free download: rose calling cards

I just sent off a dozen calling cards to my swap partner ftdlynn, based on the new-fangled name cards that swept the Little Town on the Prairie by storm back in the 1800s. I used a vintage rose image (since Laura Ingalls Wilder named her daughter Rose) and lots of pink (since she always wore pink hair ribbons), along with the following quote printed on textured card stock:

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."

I also included a few blank cards that have the original Helen Sewell illustration, too, and both sets will make pretty swap cards or gift enclosures.

If you'd like a set for yourself, the template for the blank calling cards may be downloaded here. Just add your name, print them onto cardstock, and trim--you never know when you'll run into a handsome young gent with a pair of matched Morgans!

free download: cassandra clare + madeleine l'engle bookmarks

I hosted a handmade bookmark swap for my children's lit group recently, in which you were to send one bookmark tailored to one of your partner's favorite books and one bookmark featuring something you liked. As it happened, my partner DeidreArt likes several of the same authors I do, so this one was a particular pleasure.

Deidre's a big fan of Madeleine L'Engle, so I chose two quotes and book covers for the bookmark, including my favorite L'Engle book, A Ring of Endless Light. I've always loved the Austins, and in this book Vicky meets Adam Eddington, a marine biology student who teaches her to swim--and communicate--with dolphins. Whenever I see a dolphin now, I think of how L'Engle described their skin as "resilient pewter."

Deidre also enjoys Cassandra Clare's books. It was the easiest thing in the world to find a number of great Jace quotes from The Mortal Instruments, but I particularly love this swoony one. Who could resist a boy who hunts demons and says stuff like that? I also made a bookmark for Clockwork Angel, too. This was my absolute favorite YA book from 2010, and it tells the story of Tessa, who crosses an ocean to to seek her brother in Victorian London...and who finds that she has a mysterious past and unbelievable powers she'd never dreamed of. I love how Tessa learns to use her gifts to overcome her enemies, and I love all the characters that populate this dark, enthralling world. I'm dying for the sequel to come out, but it's a long way until December 2011. *sigh*

I backed the Cassandra Clare bookmarks with fantastic thin metallic cardboard from an Entertainment Weekly ad that I'd been saving. Do you collect bits and pieces of interesting material for your crafting, too? My supplies closet is bursting to the gills with all kinds of things that I just know will come in handy someday.

Anyway, if you'd like to print out these bookmarks for yourself, feel free to download a copy here. Just remember that they're for personal use only, not commercial, so no funny business, please! Consider it my version of a fan tribute. ;) Hope you enjoy.

romantic poems

I made another poetry booklet recently. I found a selection of poems I liked and paired them with vintage Valentine images and put them all together in a booklet bound together with spray adhesive. After using "The Owl and the Pussycat" for a swap awhile back, I've been wanting to use the other meaningful poem read at our wedding, too, so Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 was the very last poem included in the booklet.

I meant to offer the booklet as a download, but unfortunately the two files were too big for Google docs! So if you'd like a copy to print out for your own Valentine, feel free to message me at thehappyhoneybee(dot)gmail(com) or leave your email address in the comment box and I'll be happy to send you one electronically. The Christina Rossetti booklet I made awhile back would be a pretty accompaniment to any flowers and chocolate you might be sending, too...

vintage valentine cards: the real thing

A couple of months ago, I received a lot of valentines in the mail. Not just any old valentines, but ones that had belonged to my husband's great grandfather and great-uncle. When my mother-in-law first asked me whether I wanted them, I said "Of course!" thinking I'd receive maybe a dozen or so, and they'd be the funny penny valentines you see from the 50s and 60s.

That wasn't the case.

I received a box packed full of cards, enough to fill two large freezer bags plus a big album my mother-in-law had finished. Many of them were made in Germany, and the papers and images they used are just beautiful...lovely colors and script and poems hearkening back to a gentler time. This is what a valentine should look like. Today's blaring colors and offhanded feeling somehow seem garish by comparison.

Quite a few of them are also really huge! Some cover the entire page of the 12" x 12" album, which is astonishing to see. I was also surprised to see how many of them used 3D type raised effects, as well as some interactive ones (moving legs and arms, etc).

Some of the Valentines are dated as early as 1902, and they all appear to be from the boys' mother or aunt. What I find really interesting is that most of them are just signed with no messages on them, but perhaps it's because the cards have such heartfelt sentiments printed on them already. It's also a little funny because there are so many valentines from their female relatives, but I can't find a single one that is marked as being from the boys to them or to/from any of their sweethearts. Still, these meant enough that they've been kept for generation after generation for over a hundred years, which is just amazing. I feel incredibly lucky to have these and am glad to be their guardian for the forseeable future.

I scanned in just a fraction of the cards that I received, but you get an idea of how gorgeous they are. If you'd like to use some of the cards in your crafting, you should be able to download a couple of the single images by clicking on the jpg to enlarge it;  just right click and save to your computer. I'd appreciate your linking back to this post if you use them. Please send me links and share anything you make from them, too!

valentine cupcake toppers + download

I make way more cupcake toppers than I do cupcakes. That's probably a good thing, though sometimes it's hard to remember the need for moderation when you have so many cute toppers lying around.

I hosted a Sweetly Vintage Valentine Toppers swap on Swap-Bot recently, and here are the ones I sent to my partner. I love this assortment of sized-down old penny valentines, which includes a mermaid and a veggie since my partner is a fan of both.

I'm also including a link where you can download a copy of these cupcake toppers and print onto cardstock if you'd like to make your own.  They are easy to embellish with glitter, ribbons, lace, or whatever you'd like!

vintage Christmas bookmarks + free download

I can't seem to wrap my brain around blogging in a timely manner...I have photographs and projects stored up, but it's been so busy this holiday season that it's been hard to sit down at the computer for any length of time!

I thought I'd share a project I made a few weeks ago for a A Very Vintage Christmas Bookmark swap, whose guidelines were simply that the bookmarks needed to be made with a vintage holiday theme. I printed old-timey Christmas images onto card stock and paired them with quotes from traditional carols. They were then laminated and embellished with vintage paper lace I acquired from the flea market, which was really easy to affix using a Scotch adhesive dot roller.

I have made other kinds of bookmarks, but I find these paper ones such a quick and satisfying project to do--and it's so nice to spoil your partner a little bit by sending four instead of the required one. I have fancy metal bookmarks and fabric ones and  leather ones, but it's really the paper ones that I use the most.

If you'd like to make your own set for stocking stuffers or to mark a favorite passage in a book you're giving as a gift, feel free to download your own set of Vintage Christmas Bookmarks. A reminder to print them for your personal use only, not for commercial purposes, please!

vintage holiday cupcake toppers: tutorial + free download

For those of you hosting holiday parties (or who need one-of-a-kind hostess gifts!), why not dress up your baked treats with cupcake toppers? I've made a few sets this year and it's a very quick, rewarding craft...and it's so much less expensive to make your own than to purchase them. Since the two previous cupcake topper swaps I'd hosted this year got such a great response, I decided to start a Dress that Cupcake! group.

Our first swap was a holiday themed lucky parcel. My partner HoneyBunny is a really creative cook (she shared a delicious recipe for clam-stuffed shrimp with me recently that is now one of our favorites) so I was looking forward to making something for her. Since she is a fan of vintage, I thought it would be nice to make toppers that looked very old-fashioned using images from vintage Christmas cards.

I really like how they turned out, since the crinkly tissue paper adds to the impression that you might have just found them in a box in the attic somewhere. Except they're much less dusty and iffy for your dessert table.

If you'd like to make your own, I've posted a simple tutorial below and uploaded a copy of the cupcake topper images as a pdf here. Just be sure to use them for good (your own personal use) not evil (commercial use), please!

Vintage Holiday Cupcake Toppers Tutorial

Materials & Tools:

1 sheet of vintage holiday images
scissors
tape
1 sheet of tissue paper in a coordinating color
glue stick
blank cardstock ovals

Directions:

1. To make the cupcake toppers, print out a copy of the vintage holiday images onto cardstock and cut around them.

2. Center a toothpick with approximately a third of the stick on the back of the each topper and firmly tape it in place. Smooth out air bubbles with your fingers and make sure it's fastened tightly.

3. Fold tissue paper a few times and cut into long 1/4 inch strips.

4. Flip your toppers over and working from the back, accordion-pleat the tissue strips around the edge of the cardstock. Carefully tape them down every inch or so, and snip off the excess tissue when you reach the end.

5. Cut cardstock ovals of approximately the same size as the vintage images. Using a good glue stick, cover the plain ovals with paste and place onto the back of each topper. Firmly press into place with your fingers, taking care to smooth around and above the toothpick.

Voila! Easy peasy craft with very pretty results.

I packaged the toppers up in a glassine bag and also made a little cake banner using the "Wishing you the sweetest holiday" greeting along with two short bamboo skewers. Since it was a lucky parcel, I also included a batch of candy buttons I made using a Bake it Pretty mold, some snowflake cupcake wrappers, a set of "Baked With Love By..." labels, and a few little trinkets and candies for additional decor. I put then everything into a recycled plastic container that I decorated with striped paper and cupcake-themed deco tape. I hope HoneyBunny enjoys her package...and that you'll enjoy making these toppers, too!

holiday handicraft + free downloads

A few months ago, I picked up an amazing out-of-print book called Holiday Handicraft at a flea market here in Los Angeles. It's written by a woman named Nina R. Jordan, who seems to have written numerous craft books for children. I love the warm, comfortable way speaks to her audience, and how true these ideas still are today:

Ready-made cards for the holidays are printed so thousands are just alike. But when you make a card for somebody, you know that no one can ever make one exactly like it, no matter how hard he tries. The same applies for any gift you make.

I also enjoy the charming advice she gives about special crayon colors:

Probably everyone who reads this page has a set of crayons or water colors, or both. But did you know that crayons are also made in the colors of silver, gold, and copper? And that there are 10¢ pans of watercolors in silver and gold? The gold, silver, and copper crayons are not commonly sold in stores but they may be bought for 5¢ each by writing to the American Crayon Company, Sandusky, Ohio.

I wonder what the author would have thought of the vast array of materials and options available to modern crafters now. But the thing that is most fun, of course, is that many of these crafts are just as great now as they were then. I thought it would be nice to share some of the pages, which would be great little holiday projects to make at home, especially with kids. The author's illustrations are really sweet and most of the projects are self-explanatory due to her drawings. (I think I'm safe copyright-wise on this since the book was published in 1928, which means it should be in the public domain. Nevertheless, please copy these images for your own personal use only.)

I'll post more images for the holidays when I get the chance. Enjoy!

jane bookmarks + download

If you can stand looking at a second set of bookmarks in one week, I have another download to share with you! I'm very fond of Jane Austen of course, so I made a set of these for a Jane bookmark swap during last week's paper crafting.

I decided to keep them pretty simple, since the quotes themselves are already so lovely.  The images are of a Jane silhouette, the covers to a couple of her books, and the picturesque logo for Houghton Cottage in Hampshire, England. If you'd like a set for yourself, you are welcome to download a copy here. Just print them onto cardstock, laminate and cut...and once again, these are for personal, not commercial use, please.

For a slightly different take on Jane, I bought a set of hilarious Pride and Prejudice and Zombies postcards a few months ago and used quite a few of them during the witching season. I never really finished the book itself, but these pictures are fantastic, and the postcards themselves are really well-designed and of great quality. Quirk did a really great job with these, and I hope they'll branch out with more interesting book projects in the future.

rose tree bookmarks + download

There are a few different versions of "The Rose Tree "fairy tale, but I think the one by Flora Steel is definitely the most beautiful. I read this version for the first time recently when a member of our Once Upon a Time group chose this tale as the focus for a "winner takes all" tag game we play, in which everyone who participates must send something related to the winner's chosen tale.

The imagery of the language in the Steel version is very beautiful, and although it's a dark story it's quite lovely as well. I made a set of bookmarks for the winner using vintage illustrations and quotes from the story, and attached dusky rose lace ribbon after laminating them.

If you'd like a set of your own, feel free to download the Rose Tree bookmarks here. (For personal, not commercial use, of course.) It's really a pleasure to make things for someone and have the results turn out to be something you can easily reproduce for yourself, too!

wee wonderfuls book review

If you’re a crafter who reads a lot of blogs, you’ve probably come across Hillary Lang’s work at some point on her Wee Wonderfuls blog, which chronicles her adventures in toymaking, quilting, and other creative activities. Hillary’s blog, which was started in 2004, led to a thriving online shop, which has now led to a beautiful new book. Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love is brimming with ideas and projects to sew at home that are, well, just wonderful.

The whimsical sweetness of Hillary’s designs is appealing to crafters of all levels, and the book is written in a cheerful, encouraging tone that makes no project seem too difficult to tackle. The bright colors and interesting fabric choices are lovely to peruse, and the author ably demonstrates her techniques for creating distinctive hair styles using different materials, including ribbon, stitched yarn, cut yarn, etc. This trend toward full color, hardback craft books with cloth spines is a pleasing one, since it eliminates the waste and shabby corners of a dust jacket while maintaining the good quality of a hardcover.

The projects in Wee Wonderfuls include soft animals, dolls wearing real clothes, embroidered and decorated pillows, bags shaped like animals, and more, all of which are appropriate for gift-giving. My favorite projects are probably Hillary’s versions of a topsy turvy doll (pictured in yellow on the book cover), as well as bookish Evelyn Inchworm and her flowered head scarf. (I usually try to make a project from each book I review, but various minor injuries prevented that this time, so you’ll have to look at these beautiful professional photos from STC Craft instead!)

Each charming toy is accompanied by a short anecdote with the source of Hillary’s inspiration for the piece. The stories are just long enough to give a little peek into her creative world without being distracting, and they enhance the reader’s appreciation for the featured doll or animal. The usual basic glossary and sewing techniques are covered here, along with a satisfying list of online resources. The book also includes all the patterns necessary for each toy, which may be photocopied and enlarged as needed.

This book is a must-have for any fan of Hillary's work, as well as for any crafter who loves quality handmade toys. The toys are adorable, the projects are fun, and the book will be one you'll reach for again and again for inspiration.

Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love

ISBN: 978-1-58479-858-3

168 pages, hardback

Price: $27.50

Color

Skill Level: All

Usability: Excellent

Check back next week for my interview with Hillary! You can also try out some of Hillary's projects through the links below.


Free Wee Wonderfuls Projects:
Mermaiden pattern
Wee Wonderfuls blog freebies


Photographs and review copy courtesy of STC Craft.

two children's poems + download

Do you have a favorite children's poem? There's something about the classics that are endlessly appealing, and I do so enjoy sharing them.

I recently hosted a Share a Favorite Children's Poem swap, and I sent my partner a copy of Nancy Willard's "The King of Cats Sends a Postcard to His Wife." I've loved this poem since I first read it as a young adult, since it's a touching letter that inquires after the well-being of many members of his household. As you read it, however, you begin to realize that the king has a very specific reason for writing...he wants to make sure all is well, since he can no longer be there to take care of everyone himself. It's a well-written, imaginative poem that's also incredibly thoughtful and sweet. I lost my own father right around the time that I first read this poem, so in retrospect it may have struck a particularly poignant note.

I also sent my partner a copy of another poem that means quite a lot to me. When my husband and I were married, we asked one of our best friends if he would read two poems during the ceremony. One of the poems was Shakespeare's beautiful Sonnet 116, of course, and the other was "The Owl and the Pussycat." It's a charming, tripping tale full of humor and whimsy, which was just the right bit of "us" in all the solemnity and quiet of the day.

If you'd like a copy of the poem, I've put it into a pdf that may be downloaded here, and it includes the text from the poem along with Edward Lear's original 1871 sketches. Perhaps you'll enjoy sharing it with a friend, too!

bookmarks for soldiers + download

When I read about a Swap-Bot project that sent handmade bookmarks for soldiers, I thought it would be nice to join in.

Although the bookmarks didn't have to be specifically themed, I still wanted to do something that was a little tailored to the recipients.  I decided to put thoughtful quotes together with some favorite images from children's books illustrations, and I printed them out and stitched them onto cardstock for extra weight.

Click on the photo to see a larger image and to read the quotes. I like them all, but I think the Pooh one is my favorite!

This is an ongoing project, so if you'd like to send in some handmade bookmarks of your own, there's still plenty of time to participate. Send sturdy bookmarks (no glitter, please) to:

Handmade Bookmarks for Soldiers
c/o Misty Davis
8697 Infirmary Road
Ravenna, OH 44266

The bookmarks will be tucked into a big shipment of books going overseas. Because it's for our soldiers, I also included this little label on the back as well...I thought it was mightily appropriate.

And for you, lovely friends, I thought I'd share the bookmarks with you so you can make your own. You may download the bookmark pdf file and print them out to your heart's content, although of course they are for personal, not commercial use. Just mount them onto cardstock and laminate, or stitch them up if you like.

If you'd like a copy of the leaflet of Rossetti poems I made earlier this week, you may also download the files here and here. Just use spray adhesive to put the pages together, then trim the edges as needed. I hope you'll enjoy both projects!

tutorial: peter rabbit matching + memory game

There have been a few memory games floating out there in the craft-o-sphere recently, so I decided to make my own version as part of the care package we're putting together for our niece. She's a just a little tyke, so for now she can just match up the identical pairs as a matching game until she's ready to turn them over and play with the chips as a memory game.

I'm including simple instructions below on how you can make your own matching + memory game below, using materials you can easily find at your local craft store or online. I've also included a download for the Peter Rabbit images I used for this game. Hope your little one enjoys!

Materials:

acrylic paint
paint brush
sheet of images
pencil
18 plain 1" wood checkers
scissors
craft glue
exacto knife
Mod Podge

Instructions:

1. Paint one side and the edges of each of your checkers, and set aside to dry.

2.  Choose the images you'd like to use for your game and size them down to fit 1" game pieces, creating two copies of each different image. Print them out on a single sheet of paper. If you'd like to use the same Beatrix Potter images featured here, you may download a copy of the illustrations. (Not to be used for commercial purposes, of course.)

3. Using your a checker and pencil, trace a circle around each image. Cut them out with your scissors. No need to be too precise; you'll be trimming them down further with a crafting knife.

4. Apply a little watered down glue to an unpainted checker piece, covering most of the surface. Place your cut-out images carefully down on the checker, and smooth out the surface to get rid of air bubbles. Repeat for all the checker pieces.

5. Use an exacto knife to trim the excess paper carefully around the edges.

6. Apply several thin coats of acrylic sealer to the papered surface, allowing to dry completely.

That's it! Quick and easy project that may be completed in one evening. I also made a little matching drawstring bag to put them in, although a pretty tin or a decoupaged box would be charming, too.