Envelope #120

April 30, 2014

Fourth month complete. One-third the way through. Variation on a theme continues for this week.

Envelope #119

April 29, 2014

Envelope #118

April 28, 2014

Envelope #117

April 27, 2014

Follow the yellow brick road. Sharpies, Microns and Watercolor

Envelope #116

April 26, 2014

Envelope #115

April 25, 2014

Envelope #114

April 24, 2014

Project #15--Bullets Over Broadway Note Cards

I am still making Opening Night gifts for the members of the cast--although Opening Night was several weeks ago. There are 29 members of the cast so this still might take a while. For the Leading and Featured men in the cast, I made note cards that use one of their quotes from the show.

Envelope #113

April 23, 2014

Envelope #112

April 22, 2014

Iron Craft 2014 Challenge #8--Easter Eggs (Project 16)

The eighth Iron Craft Challenge was dedicated to Spring. While we have had another cold snap in NYC, Spring has teased us with several nice days followed by several cold, windy and chilly days. For me, Spring has always been represented by flowers and Easter.

So for my Spring project, I decided to share some of my Easter eggs. The smaller chicken eggs was posted previously but the larger goose eggs are new for this challenge. The smaller eggs were silk die and over-dyed.

The larger goose eggs were done with a silk dyeing technique but were left with a matte finish. The goose egg in the middle was marbled using fingernail polish.

Envelope #111

April 21, 2014

Envelope #110

April 20, 2014

Envelope #109

April 19, 2014

Easter Egg Envelope

Envelope #108

April 18, 2014

Project #13--Love Note Cards

Not only did the cast get an Opening Night Mini-Card, the men's and women's ensemble received a pack of five Love Notes. I have blogged about this in the past but these are mini-cards that are designed to be left for loved ones as a small token of love (or a "thinking of you" card ).

Envelope #107

April 17, 2014

Envelope #106

April 16, 2014

Envelope #105

April 15, 2014

Today's envelope is dedicated to the city of Boston.

Envelope #104

March 14, 2014

This is to compensate for the FAIL envelope yesterday.

Project #11--Pomeranian Note Cards

I am so glad that I can start sharing some of the projects that I have been holding in reserve. I couldn't share them because they were Opening Night gifts for some of the people in the cast of the current show at my theater.

Our show features a pair of Pomeranians in our cast. I made a set of these for the actor who handles the dog and for the dog handler to works with the show. They were a hit with both recipients.

Envelope #103

March 13, 2014

I'm not normally a negative person but sometimes things just annoy me or get me angry. Flikr now requires that a Yahoo account be used to access your files. Normally, I wouldn't have a problem with this since I have several Yahoo accounts. The problem occurs when you try and migrate an existing Flikr account to a current Yahoo email account. 

I now have three new yahoo email accounts and two more Flikr accounts that somehow did not get linked to the new any of the three new yahoo email accounts.

I now have an existing Flikr account that is linked to a current Yahoo email account (which what I was trying to do in the first place). I also have a new Flikr account that is not attached to an email account that has the same name as the email account that IS attached to my current Flikr account.

Hence, today's envelope.

BTW, unrelated--Happy Palm Sunday for those who observe.

Envelope #102

March 12, 2014

Envelope #101

April 11, 2014

Oops. Forgot to post the envelope.

It's at home and I am not there.

Envelope #100

April 10, 2014

Card #100

Happy Opening Bullets Over Broadway

Envelope #99

April 9, 2014

Iron Craft 2014 Challenge #7--Rose Gift Cards (Project 14)

The theme for Challenge #7 was "On Trend." One of the current trends is florals. This week, my theater is having an Opening Night for our current show on Thursday. One of the traditions of Opening Night is the exchange of Opening Night gifts. The cast of the current show is huge so I needed something small and quick to make so I decided to make these tiny cards. Each card will be accompanied by a small tea light. When the candle is lit and placed behind the white paper it, a stained glass effect will occur.

The cards are 2.25 inches wide by 4 inches tall and fit inside one of the mini envelopes currently available. In the future, I will use these as gift tags for presents or flowers.

Envelope #98

March 8, 2014

Envelope #97

April 7, 2014

Envelope #96

April 6, 2014

Envelope #95

Another new song for me but yet, another one whose message resonates with me.

Brave by Sara Bareilles

You can be amazing

You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug

You can be the outcast

Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love

Or you can start speaking up

Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do

When they settle ‘neath your skin

Kept on the inside and no sunlight

Sometimes a shadow wins

But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

Everybody’s been there,

Everybody’s been stared down by the enemy

Fallen for the fear

And done some disappearing,

Bow down to the mighty

Don’t run, just stop holding your tongue

Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

And since your history of silence

Won’t do you any good,

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Envelope #94

While I am not a huge Katy Perry fan, this song speaks to me. The feelings of powerlessness that later turn into a sense of accomplishment, freedom and self-worth is a message that all people should embrace.

Roar by Katy Perry

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath

Scared to rock the boat and make a mess

So I sat quietly, agreed politely

I guess that I forgot I had a choice

I let you push me past the breaking point

I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up

Already brushing off the dust

You hear my voice, your hear that sound

Like thunder, gonna shake the ground

You held me down, but I got up

Get ready 'cause I had enough

I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter

Dancing through the fire

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Louder, louder than a lion

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Now I'm floating like a butterfly

Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes

I went from zero, to my own hero

You held me down, but I got up

Already brushing off the dust

You hear my voice, your hear that sound

Like thunder, gonna shake the ground

You held me down, but I got up

Get ready 'cause I've had enough

I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter

Dancing through the fire

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Louder, louder than a lion

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Envelope #93--Cheeseburger in Paradise

I know this envelope might seem trivial compared to the previous two but this has been a staple of my life and has provided comfort over the years. Granted, I love a good cheeseburger but the song has positively affected me over many years.

When I was stationed overseas while in the Navy, this song always comforted me when I got homesick and was unable to travel home. When I was able to go on vacation, Key West was always a comfortable place for me and the location would reinforce my love of the song.

So, yes--this song has been comforting and motivating over the years.

Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet

Tried to amend my carnivorous habits 

Made it nearly seventy days 

Losin' weight without speed, eatin' sunflower seeds 

Drinkin' lots of carrot juice and soakin' up rays 

But at night I'd had these wonderful dreams 

Some kind of sensuous treat 

Not zucchini, fettucini or Bulgar wheat 

But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat 

Chorus: 

Cheeseburger in paradise (paradise) 

Heaven on earth with an onion slice (paradise) 

Not too particular not too precise (paradise) 

I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise 

Heard about the old time sailor men 

They eat the same thing again and again 

Warm beer and bread they said could raise the dead 

Well it reminds me of the menu at a holiday inn 

Times have changed for sailors these days 

When I'm in port I get what I need 

Not just Havanas or bananas or daiquiris 

But that American creation on which I feed 

Chorus: 

Cheeseburger in paradise (paradise) 

Medium rare with mustard 'be nice (paradise) 

Heaven on earth with an onion slice (paradise) 

I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise 

I like mine with lettuce and tomato 

Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes 

Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer 

Well good god almighty which way do I steer for my 

Chorus: 

Cheeseburger in paradise (paradise) 

Makin' the best of every virtue and vice (paradise) 

Worth every damn bit of sacrifice (paradise) 

To get a cheeseburger in paradise 

To be a cheeseburger in paradise 

I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise 

Envelope #92--Ode to NYC

April 2, 2014

Today's envelope is dedicated to one of the most resilient cities in the world--New York City. It has been my home since 2002 and I have never regretted my move. The lyrics were written in only two directions with a medium tipped black Sharpie. The Manhattan skyline was added with a broad tipped red Sharpie. The pink outline was done with one of my new brush tipped Sharpies. The sky was added using a Crayola colored pencil.

Get Back Up by tobyMac

You turned away when I looked you in the eye,

And hesitated when I asked if you were alright,

Seems like you're fighting for you life,

But why? oh why?

Wide awake in the middle of your nightmare,

You saw it comin' but it hit you outta no where,

And theres always scars

When you fall back far

We lose our way,

We get back up again

It's never too late to get back up again,

One day you will shine again,

You may be knocked down,

But not out forever,

Lose our way,

We get back up again,

So get up, get up,

You gonna shine again,

Never too late to get back up again,

You may be knocked down,

But not out forever

[May be knocked down but not out forever]

You're rolled out at the dawning of the day

Heart racin' as you made you little get away,

It feels like you've been runnin' all your life

But, why? Oh why?

So you've pulled away from the love that wou'd've been there,

You start believin' that your situation's unfair

But there's always scars,

When you fall back far

We lose our way,

We get back up again

Never too late to get back up again,

One day, you gonna shine again,

You may be knocked down but not out forever,

Lose our way, we get back up again,

So get up, get up

You gonna shine again

It's never too late, to get back up again

You may be knocked down, but not out forever,

May be knocked down, but not out forever!

This is love callin', love callin', out to the broken,

This is love callin'.

This is love callin', love callin', out to the broken

This is love callin'.

This is love callin', love callin',

I am so broken

This is love callin' love callin

Lose our way, [way way way ay ay ay]

We get back up, [get back up again]

It's never too late [late late late ate ate ate]

You may be knocked down but not out forever!

Lose our way,

We get back up again,

So get up get up

You gonna shine again

Never too late to get back up again

You may be knocked down,

But not out forever,

This is love [lose our way] callin' love callin' [get back up again]

To the broken

This is love [never too late] callin'

[may be knocked down but not out forever]

This is love [lose our way] callin' love callin' [we get back up again]

To the broken

This is love [never too late] callin'

[may be knocked down but not out forever]

This is love callin' love callin'

Out to the broken,

This is love callin'...

Envelope #91

April 1, 2014

This week's cards will have backgrounds dedicated to songs that motivate me in some way. To create the background, I write one verse or refrain in each of four directions. In this case, I used four different colored Sharpies in two different tip sizes. By changing direction, the text becomes jumbled and abstract.

I then will doodle on top of the background.

What Love Really Means by JJ Heller

He cries in the corner where nobody sees

He's the kid with the story no one would believe

He prays every night "Dear God won't you please

Could you send someone here who will love me?"

Who will love me for me

Not for what I have done or what I will become

Who will love me for me

'Cause nobody has shown me what love

What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day

She's the woman whose husband has run away

She'll go to the gym after working today

Maybe if she was thinner

Then he would've stayed

And she says:

Who will love me for me?

Not for what I have done or what I will become

Who will love me for me?

'Cause nobody has shown me what love what love really means

He's waiting to die as he sits all alone

He's a man in a cell who regrets what he's done

He utters a cry from the depths of his soul

"Oh Lord forgive me I want to go home"

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside

And it said

"I know you've murdered and I know you've lied

I have watched you suffer all of your life

And now that you'll listen I'll tell you that I..."

I will love you for you

Not for what you have done or what you will become

I will love you for you

I will give you the love

The love that you never knew