Hey Good Lookin', What You Got Cookin'

An old mid-century cookbook has sat patiently on my side art table. Many a time I have glanced at it. Black and white tinted pictures waited until my creativity came calling.

The other day, in a moment of stress-relief, I grabbed, The American Woman's Cookbook. While I flipped through the pages I began tearing out prints of mashed potato sculptures made from bunt cake pans, breaded carrots, and pigeon pie. Happy homemaker hands mixing up vintage recipes inspired my creativity.

Technique

First glue vintage cookbook illustrations on card stock. I cut the paper into size for note cards. Paint circles over prints by applying turquoise paint to the lip of a pint mason jar. Dip finger into titan white and smear within circle shapes. Some inner circles are opaque. Starting with circle shapes gives a good base for doodling.

Upstairs I ran...time to use the ole' sewing machine for layering. Painted paper rectangles zig-zag easily into place. Red thread brings energy to each vintage black and white clipping.

For embellishing use white gel, red Coptic, and medium Pitt black pens. It is fun to add pop to the cards through doodling. Draw a variety of shapes to make each card whimsical.

See how fun it can be to create new art from an old cookbook. 

Now, go rip up an old cookbook!