It's More Than A Photo

How many times have you sat down at your work table and tried to think up something to create? Often I start an idea and then trash it, or start something else and am unable to get those ideas down just the way I imagined them. When I finally settle down and focus, I realize that I connect most of my art to what my heart and head are telling me to do. It is way easier to just begin and see what happens.

My latest collaborative project entitled "Self-Portrait involves a page of my past, the present, and my future. This page will be my second page, obviously a non-traditional photo of the Adams Family. I really had fun working with some digital art, and adding faces of my family.

"It's never too late

to become the person

you always meant

to be."

February Recipe

Honestly, I don't know whether I enjoy baking the food I create or coming up with new recipe cards! This is an old recipe I received from a friend when I worked at General Motors. It is a yummy cake, especially if you are a chocoholic.

CREDITS: "January, 2011 Calendar" by Becky Loyall, Whymsical Musings and Moonlight Journey.

It's Never Too Late

Self-Portrait, 1948

"Anybody who has survived his childhood

has enough information about life

to last him the rest of his days."

~Flannery O'Connor

CREDITS: Background images from Moonlight Journey.

I love creating these colorful recipe cards, but I especially cherish my time at our local scrapbooking store where we exchange these cards on the first Thursday of each month. Sometimes we share tea or coffee from lovely china cups, but mostly we share the food described on our recipe cards.

But more than this store setting or our delicious goodies, we chat . . . everything from the decadent dessert someone brings, to what matters most to those of us that share these recipes.

I have come to realize that the food we prepare can bring us together and the simple breaking of bread among friends is that which nourishes our souls, more than simply a late afternoon snack.

TIP: Use a pretty plate;

it makes good food taste even better.

Set a pretty table;

it makes a simple meal

an occasion to celebrate

the everyday.

Raspberry Fairy Salad

I can't believe it is almost the end of January! Here is my latest creation using the beautiful images from Moonlight Journey entitled "Fairy Folded Cards." With just a little bit of cropping I just simply added my recipe.

Merry Christmas to You

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

A holiday wouldn't be complete without creating a special Christmas card and mailing them out to family and friends. This extraordinary angel image is available through Moonlight Journey's 2010 Calendar. You can personalize, crop and edit in a snap and mail them out in just a few days. By the way, don't miss out on a cyber sale at their site!

Thank you all for your kindness and devotion in visiting my blog this year. Merry Christmas everyone!

November Recipe Card

One of the best ways to cheer up a friend is with an old-fashioned sweet treat. And this one was introduced to me at a dinner party many years ago. This brownie recipe is not only beautiful in appearance, but down right spectacular in taste.

By either placing this recipe in a Christmas baking dish, or cutting them up individually and placed on a seasonal plate, you will be hooked. You can pass out a batch of "good cheer" to those that are in need of some extra love.

CREDITS: Images from Moonlight Journey "Vintage Ladies Holiday Pennant Banner" and Creative Memories.

Pretty Gift Card Holders

Packaging gifts is something I like to do. I do have some loved ones that are hard to buy for or prefer giftcards or cash. I love to give people what they really want, but I look for ways to make it special. Call me fussy, I just challenged myself for unique ways of giving giftcards and cash.

I simply cut two squares of fabric (good side outward), stitched around three sides leaving an opening, and then used pinking shears to add a pretty edge. I didn't want the giftcard to take center stage, but rather blend in nicely with the paper art. Embellishing each pocket with a scalloped 1-1/2" edge on the end of the opening, and the latest images from Moonlight Journey called "Vintage Angels" work beautiful for Christmas gifts. Just imagine the possibilities, It's a great way to use up some tiny scraps of paper too!

I'll tell you that if you are making one, it's addictive. I started out making nine, and made six more that I want to coffee stain. This is a great project to make in mass so that you have gift holders on hand when you bring that giftcard home from the grocery store.

CREDITS: Lisa Super at anartsygirl.blogspot.com. and MOONLIGHT JOURNEY "Vintage Angels"

Diva Molasses Cookies

The most important thing to me is to make a cookie is that tastes great! My mom always seemed to make the best cookies, and this happens to be probably one of my favorites. She would always say to use the best ingredients you can find. And, whenever possible, serve your desserts while they are still very fresh.

I hope this recipe gives you as much joy as it gave me as a child. The molasses and ginger make it a wonderful change of pace and seems especially appropriate this time of year.

I created this recipe card using the latest images from Moonlight Journey entitled "Grunge Divas", plus papers and overlays from Creative Memories.

CREDITS: MOONLIGHT JOURNEY "Grunge Divas", Recipe from Mom

September Recipe Card

A few years ago, I was given a treasured gift by being invited to join a recipe card club. Once a month, 12 of us get together to share laughter, stories, and an empathetic ear. There is a wide range of age, style, and circumstances. Officially, we are there to exchange our recipe cards, but, in reality, for us it has meant so much more. Something magical comes together in a creative way. The best part is that we bring food! We believe it would be "just plain wrong" for there to be a lack of treats and drinks any time women get together.

I used to frequent this wonderful restaurant back in the 70's. It was called the Magic Pan. Well, over the years the restaurant closed, but I managed to conjure up the recipe by sampling this salad each visit. It may not be the "exact" taste, but it comes pretty darn close. Whenever, I bring this salad to someone's house, it is definitely a big hit.

Sweet Photo Panel

Gosh! You have probably been wondering where I've been. It's been shockingly weeks since I posted. For a starter I went on a three day/two night digital scrapbooking retreat with my friend Sherry. She is so talented, and lucky for me, shared this amazing technique to blend your photo with paper. I used Creative Memories Storybook Creator. I am so excited to continue my education with this user friendly software. It just seems like conventional scrapbooking takes so much more effort compared to whipping up a digital page in minutes.

These are my grandkids, Ethan and Lauren. I love this sweet image of them.

I promise to post soon.

May Recipes

~ Apricot Bread ~

This Apricot Nut Bread recipe was given to me by my Mom, and probably tops the list as "one of my favorites!" For some reason, it seems like I mostly bake it during the winter at Christmas.

Due to the fact that spring is finally just peeking around the corner, this is a great chicken salad recipe that I create on a sunny summer day. It makes me think of vacation, with a little hint of "south of border." I sometimes omit the clove ingredient.

~ Chicken Salad Riviera ~

CREDITS: MOONLIGHT JOURNEY'S "SENDING PANSY DREAMS" ENVELOPE, AND "FAIRY BOOKMARK AND BOOKMARK ENVELOPE"

Jane's Tomato Basil Soup

My mom has to be my "official" introduction to the kitchen. She let me scoot the kitchen chair up to the side of our beige Formica table, add some ingredients to the batter after she had already thoroughly mixed it. "Just making sure I did it right," she used to say and give me a smile. It made me feel very important and grown up! Making favorite recipes bring back these memories and helps me feel very satisfied with a yummy food creation in the present.

"Eat food. Not too much.

Mostly plants." ~ Michael Pollan

My sister, Jane, gave me this great recipe. I really like the flavors in a good tomato soup, especially when you add fresh basil. Bon Appetit.

CREDITS: "SENDING BUTTERFLY KISSES" FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

February Recipe Memories

A couple of years ago, I joined a recipe card club with some of my artistic friends at our local scrapbooking store. As time went on, I realized putting food together is an art just like everything else in life. Over this next year I will be receiving about 120 cards that measure 5" X 8." I have a special roll-top recipe box to hold them all, which really makes the journey of each month even more entertaining for me!

These were some of the cards I created, as well as, a couple of the special ones I received.

"Pa Pa's Delectible Crepe Recipe Card" designed by myself.

It is so inspiring to display my recipe cards on my kitchen counter as I begin a meal. I suppose my favorite meal is anything that's simple, or down-home cooking. I do enjoy stepping out of the box once in a while by coming up with ways to go all Italian, or do another meal all Mexican. I love traveling as it is such a good opportunity to learn more about local cultures and unique foods. I can't seem to get enough shrimp in my life.

Recipe card designed by Sherry Reiber

Recipe card designed by Andrea Wright

I wish I had more time to really develop my skills in cooking. I have a vast collection of cookbooks and family recipes just waiting to be made into really clever designs. Hopefully, you can dream along with me as I share a little bit of my kitchen.

CREDITS: "MEN WITH WINGS" BY MOONLIGHT JOURNEY, "CONSERVATORY" 2-SIDED PAPER BY 7gypsies, 'VINTAGE EPHEMERA & PHOTOGRAPHS" RUBBERSTAMP COLLECTION BY TJ DESIGNS, LLC, & RECIPE INSPIRED BY ELIZABETH MAXSON.

Mad Tea Party Brownies

Little did I know when I started an art journal a few years ago, that it was the beginning of a journey towards a series of of recipe cards with an "Alice In Wonderland" theme.

The roots of these cards came through the inspiration of my artist friends, Deb and Teri, when we began designing our "Mad Tea Party" books. That book still is a work in progress for me! Hopefully, within the next few months, I can present to you some of my special recipes focused on this "through the looking glass" theme.

CREDITS: MOONLIGHT JOURNEY "ALICE BRAG BOOK" DIGI PAK

A Witches Life Art Tag

As the bewitching hour of October 31st fast approaches, I stirred up these art Halloween tags using a digital collage I created a while back and placed them into a scanned Mason jar photo I had. I further embellished them with black fun fur yarn and silken black vine ribbon.

CREDITS: WORD AND WITCH IMAGES FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY

Witch Society Halloween Cards

Once upon a time the witches rode

In sinister and ominous parade

Upon their sticks at night, and queer lights glowed.

With eerie noises by the goblins made;

And many things mysterious there were.

For boyish cheeks to pale at through the grime

That held them brown and shadows queer would stir--

Don't you remember? -- Once upon a time.

~ James W. Foley

These "Witch Society" Halloween cards were created over the past several weeks by using some Martha Stewart holiday papers, and Ravenhead Manor Recollection sheets and frames. I love how they work so well with images from Lynne Tears and Becky Loyall of Moonlight Journey. The background within the frames "Extract of Witch Hazel" were stamped with an image from Tim Holtz's Haunted Mansion Collection CMS091. I glitzed them up with silver and gold mini glittered stars and tied with recycled sari ribbon.

Happy Haunting,

Nancy

My Frog Prince

In the old times, when it was still of some use to wish for the thing one wanted, there lived a king whose daughters were all handsome.

Near the royal castle there was a great dark wood, and in the wood under an old tree was a well. And if the time seemed long, the youngest daughter would take out a golden ball and throw it up and catch it over and over again.

Now it happened one day that the golden ball dropped to the ground near the edge of the well and rolled in. The King's daughter followed it, but the well was deep--so deep that the bottom could not be seen. She wept and wept as if she could never be comforted.

In the midst of her weeping, she heard a voice saying to her, "What ails you, King's daughter? Your tears would melt a heart of stone."

And when she looked to see where the voice came from, there was nothing but a frog stretching his thick ugly head out of the water. "I can help you fetch it," he said. "But, if you would love me, and have me for your companion, I would dive below and fetch your golden ball again."

And it came to pass that with her father's consent they became bride and bride-groom. He told her how a wicked witch had bound him by her spells, and how no one but she alone could have released him. Now they two would go together to his father's kingdom and live happily ever after.

CREDITS: ALL IMAGES WERE CREATED FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

Mad Hatter Ranch Dressing

Give yourself the gift of better health...easy to say, but sometimes so challenging a thing to do. One of our local grocery stores provides locally grown "Lettuce Alone" with an optimally fresh, nutrient rich lettuce product, free from chemicals and preservatives.

Their bag contains mixed greens, which may contain red and green leaf and romaine varieties. I love to take a peek inside their label for new recipes for salad dressings. This week was a recipe for a ranch dressing, that I entitled "Mad Hatter Ranch Dressing."

CREDITS: Dressing Recipe from "The Dressing Room" at lettucealone@carmalot.com, and the Alice In Wonderland Images are from Moonlight Journey.

Autumn Enchantment Postcards

I have been feeling the Halloween spirit in my bones lately. I really enjoyed making these autumn postcards to mail out when October draws near. With the images I am proud to use from Moonlight Journey, these adorable postcards are a cinch to make. Thank you Becky for creating these 3-1/2" X 5" Post Office Regulation Size postcards. The colors are so rich and wonderful! Who would not want to receive these lovelies?

CREDITS: "AUTUMN ENCHANTMENT" AND "WITCH POSTCARDS" CREATED BY BECKY LOYALL OF WHYMSICAL MUSINGS AND MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.