Donating to Others

Two of the young moms at our church are working with the teenage girls this summer on a study to help them make good choices in their lives.   They have homework and are given points for several steps they make in this study.  The steps are given a ticket value.  These young moms have spent their own money to purchase several "prizes".    The girls receive points and tickets every week.   They are able to "shop" through the prizes and spend their tickets. 

To help these young moms with their budget, I made single sheet note cards.  I used these colorful blank note sheets and added the seahorse to one set and the sand dollar to another.   There are 8 cards and envelopes in each set.  I love donating to a good cause and I really feel these young ladies are a very good cause. 

 

I always photograph my work and sometimes make notations to identify donations.   I know there are thousands of other artists out there that donate, too.  I feel we are part of a community that makes someone's day a little brighter.   If you have a story for me, please leave a comment.   Thank you for visiting my blog!

To Stamp or not to Stamp........

As an avid rubber stamper, it is often hard for me to put a card together without adding an image or at least a sentiment to the card front.  But, there are so many wonderful pre-made tags and embellishments that make putting a card together a quick process.   These beautiful little tags and images are by Graphic45.   The tag at the top gives you the advantage of writing any wish for the receiver of the card:   a Happy Birthday, a Wonderful Wedding Day, to Get Well Soon, the Best on your Retirement, etc.  The little bird at the bottom of the card is surely the resident of the little nest at the top.  ")  
      Simply using a border punch at the top and bottom of the gorgeous decorative paper by DCWV gives an elegant touch to the front of the card.  This stack is called:  "Art Collage".  It contains some fabulous color combinations and patterns.   It also has pages that have collage images on them.  My motto has always been:  "Let your paper do the work for you"; and this stack most certainly does that!  
      Thanks for stopping by.   See you next time!

Vintage or Shabby?

I love the look of vintage things.....especially cards, albums, journals, etc.  I seem to have trouble going all the way.............all the way to "Shabby Chic".   As I work on cards, albums, and journals, I always think I'll make something in the shabby chic style.   But as I start adding papers, lace, and embellishments to the work, I feel like I'm overloading it.   Maybe I think it's starting to look shabby,  but not chic.   I realize this card falls far short of being in the category of Shabby Chic, but at this time in my creative box, I haven't been able to push the sides a little wider or even get out of the box.  I think I'm going to have to immerse myself in Shabby Chic literature, photos, cards and journals to push through.

I do like using text as my background.  There's something about the written word that has always intrigued me.  (My friends call me a "word" person :)  Flowers always seem to recall the by-gone era when ladies dried their flowers for use on letters, cards, albums and journals.  It is an endearing addition to any art work.

Butterflies are also an image that one sees often in vintage works, whether on a personal letter or in advertisements or on postcards.  These beautiful gold butterfly embellishments come by the sheet full from my dear friend Susan at stampdiva.com.

Lace seems to be the embellishment of choice on all vintage or shabby chic pieces.  We seem to have a large abundance of it on the market and stashed away in all those boxes and drawers.  Artists even join in swaps with other artists and thereby increase their array of laces.  I do like the elegance that lace provides for any art piece.

This vintage photo copy  of a lovely young lady comes from RedLeadpaperworks.com    They have quite a variety of collage sheets available in the online shop.  I really like the hand-written letter behind her and that the "bye-bye darling" showing across the front of her.

I am challenging myself to try for more "shabbiness" on projects and to get out of this box that prohibits me from adding "more" to the art works that just naturally lead to "Shabby Chic".   Does it really matter if we  just call it "vintage" instead of "shabby chic"?    (Forgive me if I've insulted a purist or two out there.   I am trying to understand it and reach for it.  ")