FREE Friday: Printable Pastel Polka Dot Gift Tags

Make Someone Happy This Spring

Hello Spring.

Where have you been all Winter?

There is still a chill in the air here, but the sun is trying its best and beggars can't be choosers. Regardless, I've got spring on my mind and it conjures up notions of pretty pastels, hyacinths and tulips and daffodils scenting the air, and Easter celebrations.

So, what better way make your Spring gift giving even more memorable? Why FREE printable pastel polka dot gift tags of course. There is just something about polka dots that make me downright happy and I'm here to spread a little happiness with these free printable gift tags.

I simply combined them with some wrapping paper I easily created with white paper and sharpies. That sure was easy.  Happy, happy, happy!

They'd look equally sweet as Easter basket gift tags or chocolate bunny.

They are designed 6 large and 3 minis to an 8.5 x 11 sheet. Printing on a heavier paper stock, works great. I used 110 lb plain white.

I'm sure you can think of a bunch of different ways to make your presents pop with these free printable gift tags.

You can download them here.

And by all means, spread a little happy.



FREEFORM Friday

I am ready for the weekend. It has been a busy week.  One of the best thing about the weekend is letting your hair down and having a few laughs.  Check out this post by my blogging pal Diana over at exPresso. So, to join in, here's a laugh or two for all of you. Carol Burnett is one of my favorites. She always makes me laugh. This is a classic skit that I'm sure some of you remember.........."I saw it in a window and just had to have it."  Gets me every time.  Click here if reading via email.






Here's Carol taking questions from the audience. I love seeing comics interact with live audiences and you see just how quick they are. And the Maude ringer sleighs me. She rocks. Click here if reading via email.






I hope you have a lovely weekend planned. I can't say we have anything planned.  Perhaps a campfire out back tonight or maybe a little youtube dancing and singing. You know that's the way we roll around here. I'll surely be looking for a Sunday drive which gets me away from my desk.  Other than that, we'll take whatever comes our way.  What about you? What's hot for the weekend?

Ciao for now,

Free Friday: Some Of My Favorite Free Printables

You CAN Afford These

Oh yes you can. Because they are free. FREE I tell you.

Usually on Free Friday I feature a free printable that I've designed, but today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite free printables from other designs.  There is a plethora of freebies out there on the world wide web and they come in every shape,size and form. Damn I love that we're all different, have different ideas, different styles.........that's what makes the world go 'round. Or at least, my world.

Oh my, just look at these.....

* Clean and simple- just say thank you via oh so pretty.

 

* Happy cloud greetings from oh happy day.

* Pretty watercolor flowers for Mothers Day or whenever via the allison show.

* Tweet, tweet tags or labels via world label.

* I'm a little partial to french fries, so this one really makes me smile- via moapliving.com.

* Paris is always a good idea paper city, via made by joel.

 


* Prettiness overload in this free printable rose envelope from Sweetly Scrapped.

* and one of my oldie but goodies, choose happiness note card you can download here.

 

A little free somethin', somethin' for everyone.

Check 'em out!



Freeform Friday

Did anyone other than us and my parents watch The Beatles 50th Anniversary of Coming to America special a couple of weeks ago? It made me so happy. It made me smile, and when Ringo sang Photograph, it made me cry.  That song just makes me think of all the people I've lost. Kind of like Auld Lang Syne. OK, I admit it, I've also gotten a little teary eyed at commercials.  However, if I had to pick a favorite of favorites, it would be The Beatles. The tributes were awesome, but when Paul and Ringo get together and sing it makes a big smile take over my entire face. I just love 'em.  So here's something from the concert in case you missed it or if you watched it and want more.  Click here if you're reading via email.





Have any plans for the weekend?

I do! I do!  I'm heading into beantown tomorrow and I'm going to the Isabella  Stewart Gardner Museum. At least, that is the plan. I've never been and I'm looking forward to a little 'peace out' time among beautiful art.

What's happening in your world?

Ciao for now,

FREE Friday- Printable Gift Tags

Free Printable Christmas Gift Tags-Oh Deer

Hey gang. How goes it?

It's feeling like winter here. Cold! There is snow in the air. Tomorrow night they're predicting a storm that could drop a few inches, but it's been flurrying on and off today.

So we are definitely full on into the holiday season now, Winter is just around the corner and all minds turn to celebrations.

Here's a free printable for you that will make your gift giving completely festive. (note: no deer were injured in the designing of these free printable gift tags)

Festoon a ribbon to a tag, put them on a package or a bottle, and you are good to go. Instant festivity.

Download gift tags here.

And by all means, have some fun giving gifts this year using these free printable gift tags!


FREEform Friday

Time to get in the holiday mood. Sort of. This isn't necessarily a Christmas song, but the performance is on the streets of Dublin at Christmastime and it makes me miss our family and friends in Ireland and abroad. Yes, I'm a sentimental fool. This is one of our favorites and yes, we sing along every time we play it.  If you don't know Irish music, this is a classic. Oh to be in Dublin at Christmastime.....it's been awhile. Click here to view (embedding has been disabled on youtube).



Can you tell I'm utterly relaxed today? Well. I am. I had a neck, face and shoulder massage last night. Hello heaven! It was a gift last Christmas from my sister in law and I gotta tell ya, I'm ready to book one every week. It was unbelievably awesome.

I'll be working on putting the first edition of the muse to bed this weekend. Fingers crossed it will launch at the beginning of the week. I'm running behind schedule, because my desk is incredibly busy and most of all, because I want it to be stellar! So hang tight. It is coming.

Any parties or celebrations this weekend? None for us, so we'll just hunker down for the 'storm' and see how it pans out. The wood stove will be cranking to be sure.

Have a good one.

Ciao for now,

October. It's a wrap.

Already Into November

October seems to have gone by in a blur. In the blink of an eye. Quick as a bunny. No denying it, November is here.

Before I move on to the usual November celebrations (tomorrow is my birthday and my sister's is in two weeks, and then of course, Thanksgiving), I thought I'd pull some of my favorites from October.

A big thanks to Be Our Guest posters- Kristen from By The Book Paper, Daena from Bad Rabbit Vintage, and Stacey from A Sort of Fairytale.  I appreciate the time they took to put great tutorials together.

Other October mentionables include: great vintage finds, a cozy dog, campfires out back, some newly discovered local cheese, printable organization, jewelry making, great field walks with the hound, and one crazy Halloween snowstorm.

Thanks for sharing the beginning of Fall here at the Muse. Hope you'll stick around for more.

How Are You Going to Give?

Every year, I include something handmade in my gift-giving. 

It might be stationery that I've designed, holiday felt wall hangings that I made, memory boxes, or baked goods.  The list goes on.  Any shopping that I do for the holidays is done, for the most part, in local shops. I will continue to give in this way and expand it to include some wonderful things that I've found in fellow esty shops.  There's so many possibilities it will be hard to narrow the list down.  It's about more than just supporting fellow shop owners, it's changing the way in which we give. About getting back to the simple things that mean so much. It's about what has real value, as determined by each of us.  I think things that are lovingly designed and handmade in the small studios and workshops across the world, have more value than the common mass produced things most of us can easily access.  I believe something has more value, and often has a higher price (that I'm willing to pay), because more has gone into making it. The thought and care with which something is made, is an important part of the sentiment of giving that I am trying to share with those I love. 

What will your giving be focused on this year?

Sunset Meadows

It's been awhile, with all the rain and snow we've had of late.  However, last night Mom/Marge called to say I better get the camera out. I was still at my desk. Good thing she called or I may have missed it. 

It was quite lovely.

Very wispy and feathery.

I hope your Thursday is going wonderfully. Mine is going fine and dandy. Well, sort of. You know that new printer I got? Well it arrived and it's HUGE.Which means I can't set it up yet. Gar will be busy this weekend building me a new desk configuration to house the behemoth. Isn't he lucky?  Good thing is, if I need an extra coffee table when I have company, my new printer can do double duty.

See you on the flip side.



Dreaming of France FREE Printable, Preview and a Walk

Bonjour France

I've been inundated with images of french country interiors the last few days. Perhaps someone is trying to tell me something? I'm not sure what it is, but since I have France on my mind, here's a FREE printable note card for you......Letters from France:

It includes some vintage images (one from the Graphics Fairy) and a couple of my own illustrations.

It's designed two cards to an 8.5 x 11 page. Click on image below, save to computer or copy and paste into document. Print and cut down the middle and fold in half. Stick in envelope. Easy as all that.  When is the last time you wrote a note to a loved one and actually mailed it? Getting email just isn't the same.

What's in Store

I'm busy adding merchandise to the store, and here's just a taste. 

A very cool antique piano music roll. Beethoven.

From 1900 no less.



 And some very pretty handiwork.

Someone took their time embroidering this lovely table runner. So sweet.

Stop by Bates Mercantile Co. to see what else we have in store, like the little vintage dish. 

More Fresh Air

Lucan and I got over to the field for a walk last night. It's really a great way to de-stress at the end of the day, get a little exercise, and of course some fresh air.

It started with bubbles of light.

Nose to the grindstone. Nix that. Nose to the grass. 

Love old wood. Any kind. Even this fence post. So much character.

More dandelions. Weeds or not, they're so delicate.

Not giving up the stick. No way. No how.



 A pop of color. Berry style.

A view of the barn, from the far end of the field.

One last look.



Sunset Meadows

By the time we got back across the street, the sunset was changing to this.

A final goodbye to Summer. Though I love Fall, it makes me kind of sad.

Enjoy this Thursday in your little corner of the world and I'll do the same, despite the rain. I have wellies after all.  Thanks for being here.



Roasting Romas & A FREE Printable/Missoni Inspired

More Missoni Inspiration

Chevrons on my mind.....sounds like a song. They are on my mind, so I created another design with them.  This one is for you. And it's FREE. Cool, huh?

These gift tags are colorful, hip and a little bit retro. 

Any package would be honored to have them attached. At least, that's what I've heard. I think they'd be really cute on a package wrapped in white! But, that's just me. You do whatever you'd like. 

Talk about fun!

Here you go:

Click on picture above, save to computer or copy and paste. These gift tags are set up to be printed on an 8.5 x 11 paper. I also have an idea running around my head for note cards using one of these designs. Stay tuned for an update, as I'm hoping to have them in our store, Bates Mercantile Co., later today.

The Heavenly Smell of Romas Roasting

Finally, the Roma tomato post.....I'm a few days behind on this one. Sorry about that. If you have Roma tomatoes growing in your garden like we do, or can get your hands on some at farmers' market, you need to try this. You won't be sorry.  I had no idea I could roast and freeze my tomatoes until my friend Carey (aka Martha) told many years ago. I've been roasting them ever since, and there is nothing like being in the middle of the winter and being able to add garden tomatoes to a dish for some wonderful flavor.

Here's the scoop (and yes, I know I spelled caramelizing wrong above, but I'm too lazy to change it now):

* you need enough Romas to fill a cookie sheet- if they're big, you can cut in two

* I use a well seasoned cookie sheet- that is to say, one I've roasted a lot of veg on with olive oil. Or one you don't care about 'becoming' well seasoned.

*this is a slow cooking process, but one that doesn't need a ton of tending to

*Romas are the tomatoes of choice for this because they are a meaty tomato with not a lot of seeds. I do also throw some cherries in there too if i have them.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Cut Romas in half if they're on the larger side. Leave them whole if they're on the smaller side.  Grease the pan with extra virgin olive oil. I give it a good glug over the sheet and then spread with a paper towel. Sprinkle pan with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Place tomatoes on cookie sheet and sprinkle with more sea salt and pepper.  Pop in oven and let them do their thing. Check about once every hour and turn. It takes several hours on low heat for them to first, caramelize, and then start looking more like a sun dried tomato. There's no golden rule here, do them until they are done how you like them. I'd say at least until they caramelized and start to brown on the edges.  They do stick a bit due to oil and the natural sugar in the tomato, just use a spatula to flip. I have a little metal one that works great. I like to finish them facing up so that they get a little dryer.  That's it. The flavor is out of this world.

Not the best picture, but you get the idea.  If you can stop yourself from eating them all right then and there, let them cool and you can pop them in a freezer bag. Make sure all the air is out, seal and throw it in the freezer. Take out in middle of Winter, and remember why you do all that work in your garden or why you like farmers' market so much. If you have a home office like I do, you can do them any day. If not, the weekend is a great time to do this when you're hanging around the house.

So delicious. Trust me.

Sunset Meadows

Gorgeous day yesterday. 84F. We won't see that much longer, supposed to drop tonight. May have to cover my tomatoes because some are still ripening. 

I caught the sunset before I hopped into the pool last night. I've got to get in while I can. It was out of this world......74F and glorious.

Back to the sunset.  Beautiful streams of light.

A big, bright.................

.........ball of fire.

Hot, but very cool.

Thursday already. How'd that happen? Make it a great one in your little corner of the world.

Peace out.