Magazine review: Holiday cookies from Cuisine at home

Published December 1, 2009 Reviews Leave a Comment
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I wanted to share my favorite cookie-recipe magazine, Holiday Cookies from Cuisine at home. I got it last year for the holiday and, of course, didn’t had the time to make *all* it’s great recipes.

Being a visual learner, I really appreciate all it’s very detailed “step-by-step” techniques.
And since english is not my first language, it makes me appreciate it even more! There are so many cooking terms that are extremely different that you can’t even “guess” what it is.

I am so looking forward to make theses cookies with Oli. :-) I convinced him to have a little “christmas cookie” making time with me during december.
I’m not sure if we’ll put all that much sugar on them, I may try something different.

Theses are Hawaian style cakes/cookies with coconut. They just look soooo good! Perhaps I’ll make them for the family.

You could give theses tea cookies along with a handmade cup and some tea next to it.
I’d make a great gift for coworkers. :-)

I don’t know if I’d make theses ones as I am not too fond of the candy-cane kind. Too hard for the teeths, maybe? :-p
Thought they do have an amazing look!

Again, I think thoses would make another great gift for coworkers or friends.
Or maybe just some small bites at a Christmas party.

At the end of the magazine, they show you different ways and ideas on how to wrap the cookies for gift.
I love this one with a simple glass j and some ribbons! Voilà!

If it’s not available at your local magazine/book store, you can get it online straight from the Cuisine at Home store for 9.95$ (and free shipping! Woot!).

Oh, and I found it on Ebay as well.

Let the Christmas baking begin!

Freebie: Christmas birds card!

Published November 28, 2009 Freebies , Illustration Leave a Comment
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I felt like drawing with my watercolors again and I made this Christmas-themed image, this Friday night.
After painting the birds with this bright blue color, I thought: “Hey, they look like Twitter birds!” :-p
The internet is getting way too much into my skin!

So, it didn’t take me too long before deciding to go ahead and make it as a Freebie Christmas card.

If you click on the image, or the link just over, you will be able to download it in a .pdf format.

Let me know how the download goes and if everything is fine. I’d love to know if and how you used this card. I may very well make some more!  :-)

Poster for Improv group

Published November 25, 2009 Illustration , Montreal Leave a Comment
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Being a little busy as my Graphic design class ends on December 22nd. Can’t wait for Christmas, woot!

In the meanwhile, I thought you’d like to see a poster I did for the Café Robert Improv group. I drew the 4 comedians with the Grinch for their Christmas special. 

The sketch was drew and inked on paper, then scanned and colored in Photoshop & Illustrator. :-)

 

Montreal: Cupcake camp!

Published November 18, 2009 Events , Montreal 2 Comments
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Yay! We’re having a Cupcake Camp in Montreal!

If you don’t know what it is, Cupcake Camp is a fundraising event that brings cupcakes lovers together for a great cause. This year, they’re organizing  it for Kids Help phone (Jeunesse J’écoute).
For a suggested donation of 10$, you’ll get 3 cupcakes and a coffee!

When: This Sunday, November 22nd 2009 2-5 PM
Where: Bitoque Restaurant
3706, Notre-Dame West, Montréal (Québec) H4C1P7
Metro Lionel-Groulx

If you’re interested in making cupcakes for the event, you have untill this Friday, November 20th, to register your cupcakes.

Mmm… cupcakes!

Inspiration: Make your own fabric designs with Spoonflower

Published November 17, 2009 Inspiration 3 Comments
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When I first heard about Spoonflower, in May 2008, they were just starting their Beta version.

Now, not only can you make your own fabric pattern, but you can also get fabrics made by other indie designers (Including doll patterns!).
I am so amazed at what they’ve done in so little time.

Here’s some fabrics design inspiration I found via their Flickr group.

By Hamburger Liebe.

By Boodilly.

By Emilyhoyt2003

From Comfort Stitching

I love the use of simple drawings on fabrics here.

By Jessey Maloney

By Rosanna Bernstein

Here’s some examples of the dolls pattern you can make via Spoonflower.

By Lois Reynold Mead

You could even make some pillows with your fabrics. I love this idea!

If you never heard of them before, you should really take some time to take a look at their website.
It is a very interesting option if you’re an illustration/designer and looking for a way to offer different products.

Gotta love the web!

Montreal Expozine 2009

Published November 16, 2009 Events , Montreal Leave a Comment
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Picture of Expozine 2006 from Meantux via Flickr.

At this year’s Montreal Expozine, I was really amazed at the quality of work. There was over about 300 vendors from all over the country (Some even came as far as from Europe) and there was a great mix of people from different art backgrounds. (Think indie art scene, mangas, animation, science-fiction novels… there were all there!)

Montreal is a multicultural city and, even though we get along quite well, we don’t always”mix” often. So it was fun to hear french and english all around and people switching over from one language to another. I think the next step would be to bring along people from different cultures as well, other than the francophone and anglophone communities.

Here’s some of the catch I made this year. :)

I love Microcosm publishing and I’m always happy to see their table after each year. They always have some interesting and different titles out. I got theses two books which I remembered seing on their website and wanted to get for awhile. Screenprinting and zine making, what’s not to like about this?

Oh, and I think their Best Friends Forever program is awesome. For 15-25$ per month, you get their new titles and you also support them. I think Montreal indie publishers should offer something like this to their loyal readers.

I also discovered a selection of short stories magazine named Biscuit Chinois (Chinese/Fortune cookie).
I’ve seen it around in local bookstores but never took the time to take a closer look at it. (Shame on me!) The print and design quality of this book is very good for an indie publishing. The writters who get published are chosen anonymously so you only get la crème de la crème chosen for each issue.

The idea behind the Biscuit Chinois name is that, at the end of each page, you have funny/weird sentences written. You could take all of them out (there’s a dotted line so you can rip them from the page) and make your own fortune cookies with them. Yum.

Of course, I got a lot of more things, but I’ll save them for later. ;-)

***

I have such respect for the people behind the Expozine. It must be so time-consumming, yet they still do it after each year. Thank you so much for organizing this event as, after all, it is one of the only event in Montreal where small and indie artists can meet up and show their work.

Ebook review: Crafty Tree Trimmings

Published November 13, 2009 Books , Reviews 2 Comments
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It’s that time of the year again! I usually wouldn’t talk about a Christmas themed Ebook until, say, a few days. ;-)
But this one is special because, not only is it made by awesomes crafters: Sister Diane, Susan Beal, Linda Permann, Katey Terry, Betz White and Patricia Zapata.
But also because part of the profits made on the ebook will go to Project Linus, a non-profit organization that delivers handmade blankets to childrens in need of a little comfort.

Why I love this crafty ebook:

  • Lots of quality images with the tutorials.
    It’s very easy to follow each steps as there are beautiful images that comes with it.
  • Originals projects.
    I love how each one of them is an original idea from each crafter. I love to try out different projects for Christmas crafting since, you know, it does come back each year. ;-)
  • Patterns are included. 
    And this means you can just print the pattern from your computer and start your project right away. How cool!
  • List of ressources and materials.
    At the end of the ebook, you have a good list of online stores where you can find the materials for your projects.

Not to mention I see a lot of potential with theses projects to organize a Christmas craft party with friends &  family.  :)

Interested in getting this ebook? It’s in Craftypod’s shop, right here!.

Studio makeover

Published November 12, 2009 Inspiration 3 Comments
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I’m not much of an interior design geek, but after seing Kristin’s blog post about her new studio, I got inspired to do the same and show you the makeover we had to do when we entered our appartment, about a year ago.


Just because we all like “Before & After” pictures. ^-^

Our studio was a children room before we got in and, somehow, the tenants before us thoughts it was a good idea to glue children posters on it’s walls with… silicone sealant! Eww.

Here’s a bigger size of the main picture. I loved the fact that my huge “Lord of the Rings” poster fitted perfectly with the room’s color. Not to mention Morgane on the scanner….

Here’s our thrusty drawing table. Included with  inspirational board and a small square marker board. Theses are so useful for deadlines.
Oh, and please don’t mind the kitty litter box refill on the right. :-p

And what’s a small studio without some “food for the mind”? As you can see, I have way too many  books & magazines. I try to restrain myself and use the “One comes in, one come out” rule, but it’s not always easy. 
And that’s my  makeup chair in the front, just in case you’re wondering what’s that big thing. :-p

***

If you’d like to do the same on your blog, please go ahead! I love to see other’s favorite work environment. It is so inspiring!

Freebie: Twitter Bird

Published November 8, 2009 Freebies Leave a Comment
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Here’s a freebie, the Twitter bird which you can see on my blog.
On my flickr account, I’m alson giving a link to one with a transparency background.

I realized I never gave it away, so here goes! Enjoy! :-)

Book review: Made from scratch

Published November 5, 2009 Books 2 Comments
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I recently read Jenna Woginrich’s Made from scratch book about her experience on having a small homestead farm and got absolutely inspired to , one day, do the same. :)

I think I’ve been longing to do something similar for years, but never thought this could be possible since I’m working on getting a very computer-minded job. Graphic and web design, illustration… you get the idea.

But this book’s a little different. First of, Jenna is a webdesigner. And she’s giving  a little hope for us, geek folks, who secretly wish to get back to basics.

annieyay[1]

Her book is written like a novel with chapters that covers different subjects of interests such as chickens, bees or vegetables. She also adds in some personnal funny experiences and , sometimes, even sad. Her writing style is easy to read and, to get you started, she shares an amazing list of web and non-web ressources at the end of the book.

Before reading her book, I never thought I’d actually even think about getting chickens or rabbits. One cat is enough, isn’t? Now, thanks to Jenna, i’m slowly changing my mind.

If you’re curious and would like to know more about her lifestyle, here’s her blog!

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My name is Fanie and I’m a Montreal based illustrator & graphic designer.
Art vs Craft.net is my blog about illustration, crafts & related events.
I am currently spending my time between graphic design studies, a regular day-job and too many lattes.

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