FREE Friday: Thank You Note Printable and Get Your Irish Up

It Doesn't Cost Anything to Say Thanks

Hey there gang. How's it going? I am personally pretty darn happy that it's Friday.  Not that there isn't a lot on my desk, because there is, but I do love the weekend (even if some of it will be spent designing). And this weekend is St. Patrick's Day weekend, a long-standing national holiday in our house.

You know what else?

Go on, guess.

Well, did you know that I'm so very thankful that you're here.

I am. You guys are awesome!

So, for you........a FREE printable thank you note.

Simple.

To the point.

I designed this free printable note card, two to an 8.5 x 11 page and it fits in a regular A2 note card envelope 4 3/8" x 5 3/4" (you'll find them at Staples and elsewhere).

Do you have anyone who you need to thank? This free printable note card is a nice way to do it.

 

FREEform Friday

Being that my other half is from Dublin, this is a celebratory kind of weekend for us. We both usually take Saint Patrick's Day off, but this year work calls. Don't despair. We'll be taking care of business ahead of time. There will be lots of Irish music playing, we plan on visiting our favorite local Irish pub with friends for some music and merriment tomorrow, and Sunday we have an invite for a lovely meal of corned beef and cabbage.  In honor of St. Patrick, I figure it's time to get your Irish up!

A selection of some favorites from The Dubliners and Paddy Reilly. Click here if you're reading via email: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  

That is one of the hardest songs to sing and keep singing. Luke Kelly does it without nary a deep breath.




Nothing like The Dubliners and The Pogues to get you going. We had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie Drew in NYC once by chance, and he sounded exactly the same in person. That voice- so much character, as was he.



 How's that for a little Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day?

 And then there is Paddy Reilly, who I just think is a wonderful balladeer.




Lastly, a song I can sing word for word. And I do. Often.

That does not mean, however, that I sing it good. But Paddy Reilly does.





What are you plans for this St. Patrick's Day weekend? Any celebrating or are you just hanging low and chilling?

Whatever you do, make it a good one.

Ciao for now,

FREE Friday: Printable Gift Wrap

Christmas In Black And White Wrapping Paper

It's Free Friday and I have a FREE printable for you- gift wrap!  On this day after Thanksgiving, already our minds turn to Christmas.  There are many upcoming festive celebrations from house parties and dinner parties to spending low key holiday time with family and friends. Then of course, there is the gift giving which is where today's printable leads us.

Inspired by classic black and white, with nod to the simplicity of Scandinavian design, the 'Christmas in Black and White' free gift wrap set contains three different wrapping paper designs for you to dress up your packages this holiday season. Tip: if you want these designs at a larger size, you can have them enlarged at your neighborhood copy center like Staples or Kinkos.  For extra large sheets, think of having them copied as engineering prints like these. This free printable wrapping paper design is black and white, which makes that a perfect option for wrapping larger packages.

Download the Christmas in Black & White Set here.

The 'Christmas In Black & White' set would look great with the chalkboard gift tags I shared last Friday.

I hope you enjoy using it to spread some holiday cheer.


Speaking of holiday cheer, if you're in the States, how was your Thanksgiving?  Ours was perfect.  Relaxing morning filled with the smell of apple pies baking.  Then off to my brother and sister-in-law's house for turkey with all the fixings.  Lots of delicious food starting with appetizers (as if we needed those) including the prosciutto roll ups I shared yesterday and not one, but two turkeys this year (apparently there was a shortage of large birds, hence the two instead of one big one).  Brother Bill is the official carver.

Dinner was followed by the Pie Off.  I think nephews Pat and Joe tied this year.  Which means they each enjoyed a piece of pumpkin, a piece of apple, a piece of pecan, and a piece of chocolate pudding pie and a piece of lobster tail pastry from Mike's in the North End. It was all delicious. There were lots of laughs too, especially when my sister-in-law Kelly presented my father with his 'gravy master' award for making the gravy every year.....here he is with his new giant whisk!

 

I hope yours was as good.  So blessed to sit around a table with people we love and have our plates full of delicious food. There are so many who are not so lucky. It's good to be thankful for the things we sometimes take for granted.

FREEform Friday

Have I ever told you that I love The Highwaymen- Johnny, Willie, Kris, and Waylon. Damn they were good. I have a special place in my heart for Mr. Kristoferson. I just love the man.......Rhodes scholar or not, this guy can write one hell of a song (including Bobby McGee..........yes, that Bobby McGee).  Here's another song he wrote with all four of them performing.  I love a song that tells a story. Click here if you're reading via email.




I hope you have a great weekend. No set plans here, but I'd love to start decorating and perhaps get that first Christmas craft underway or completed......among other things. We'll just play it by ear and see how all of that goes.

Have a good one.

Ciao for now,

Another FREE Printable & A Bear

Paying It Forward

I'm a big proponent of paying it forward, spreading good karma and the like. I also think it's important to say thank you. So, in keeping with that I'd like to say thank you for being here and thank you for following.

I've designed a lovely set of gift cards just for you!  They are based on my chinese lantern design, that was waiting to be turned into something special. Gift tags are it!

There are three different tag designs, and two different sizes......regular and mini.

So if you'd like to print these gift tags, just click on the image below and save to your computer or copy and paste into a file.  They've been designed to be used on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.

You could even print them on a full label sheet and stick them on a present. Whatever you like my dear followers. It's all up to you! Please note: I am happy to provide these freebies to you, but for your personal use only. Thank you.

And, since I don't seem to have the capability to offer it to you as a pdf via the blog (still looking into that- if anyone has tips, I am all ears) , I'd be more than happy to provide it to you that way if you send me an email.

Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my.

OK, no lions or tigers. Just a bear. One bear.

Yesterday, even though it was Labor Day here in the States, I really wanted some 'creative' time. Which to me, isn't work. It's a happy place. So create I did. I showed you my You Are Here printable design yesterday (now available at Bates Mercantile Co.).  Today, introducing my latest printable wall art design......'Hey. Today is going to be a great day.'

That bear just makes me happy.

The best part is, I designed this illustration with a picture I'd seen of a real bear in mind, and the bear was sitting just like that. Too funny.

I hope you enjoyed the weekend in your corner of the world. Our weekend was full and lots of fun.

And 'hey. today is going to be a great day.' wherever you are, and here in Stratham. 

Free & Cheesey

Friday Freebies

Since it's Friday, which means of course that there is good reason to celebrate, I thought I'd give you lovely followers a 'Friday Freebie'.  OK, two Friday Freebies. 

These two designs were made for 4"x2" labels, but you can do whatever you'd like with them.

I've already used the pink one, as you can see, on my Bates Mercantile Co. file. And the label even matches my toes. Sweet!

Just click right on the label designs below to save the image to your computer. 

How cute would this be to label things in a little girl's room?

And I think this gray one would look super in a pantry. 

But they're yours to do as you wish. Just a little thanks for being here.


A Day Without Cheese.........You're kidding, right?

Monday morning, after we'd been away for three days, I went to get milk for my tea only to find it was a little sour smelling.  Bummer. Wait, not a bummer. I remembered that I had read this recipe for making cheese from sour milk on LeVoyageCreatif.

Straight from Marie's typing hands to my mouth. Gar and I declare it good stuff. I thank her for sharing this recipe on her blog.

How to make the cheese:

Ingredients

Sour milk or kefir

Herbs

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

How to:

Pour the amount of kefir or milk in a pot and heat it up slowly.

You don’t need to stir.

(Marie is right, you really don't need to stir. It just does it's own thing.)

When it boils ever so slightly let it simmer till the cheese curds has separated from the milk water.

When the cheese curds are all gathered at the top of the milk water, pour the content over a sifter and let the curds lump up while draining the milk water.

(See how the curds all gathered and left the milk water at the bottom of the pot?

Cool, right?)

(Sorry this is blurry, I was interrupted by a lost doggie. I found his owner and walked him back home, but in the flurry of excitement, missed getting a decent picture)

When left with only cheese curds pour it over in a bowl and mix it with whatever spices or herbs you like.

(I used oregano, chives, thyme and lemon balm from the garden, and of course some sea salt and crushed pepper for good measure.)

Mix well and store with a lid in the fridge.

How's this for my first try? Looking and tasting mighty fine if I do say so myself. Thanks again to Marie for the recipe. Check out the little crock/bowl Marge also scored at the yard sale.....cute and perfect for my first batch of homemade cheese.

The cheese is fairly mild. Marie says after a few days it takes on a more mature flavor. Ready to have some for our usual Friday Night Appetizer Fest.

I hope you have a great weekend where you are. Got any plans? Tonight we're thinking campfire out back in the fire pit, and tomorrow we're gonna dance the night away at our friend Pearl's 50th birthday pah-TEE. Whoop Whoop!! I do LOVE to dance! 

Cross My Heart

You are such nice followers, I think you deserve a lovely free printable. Promise. Cross my heart. It's free. You can print these poppies, frame and hang wherever you like. I'm sure many of you crafters could think of other things to do with this ..........use for decoupage, turn into stationery note cards, transfer onto a pillow case, use as gift wrap....the possibilities are endless. Thanks to TheGraphicsFairy and a little design license by me.  First, I took the poppy image that I found at TheGraphicsFairy, who I thank for providing it for free, then applied some filters in photoshop, applied a pattern over it in illustrator and a few other steps and viola- an instant botanical for you.  Complete with a John Keats quote: Through the dancing poppies stole, a breeze most softly lulling to my soul.”  -John Keats


Just right click on image to enlarge and save to your computer. Of course, if you're not a follower, it would be wicked cool if you became one and then right clicked the image. Wink wink. Nudge nudge.

Look how pretty it is matted and framed!

Love! And don't forget to visit our store, Bates Mercantile Co., to see our other printables and vintage goodies.

On another note, you may have noticed Mercantile Muse's new look. I'm still working on it, changing colors and fonts styles, etc.  So don't mind the mess while I work. Oh yeah, and don't forget to enjoy the poppies freebie! Just a little thanks for being here.

Sunset Meadows

Some storms rolled through yesterday at the end of the day, but broke for a lovely sunset.

The way the light was shining through the rain, I just knew we'd be in for a rainbow. I kept going to our east side windows and checking one and then, sure enough, there it was.



No pot of gold, but the sunset was worth at least that.

The meadow looked so pretty and the sunset stretched all the way around the sky.

It was a beautiful thing.

I hope your Tuesday is wonderful, wherever you are.

Pam