Dashed off a greeting card

 Thinking it's easier, cheaper, and much more personal to make a little card for a friend or relative than to go out and buy one.  So I quickly made this one for my granddaughter this morning.

What takes the most time is going through my stacks of papers to find just the right ones!

It's a long slog 'til April

 Snowing again! Looks like a long long winter and being stuck at home, my options are limited.  Either I clean house 'til it sparkles and shines or I go up to my craft room and while the hours away.  Guess which one I usually choose?

I have a huge stash of fabrics in all sizes and styles (mostly scraps).  Lots of cottons so I'm digging in and making small quilts and pillow tops and anything else I can think of to use up some of it.  Been working on a little quilt this past week.  Just enough vintage check with tiny roses for the squares along with other mostly mid century cottons.

Then there is always my stacks of papers. I will never use it all!  Time flies when I'm cutting and pasting them for my gluebook, notecards, greeting cards or tags.

I guess I'll make it through but it's a long way to April

Making long distance friends

 I am still enjoying a once-a-month greeting card trade with Carol.  We will probably never meet, but I so enjoy her monthly artistic card and the opportunity to create one for her.  Notes back and forth bring us closer together as friends. 

Flower pressing has always held a fascination for me and this card holds a feustia blossom from the hanging flower basket gifted to me on Mother's Day.  Though very fragile, I think it turned out well and hope it makes it intact to New Mexico!

and here is a closeup ~

Time to Spread Some Love

 Above all holidays, my favorite is Valentine's Day.  I love hearts, doilies, cards and everything about it!  The making of them and especially the receiving of them.  I'm starting early this year as part of my attitude adjusting.  There have been difficult days lately and this is what I'm doing to get over the hump . . .

 Just the beginning!  Until I run out of doilies, red paper, ribbon and burlap, this will be my entertainment 'til Feburary 14th

Happy New Year

 It has to be better than 2020!!

One small bright spot in my year was meeting and trading cards with an artist from Santa Fe, NM. Each month I look forward to one of her beautiful cards, notes and paper goodies in the mail.

Dropped this one, from me, in the outgoing mail this morning. It expresses my feelings and hopes for the new year. My wishes for everyone is more peace, civility and graciousness in everyone's life for 2021.

Found a trading partner in Santa Fe

 So much fun (and motivating) to find someone to trade art pieces with.  This is my November trade with Carol.  A once-a-month greeting card.  No messages inside and free to create in any genre.

So happy to find a way to use the old 1940s photos from Ireland.  Isn't she adorable?  Wonder if she's still alive and would recognize herself.

Happy Valentine's Day

In many past years I hand~made Christmas cards for friends and family.  I gave that up two holidays ago and decided it would be more fun for me to make Valentines ~ ~ ♥

Which is what I have done the last two years.  Here are just a few of this year's cards

Left an opening to tuck a little note into each

Handmade with LOVE

A few handcrafted Valentines for some special people ~

 For my kind and generous DIL Dawn

 For my good crafting friend Joann

And for my sweet Daughter Kim

For myself, in honor of my Dad ~the photo is of him as a baby

Christmas Nostalgia (reposted from years gone by )

This year we trotted out some oldies but goodies passed down from our families.
These delicate Christmas balls have been moved from home to home and been languishing in my closet for years.  We used them as a table centerpiece this year...

In an old divided box made for them, the price from Macy's just 59 cents.  Sadly the most beautiful ball didn't survive all the moves, broke in a million pieces but I just can't throw it away.

We started collecting old greeting cards years ago when you could find them in thrift stores.  Here are just a few . . .

 

Like some of the others, this one is a fine etching by Paul F. Berdanier, done in America in 1879.

happiness is . . .

Valentine snail mail

Received my ATC Valentine swaps today.  I hope the ones I sent bring as much joy to others.  These sweet messages came at just the right time.

I love this holiday more than any others.  It doesn't require gifts or over~the~top decorations or stress.  You don't have to go broke to celebrate; only needs us to be kind and loving to one another.

My friends and family have always treated my birthday with so much love and caring.  This year (my 80th) was extra special with a surprise party organized by my DIL Dawn and daughter Kim, gifts and cards.  And Chinese food (my fav) 

Every card was carefully chosen and, even if they hadn't been signed, I would have known who they came from!  They know me so well.

A wonderful hand made card came from my friend Karen.  She is so creative in her paper art and photography.  What an eye she has for composition and creativity

and with a sweet note inside, I will cherish  forever.

Christmases Past

In the throes of another holiday spending season, I think back to my childhood and the sparse Christmas spending in my family.  I was always thrilled with my gifts ... especially those from Santa, but it was not an avalanche of extravagantly wrapped and beribboned glut.  People didn't go into debt to prove their love in those days.

I grew up with all four grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.  We would all get together on "the day", eat heartily and play games after doing the dishes.  Sometimes we  kids would each get a dime and walk down to Main Street to the movies.  (In other words get out of the hair of the adults!)

Several years ago I sent my Mother this picture collage that I put together showing us being dressed alike.  She made most of our clothes.  The blouse in this photo was made from a silk parachute my Dad sent or brought home from his time in Europe during WW2.  We made good use of it as undies, these blouses, etc.

Who else had Mothers who sewed?  And made look alike clothes for you?

Wishing you all wonderful memorable meaningful Christmases with your families.

It's the Thought

Last Sunday, a very special friend had a birthday.  We live far apart, and I knew she would be having a busy day with her family and church.  What could I do for her?  My daughter suggested I decorate one of my tiny tins for her as I have for other women in my family.

from Altoids to:

 

 bottom with button feet

Piled on with lace and flowers (which I know she loves), feathers, sheet music and pearls.  And a birthday greeting note tucked inside.

Happy Birthday Andra!

Four Pin Friday

While muddling about in Pinterestland early early this morning, I came across one of those "why didn't I think of it" ideas.  I have paper doilies.  I like to make cards and tags.

Always happy to see new ideas and ways to use my stash.

So . . . . .











Anybody like to join me in a card~making day.  I will provide the paper doilies

Four Pin Friday

I have been saving bits and pieces of small corrugated cardboard for quite some time.  Someday, for some project, it would come in handy.  Well a search on good ole Pinterest came up with these ideas

 

 

 

Fits right in with my love of paper collage.

Cut, paste, dig, create!!!

mini Christmas ATC swap

This one is a little different.  Instead of a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" artist trading card exchange, the challenge was to make a folded over tiny Christmas card, write a message inside and create an envelope to trade with three artists.

Always like to incorporate postage stamps whenever I'm able.  Luckily there were plenty of Christmas ones in my stash!  Camera couldn't pick up the sparkle in the papers I used.

Must say I enjoyed the tweak. So much that I couldn't wait to get to it and already have sent it off although it wasn't due until the first of December!

Get ready . . . Here it Comes!!

Whether we like it or not, winter is on its way.  For me, it means being cooped up in the house most days.  But the highlight of winter is monthly "Craft Day" where up to 6 of my crafting buddies get together in my messy craft room and create wonderful imaginative things.

This year we've decided that third Saturday is our day to get together for fun projects, potluck lunch and great conversations.

Here are a few of the finished art/craft things that came out of our work last Saturday . . .

 Above just a few of Karen's wonderful greeting cards.  She has her own special style (mostly cowboy, rustic, earthy)  Plus a special one for her sweet little granddaughter Kennedy.  Love them all!

Kim picked up a few blank pumpkins from Michaels and blinged 'em up.  Aren't they striking? I will turn her into a crafter yet!

Before

Tracey needed wall decor for her upcoming Halloween party and bought two of these birds and turned them into crows.

It took me a little longer to finish my project but got 'er done yesterday . . .

Thanks Kim for the blank pumpkin to decoupage and splash faux pearls upon.  So much fun!