Card Sharp: How to Make Handmade Notecards

I started making handmade notecards many years ago, and still continue to make some from time to time. Although I've tried various designs and embellishments, my favorite is a simple one of plain cardstock overlaid with a patterned paper. They make for a substantial notecard that's easy to make and a pleasure to send. These can easily be packaged as a set for gift-giving as well, and hopefully encourage that old-fashioned pastime of writing to friends and family:

Handmade Notecards

Materials:
Patterned scrapbook or other paper of your choice (8 1/2 x 11 inches, or any size that can be trimmed to 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches)
Plain cardstock in coordinating colors (8 1/2 x 11 inches)
Adhesive tabs or double-sided tape
Paper cutter
A2 envelopes (4 3/8 x 5 3/4 inches)

Cut cardstock in half to make two pieces of cardstock that measure 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches (you will get two cards for every piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock). Once done, trim an 1/8 inch from one shorter (5 1/2 inch) end of each piece—this will ensure the edges don't peep out from under the top layer. Cut the patterned paper to create the same number of 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch pieces as your cardstock. Fold all pieces in half and press down firmly along the crease. Using the adhesive tabs or double-sided tape, place a piece in each corner of the backside of your cardstock, then insert into one of the patterned pieces and press down to secure. Repeat with your remaining pieces until done!

Notes: If your overlay paper is very unusual or handmade, do a dry run of lining them up with the inner cardstock to see which half you prefer to be the "front" of the card. It is only necessary to secure the cardstock on one side—this will also prevent the cards from buckling and make them easier to insert in the envelopes.

>o<

Can-Can: Canned Salmon and White Bean Salad

This Winter has definitely been a challenge, including when it comes to food—not only did the endlessly bitter-cold days curb my appetite, I sometimes couldn't get out to the store even if I had been hungry. Thankfully, I try to keep some high-protein canned goods in my pantry, and one day I was able to pull together this tangy, filling salad to tempt my stomach:

Salmon and White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 can (6 oz.) boneless, skinless salmon, drained and flaked
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, gently toss salmon and beans together with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard and tarragon; close tightly and shake until emulsified. Pour over salad and mix to combine—taste for seasoning and adjust if desired. Serve with veggie sticks, crackers, chips, or over baby greens. This will be great alongside a juicy, ripe tomato in the Summer!

Notes: Cannellini beans are my favorite, but use whatever beans you enjoy most. You can also substitute your favorite vinegar for the champagne vinegar, your favorite herb for the tarragon, and certainly canned tuna for the salmon. I wasn't fussy about measuring the ingredients for the dressing, so just go by eye—you can always add more of something if needed afterwards. Please do add some finely chopped onion/scallions, celery, or bell pepper for more flavor and crunch (I just didn't have any in the house that day).

>o<

High Times

The first day of Spring is just a week away, and everyone has been waiting anxiously for it, myself included. But before I left Winter behind, I had a special trip on my list - and, for the first time last month, I visited The High Line:

The High Line, previously an abandoned rail line, has now been converted into a pedestrian concourse and public park. One of its key features is the integration of existing plants and grasses (the ones that had grown during the decades of the line's disuse) with new plantings of similar, native specimens that are also allowed to grow, bloom, and reseed themselves naturally. In addition, the designers created numerous spaces for people to explore, sit, and enjoy, with the original tracks still visible underneath it all:

As The High Line's excellent blog will tell you, one of the most striking plants there during Winter is, appropriately enough, winterberry. It's an easy-to-spot shrub with those distinctive red fruits that birds love:

Another brightly-colored specimen is the "Midwinter Fire" bloodtwig dogwood, able to display its fiery stems without any obscuring foliage this time of year:

Although much of the High Line is rather bleak during a Winter ramble, it's far from barren. In fact, many passages feel just like a Winter Wonderland:

I plan to return again in Spring, Summer and Fall this year, so I can enjoy the life cycle of this unique space throughout the seasons. It will be well worth the effort, and I'm really looking forward to it. So, until next time...

>o<