Julie, here's the first one . . .

. . . but it's not in the mail yet!

This altered rolodex card was made for a swap with a friend--
she made the sheet music covered background, and sent it to me.
We're trying to keep these flat, as we each intend to eventually
fill a rolodex with altered cards.

The sweet bird's nest and egg are from the Vintage Illustrated
Birds set, which is a perfect set for some springtime inspiration.
Yep, it's the same bird's nest and egg I used HERE.

My favorite part of this one is the French behind the bird, it's as if
he's singing "oui! oui! oui!"

Do you have any spring projects in the works??

Grandma's photo album

Seriously, that IS my grandma's photo album in the background,
AND her camera! The album was given to her by two of the girls
in the photo I used in this piece.



As always, the pics enlarge if you click on them . . .



My grandma is the second on the left--check out her Mary
Pickford curls, aren't they wonderful? This was taken in 1925,
when she was 17 years old, the same year she was given the album
as a gift.

(Don't get me started, or I'll blather on about family stories,
blah blah blah, and your eyes will end up rolling to the back of
your head . . .)

Tell you what--instead, go make up a little vintage something
of your own, and join in the new Gingersnap Creations Grandma's
Photo Album challenge. Retro Cafe Arts is sponsoring this round,
and you can see I've used the Assorted Squares collage sheet--all
those inchies were perfect for this piece, as my grandma loved each
of the things represented in those images.

What's that you say? Is that some Basic Grey Lime Rickey paper there
in the background, that has been lurking and lingering in my stash?
Why yes, yes it is, thank you:
Vintage Page Designs use your designer paper stash
Basic Grey Challenges photo inspiration (colors)

:)

If you're looking for the Word Art Wednesday Challenge piece, keep
going, you're almost there . . .

atc sized hand bound book layout

A big thank you the ladies at Word Art Wednesday for the invitation
to guest design this month! I'm working on finishing off the
atc sized hand bound book I constructed several months
ago, but only recently began filling with layouts using the lovely Word Art
Wednesday texts provided there each week.



This week, the quote is from Mother Teresa--you don't have to
use the text provided, any inspirational quote you incorporate
into your art is welcome.

The papers are all various ephemera. In fact, that blue paper is
from an envelope that arrived from India, so that's a nice coincidence,
given the Mother Teresa quote! The lovely text background is from the
Years Ago set, and the bird's nest and egg are from the Vintage
Illustrated Birds set, both available at Blockheads.

PS--Sorry about the bird's nest link, I got that fixed. Both of
those sets are in the 1/4 sheet, unmounted section. :)

tiny twinchie nursery rhymes book set

Do you like nursery rhymes? Okay, I admit, it's another one
of my "things," I've always been fascinated by them.
Here is a three volume set of nursery rhymes . . .



they're all twinchie sized, which is 2 by 2 inches.
I don't know the name of the stamp, which is a cluster
of roses--sorry about that!



Tried to keep them fairly flat, plus there's not a lot of
room on each page, so the embellishments are minimal: ink,
Glitz patterned paper, bits of tulle, Altered Pages images,
German scrap.



And crayon--you know I pretty much have to use crayon
on EVERYTHING, right?

Will have more hand made books to share later this week . . .

:)

mini book with tags

Joined a bookmaking class in a yahoo group--as if I need
to be encouraged to make books!



That dreamy face and background stamp are from the Years Ago
set available at Blockheads.



This one is an X book with pockets--it's only a little more than
2 1/2 inches square.



You can see I filled the pockets with tags and sewing bits,
trimmed with vintage crocheted edging,



silky seam binding, and those sewing stamps, aren't they
perfect for this?



The vintage looking light bulb shaped pins and all the fun tags
are from Altered Pages . . .



Okay, I know the honey bee and flower don't quite go with the theme,
but it's "sew sweet," yes?



It was sew much fun to make! Ooooh, you are sew right, those
puns--uncalled for--sorry about that, couldn't help myself . . .

:)

PS. There have been a few questions about the sewing set--the spool
of thread and thimble are my favorites from it, but there are three
pairs of fancy scissors plus more. You can see it HERE.

do you always finish what you start?

Months ago, I bound an atc sized book, then set it aside
and forgot it existed . . .

(The images enlarge if you click on them.)



Found it, and decided it was perfect for some Word Art
Wednesday layouts. That little angel is from the Frozen In Time
sheet at Altered Pages.



And this stamp image seemed perfect for this layout--
it's from Rogue Redhead Designs, the Relish Reading set.

I'm entering both of these in the current Word Art Wednesday
challenge--they always give you a bit of lovely scripted text
to use, either a verse or a quote, but any inspirational quote
you incorporate into your art is accepted, plus you can join in
twice a week.

That's all. Have to admit, I'm pretty tired--had to work at our
shop the last three days while the husband and youngest son were
at an out-of-town high school basketball tournament. I managed to
set the alarm off, but only once, so that's not too bad, AND bought
a pretty sweet card--a Joe DiMaggio Play Ball from 1940. That may
not sound very exciting to you, but I was pretty jazzed about it.
Here is a picture of one, not the one I purchased, however, as it is
at the store, and mine isn't centered as nicely as this:



And that's what I did last week.

I'm adding this (the book, not Joe Di!) to the Simon
Says Stamp 3 papers challenge--the Rogue Redhead is stamped
on vintage, yellowed notebook paper, the digi Word Art Wednesday
text is on new, white notebook paper, and that is on part of a blue
mailing envie that came from India.

:)

ever made twinchies?

These are for a swap at Gingersnap Creations--
I can't wait to see what comes in the mail!



You probably already know that twinchies are
2 inches by 2 inches.



These have some of the home made background
papers from THIS POST . . .



and all faces and time images are from Altered Pages.



Not a lot of additional embellishment,



except for the netting and hearts on these two.



The two collage sheets are Gypsy Soul and Time Collage Backgrounds.




By the way, collage sheets are buy one, get one free
at Altered Pages until the end of February--up to ten
free pages . . . just a little heads up . . .

two color challenge at Gingersnap Creations

Well, okay, some people would consider this only one, and
not count the black . . . I like the watercolor wash, and
these sweet stamps from Rogue Redhead Designs. I'm going
to mail this to my Great Aunt; she was with me the first
time I saw the ocean.

And the first time I got stung by a jellyfish!

Rogue Redhead Designs is sponsoring this month at Gingersnap
Creations, so now would be a great time for you to show and
tell a two-tone arty something of your own.

:)

Did you see that Gingersnap Creations is evolving?
Check out the new Unruly Paperarts!

"Don't let the stars get in your eyes . . .

don't let the moon break your heart."

Ever heard that song?



It immediately came to mind when I learned the challenge
at Basic Grey Challenges--Wish Upon a Star. (You'd think
it would be, "When You Wish Upon a Star," wouldn't you?
That one came in second!)



All the papers are from the Blush line.



This bit was fun to put together.

I'm excited to see the starry creations this round at
Basic Grey Challenges, what a lovely theme.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

:)

belated thank yous

A late, late thank you for all these amazing
and beautiful sweeties:


from Kimberly of ArtJoyStuff


atc book constructed by Penny of A Penny for Your Thoughts
(it's even more wonderful in real life, let me tell you!)


This first atc is Penny's . . .


atcs from Janine and Beverly


atcs from Sherry and the Marie is mine . . .

Isn't that such a great swap idea? Penny makes
wonderful books like that, and recently had some
published--you can see more HERE.

Ready for some more pretties? These are Christmas
atcs--there should be one more in this set, and I
apologize to whomever I am leaving out, but your atc
got packed away in the Christmas decorations!


from Wendy Robinson


from Martina Fuchs


from Lorraine Rigby


from April Dudko


and from Ann Lavin of Raggedy Ann's Playground.

Thank you again to all of these talented ladies!!

:)