just helen

Howdy Doody, Miss Caroline!

I brought home some of My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline, the Howdy Doody collection, from CHA a couple of months ago.  I have been dying to  play with the line, but have been distracted by other projects that, once completed, served another purpose...like the Technicolor Deviled Eggs (for the boy's Risk party), Jello Cookies (for a fireside) and the Cake Batter Krispie Treats (for a school bake sale).  I can always use cards, but I've gotten quite a stash right now, so I was putting it off.  Cards are about the only thing that I have room to make right now.  But when I realized that I had found one of the fonts that My Mind's Eye used on the packaging and for the embellishments, I couldn't resist playing any longer!  Don't worry...I'll share!

Again, I am revisiting the 6" X 6" patterned paper pad...my favorite for making cards!  I really loved the Howdy Doody line, partly because of the warm color, but mostly because of this...

 

 I do believe that this was my favorite patterned paper at the whole show!  Please, don't anyone take offense - there were dozens of collections that I will be more than happy to play with.  But this one was especially appealing.  Who can explain what makes you love a design?  I don't know for sure.  Maybe it's the flowers, maybe it's the colors...whatever it is, this is so visually appealing to me!

 So...if you've noticed that some of sentiments look familiar, it's because they are like the "miss caroline" on the packaging.  So I decided to make my own little sentiments using that font.  Isn't this a cute font?

I was so happy to recognize the font!

 

You can go to Type Depot to download Matilde for free!  Inside the file (that you have to unzip), there are the little bubbles/borders (EPS files) that you can also use.  I have both Illustrator and Photoshop, and I'm not sure how to do it without them...anyway, I made up a Matilde Sentiments and Bubbles 2  for you to download...free, of course!  I printed up the file and used some of the sentiments on the cards.  Here is what one looks like cut out:

The colors feel warm and summery! 

Some of my favorite cards are very simple in design...

This is what the Matilde Sentiments and Bubbles look like -

Another card with the sentiments...

You will notice that I haven't used much of my favorite paper...don't worry - I will!  Tomorrow I will post the other half of the cards I made.  It was fun to play with - definitely worth the wait!

Warmest Regards

 
It has been an unusual month, one where I find myself needing to write a lot of "Thank you" notes.  I went through dozens of store-bought note cards that I had accumulated or purchased over the years.  If it had been any other time, I would have stressed about the fact that I hadn't personally designed and made each and every card.  But considering the circumstances, I will cut myself a little slack...this time.  But obviously I wasn't following the Scout motto...be prepared! 

I'm good on the "Happy Birthday" cards; "Congratulations on the New Baby" I loaded up on not long ago; I won't be needing any "graduation" cards for a while...school is just starting up again.  I have Valentine, Easter, Halloween and Christmas cards galore!  Running out of "thank you" notes made me I realize two things:  I have had a lot of things (and people) to be thankful for and that I needed to be better prepared in my "thank you" note card stash. 

When you need to send a note isn't necessarily a good time to sit down and try to get creative.  So I revert to the idea that assembly-line-multiples are the best way to make a bunch of similar (if not exact) cards quickly and without needing to think about a different design each time.  Using 12" X 12" patterned paper makes it easy to cut strips that will make 2 of each design at the same time.

 
Keeping the formula simple - two strips 12" long and combined width equaling a little less than 3", both pieces cut in half to 6" - can be added to the printed card with ease. 

 
Next, you will need to adhere it to the card.  Start with the piece you want to use on the top part of the card.  Don't worry about whether the narrower strip of paper goes on the top or bottom.  I mixed it up and I like it both ways.

 
Next, add the second strip.  If you keep it right up against the bottom edge of the first strip, you should be able to keep it straight.

 
Place the card upside down and trim off the excess.

 
 
Add a little baker's twine and you are done.  If you like the font and text, I have created pdf files for you to download and print out.  I have it in three colors: Download Black, Download Grey and Download Gold and I printed the base card on 8.5" X 11" cream cardstock; once printed, I cut them in half.  I matched the colors to go with the new "Blissful" collection by Authentique.  Making two of the same card doesn't take much longer, and then you will have eight for yourself and an extra set for a gift! 

Here are a few of the cards:

 
 
 
 
I only used three sheets of patterned paper and I still have enough pieces to make a few more cards.  This didn't take very long and the process was so quick and easy that I plan on repeating it, either with the other sheets of the collection I bought or maybe even different papers all together.

 
Regardless, this formula will help me be prepared for the next batch of thankfulness that comes my way.

Off With My Head!

Or so the Queen of Hearts might command!  Last year I revisited Alice's Adventures in Wonderland when I was working with the Graphic 45's Halloween in Wonderland line of paper.  While researching online, I came across this fabulous website: Lenny's Alice in Wonderland.  If you like all things Alice, this is a treasure of Alice-related information. 

I have been wanting to do this project for a while, but have just now gotten back to it as I was working on a gift for my Mom for Mother's Day. 

 

 
Once it was completed, I thought I would share with you.  There are 8 note cards that I made into PDF files for you to print, two of the same cards per sheet...for me, it is always better to print two sets at the same time - one for a gift, one for myself!  You can choose the paper you would like to, but I liked something more vintage looking with little flecks in it.  I also found these envelopes on my last trip to SLC, and Xpedx, from The Greengrocer's...great kraft-colored, paper bag-type material.

 
Here are the cards and PDF's to go with them.

 
Download: Which Way 

 
Download: Painting the Roses 
Download: I Shall Be Too Late 
Download: Off With Her Head 
Download: Who Are You 
Download: Twinkle, Twinkle 
Download: Pack of Cards 
Download: Growing Alice 

My Mom loves to write notes to family and friends and frequently runs out of note cards , so I thought it would be fun to make these note cardsthat can be replenished when needed.  When you go to print, try it on a text 8.5" X 11" sheet of copy paper to see if you have any problems with your printer not printing the whole design, especially on the designs that come close to the edge.  I go into preferences with my printer and print borderless...there is a warning about it going off the paper, but it won't...it doesn't get that close to the edge. 

In case you are worried about copyrighted material, these images and the words are out of the copyright since 1964.  I think that John Tenniel and Lewis Carroll would love it that we are still enjoying their work so many years later.  So...enjoy!

Revisiting Alice's Adventures

 




CHILD of the pure unclouded brow

And dreaming eyes of wonder!

Though time be fleet, and I and thou

Are half a life asunder,

Thy loving smile will surely hail

The love-gift of a fairy-tale.

 

I have not seen thy sunny face,

Nor heard thy silver laughter;

No thought of me shall find a place

In thy young life's hereafter --

Enough that now thou wilt not fail

To listen to my fairy-tale.

 

A tale begun in other days,

When summer suns were glowing --

A simple chime, that served to time

The rhythm of our rowing --

Whose echoes live in memory yet,

Though envious years would say 'forget'

 

Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread,

With bitter tidings laden,

Shall summon to unwelcome bed

A melancholy maiden!

We are but older children, dear,

Who fret to find our bedtime near.

 

Without, the frost, the blinding snow,

The storm-wind's moody madness --

Within, the firelight's ruddy glow

And childhood's nest of gladness.

The magic words shall hold thee fast:

Thou shalt not heed the raving blast.

 

And though the shadow of a sigh

May tremble through the story,

For 'happy summer days' gone by,

And vanish'd summer glory --

It shall not touch with breath of bale

The pleasance of our fairy-tale.

 

Lewis Carroll

Aren't the illustrations fabulous?  I love all things black and white!  And isn't that a sweet poem?  Thank you, Graphic 45 for reminding me about Alice.

I worked on this little tag project for CHA using the Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland line and I had to send it off before I took very good pictures of it, but here's what I have.  If you would like to use the little "Wonderland" quotes, here is a PDF to share.




I love that I was able to tie in quotes to the illustrations!  These are some photos that I took quickly before I sent it off.  I like to do that when I am working on a project for someone else, just in case I need to duplicate it because I don't get the project back...choke!




Here are a few where you can see the quotes added.
 



Well, this has been a great line to work with.  I wasn't sure what kind of a little project I could work up, but then I started remembering some of my favorite quotes from the story, then I found more and I love how they played right into the project.  Maybe you can find something to do with them!

 

 

Alphabet Soup

I love alphabets...big ones, little ones, cursive, typewriter, bold, epoxy, chipboard, stickers...I love the element that stickers add to paper projects.  Unfortunately, I am always running out of certain letters.  It just happens.  This is my solution.  Anyone can do their own, but I like working on them in Adobe Illustrator because I can adjust size and change the fonts easily.  You can make them in any basic word processing program, but if you'd like it to be easy, you can download them and print them.  Try one, and if you like them, print them on different colors of cardstock.  It makes for a cheap filler for missing letters, or just use them all by themselves.

For storage, I cut them vertically in half, eyeballing where the best middle is.  Then I cut them, with scissors, in between the different rows.  This way you can easily cut off the letters you need when you need them.  Don't worry about keeping the sides totally straight.  I like them random!

 
Here is a card that I made with the letters.

Sometimes I like to mix up the upper and lower case letters in other than the grammatically correct pattern!  Have fun and if you like them, let me know and maybe I'll make more for you to download and use! 

Download alphabet.pdf (1738.1K)