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My lovely and talented friend Gretchen celebrated a birthday a few days ago, her 35th according to the chart below. Obviously, an August birthday celebration for an individual as energetic and creative as Gretchen calls for a special treat, so I asked about her favorite kind of cake. “I tend to like light desserts, like trifles and shortcakes,” she said. “I love a Chantilly Cake or cake with fruit like strawberries or blueberries.” Assignment understood. The Chantilly

Tinto de Verano in a Mila Rainbow glass with linens by Carrie Narducci (patternandposy) A few weeks ago, as the dog days were really starting to envelope us and sitting outside became something of an endurance test, the New York Times Cooking section ran an article about “a drink built and named for summer,” a two-ingredient Spanish cocktail referred to as summer in a glass: Tinto de Verano, which translates to “the red wine of summer.” Well, that caught my attention. I did

Summer, my favorite time of year, when work relaxes a bit, days are longer, obligations are fluid. It’s the season that I tend to pick up a hobby or project, nothing intense or high pressure, just a fun, creative or relaxing something or other. I’ve done sour dough, sewing, painting, cutting glass, yoga, Faulkner, fancy pickles... One year, when my kids were young, it was ice cream. Mama Sarah made ice cream all the time when I was a kid, for family reunions and pool part

I started canning in earnest in 2010, the year we moved from Washington Street to the Lambre house in Bermuda, where a trickle of Cane River breaks off to become Bayou Brevelle, a little branch that meanders southward and eventually reconnects with Cane River near Melrose. The area is referred to as Isle Brevelle and is closely associated with families of French- and Creole-descended farmers who have worked the land and maintained the circles of family and faith for many gene

Rebecca Macijeski Work by the multi-talented Rebecca Macijeski is getting quite a bit of attention this summer. An original series titled “How to Stay Curious” opened June 18 at Artspace in Shreveport as part of Critical MASS 13, an annual exhibition that spans visual, literary and performing arts. Rebecca’s collection features quilts that she created to complement her original poetry. She calls the show “the intersection of poems and quilts, and whatever the fabulous othe

Bold, beautiful and unforgettable are words Janna Clary Smiley uses to describe her creations, adjectives that could be applied to Janna herself. As the artist behind Swill Magnolias, Janna creates dazzling headpieces that are extravagant, flamboyant and ready to party. Born in Natchitoches and raised in the deep woods of Robeline, Janna grew up an only child with miles of nature to explore and imagination for company. That childhood freedom and curiosity led her to study

The idea was to photograph and document our family’s handmade heirloom quilts, some of which are nearly a century old, faded, frayed and dearly loved. I wanted to preserve images of the quilts before they deteriorated further and identify, when possible, who made each of those humble and treasured works of art. Those photographs became a picture book and the pictures became notecards gifted to the family members who loaned quilts for the project. Soon requests were coming

Ceramicist, tableware designer, wife, mother of three and warm hostess Gretchen Murchison has emerged as one of our community’s most sought-after creatives. Since launching her career with her signature “Bloom” bowls in 2017, she has forged collaborations with retailers, designers and fellow artists throughout the south and continues to experiment with forms inspired by florals, water and natural elements. Her pieces are designed to be both beautiful and functional as vesse

Kassi Picou grew up on the bayous of south Louisiana where family instilled in her a sense of self-reliance that stemmed from a heritage of improvising, making do and learning to live off the land and waterways. As a child, she learned quilting with her grandmother, whose home she describes as “a crafty refuge.” She spent many hours working in her family’s yard and vegetable garden, experiences she did not appreciate at the time, but she loved observing and learning about di

Every November I consult a certain cookbook for Thanksgiving recipes where the pages are marked with memories – a 1998 letter from a friend then living in California sending updates about her pending wedding and a short funny thank you from a friend who passed away suddenly about a year after she sent it. Stored in my dresser are cards from my sister and nieces, a note from my friend of longest duration and a letter I wrote to Daddy when he was working overseas – my mother f

Leah Jackson Author/Designer/Creative Director at Laureate Printing Hello and thank you for being here. I launched Laureate Printing in 2025 to share my original work in photography, graphic design and other creative endeavors. The ideas behind Laureate Printing percolated for years until the encouragement of friends resulted in a focused outlet for my work. I grew up in rural Sabine Parish, the pine curtain of northwest Louisiana, surrounded by farm animals and a large ext