Make Your Own Envelopes

Though I rarely actually read the articles, I love magazines. It's the ads and photos that I devour. Those slick, glossy pages of color get me ripping up my mags and clipping my favorite bits to be treasured and shared, pasted to bill envelopes or postcards mailings. Here's a simple project to make your own envelopes. You can make cards from cardstock or just fill your envelope with tiny paper bits- photos, a funny comic, the ticket stub from the last great movie you saw...

Gather Supplies:

1. Paper

I use magazines but fancy cardstock, wrapping paper, maps, scrapbooking paper, newsprint and more are all options.

2. Scissors

Dollar Tree has super sharp scissors that last forever and you won't cry when they get lost.

3. Glue stick

Elmer's classic glue stick is the best. It tends to not pucker the paper.

4. Envelope Template

Carefully open an envelope you like the shape of or download one of Ruth Anns.

5. Ball Point Pen

A stylus is best for fine papers and cardstock but you need a pen to see the line on magazines.

Craft:

Trace your template onto magazine pages, after tearing from mag, and cut out.

Be sure you flip your cut-out envelope over before folding and gluing so your favorite side ends up on the outside.

Fold the side flaps A & B in first, using your nail to make a sharp fold.

Run glue stick on top of flaps A & B and fold large, bottom flap C up, pressing to seal to side flaps.

Fill with love notes. When you're ready to seal, fold the smaller remaining flap down and seal with glue, a sticker, or use a return address label. Use another white lable on the front to address. Have a question or have a suggestion on this tutorial? Email me. missamyo at charter.net

Harold the Vintage Suitcase

Meet Harold. He showed up one day and has decided to stay for the long term. I think he will hold winter jackets and sweaters. Then again my stationary collection is growing faster that I can write and Harold is terribly roomy...

Hard-case vintage suitcases are fun to paint with acrylics and can be sealed to prevent scratching. I have seen tables made of them as well. But for now, I'm going to love Harold just the way he is and fill him full of pretty papers galore!

Meet Connie. She came to me thanks to Freecycle, a localized email list where stuff is given and received with no expectation of getting anything in return. After traveling the world, she became a dress-up trunk, holding fabulous dresses, glittery scarves, and heels far too big for their owner. Having outgrown her need for a dress-up up trunk, her owner wanted to find her a happy home instead of dumping her. She has kindly come my way. Connie is now my sweater case. Who needs a dresser when you have a handy dandy boyfriend to build you shelves and Freecycle as a resource for the perfect place for too many sweaters! See what is waiting to come your way or send something unwanted out to the world at Freecycle.org.

Two Decades: Photography by Liam

A few pictures by my youngest son, Liam (AKA William), age 10. Photography and words by Liam.

I took a picture through the lens of my old Instamatic camera with our new digital camera.

I tried to make this gnome look like a 50's gardening ad.


This is the camera I took a picture through the lens posted at the top. It is an Instamatic X-45 vintage camera. I also have in my vintage camera collection a collapsible Poloroid SX-45 Land Camera and a 60's Bentley Super 8 movie camera.

I simply pressed the lens button to see what I could get of the sprinkles. And what it turned out to be, in my opinion, was a crowd of people at a park or in a parking lot!

By: Liam A.B.

The fabulous gnome hiding in the candy canes can be found at Full Circle in downtown San Luis Obispo, CA.

Send a Postcard Today: PostcardX

Maggie called with plans for Christmas card craftin'. She called the right girl- head cold be darned- I'm always up for some mail art. Maggie brought tasty treats of croissant and coffee cake, I provided the coffee (cream, no sugar) and one large dining room table. We each had supplies galore to share. We each opened our present from each other early.

Letters, postcards, hang-tags, anything that will stand still long enough, will eventually be decorated by me, written on and mailed away. Sometimes to perfect strangers.

Growing up without family nearby didn't stop me from knowing them or feeling close because I was the excited recipient of fantastic letters from my Uncle Bill, Grandad and great-aunts. We may of seen each other only a couple of times a year but I knew and know them well through their penmanship (Auntie's beautiful swoops and curls, Aunt Iris' neat script, Bill's tiny, messy print, Grandad's yellow legal paper...), stories about their every day life, and feeling loved by the small effort of a hand written letter.

I love writing letters and thinking of someone opening their mail box to a bright red envelope amongst the small, white reminder notices. Or, even better, a handmade envelope from an old map found at the thrift shop. Hence my love for Postcardx. Simply put, postcardx is a listing of people who like to send and receive real mail. Send a postcard with no return address just for fun. Search by hobby to find a penpal. List yourself and see what pops up in your mailbox.

Craigslist: Buy, Sell, Find for Free

I love Craigslist. Catch phrases on t-shirts aren't my thing but I would wear an 'I love CL' tee.
Free moving boxes from the "Free" category were given to me and then passed on again through CL. After combining households, some furniture was voted off of the island. My couch was one of them:


She found a new home and we found a new couch- all on Craigslist.

Betsey, my beach cruiser, was put on CL for about 24 hours before she found a new owner. Here's my good-bye portrait of Betsey with her new friend & owner.


Have an old filing cabinet in the garage or a bunny that needs a home? Put it on Craigslist!

Need a bunk bed or a 'new-to-you' dining room table? Find it on Craigslist. Looking for a snazzier office space, more interesting job or a ride-share? Now you know where to go.

It's free, easy, and local. 'Nuff said.

Bird Cookies

Janet is a friend I met through my son, Liam. She's a teacher at Sinsheimer Elementary after school program, Sun 'n Fun. The first year we moved to San Luis from Pismo Beach, Sun 'n Fun was full. We juggled work and three different schools around 8:25 am to 2:25pm. Wowie-zowie, what a luxury to have a space at on-site childcare! The second year we got in and were able to meet Janet, a loving teacher who gets 'in the mix' with the kids. Bird Cookies were her wonderful contribution to the Cookie Exchange party and I can't stop thinking about them! Here is a similiar recipe to keep you busy over Winter Break or on a cold winter day.

We've all covered a pine cone in peanut butter, rolled it in birdseed, and hung it on the tree for the birdies to nibble on. If you haven't, stop right now and go get sticky. Then come back and try these treats:

Bird Cookies:
1/2c peanut butter
1/2c flour
1 1/2c birdseed
Mix. Shape in balls. Squash to about 1/2" thick. Poke a hole on top with a straw. Bake at 425 degrees for 30min. Cool. Hang by ribbon or string outside and wait for the birds to come and enjoy!
Note: Wildbirds Unlimited in the Marigold Plaza is a local shop with a large selection of seeds and bird goods.