Merry Christmas!

It's not the amount of money you spend,
but the love and the warmth
for those that you tend.

Christmas circa 1966,
with our free Christmas tree!
(Charlie Brown would approve.)

You better not pout...

Here is another version of my Santa Christmas card.

It features a patchwork background with zigzag stitching, vintage buttons tied with embroidery floss, and the cracked glass technique.

Only 11 days until Christmas! Are you ready?


Supplies:
Stamps: Rubber Stampede, Stamping' Up!; green and tan cardstocks by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock by Stampin' Up!; patterned papers by Graphic 45; Prismacolor Premier pencils; black Stazon, antique linen distress ink, Versamark; UTEE; rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities; Cuttlebug; oval and scalloped oval punches by Stampin' Up!; Janome Sew Mini; vintage buttons; embroidery floss.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We had a pretty big snow storm and blizzard conditions here last week. Some areas had a foot of snow or more and the wind was creating drifts as deep as six feet out in the country. The kids had three snow days in a row! I hope this isn't an indicator of the type of winter we're going to have.

I was able to mail most of my Christmas cards before the storm hit. Many of them featured this cute Santa image that I colored with my Prismacolor pencils. I love the tranquil blue tones of this particular card.

Some of my Christmas cards this year featured a new technique for me: sewing! I've never been too interested in sewing, but I see so many paper crafters doing it and the look really enhances vintage-style items. So I broke down and bought myself a Janome Sew Mini, which is like a beginner's sewing machine. It's very portable and includes three sizes of zigzag stitch.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and warm!

Supplies:
Stamps: Rubber Stampede, Cornish Heritage Farms; blue cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up!; decorative papers by Memory Box (Dewfrost collection); black Stazon, broken china distress ink, Anna Griffin blue ink, Brilliance platinum planet ink; rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities; Cuttlebug; Janome Sew Mini and white thread; Martha Stewart snowflake punch; Glossy Accents; Martha Stewart glitter; white brads.

Santa's Wish

A few weeks ago my mom and I had lunch at Maria's Tea Room in Czech Village. Afterward we roamed through an antique mall "on the avenue." One of the booths had a three-ring notebook filled with vintage postcards, and believe it or not there was a postcard with this exact same Santa image! I about fell over. I really want to buy it but they are asking $10 for it, which I feel is too much considering that the stamp has been removed, the postmark year is missing, and therefore it's impossible to put a date on when the postcard was sent. I'm guessing that it might have been a penny postcard from the early 1900-1910s, as other postcards in the notebook are of that era.

So I haven't bought the postcard, but now I have some idea where Tim Holtz gets the vintage images for his stamp sets!

I used Adirondack alcohol inks and the polished stone technique to create my own background paper for this 5.5 inch square card. I like the muted, non-traditional holiday colors of this card.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fabulous Monday!

Supplies:
Stamp set: Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz; Cardstock: Bazzill brown, Bazzill pickle, Bazzill kraft; Ranger Inkssentials glossy white cardstock; Adirondack alcohol inks: oregano, ginger, mushroom; Distress inks: peeled paint, fired brick; Stazon timber brown ink; Adirondack espresso dye ink; clear embossing powder; Distress Stickles: fired brick; Nestibilities square and scalloped square; Martha Stewart border punch; gold ribbon from Michaels; Tim Holtz Idea-ology antique brass snaps.

Heritage Scrapbooking - Otto 1918

I haven't done much scrapbooking, but heritage scrapbooking appeals to me on several different levels so I have hopes of pursuing that interest more in the future.

This is a 6x6 inch piece. Otto, the man in the photo, is my paternal grandfather. I never knew him as he died of a brain tumor before I was born. My dad described him as a hard-worker, a good gardener, and particular about his tools. He also liked a good ball game (softball/baseball) and his beer! Another interesting fact is that he was the father of 14 children.

This picture was supposedly taken when Otto was a student at or had graduated from business school. However, no one seems to know anything more specific such as when he attended this school, the name and location of the school, or what he studied. I estimated that this picture was taken around 1918 or 1919, based on his age and the fact that it would have been taken before my grandparents were married in 1920.

Even though I never met my grandfather, I can certainly see how my dad takes after him. My grandfather was a handsome young man and although he never became a businessman, he looks like a man with a lot of promise in this photo.

Supplies:
Decorative papers: Graphic 45, Karen Foster; black Bazzill cardstock; recycled corrugated cardboard; distress inks: walnut stain, antique linen; oval and scalloped oval punches (Stampin' Up!); square and scalloped square Nestibilities (Spellbinders); Tim Holtz Idea-ology knowledge token and spinner arrow; string wrap closure (Michaels); frond punch (Martha Stewart); ivory skeleton leaves; pewter brads; computer-generated journaling.

Vintage Iron Star

I enjoy making masculine-themed cards and vintage images make them a snap to create. I think men enjoy receiving a specialty card just as much as women do. Guys, am I right?

I sent this card to my Uncle Junior when he was having some health problems. This card illustrates how to use distress inks to stamp images, to dye ribbon, and to age or alter paper. The twill ribbon was originally a bright golden yellow; too bright for the look I was hoping to achieve. I used my brayer and vintage photo distress ink to tone it down. The little price tag was brand new and bright white. I gave it an aged look by first crinkling it in my hands, then inking it with scattered straw and walnut stain distress inks. I even used the scattered straw ink to dye the string tied to the tag.

Have a terrific day. Thanks for peeking in!

Supplies:
Star stamp (River City Rubber Works); letter C stamp (Rebecca Sower); clear embossing powder; distress inks: black soot, scattered straw, walnut stain, vintage photo; black Stazon; Cosmo Cricket decorative paper; kraft cardstock; Bazzill cardstock; recycled corrugated cardboard; small price tag; twill ribbon; copper brads; black brad.

Polished Stone Mona

The polished stone technique is one of my favorites, so I naturally turned to my alcohol inks to make a unique background for some new Tim Holtz stamps that I was thrilled to finally get. I love how dramatic the cool stream and the warm terra cotta look with each other.

Another technique I employed on this 4.5 x 6.25 inch card was to heat the ends of the sheer black ribbon. The heat causes the ribbon to curl in unexpected directions which adds quite a bit of interest. I do need to practice this technique more: I found out that a little heat goes a long way.

This will be a birthday card for a close friend of mine who holds an MFA in painting. I'm no Leonardo da Vinci, but I think she will appreciate this latest sample of my artwork.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fantastic day!

Supplies:
Glossy white cardstock (Ranger Inkssentials); Adirondack alcohol inks: stream, terra cotta, latte; alcohol blending solution; Tim Holtz stamps; Tim Holtz Idea-ology metal findings; Colorbox metal stencils; miscellaneous seed beads; sheer black ribbon; black Stazon ink; terra cotta and black cardstock (Bazzill); ticket corner punch (Stampin' Up!).