VALENTINE'S DAY TAGS

It felt like I was overdue to get my hands into something that wasn't Christmas.  Feeling a bit like that yourself LOL

The "stars" here are the images from paperwhimsy, "Salmagundi Suite Ola".   I covered #8 manilla tags with patterned papers from the Making Memories line "Je T'adore"  and 4" paper doilies (I like the grease proof ones from Wilton as they resist ink smudged fingerprints) to create the backgrounds.  All edges are inked with Tattered Rose Distress Ink and Pink, Gold or Platinum Stickles.  Pearls are from my stash.

Do check out the images at paperwhimsy, I love the versatility of this particular set.  There are enough images with one printing of the set for me to do 8 to 10 large tags, all different!  This first tag I used today for my daughter's birthday.

WOYWW

Short for What Is on your Work Desk Wednesday...!  Want your own opportunity to do a global snoop..check out the STAMPING GROUND!

Though I intend to craft Christmas all year long in 2013, I was feeling like a bit of a change was needed.  On my desk today are the start to a few Valentine tags.   Paperline from Making Memories, Martha Stewart lacey heart punch, pink Stickles and GeckoGalz images.  I am doing a GD spot in February at GeckoGalz so best put my mind to it!

Here in Canada we also celebrate Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) - I am declaring it PJ day at my house!  Hope all of you are having a lovely week!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND WARM WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR

Thank you to all of my followers and those of you who check in regularly to see what I might be up to!  I so appreciate your encouragement and support.  For the most part the last six months have seen me housebound, creating and connecting with all of you has truly helped me keep a happy, healthy outlook.  We often do not know that we have made a difference in the lives of those whose paths we cross, you have made a difference for me.

All my best wishes for your holidays and the coming year.

This is a gif file (courtesy of my friend Heather) and will print out on whatever background you choose.  Remember to right click and save the larger image!

VINTAGE SHEET MUSIC MEDALLIONS

I thought I was crafting tree ornaments .. with no plan other than to start with a round coaster, a pile of sheet music (which I have collected with gusto!) and see where that might lead... really these are a bit larger than typical ornaments but small enough that wall space can easily be found.   Meant for two young friends...

Image from GeckoGalz "Tiny Dancer"

What last gifts are you crafting?

WOYWW

What's on your workdesk Wednesday!  Check it out at Stamping Ground and give Ms Julia's desk a good snoop!

From the left; you can just see a paper tree made from a Martha Stewart kit bought a few years ago on clearance, two more to go (leave them in the clearance bin if you come across them), packets of reindeer and starlight mints, a vintage house I am rejuvenating, a couple of 1910ish vintage pop-out Christmas cards (the pop is pooped and needs propped up!), a laser cut silhouette and music notes for considering and in the middle a paper cone medallion made of vintage sheet music with ballerina image and destined for a young ballerina I know :)

Yes I finished the paper chain from last week and here it is on the tree...I got three good wraps around the tree for all my effort

The snowscape I was working on from two weeks ago... though the ribbed jar makes it hard to photo

Have a lovely week, take time to breathe.  Whatever gets done is great and what you thought you wanted to do won't be missed on the day!  Merry, Merry to you all!

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS MATCHBOX ORNAMENT SWAP

My swap ornaments from the Vintage Dragonfly  "A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS MATCHBOX ORNAMENT SWAP"  have arrived and in time to show them off for the holidays!   JoAnne thank you for yet another marvelous swap.

What a delight each of these little bits of art are!  Of course my photography doesn't do justice!  I have them all on a little tree in the dining room so that I see them often.

Left to right;  Laurie Jackson, Peace Schulyer, Oliva, Tabitha Lenox (Kim)

Donna Authenreith, Melinda Lysen, LunaLilly, JoAnne (Vintage Dragonfly)

WOYWW

Like December does every year, the days are just zipping by!  It's Wednesday again and time for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (a wild roll through craft rooms around the globe) hosted by the fair Ms Julia at Stamping Ground.  Check it out and join us in the fun!

I didn't get around to many desks this last week..and I will try to make it up!  But had childhood friends up from the states for a three day weekend which we spent in a lovely seaside resort!  Great laughter, eats and fun.

I have managed a few projects this week but right now I am working on a kit - yes a kit!  A Bethany Lowe vintage style music sheet paper chain.  Four sets, six feet long...I will be awhile at this one :(

Have a lovely week!

WINTER WONDERLAND - 1953!

Turquoise and red at the holidays always take me back to my childhood.  Mom always flocked our tree (using the vacuum) and often in a colour, I remember at least one turquoise tree!  I painted this 18" papier mache cone awhile ago and waited for inspiration to hit.  Off white acrylic paint for the lst coat, then "Weathered Wood" crackle medium (I adore this stuff!) with a turquoise acrylic on top.

Deb, a friend since childhood recently gifted me with cards that her mother received when she was in a TB sanitorium through 1953/54.  What a treasure trove!  Lucky me!  I adored Evelyn and feel extra special to be gifted these.  Amongst these I found the perfect special card to use - shiny red foil and a pop out snow scene!

The top is trimmed with a giant chenille stem which I wired on by punching holes every 2" and using regular chenille stems.  A bit of silver ric rac for glitter beneath that and around the edge of the card front.  I used Holly and Candy Cane Stickles to highlight the scene.  A glittery turquoise pom at the bottom and a vintage style chenille Santa complete the piece.  Yep, I guess I am not done with cones yet nor the chenille figures!

I am entering this in the Divas By Design "Let It Snow" challenge...this is a great challenge site if you are unfamiliar with it, do go and have a look,  the "Snowmen" challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks,  "Anything Goes As Long As It Is Festive" challenge at Whimsy Stamps

WOYWW!

Where did the last week go!  Oh my it is Wednesday and time for "What's on your workdesk Wednesday"!   Interested in seeing what is going on in craft rooms around the globe?  Well go and check it out at Ms Julia's Stamping Ground

Can't believe that it completely slipped my mind, sat down to do some visiting and there it is.  Early evening lighting doesn't make a great picture but then my skills don't either!

My desk doesn't really look like it but I have been crafting, crafting, crafting this week.  A crop on Saturday and I have finished four of my Candy Cane Cones, a Music Sheet Medallion and I am working on some tiny alpine houses for doing snowscapes.

Right now I am working on setting up this snowscape, I will include bottle brush trees and a glittery covered reindeer.  That is if I can find the reindeer, I am thinking he doesn't want to be covered in glitter...bah!  That's just the way it is once I find him...no time now for dithering or dickering.  I will make some tags to hang from the lid along with a few green and red ribbons.  So short, sweet and late, I will try and make it 'round to see you!

MEDALLION OF VINTAGE MUSIC SHEETS

I am calling this a medallion because it doesn't have a hole in the centre as a wreath does.  There have been lots of wreaths seen in the last couple of years and while on my "want" list - you might know that I am terrible at churning out multiples of the same thing LOL All those cones!

I used the tips Michele of PRIMP provided in rolling the (oh so many!) cones.  Though instead of closing the cones with a bit of masking tape, I used a small strip of double sided tape (DST) on the bottom left inside corner.  The cone is then adhered on the inside and you won't have any tape bits showing.  Production line!

The music paper was about 60 years old but thick enough to not be fragile.  I used a 9" chipboard cake plate for the base and sketched out about a 4 inch circle in the middle to start the cones on.  There are three layers of cones;  the 2nd layer is the same size as the first back layer with each cone placed on top of and between the bottom layer and the third and top layer are 1/2 the size of the other cones as I wanted to create more depth and abundance.

The pink ruffle is a vintage horse competition ribbon (first time I have used one!), on top of that is a vintage tin Christmas tree light reflector topped with a mini TH rosette and that is finally topped with a vintage sparkly glass button.  I distressed the edges with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and pink Stickles.

I am entering this in the "Distressing" challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow, the "Anything Goes" Challenge at Simon Says Stamp

VINTAGE CANDY CANE CONE WITH SANTA

After a bit of fooling around with my first effort, now I am quite happy with this little project.  Again I started with a 7" paper mache cone on which I painted rough strips in a maroon red and creamy white, you don't have to be perfect because the next step is to cover all of this in a good white glue and coat with Diamond Dust.  I tried several other colors but a silver tinsel pipe cleaner for the handle worked best in this mix.  The red rim is wired tinsel trim from Michael's adhered with DST.  I adhered a line of vintage silver tinsel garland along the inside top (DST) and that along with a bit of snowy white paper shreds make a fine winter nest for the vintage '50s  snowman with plastic holly pick.  I added a rosette (the smaller TH die) made with a MS pp and topped with a vintage button.   A bit of ribbon and a sparkly pompom finish it off.  While I find Diamond Dust stays pretty well put, I have sprayed this this with a light coat of fixative.

I am entering this in the "Vintage Christmas" Challenge #39  over at Sugar Creek Hollow,  "V for Vintage" challenge at the Alphabet Challenge Blog, "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp Challenge, "Glitter and Sparkle" challenge at Divas By Design

CANDY CANE CONE

This year cones are a favourite!

I started with a paper mache cone on which I painted rough strips in a maroon red and creamy white which I then covered in Diamond Dust.  A tinsel pipe cleaner for the handle.  The red rim is wired tinsel trim.  I adhered a line of vintage silver tinsel garland along the inside top and that along with a bit of snowy paper shreds make a wintery nest for the vintage plastic snowman with holly pick.  A rosette made with a MS pp and topped with a vintage button.   A bit of ribbon and a sparkly pompom finish it off.  I may yet glitter up that little snowman....that will take a bit of pondering LOL

WOYWW

It's time once again for a sneaky (not so sneaky but I wanted to say that LOL) snoop into the crafting spaces of sister crafters around the globe!  Don't know what I am talking about...check out Ms Julia's for the skinny.

hmmm...not that I am in a panic but I have started more projects than I will get done but no panic!  I always get into a holiday panic LOL    Left to right; see those little VINTAGE angels picked them up in a thrift store today for almost nothing, in front of them are some VINTAGE picks .50 each! (I remember all of these from the Ben Franklin Five & Dime when I was a kid - love them!), a grinch and a santa chenille ornament a favourite make of mine this year,  the DH brought me home a bag full of these little plastic alpine cottages which I have yet to play around with.  The red and white cones will be a Christmas version of the Candy Corn Cones I did earlier.   I haven't finished the cigar box assemblage which I showed you but here is one I did finish.  Have a great week!  I typically try and visit a few of you each day...so hope to be sneaking up on you soon!

ADVERTISING THE SYMPHONY (VIOLIN IMAGE)

It's been awhile since I have put up an image for you!  Remember to click on the image and save the second one for better print resolution.  Fa la la!

CHRISTMAS CIGAR BOX ASSEMBLAGE - SNOW DAY

I bought a stack of empty cigar boxes from a local cigar store a couple of years ago, putting something like this together has been in the back of my mind ever since.  I wanted it to be clear that this project started life as a cigar box so finding the balance of what to cover and what to leave took some pondering LOL  Oh I spend a lot of time pondering!

The papers are from Cosmo Cricket and October Afternoon, the retro images on the cover come from TwistedPapers.  My little reindeer is vintage and even though her red flocking has faded to orange and is sloughing off in places she is the star of this piece for me.  The trees and fencing are dollar store finds.   Diamond Dust icy garlands, teeny pompom snowballs and gold star sequins decorate my trees.  The aged mica flake snow is from Paper Valise.  Lots of Glossy Accents and Stickles add more sparkle (I see more opportunities for glitter when viewing my pictures LOL).  Thanks for looking!

I met (on line) an incredible artist from the UK, Susie Jeffereson.  She is the one who created my blog background.  Susie has just created a series of holiday configuration boxes and done a video on each one...go here to see them!  http://www.1stfloorflat.co.uk/

A little peek!

WOYWW! (What's on your workdesk Wednesday)

Time for some global peeping!  Hosted by Julia,  Mistress of Peep at  Stamping Ground, do join in the fun!  I don't always seem to know what a "short" description is but will try LOL

From the left; a cigar box assemblage I am working on, still working on tags (a start on my Merry holiday cards above), blue and red gift bag tags for McLean's "Winter Wonderland" bday party and a small notebook from a crop I attended on Saturday.

Hope you have all had a great week, happy WOYWW and I will attempt to come around to as many desks as I can!

"FEELING BLUE" - FUSSY & FANCY CHALLENGE # 76

For the first time ever I am suddenly really taken with blue for the holidays.  I saw this challenge on  a new followers blog (thanks May!) and thought perfect!  The beginnings of this tag were an attempt at the 12 Tags of Christmas probably 2 years ago.  Wasn't happy with it but had put so much effort into it that I didn't toss it in file 13.  I had a request for a stocking tag for Baby Jack and pulled this one out.  I have a few more skills now and thought perhaps I could do something with it!  Baby Jack's mom said "what a tiny head that snowman has"... part of being a snowman with attitude I think!

Check out the fabulous creations at the Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Blog!

VINTAGE HOLIDAY CONE IMAGE

A few weeks ago the DH came home with some vintage paper pieces for me.  They are all of Dutch origin and I'm fairly certain date to the early 1950s.  These included some Christmas themed cones.

My friend Heather has once again worked her special magic and erased the "wear and tear" from one of the cones and created several sizes of the image.  I am delighted to share these with you. Remember to click on the image and then save the larger image for best resolution.   These are gif files and will print out exactly as you see them.  For durability print them out on a heavy paper, using double sided tape on the white edge to hold them together.

If you want to get some ideas and see this at it's best, Heather has used the cone for a Really Reasonable Ribbon design team project which she has posted today.   And oh it is sweet!   The perfect name has been used for Really Reasonable Ribbon check out all the possibilities!

MERRY MITTENS AND SNOWMAN BANNER

Credit to Linda Albrecht for the design, published in the 2010 ``Sommerset Holidays & Celebrations``.  I absolutely fell in love with this and actually did it after Christmas last year.  I actually like crafting Christmas after the holiday, it gives me quite a good feeling to think I have a leg up on the next year.

Spied in my craft studio by Ms Snoopy, she has been hinting for quite sometime HA!  Still going to her house but for McLean`s 7th bday party...he has decided on a ``winter wonderland`` theme.

This was a trial project and several of the snowmen heads are looking to the side, I didn`t guide the dh quite enough for the drilling of said heads!  A character giving feature, surely.  Base pps and many of the chipboard embellishments are from Cosmo Cricket.  A sweet line which gave me a retro 50s vibe.

 By now you know I have NO photography skills and I am not likely to gain any!

MIRACLE - A BABY ANNOUNCEMENT LAYOUT

As Jack will be celebrating his first birthday in January,  it was more than time for me to scrap his birth announcement!  This is a layout based on one from "Clipper Street" (a lss in Vancouver) that I did years ago, I have used it for most of the 10 grands!  This has been on my desk for quite some time actually.  Very little inking and a bright clean style, so unlike my usual!  The pp are American Crafts, the rest are bits from my stash.

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WOYWW!

What! What?   Yep, What's on your workdesk Wednesday!  It's a free license to snoop on crafty sisters around the globe.  Who knew this would be so much fun?  The Grand Snoop Mistress is Ms Julia at Stamping Ground - check it out!

From the left; still working on tags and looking through that same old photo album looking for old photos to use,  a pile of snowflakes destined for "Angel Tags", an envelope of tags destined for my daughter Allison,  some new rolls of holiday trim and ribbon with a couple of vintage ornaments sitting on top.  The pink and black Christmas cards..been working on those for a couple of years!  This was when I discovered how I HATE doing the same thing over and over.  So after cutting out the base, mats and stamping the fronts...I just lost interest LOL  So I try to do a couple each year until the darned things are finished!   I never was really keen on the design but I had been given all of this pink qood quality cardstock.  I have learned mostly to say no thank you now!

SHABBY CHIC VINTAGE CHRISTMAS GARLAND SWAP

Did you know that "hangie things" are my absolute favourite!  Banners, bunting, drops, flags,  garlands, pennants, swags - by any name!  Of course I was going to be in on another of the fabulous swaps hosted by JoAnne of the Vintage Dragonfly. 

JoAnne supplied the pattern (choice of two) and we are required to create 6 pieces to swap.  We were to use white, cream and/or  ivory and perhaps the barest touch of other colour along with vintage images. 

I have made all of mine the same; background pps are Graphic 45, the holly border along the top is a MS punch which I embossed in clear for a bit more shine,  the rest is bordered with Opal Liquid Pearls which pick up a bit of the Evergreen Bough Distress Ink which I did the edges in, my vintage image (I'm sorry source forgotten!  Still haven't recovered brain cells lost from anesthetic!) is layered on cream cardstock which is edged with Platinum Stickles, the image is covered with Sugar Beads (translucent microbeads), at the bottom I have used a Prima ivory flower, some ivory stamens from my stash, glittered leaves from a floral pick and a coil of gold bullion wire (both Michael's) and finally a cream tassle.   

JoAnne will put six of our contributions together and mail us back a completed garland!  I can hardly wait! 

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST GRANDDAUGHTER

Sydney Alaina

Born October 18, 2012

Joining her parents Tyson and Holly, sister Madison and brother Liam.  Sydney makes 10 grandchildren between both of our own children.  I know how that happens LOL but we certainly never thought we would be so blessed.

A simple card made with Graphic 45's "Little Darlings"

The little blob there..sealing wax with a sentiment stamped in.  Looks a bit better IRL!  

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS MATCHBOX ORNAMENT SWAP

Except for a few touches here and there, I am ready to send off my ornaments for the "Very Merry Christmas Matchbox Ornament Swap" hosted by Joanne of "Vintage Dragonfly".  We are to do eight ornaments using the small 32 count matchboxes.

My idea was to recreate a snowy Victorian or Edwardian style house. The bottom four I used Liquid Embroidery puffed up with my heat gun for the snow.  Ran out!  And couldn't find it locally.  The top four I have used "Polar"  Flower Soft for the snow which looks nicer IRL than in the pic.  I have glittered each one with "Warm Highlights" microfine glitter from GlitterRitz.  Inside I have adhered an angel image from Digital Collage Sheets outlined with Stickles.  I will put a small chandelier bead and some other goodies inside each one.  Thanks Joanne for yet again a great fun swap!

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LEST WE FORGET

I have taken opportunity in the past to do posts about the service of each of our parents.  I have linked those posts at the bottom if you are interested in having a look.

Today I want to share with you what has been a new tradition in our family.  Our son-in-law Spencer is an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and whether working on the day or volunteering, he will be dressed in his red serge uniform in a parade or at a local ceremony.  Of course Allison and the now four children turn out for the ceremony and typically one side of the family or the other has arrived for a visit at the same time.  This picture is a few years old but I particularly like the various flags in the background and the glimpse of a kilted piper there on the bottom left.

Add caption

Not only will we recognize the meaning of the day but it is also a day  to remember and think about each of our parents and their service.

http://scrapbookinwithg.blogspot.ca/2010/11/lest-we-forget-november-11-2010.html

http://scrapbookinwithg.blogspot.ca/2010/11/lest-we-forget-2-november-11-2010.html

http://scrapbookinwithg.blogspot.ca/2010/11/lest-we-forget-3-november-11-2011.html

SNOWFLAKE ANGEL CHRISTMAS TAGS

I'm still working off the tags shared by Nancy Maxwell James of Sugar Lump Studios.  She has just posted a fabric album using these same images "Little Angels" from Digital Collage Sheets.

Background papers are glittery picks from  Laundry Line by MME - a favourite I have been hanging on to for several years.   Again Stickles for a glittery outline and a bit of shabby ribbon for the top.  The snowflakes I picked up at Michael's, added a bit of microfine warm highlights glitter to soften up the pure silver they started with and centered them with a vintage pearl button.  Snowflakes and button adhered with E6000.

MY "MERRY FAMILY" CHRISTMAS TAGS

No they really aren't "my" family!  These images are from Michelle of  Digital Collage Sheets.  Fell head over heals for this set LOL  I just couldn't resist playing on the sober expressions.  I have some special plans yet for "Granny Mary Merry"!   Still working on producing a pile of tags for our girls, so keeping these simple - Stickles, dimensional embellishments and a bit of crinkled ribbon!

WOYWW #179

Yep it's time to join in on the "Global Snooping" of craft rooms, an event grand enough to be a topic of discussion on  BBC radio and hosted by Julia at  Stamping Ground!   I didn't get around to many desks this week and I am quite anxious about what I may have missed!

I still have Halloween bits on my desk though I have tried to hide them this week.  I hit the Halloween sale bins at Michaels this afternoon, how could I resist black tinsel wreaths for $1.99, huge wired ribbon bows for .99?  Thinking I will go back tomorrow for a few more wreaths...perfect for decorating the fence out front now that I have had time to think about it!  As difficult as it is, I am moving past Halloween.

Upper left corner, a stack of small tags I have punched from old photos.  The DH came home with two gigantic ledgers filled with 30 years of old family photos stapled into them.  Yep stapled!  There are only a few photos identified with names or dates but they are an Italian family in New York city.  I especially love the Coney Island pics!.  I am sure the story of how the albums landed in Victoria BC would be quite something.   I will include some of these tags as swap gifts.

Upper right corner, one of the matchbox ornaments I am working on for a swap.  The large tags (not quite finished) are part of what I'm putting together for our 4 girls, hoping to give them an early start on their gift wrapping stash.  I have used my Cricut to cut a number of tags from patterned paper and I will go through the old holiday cards to see what could be punched for tags.  Too precious and they don't get used.  These images make me laugh every time I look!  I'm calling that center one "Granny Mary Merry"...I may do a few holiday cards featuring her.  The images are from "Digital Collage Sheets" on Etsy.  Have a look at Michelle's offerings there, the image resolution is fantastic.

Have a great WOYWW!  I hope all of our Sister crafters on the East coast have escaped severe damage and injury!  Hope to visit more this next week!

PRETTY IN PINK ANGEL TAGS

I am working on doing a pile of holiday tags for each of our four girls, wanting to give them a bit of an early holiday gift wrapping stash.  I will embellish a few for each of them but mostly they will be simple.  Make them too precious and they don't get used!  I have cut a lot of simple tags in different sizes on my Cricut from patterned paper, I will dig through my old cards and see what tags can be punched from those.  Some of my favourites are punched from old photos..I will share those later.

These are inspired by Nancy Maxwell James  (Sugar Lump Studios) "SnowFlake Angel Tags".   I used the same images as she did from Digital Collage Sheets on Etsy.  I found some sweet K&CO poinsettia tags in my stash and decided to use those instead of snowflakes.  Also from my stash;  pp  "Eskimo Kisses" from Basic Grey, bits of a Zva pink crystal swirl, crinkly ribbon and various colours of Stickles.  I used #8 manila tags as the base.

I am very impressed with the quality of the images from Michelle at Digital Collage Sheets, do check her Etsy site out!  And if you aren't familiar with Sugar Lump Studios well you have quite a treat in store for you!

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (ART JOURNAL PAGE)

I had plans to do a bit more around Dia de los muertos this month but somehow time just disappeared!  We were fortunate to have experienced this celebratory time on a trip to Mexico a number of years ago.  

The sugar skull images come from Passion Fruits Images on Etsy.  The wings I traced from a  chipboard piece then dug into my sequins, vintage glass teardrops, hotfix crystals, sparkle pens and went crazy!  The sacred heart I did on a 10 Second Studio form, then hit it with some black gesso. I'm not completely happy with this page but I am glad to have gotten something down on a page!