BookSmithStudio.com | Nikki Smith Book & Visual Artist

These formerly unfinished-objects are UFO’s no more!  I finally finished two of my three-plus fabric postcards for the Cloth Paper Scissors fabric postcard challenge and got them in the mail today.  On time.  Early, even!

The top one has one of my “wee planets” printed on white muslin and stitched to this fun, fuzzy fabric from my stash.  It reminds me of a blizzard!  The perfect backdrop for my Wee Winter Hotel planet — wish you were here!

Now this one is one of my favorite methods for binding books – the caterpillar stitch!  I thought it would be fun to do on a fabric postcard, too.  It looks amazing wrapped around the covers and spine of a book.  The fabric is from a pair of pants I bought years ago with absolutely zero intention to ever wear — I knew they’d be part of an art project some day.  I finally found the one!

I love adding dimension to a piece!  This was such a fuzzy green yarn – perfect for this little critter.  The accent beads were added last for extra texture and life.  It was fun to finally up-cycle this fabric into something artsy!  (And honestly, I never fit into those pants anyway…  Now they have a purpose!)

I know that only the front of the postcards will be photographed for the magazine, but I had fun creating the backs, too.  Mom taught me an easy blanket stitch (do I have that right?) to hold this one together.  It was decorative, and much better than what I was going to attempt on my sewing machine.  While she finished hand embroidering a few inches quickly on the demo fabric when she was teaching me, it took me all day to do the real thing.  Not that it was that hard for me, but that I could only do it for a minute here and a minute there around chasing kiddos and trying to squeeze some real work in the day, too.   I didn’t want the postcard backs to be blah, so I added a graphic element in the corner from my Wee Downtown Bryan planet and then an unusual or creative use for peanut butter on each postcard.

Why peanut butter?  My mom (a.k.a. Grandma) also taught my little toddler how to make her first cookies this week.  They have three ingredients -one cup of peanut butter, one cup of sugar and an egg.  A simple recipe that can hold a toddler’s attention without getting too complicated or long.  She loved making cookies with Grandma!  (And they were delicious, too!)

P.S.  If you would like to make these cookies with your little one, here is the recipe:

Child’s First Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 egg

Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 egg together.
Roll dough into one inch balls between your palms.
Pour some more sugar on a plate and then roll each ball in the sugar so it is coated.
Place on cookie sheet two inches apart.
Use the flat side of a fork to press down on each ball in two directions to form a criss-cross pattern and flatten the cookie a bit.
PARENT STEP:  Bake for 7 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool and enjoy!

P.P.S.  Oh, and if you hurry, there’s still time to send in a fabric postcard for the Cloth Paper Scissors reader challenge!  Entries are due in their office by Jan. 20th.  The details of the challenge are here.  Or just make and send one to a friend for fun!  Also, the post office has priority mail envelopes with clear windows in front if you go overboard like I did and aren’t sure if it will survive the postal machinery.  Go on, you know it will be fun to do and your recipient will love it, too!