Recipe Cards

Every once in a while I manage to talk myself into getting some recipe cards made.  After I finally tweak a recipe to my liking, it's like a week-long convincing to pull the typewriter out and get to it.  The recipes are beginning to stack up.

I always enjoy making them, it's just getting the typing done that gets in the way.  I don't know why.

I've already done most of the recipes that only have a few ingredients.  Now for the recipes that require more than the 4" X 6" space of the card.

Brads seemed like a good idea to keep everything together but to be able to move sections out of the way for prep and cooking.  They are working out very well.

Yes, now I have a new supply of fun brads.  It's always something else we need on hand,  isn't it.  And it MUST be an assortment...not just any old brad will do.  You know what I mean.

AND, you know me, the backs can't be boring!

Sometimes the back is where the food photo ends up too.  I really like the food photo on the front with the rest of the recipe, but if I've made the dish enough, I guess I'm ok with the photo on the back.

These cards are so much better than the mess my recipes are in while they wait their turn to become artsy looking as well as delicious.

I don't like wasting my life with cooking.  But I don't like eating bad food either.  Any opportunity to make the chore "seem" more enjoyable, I'm all for it.  And artsy recipe cards at least make the start of this chore more fun.  I truly wish I enjoyed cooking because I'm actually pretty good at it.

Happy Eating!

xxx

Annie

April 2016 Calendar Journal

April is my birthday month.

I tried to give the month a party feel because that's how I was feeling all month.

I like that my birthday is at the very end.  So much more fun to celebrate the whole entire month.

xxx

Annie

Alphabet Challenge Postcard

Our challenge theme this week for the Sunday Postcard Art challenge blog is ALPHABET.

The first thing that came to mind, of course, is "Now I know my ABCs".  That includes children and learning.  Then I came across a die cut fence I had, then added a couple of die cut flora.

Look at her.....she's so pleased with her own knowledge.  They say she's smart as a whip.

She'll find her way through the postal system by way of this correspondence side.

As always,

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie

The Fortune Teller

Every once in a great while, an eligible bachelor will come along just passing through the tiny town of Nowhere.  This sends the Spinster Sisters into a whirlwind competition for his affections.

After too many years of being unsuccessful in capturing a husband, the sisters finally went to visit the local Fortune Teller to learn exactly when they would find their men.

They now have it in writing.....

"There are no men in your futures."

The theme this week for Sunday Postcard Art is FORTUNE TELLER.  My postcards are all hands on made.  For the last couple of themes I haven't had supplies or ideas to fit the themes to make cards.  This week I'm attempting to come in by way of a backdoor.  This may not qualify.  And that would be ok.  I have a postcard to mail out now.  That's what matters most to me.

Here is the address side of this postcard.

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary - S

At The Craft Barn challenge blog, we illustrate for the letter S this fortnight.

I chose sailboat.  I just recently drew a sailboat for a postcard.  Why not give my simple little pattern, that takes no drawing skills, a little extra life.  So here it lives in my altered dictionary forever more.

It's all made of tracing paper.  We had a twist this time that our illustration has to include a shell.  I had a better plan than what you see, but I couldn't find a shell that would fit the plan.  

Happy sailing!

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary - D

The letter this fortnight at The Craft Barn is the letter D.

Oh, so many delightful words to illustrate that begin with the letter D.  But for me, the word to illustrate has to be DELIVERY.  I watch for this guy every single delivery day of the week!...to bring in and to take out.

There is a twist to the challenge this time, and that is to use pink.  The twists always scare me that they might not work into my style.  But, so far, so good.

Now I must go and make more mail.

xxx

Annie

March 2016 Calendar Journal

And March went along like so...

I'm almost completely happy with this calendar journaling style.  I've only one struggle left to overcome.  I can't use markers or gel pens of any kind, as they can be seen through the paper to the previous or next month.  I have been searching for colored ink pens that write well and have tossed quite a bit of money into the trash can.  The pens come home with me, they either don't write nicely or the ink blobs up at the tip, so off to the trash they go.  Any suggestions?

Now on to my birthday month.  I've already spent some enjoyable time purchasing a few new toys for myself.  I love me an Amazon rewards gift card!

Happy Spring!

xxx

Annie

Spring Button-winged Birdie

The theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is SPRING.

Spring is the most wonderful time of the year!

I "drew" (amazement in itself) my birdie based on the great mixed media birds I found on Pinterest created by this blogger: http://www.erinbassett.com/creativite/2012/04/bird_canvas.html. I gave mine a faux button that is just a fabric circle.

This cute little guy will be taking flight to travel to his new home on Monday when I can get into the post office to have his postage stamp hand cancelled.

I couldn't decide whether to make him with fabric or paper.  So I made him in both mediums.

This paper button-winged birdie has a faux button made from glitter paper.

Happy Spring and Happy Easter!

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary - G

This fortnight we are illustrating words for the letter G on The Craft Barn challenge blog.  

I had my Ms. Skellie Bride stamp out, and its graveyard section caught my attention.  So I went with "graveyard" for my word to illustrate.

It's the two hundred year old graveyard complete with black cat and bats.

xxx

Annie

Bad Neighbor Postcard

At the Sunday Postcard Art challenge blog, we are to use a photograph on our postcard.  I went for some humor.  The photo is of the house where my grandfather was born in Czechoslovakia. 

And the address side...

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary - R

The Craft Barn letter to illustrate in my altered dictionary is R.

I normally look for my letters from the back working my way forward.  This time I decided to see what would be on the first page of the R words.  I couldn't resist adding the White Rabbit to my dictionary.

When I turned a couple of pages, I found a ripped page and wanted to fix that before the page comes out completely.  The raincoat was not going to be enough to save the torn area, so I taped it with ticket stub Washi Tape first...with the idea that one might be going out to the theatre in the rain.

No new words to have fun with this time, but I'm looking forward to the next letter.  It's just fun looking for images to use as illustrations.

xxx

Annie

Mad March Hare Postcard

This week at the Sunday Postcard Art challenge blog the theme is Mad as a March Hare.  This theme worked perfectly for my Mad March Hare Easter postcards.  

The fun White Rabbit needed to be on the address side of my postcard this time.

I did not think up this idea.  I saw it on Pinterest and the only link I could find to the envelope artwork and artist was Here .  You will need to scroll down until you come to the envelope.

This is what I've done for the message side.  I will write a personal message in the center.

I just couldn't resist recreating this art piece for my Easter postcards.  Of course my Hare is a rubber stamp, White Rabbit Late by Deep Red Clingstamps.  

xxx

Annie

Calendar Journal - February 2016

What was I thinking when I decided on this journaling plan?!  Kind of a pain to finish once I was started, but at least it turned out fun looking.  I kept notes and typed a bunch of days at once three different times.  Adding all the Washi Tape and Hearts was the most fun.

I got through it and I'm glad this journaling plan is over.

I do hope I won't need to go looking for anything documented in this month.  It's pretty much a lovely jumbled mess.  

On to March now.

xxx

Annie

Watercolor Mail Art

I keep trying to make watercolors work for me.  When something happens that I like, I'm always shocked and pleased.  I did these envelopes and card fronts with Tombow markers and water.

When I tried to recreate the same look, of course it didn't work.  That is not always a bad thing.  But this envelope below and card really needed some help.  I pulled out my neocolors to fix both.  I forgot to take a photo of the fixed envelope.  This one isn't totally lacking, but it was much brighter when it was mailed.

The marker watercolors were really lacking on the card, but the neocolors blended well.

I did the brush lettering with the Tombow markers.  They were reviewed on amazon that their brush tips hold up well.  I don't find that to be true, so I'm pretty disappointed on that point.  With some practicing and writing the envelopes with black, then a bit more practicing play, the tip on the black marker is done.  I need to work on how not to let that happen. 

Wishing everyone a good mail day.

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary - L

The alphabet letter assigned to us this time is L

My word is LORGNETTE

I knew of these glasses but I did not know what they were called.  I do now.

The image is from a book titled Butterick's 1892 Metropolitan Fashions.  

(This book has a copyright date of 1994.  It is documenting patterns from 1892 with style description, pattern number, yardage required, some notions suggested and the pattern prices ranging from 10cents to 40cents.)

I couldn't believe my luck in finding this single fashion image with the lorgnette glasses.  She is photocopied to tracing paper, colored with a distress marker and colored pencils and spray glued to the dictionary page.

For the previous challenge I had done the word LOOK.  Here is the open book page spread.

Had I chosen these words in opposite challenges, I might have illustrated a man looking at the woman instead of daydreaming out the window.  She obviously isn't interested in him though!  LoL

xxx

Annie

Love Postcard

This postcard is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week.

The challenge theme is Love Gives You Wings.

I thought the words were perfect.

The address/correspondence side.

I thought I wouldn't play this week as I couldn't think who I would send this card too.  My postcards are not digital, they are real and I don't like to just keep them, I want to mail them.  But I've never added wings to anything and wanted to give it a try.  Maybe I'll find someone to send it out to next Valentine's Day.  Wait!...it doesn't have to be just for Valentine's Day, so I'll be watching for any love opportunity to mail this one out. 

Happy Valentine's Day

xxx

Annie

Calendar Journal and Mail Art

January 2016 was a month of lettering play.  I also found something to write about every single day.  No filler blocks used.  I had a very playful month that I am very grateful for.

Much of my playful month was filled with mail art play.

My vbff (virtual best friend forever), Sheila, is having a birthday soon.

Some very late mail art went to Abby.  I have not heard whether this card and envelope arrived.  I do hope so.

And this postcard was some best fun to make.  Gina's father is celebrating his 88th birthday soon and she has plans to present him with at least 88 birthday greetings from around the world.  Her Papa loves mail art.

And lastly is a Valentine card.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

xxx

Annie

Altered Dictionary Challenge - F

This fortnight for the Craft Barn's altered dictionary challenge the letter to illustrate is F. And this time with the twist to include a heart.

My word is frippery.

I think she's being showy.

I inked the backside of tracing paper with a mix of distress inks.  On the reverse side I stamped the image with Black Soot distress ink, stamped a tiny heart with Barn Door distress ink and used color pencils to add hints of color.  I cut out the image and spray glued it to the page.  I used a dauber to highlight with Spiced Marmalade distress ink over the word and definition.

I did not know this word before I found it in this dictionary.  I always look for fun new words for this challenge.

xxx

Annie

I don't know what happens to the photos when they transfer to the blog.  When I take them they are clear, but by the time they get here, they look blurry.

Mail Art LOVE

It's the month of Love.  And a bit of a different take on the subject from me this week.  This time I got out my neutrals bin of scraps for my postcard background collage.  Chopped and stitched.  Then a heart stitched on.  Then an envelope charm tied on.  And there you have it...my love of mail art.

I must give credit to the Sunday Postcard Art.  This card started out as just another Valentine card.  But SPA challenged us to create a postcard and add a charm to it.  I had no ideas for a charm.  But after the heart was stitched on and I looked at the card, I decided it needed something more.  The SPA must have planted this charm idea into my subconscious and I remembered that I had a tiny stash of envelope and postcard charms....somewhere in this mess.  Of course they were in the last place I looked and literally hiding right out in the open.  Always the best place to hide something from yourself, or anyone else for that matter.  

"Just another Valentine" transformed into my love of mail art.  Especially for fabric postcards.  This one is in the mail on Monday.

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie

Orange Collage Butterfly

There was a butterfly in my mind wanting to be stitched.  But what color did it want to be?  The Sunday Postcard Art challenge made a delightful decision for me.  Orange.  Yes.  Perfect.

I have made well over 100 fabric postcards.  Yes, most of them have been mailed out.  114 of those can be seen in my Fabric Postcard Flickr Album.

In the beginning the ideas for them came in masses.  Now I struggle for new ideas for stitched postcards.  The recipient of this one has waited quite a long time.  My waiting list is now complete.  Now I'm just waiting on new and more ideas for stitching more postcards.  

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie

Alpha Dictionary Challenge Q

My favorite Challenge is back!

The Alpha Altered Dictionary Challenge

with The Craft Barn

My most favorite ever challenge and I almost missed it.  I did miss getting the first challenge letter into the list of players, but that's no-never-mind for me.  I shall play from here and I'm already caught up.  This is the only year-long Challenge that I ever finished.

The letter this fortnight is Q

My chosen word is questionnaire.

Last time I chose queen and now this page spread is done.  Only like 500 more to go.  LoL

To start the challenge off last fortnight was the letter B.

I chose the word bookish.

I'm up-to-date and current now and so excited to be playing this fun altered dictionary challenge again.

My pages aren't much for artsy, but I am getting the look I want for this altered dictionary.  I think it's a form of art, just not the way others think of this challenge. 

xxx

Annie