I have always loved making cards. As soon as I could fold a piece of paper in half, I started making cards for everyone that I knew! A card is a lovely, inexpensive way to make someone feel special. And giving cards to friends and family may be something of a lost art, in the world of texts and email, but that just makes giving and receiving a paper card even more wonderful. Now, I sell my handmade cards in a few local markets, and at a local restaurant every couple of months. 

I love to collect vintage images, and use them on my cards. I also like to use old photographs. I have made custom cards with photographs of the recipient, a personal touch for a special occasion. Here a card with one of my favourite photos of my Grandma Dubitz, with two of her younger brothers:

I like to use found items on my cards as much as possible. I love to go to garage sales and find little bits and bobs to put on my cards. I am lucky enough to have friends and family that collect things for me to add to my work...broken jewelery, bits of lace, buttons! 

A friend of mine makes wonderful jewelery using the inner works of watches...but she does not use the faces...so she gives them to me! You would be surprised what you can find if you talk to other crafters and artists.

I take lace, and with a few stitches, it turns into a one-of-a kind embellishment. There are some great videos online that show how to make great flowers and other embellishments. Search "lace flowers" or "shabby chic flowers" on youtube, and you will find a treasure trove of ideas and tutorials. Below you can see an example of how a simple piece of lace can add so much to a card:

                                                   

I like to crochet medallions and add them to the cards. Embroidery floss gives you the ability to match colours perfectly.

                                             

Time in my art room is good therapy for me. It is the best for my mental health in general.  As someone who lives with anxiety and depression, self-care is priority for me, and time in my art room is truly the best self care there is. When I work on my cards, I think about the colours, the images, how all the tiny elements come together to make something beautiful.  My mind focuses on the art, and the monkey chatter that usually happens in my brain quiets. When I work on my pieces, and that creative flow starts to happen, the dark wolf quiets and any negative energy I may have just melts away.

I do not mass produce my cards, I look at each card as an individual piece of art, from start to finish. Although I may use an image multiple times, because of the found items that I am using, the cards are truly one-of-a-kind. It may take me a little longer, but it is truly the process that I enjoy most, and I think that it shows in the finished work. When someone receives one of my cards, they truly receive a gift from the heart. Not just from the giver, but from my artist heart as well.

my set up at Barb & Ernie's

This weekend, I will be spending April 1st at a local restaurant, Barb & Ernie's Old Country Inn. Barb & Ernie's is owned an operated by some friends of mine named Char and Thomas Feuchter. Char and Thomas generously allow me to set up a table in the restaurant and show my art to their patrons on regular basis. It is such a positive experience for me, getting to meet new people, and to show off my art.  

Not to mention the feedback! More often than not, I will have a young person stop at my table, often a budding artist themselves, and we will have a great talk about how you can still make pretty things even when you are an adult! Plus it is common knowledge that Barb & Ernie's has some of the best breakfast in town, so it is a win-win for me!  
 

I have a profile on Facebook, called Nicolette Anderson's Handmade Greeting Cards, where I post my cards, and advertise my sales. When I look at it, I am shocked at how many cards I have created, even in the last few years. Making art may take hours, but it is time well spent. It does my heart, and my head, good. And I hope that some of that good magic stays with the cards after they leave me. 

I think that I will always make my cards. If I didn't sell them, I would just have a room full of them. They make me happy. I hope that they make all of you happy, too! 

For the Love of Barbie

When I was a little girl, I loved my Barbie Dolls - I would play with them for hours and hours.

My dolls had a case full of clothes, which included outfits that had been knit and crocheted by my Grandma Vincent, and also clothes that had been sewn by my mother. Those were always my favourites, the clothes that were made especially for me.  

One Christmas, I received the most amazing present - a collection of wooden Barbie furniture. I was so excited! My best friend and I would alternate between her house and mine - taking over the basement rumpus rooms for days on end as we created our Barbie houses across the floors. 

My tiny german dollies

I had a few miniature german dolls that I have now discovered were Ari miniature dolls from  Germany - they promptly became my Barbie's babies.  For me, my Barbie play was about creating a home, and a family - which was what I dreamed of for myself one day.

When I grew up, my Barbies and the collection of furniture, was lovingly packed up and put away. I kept all of it, and when I left home and started my own family, it came with me, always having a home in one storage space after another.

When my daughter Amanda came along, I was delighted to discover that I had a little girl who loved Barbie like I did! And out came my box of Barbie treasures. 

I have to admit, I was hesitant at first to hand over my treasures...what if they broke? What if they were ruined? But then I realized that dolls are meant to be played with, not boxed up collecting dust. So my dolls became Amanda's dolls. How happy those Barbies must have been, to come out of their dark storage box after so many years, and be back in the hands of a lovely little girl!  The Barbie collection grew, with the addition of Amanda's new generation dolls from Christmases and birthdays.

My little girl in the nineties

Well, time has passed, and my little girl grew up. The Barbie collection was once again boxed up and placed on my shelf. 

Amanda blessed us with our first granddaughter six years ago. And I am lucky enough to have another girl with a love of Barbie in the family! I am getting to play with Barbies again! 

I am also getting to be the "crafty grandma" and getting to fill Mom and Grandma's shoes, by creating Barbie clothes for my granddaughter. Not a sewer by any means (my sewing machine is strictly used for sewing paper these days), I am sticking to primarily crochet for my contributions. 

A couch I made

I have combed the internet for crochet patterns, and have found some amazing sources. However, with different yarns in my stash, and different hook sizes, I have found that I can only use these patterns as a "frame of reference" so that my biggest successes have been with my own "designs". I keep my Barbie model close at hand and try the garments on her as I go.  Keeping in mind that dressing Barbie in her clothes can be a challenge for younger ones, I am conscious of making the clothes easy to pull on and off, and that they have loose sleeves (if any) and sturdy, easy to use fasteners. 

Some of my creations

Most are quick projects, and I get a great sense of accomplishment, and a feeling of mastery each time I complete another addition to Barbie's wardrobe. It answers to the little girl in me, and I get to make one of my favourite people in the world happy as well!

P.S. I have made another attempt at furniture, thanks to this post on youtube:

https://youtu.be/v1vT90VNpa0 

It was fun, and I hope to make more, so stay tuned!

If you create anything for Barbie, please share in the comments below...let's inspire eachother!

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