{scissor variations}

evermore, thank you

thank you to the lovely Joy over at Oh Joy!

this delightful lifestyle + design blog was one of my first blog "haunts" and has a permanent bookmark in my favorites.

Joy shares wonderful treasures throughout her daily blog posts.

 

cleverness +  kindness

= BROOKLYNrehab.

Allyssa was the featured seller  at etsy this past weekend--congratulations!

Thank you for the kindness extended our way.....

happy week-ending

 

 

 

 

{a pair of scissors + a stack of magazines = weekend happiness}

 

When one has a great deal to put into it
a day has a hundred pockets.
-  Friedrich Nietzsche

 

hope your weekend has lots of pockets to fill

or pockets to leave empty,

whichever you need most.

 

 

happy week- ending

   

 "Take rest; a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop."

~ovid

a fondness for green

a field trip at your finger tips

 

Do you know about the unique treasures that lurk within Lee Valley ?

—first + foremost these:

(take note -especially the price point)

 

 

When it comes to crafting they have some useful, fun + unique items:

 

 

scissors, veneer business cards, earth magnets, oh and did I mention tins?

 

Did you know you can find one of these at Lee Valley too:

 

 

{i love my spiral screw punch}

 

 

A field trip at your finger tips -permission slip optional.

I am lucky to have access to a physical Lee Valley store. Some field trips are just worth repeating~

 

You always find things you didn't know you were going to *see, and that is the adventure...

{*with apologies to John Updike}

wish you were here, the weather is beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful thing is the mail, capable of conveying across continents a warm human hand-clasp. 

{author unknown}

 

Let’s make some postcards, shall we?

 

 

You will need some 4 x 6 size photo paper

 

Narrow down your photo choices.  I chose blog photos.

 

Select a photo.

 

 

Choose a random printing option—not necessarily the 4 x 6 size.

No centering. No borders.

Insert your paper vertically.

Hit print.

Choose another photo.

No centering. No borders.

Insert your paper horizontally.

Hit print.

 

Just try it, okay?

 

I printed postcards in almost all options that were offered through the print window when it popped up--3 x 5, 5 x 7, 4 x 6, wallet, etc.

 

 

I just let them print without playing with any bells + whistles.

I did not try to center the photos.

There is a lot of white space.

Also a lot of uneven borders.

 

 

I'm happy with the way they turned out.

 

 

I cut some chipboard to 4 x 6 size and glued the photos to the chipboard for added stability.

I rounded the corners on some. I wrote quotes on others in some of the “white space”. Some of the cupcake photos have an icing recipe written "as the letter" on the backside. Others are "birthday" postcards.

 

 

I just drew a line down the center to differentiate between the address side and the note side.

 

I chose 4 x 6 size photo paper because I had some, it could easily be fed into the printer + I did not have to cut it down into postcard size. It also enabled me to just hit "print" and see what happened with the photos as they literally slid into my hands.

 

If you do not have photo paper, use cardstock

-try a linen or textured finish.

What about watercolor paper....

 

 

You could also design a template for the postcard "backs"-a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 chipboard would provide  4 postcard "backs"...you know, to up the "gussy" factor.

 

add a stamp + they're good to go

{mailbox happiness}

{everything is a garland} series: tiny spring garlands

 

 

 

Gather Together

punches

decorative paper (I used origami + vintage papers)

glue stick

stringing material: thread, twine, embroidery floss, string, etc

Punch out your shapes.

I made my garlands 2-sided + sandwiched the stringing material in between the 2 punched out shapes.

If using animal shapes as I did and you want to do this remember to punch some animals from the decorative side and then flip the paper over and punch some shapes from the "underside"--so when putting them together they "fit".

Alternate different shapes, knot sequins in between or buttons. If using animal shapes have the animals face each other. Alternate colors.....whatever suits your fancy.

 

The vintage paper medallions are sandwiched between brown + white tying string--this is also one of my favorite ways to gussy up a gift package.

rhetorical question

  Should "cupcake" be considered a color palette?

  

   

marriage proposal cake

This is a special cake.

A cake that is especially easy to make.

It may look decadent--and it is--but the most difficult part of making this cake is chopping up the chocolate and remembering to have the eggs at room temperature.

We've been enjoying this cake since the year we found the recipe in Bon Appétit magazine (1997). If my memory serves me correctly I think it was a recipe from a reader of the magazine.

I usually only bake the cake for 1 hour and then let it sit to cool--I find it makes for a more truffle-like center. That said, I also think you should enjoy a slice of this cake warm at least once--as my assistant was about to do in the last photo.

I use the 400g size of Toblerone bar--the BIG one. Often these bars will have special editions put out at specific holidays throughout the year and they go on sale the day after the holiday--a perfect time to stock up. Store them in the freezer until cake baking day.

Marriage Proposal Cake recipe 

-what we call this fabulous cake

{and no, I don't really have an assistant, but I do have a taste tester in the house}

dip your toe in

write a sentence, a poem, a short story

design a space for your dream business {art studio, bakery, book store}

stitch an apron, a sachet, a placemat

take a photo of 5 of your favourite things

hear your own voice

 

If you hear a voice within you saying "You are not a painter," then by all means paint...and that voice will be silenced.
~Vincent Van Gogh

 

{artwork by Lisa Solomon}