Happy Thanksgiving!

4 x 4's

Here are two 4 x 4 pages I made for two separate books. The first is for a "Get Well" book and the second is for a "Cheer Up and Hang in There" book. I'll try and post pictures of the entire books when they're completed. These are two projects headed by Mary Ann at Follow Your Bliss. If you enjoy creating itty bitty books or 4 x4 books take a look...you just might want to join us!

Art Creations Friday

Vintage Wil and some friends have started a new Friday challenge site called Art Creations Friday. Their first challenge was to use this gorgeous image in an art piece of some kind. Be sure to stop by to join in the challenge or just to take a look at all the beautiful creations. Here's mine:

Make a Moo or Two

The theme this week on Make a Moo or Two is Pets. Here's mine...what kind of pet lover are you? Be sure to take a look at all the moos here!

Treats from Linda S.

My sweet blog friend Linda has sent me the most wonderful little package! She was sending me a pair of her handmade earrings (thank you so much...they're lovely!) but she also included a fun deck of Washington state playing cards and a vintage Avon sheep perfume bottle! I've never seen one of these...it's adorable. Isn't it amazing how someone I've never met in person can know just what I'd love! Thank you Linda...you're the best!

Gothic Arches

The Gothic Arches Challenge site is holding a Yuletide Gothic Arch contest through Saturday. The challenge is to create a gothic arch with a "yuletide" theme. On November 24th the winner will be selected and will receive a lovely sheet of stamps from Sugar Lump Studios called Yuletide Blessings. Be sure to take a look at all the beautiful arches. Here's mine...

Home for the Holidays Swap - Part 2

Well, you've seen what I sent my swap partner Carrie...now you can take a look at what she sent me! She created a gorgeous package all tied up in cellophane and looking like a little snow globe inside. She made some darling things...an adorable pin cushion jar filled with holiday trims and pins, a beautiful hanging card, lovely ornaments and a gift bag with an angel image on it filled with lots of vintage sewing notions...just the kind of things I love! She also included a handsome nutcracker, two shakers filled with glitter (how fun!) and lots of ribbons and pom poms, sequins and shiny bits...just perfect for making some holiday treasures of my own! Thank you Carrie...I just love it!

Home for the Holidays Swap

CuppcakeDD is the host of some wonderful vintage ephemera swaps and I've just had the pleasure of participating in my first one...the Home for the Holidays Swap. I made my swap partner Carrie an ornament and a wall hanger then filled her package with all kinds of vintage Christmas ephemera. I had such fun finding just the right things to include in her package. And I also had fun decorating the mailing box so she could enjoy it from the moment she saw it. Here's a look.

Christmas hanger

I love these vintage Christmas card images. Here's a small hanging card I made for my sister.

Generations

Here's a digital atc I made today for the November challenge at the Vintage Veranda. I'm still of two minds when it comes to creating digitally. It's fun and a challenge to create something in a totally new way and it's very convenient to be able to take an element...such as a button for instance...and change it's size and color to fit my needs at the moment. On the other hand there's something about it that leaves me feeling dissatisfied. The piece never looks as good to me in my hands as it does on my computer screen. Anyway...the theme this month is "generations" and the challenge is to create a piece with "women and child/children" as the focus. I've chosen this particular photo because of the small smile on the mother's face. So often in these old photos the people look so stern. I just love the serene smile this woman wears. I bet she was a wonderful mother. This photo was generously shared at The Vintage Moth.

SDA - November

I've had so much fun today playing at home in my craft room. I love having Mondays off especially when I don't have anything else pressing. I can get lost for hours cutting and pasting. I finished up my set of atc's for the SDA November swap. This morning I came across this lovely Sunflower Trade Card so generously shared by Hophopjingleboo (don't you love that name?!) here. I just knew I had to make a card with her...she's so golden and autumny. For some reason, my scanner just can't get the colors right on this card...the little gem at her throat is orangey but it insists on scanning as green! And all the glowing gold colors look a little flat...but you get the idea.

TMTA - Purple

Purple is the theme this week on TMTA. Purple is my mom's favorite color and I always think of her when I make anything in purple. So, my dear little mumma...this purple fairy girl will be flying to you soon! This sweet image is from Lisa's Altered Art and the background was shared by Gaby here.

Home for the Holidays Swap

I know, I know... it's not Thanksgiving yet but I've already been working on a few Christmas swaps this weekend. Here's one I've finished...this is an old book cover that I've turned into a small hanging ornament of sorts. I have one more small giftie to make for my swap partner and my package will be complete!

TMTA - Angels

I've always been fascinated by angels ever since I was a little girl attending Catholic school. We'd go to mass every morning before class and I loved the days when we got to sit on the right side of the church because there was a huge statue of an angel there that I thought was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. She had a lovely, serene face and when I was restless I'd just look at her and wonder what she might be thinking...I think she smiled at me at times.

Booklace Two

Ann, an online friend from the Netherlands, admired my booklace necklace and has struck up a trade. I've made her a booklace of her own. It's smaller...only 4 pages...and I find I like the smaller size just as well if not better. I've used two of the same images that she admired from the first booklace but tried something a little different and added a brass stamping to the mica page. I hope she likes it! She'll be sending me one of her mixed media wall hangings. She does lovely work and I'm thrilled to be able to have a piece of her art for my own. Be sure to take a look at Ann's blog and see for yourself.

Pumpkin Harvest

A card I made for the challenge at the Vintage Veranda. The theme this time was "harvest." I love this simple image of these two girls with their pumpkins.

ATC Swaps

I hope everyone had a spooky Halloween...I did! I love vintage Halloween images so I really enjoyed seeing all the ATC's from my two swaps this month. The first set is from the SDA swap...this is such a great group of swappers. I'm always delighted with these cards.






Top: Kris, Julie, Lyneen
Middle: Alice, Kathleen, Sarah
Bottom: Pam, Louise, Mine


The second set is from the swappers at Red Lead Paperworks. This is another great group! I feel so lucky to be part of both of these groups!










Top: Jan, Sally, Kim
Middle: Linda S., Linda B., Nela
Bottom: Debbie, Denise, Becky