The long gasping days of late winter have hit and my mind has begun to drift longingly to my garden. As some of you may already know, I had major (successful!) spine surgery earlier this month and have been making slow but steady progress toward recovery. I don't yet have the ability to grip a pen well and so I'm crawling up the walls a bit (at least I can type now!), but I'm very hopeful that my aggressive regimen of PT and OT will yield results in time.
It seems fitting then that the last drawings I did before my surgery were of vegetables. After all I'm growing new nerves and maybe (hopefully) growing more patient in the process. It's making its debut this week on a gorgeous earthy long sleeve tee (You can check out The Veggie Medley Long Sleeve here). I'm particularly proud of this one, as it may be our most intricate piece yet!
But I'll acknowledge that putting it out into the world feels a small bit bittersweet for me as I wait for my drawing powers to return to me. I try to remind myself that I can grow where I am planted, that there are better things on the other side of this period of hibernation. That now is a time for planting and planning and rest.
I knew from the moment I began to design this shirt that I wanted to share a companion piece as a gift with our Secret Society newsletter members; which brings me to the FREE RECIPE CARDS.
When my grandmother passed in 2023 I found myself in possession of her wooden recipe card box and thumbing through it like I did as a small child has been a great pleasure and reminder of her. Tucked between practicalities and plain index cards were dozens of decorative vintage cards; from the kitchens of friends and family, for special occasions, just because. Each one a time capsule and a small nod to the taste and flourish of the giver. It made me realize that this was once a source of connection and community, a way to share with those you loved.
When I went to design my own cards I made sure to give an aesthetic nod to these vintage cards; a bit of retro color and a lot of hand drawn flair. I wanted to honor the tradition of recipe cards even as I sought to put a decidedly Fennec twist on the whole thing. It is my sincere hope that these will be shared! That you will use them to gift favorite recipes to friends, to highlight treasured family meals, and to give a bit of care to someone you love. They are a gift and I hope in turn that you will pass them on to others.
To get your own the only thing you need to do is be a (totally free!) member of the Fennec Secret Society; our little newsletter club that serves you all kinds of cool goodies like these print-ables, special discounts, and other sorts of fun exclusive and behind the scenes stuff! (You can click here to learn more)
How do you access the recipe cards if you are a member? First; make sure you are logged in to the account associated with the email you used to sign up for the newsletter (you won't be able to access the Secret Society Portal without it). Then head up to the Secret Society section at the top of our home page. Click the Button that says "Enter The Clubhouse." Inside you'll find a section marked Freebies where you can add the cards (and other fun free stuff in our growing archive) to your cart.
To access the files simply check out with the free stuff of your choosing and it will be delivered to your inbox for download shortly after. You can add regular stuff to your cart at the same time if you'd like, but there's no requirement to do so! We like making fun free stuff and there's no expectation beyond your enjoyment of the gift!
We hope you'll use these cards to document, to gift and to share with others, and as a reminder that we grow best together!
As I wait patiently for spring and for my drawing arm to awake, I try to think about the seasons. Late winter has always been a season for planting, for planning, for coming together to wait out the darkness. I won't pretend that this time isn't a difficult one, but I'm hopeful nonetheless. There's something stirring, a warm breeze that finds me when I stand still. I know there are better things on the other side.
looking toward the future,
Joelle