Zippty Do Dah

Wahoo - finally got my Christmas present - a new Toshiba laptop. I am slowly loading stuff and getting it to where it needs to be but having fun.

And this is my first post using it! It is so fast (and SWEET). P.S. I should add a big hug and kiss for my hubby who did the research and kept watch for when the new addition to our collection of hardware was available - thank you sweetheart :)

How to Read a Blueprint

Back in July 2010 (I checked) I started my first Vintage Gluebook following instructions from Mary Green...wow I have come along way since then. I realized I had not done any pages in quite some time and suddenly got the urge.

The main reason was the lady (think I'll call her Gilda - don't ask me why) has these cool white gloves which would have been chopped off if I had used her for an ATC (what a shame that would have been , LOL). I had her with the house graphics on my craft table for quite some time and then I managed to thrift some lovely, lovely gift wrap which I used in the background.
This is the first spread in a new book so now I'm committed (I think :>). Enjoy. Jewels

Monthly ATC Invite - January Garden Calendar

Penny over at the Linen Shelf started a monthly ATC invite (I'm not using the word "challenge" as that implies struggle - considering how I often "struggle" with these kinds of things I think "invite" is more friendly :>). So anyway she invited whomever wanted to join in creating an ATC once a month. We post on our own site and leave a comment on hers. 

It took me awhile to decide what I was going to do (see, I struggled, grrrr). One day I was thumbing through a 1938 edition of The Practical Encyclopedia of Gardening and, voila, a whole section dedicated to the Garden Calendar - with a graphic for each month (wahoo, though have not decided if I will use each one). Inspiration comes when you least expect it. 
Anyway, January was perfect - for those of us in colder climes that like to garden this is the time of year we might start "planning". I had an old seed catalog that I used as well as an advert from Better Home and Gardens... Enjoy! Jewels

I Wonder...

... whats she really thinking? :)

ATC background is from a 1940's Home Edition (DIY) of Popular Mechanic. The happy couple are from a 1946 Better Home and Gardens issue and vintage wrapping paper (you can't get enough) finishes it off. Enjoy! Jewels

Tag Tuesday - Vintage

I did not participate in last week's Tag Tuesday - White. Partly because I was having a hard time getting inspired and partly because I just ran out of time.

This week was much easier - especially since I had this great Cabinet Card which was just the right size (3 1/2 x 5 1/4) and certainly fit the theme.

Hunted around for old embellishments - and did lot of gluing. So here Bessie - that was the name on the back. Enjoy. Jewels

January Mail Art

My lovely Mail Art arrived from Leslie and Beth....we all managed to do some thing different for our theme Transportation (mine was cars - see my last post) - its always a great surprise to see what they come up with!

 Beth's arrived first with a Train theme - see her blog on how she made them. Really different and fun. I like how creative Beth is with different ephemera...

Leslie used a Bicycle for her post card (hmm, anything to do with her hubby's business?) I love the old fashion image and her artwork. 

Thanks Ladies! Our February theme is a Beatles song - pick which ever one you like for your mail art ...OMG there are SO many choices! Leslie has challenged us to try and use at least 3 different techniques - preferably something you have never done before...Should be fun. Enjoy. Jewels                   

Life is a Highway

First Mail Art of 2012 with my pals Leslie and Beth - wahoo! Our theme this month is Transportation...

I have a stack of old Life magazines that all contain cool graphics of cars. That was my inspiration for my postcards. This was will be going cross country to Leslie. I found an old map that actually shows Tracy, CA (her hometown). The flower stamp was part of a set that came with a book I thrifted awhile back. My only regret is the stamping. When I Mod Podged the top it blurred the ink - but I think its still okay.

Same thing for Beth, though she is just a few hours up the road from Maple Hill. Still, I've never been to Kingsley, MI...maybe this summer I will pay her a visit (LOL). Enjoy (and mind what your doing if you are out and about in the snow)...

Rose

It's Sunday afternoon when we pause before another hectic week...A big pot of veggie chili is on the stove bringing wonderful smells around the house. Hubby is happily watching soccer on TV and I'm getting ready to do some work work (as we call it - yeah, unfortunate but true)...

I went for a walk yesterday in a park near Maple Hill and took in the fresh snow. Lots of little ones sledding on the hill they have there and cross country skiers were everywhere. Lots of lovely scenery to take in.

I also had a chance to finally finish a piece I started before Christmas. Following my one New Year resolution, I wanted to try combining paper and fabric in a small quilt. It started with this lovely picture - I don't know who she is but I was happy to have got her photo in a lot from Beth.

I had these pages from an old dictionary that I knew I wanted to use some how. I Mod Podged it to give it some "weight" as I knew I was going to be sewing through it.

I also seem to be the owner of a lot of old lace and crochet ( a friend recently sent me a whole box she had been collecting for me from Garage Sales - a big surprise for me when they showed up!)

and embellishments (these were a thrift) - so wanted to use up some of my supplies.  

So here is the finished piece - some sewing and lots of gluing. Dimensions are 9 x 12...

A close up of some of the detail...

...and the reason why I call this piece Rose (I think she looks like a Rose don't you?).

Anywho it may not be Somerset worthy but I got to experiment which was what I really wanted to do. Enjoy. Jewels

A Happy Note

Every now and then in the middle of other artsy things I get side tracked to do a quick ATC...
This weeks Tag Tuesday (see last post) reminded me I had some left over embrodiery transfer prints on paper from experimenting earlier this summer. I had also just thrifted a pile of old Life magazines and had been removing images I thought would be cool to use...the end result of combining those two things was this quick card...

I love all the pink - a cheerful image for this time of year. The floral graphics are the transfers - she actually comes from an ad to win a sweepstake (grand prize was a new refrigerator - heh it was 1958). If you magnify you can see her sparkly diamond earrings and slightly maniac look in her eyes (LOL). The text is from an old greeting card. Enjoy! Jewels

Tag Tuesday - Snow Sports

This is my entry for this weeks Tag - you can read all about my technique here...

More then anything else I just wanted to try something different. The background was EASY PEASY to do. I found the instructions on Michael's website - amazing what you can learn on the Internet :)...Enjoy, Jewels.

Hats Off Part 2

WHEW! I actually wrote this Post Dec 20th in anticipation it would get recieved shortly. Well Christmas interfered with the Postal Service to the UK but late this week I found out it had arrived safe and sound... So here is my original post...

YEAH - my Mail Art made it to Fiddlesnips Jo (whew, not sure how it would make out amongst all that Christmas mail)... You may recall the theme was Hats...I had so much fun with this!

For the postcard, I started with this advertisement I found - you know me, love the retro look.

And just went from there. I wanted to give that "big city" feel to it so found this downtown picture to include in the postcard.

There is also a job ad for Salesman. I liked the compass on the map (going places, get it?). Added paint and ink to distress things a bit. Pretty happy with how it turned out.

And found this wonderful image from the book First Steps in Reading English - cool eh! It went on the back.

I also had lots of fun with the envelope. I found some old advertisements on the web that were just right. The front lady matched the old wrapping paper I used for the background. Unfortunately a good chunk got covered by all the stamps the Postie Lady insisted I needed (oh well).

The other side was fun too. My biggest challenge was finding a matching background paper. Just nothing in my stash seemed to be right so I resorted to one of my favorite techniques - copying fabric on to card stock. I liked how this all matched up.

So that is my last artsie thing for 2011. I have something else in the works but alas it will probably need to wait till the new year. Enjoy. Jewels.

Only New Year's Resolution

Yep, unlike previous years I have made only one for 2012...(though I still should eat better, exercise more, do good works etc etc...). That is to do more artsy stuff - and try more new things! So I've got myself signed up for regular challenges and I still have my Mail Art with my peeps Leslie and Beth. I am off to the races!

First up is Tag Tuesday sponsored by Carolyn. Today is the first one and the theme is SNOW. I used this image of my Mum from 1957 when she and my Dad immigrated to Canada from the UK. Not sure if she was really prepared for the weather but there was plenty of the white stuff. I just think this is a lovely picture of her looking bundled up with her scarf and boots - and purse. If you go to the Tag Tuesday blog you can see more details on how I made my tag, as well as see entries from other folks who are participating. Enjoy. Jewels

January MG Challenge

My first completed challenge for 2012! Mary Green provides us with some wonderful images every month to test our creativity.

I call this ATC Contemplation. The young lady, advertisement and flowers are from Mary - the background is an overlay of a napkin I had that the colours matched over old written text. I've done this technique before so I'm thinking next month I will have to mix things up a bit...part of my resolution to myself this year to try new things ;).

There is still time to join if you are interested. Enjoy. Jewels