bloom.

To All My Dear Creative People!

About a year ago another artist turned me on to Artist Trading Cards. What I adore about them is that because they are limited to 2.5″x3.5″ cards, they are so immediate and portable it is easy and satisfying to make art even in the midst of a hectic life.

I started to fantasize about having an exhibit at Sanctuary after I’d been making them for a few months. Well this dream is becoming a reality and I am curating my very first ever international ATC show called Please Mr Postman in August 2010.

Now here’s where you come in…
My BIG fat ATC dream is to have at least 1000 different cards from all over the world by all kinds of different people of all ages and levels of creative experience participating. All art will be gratefully welcomed and shown regardless of skill level.

I am asking you (perhaps begging is more accurate) to be part of my dream.
PLEASE MAKE ART for this Amazing Event!

This is the link to our Facebook Event please join us there if you are so inclined

This is the link to a handy dandy PDF for everything you would want to know about making this happen and being a part of it.

If you really want to be part of this, and you do not want to cut your own cards to size you can find precut ones on Amazon or in most art supply stores here’s a link.

ANDDDD if you just simply cant deal with addressing an envelope to us, printing your own submission form, and getting some ATC blanks for yourself. I’ve made some handy dandy kits to get you started. They contain everything to get you going, you just make the art and send it back to me. Please either pop on over to Sanctuary to pick one up or if you are not in Maine, just let me know if you need me to mail one to you.

You get to decide if you want to receive your own artwork back or if you want the extra fun of getting back another person’s art and either adding to your already existing ATC collection or launching a new way to spend your free time. I am sure this is going to be an amazing exhibit. I have already received my first submission and I’m in the process of making a card a day till we hang the show in August.

Thank you for being you.
Thank you for being creative!
Thank you for making the world a more beautiful place!
Thank you in advance for helping me to make this show a whopping success!

BTW PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD far and wide, Please Please Please repost this, tell your friends, tell your acquaintances, tell your high school rivals whom you haven’t spoken to in 15 years!

BIG BIG BIG love and creative wishes to you!
–Jen

Sanctuary Tattoo & Art Gallery invites you to create some art for our International ATC show. Opening Party on August 6, 2010 and running till September 1, 2010. US Mailing Dates by July 25th.

Artist Trading Cards are 2.5”x3.5” pieces of art produced on sturdy paper, cardstock or other (non flimsy) surface. Anything goes with ATCs. The only limitation is the size. You get to choose your own theme, choose your own medium and make some awesome art that will be show with lots and lots of other miniature pieces of awesome art!

Perhaps the best thing about ATCs is that they are really portable and easy to work with and because they are so small they don’t take a million years to create. AND best of all, if you wish, you can receive different art by other artists in return for your submissions.

We’re gonna make this real easy for you. Sanctuary will provide a handy dandy kit including ATC blanks for you. You just make some 2.5”x3.5” art, fill out the form, Stamp and address your SASE & Send it back to us! In exchange you get to be part of our first international ATC gallery exhibit & you can receive another artist’s work back swapped for your submissions!

If you are interested in participating in our August ATC show please reply with your mailing address and we’ll send you everything you need to be part of this exciting show!

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing what you create!

Sincerely

–Jennifer Moore (jen(at)tattoofairy.com)

This is a new piece featuring a client of mine whom I am working on a tattoo with across her mastectomy scars. We have since added flowers to the right side and will be adding more flowers on the left soon.

Jen discusses tattoo cover-ups, how to prepare yourself for them, what you might expect.
To See My business partner Chris’s Vlogs go here!

The Portland Phoenix is having it’s annual “Best Of” Contest and we are celebrating our 10th anniversary since opening Sanctuary in Portland Maine in late 1999.

Please GIVE US the best 10th anniversary gift ever & show us your love!

Please vote us Best Tattoo Shop in Portland. Go to http://thephoenix.com/thebest/Portland/vote

AND VOTE for SANCTUARY TATTOO!  Please Note you can vote once every 24 hrs.