Another One Bites the Dust...

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in...A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

Happy New Year to All!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

This Fall a friend of mine, that knows how much I enjoy old photos gave me this one of his aunt as a child. The detail of her coat, hat and shoes are amazing. I knew I wanted to use this picture in a Christmas card. While it doesn't scream Christmas...it does look very winter-y. After a few attempts of trying to make the photo work...and not liking what I was coming up with, I went looking for some inspiration...and found it in a 2008 Somerset. Frieda Oxenham had a wonderful design that I semi-scrap swiped.
The background of the card is 7Gypsies "Venice-Canal" patterned paper . "Black Soot" Distress ink for the stamp and the edges of the card. I highlighted the stamp design with the "magic pen" (gotta love the the magic pen). A glittery shear aqua ribbon runs down the side...and aqua lace across the bottom, along with the word "Merry". A large white lace snowflake (which started out life as a daisy) is covered in "Star Dust" Stickels and embellished with a rhinestone star. All topped off with a sprig of Holly on the hat.

The message inside the card reads...

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".

I hope you do just that!

Celebrate the Season

My Tucson Sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year...
I always answer the same..."a trip to Hawaii."
"No really what do you want?"
"Okay...if not a trip to Hawaii, I want you to make me a Christmas Card..." TS made me this beautiful card. The poinsettia is made from folded pieces of a deep red mulberry paper with flakes of gold. The leaves are folded pieces of dark green mulberry paper that have a scalloped edge...mounted on cream color card stock.The message in side the card reads: Celebrate the Season.
Very cool!

Holiday Stress

Tis the season...candy is made and placed in tins to pass out, parties have been attended, the house is semi-decorated, tree is trimmed, gifts are packed up and shipped off, Christmas cards are made and mailed, shopping is done...can you say "Holiday Stress"!
Now I told you that story to tell you this story...
As I was rushing past the sun room on my way to the next seasonal chore, I spotted the cat napping. Not a cat nap mind you...but a curl up in the sunshine to get warm, with not a care in the world nap. Didn't this cat know that Christmas was only a few days away, and there was "stuff" to do!?!

I sat down on the stool and proceeded to chastise her on all the reasons that nobody has time to be napping in the middle of the day this time of year...she could care less. I'm sure she was secretly laughing a me...I would never admit it to her...but I was really envious of her nap in the sunshine...what a way to spend a day!

PS...for all of you that have asked why I haven't blogged more often...please re-read the first paragraph!

Paris, Ostriches and Clark Gable

New York has the life size fiberglass Cows...San Francisco has the over size fiberglass Hearts and Chandler Arizona has 6 1/2 foot Ostriches. Why Ostriches...because back in the early 1900s women wore big fashionable hats loaded with Ostrich feathers. The founder of Chandler...Dr. A.J. Chandler raised Ostriches...so we have decorated 6 1/2 foot Ostriches placed here and there in Historic downtown Chandler.
When mom was here last weekend to took a field trip downtown to see the decorated Ostrich in the lobby of the famous San Marcos Resort. This Ostrich was decorated by Ann, one of the very creative students in the Heritage Scrapbook class I teach at Mystic Paper, and Diane, an artist friend of hers.
The Ostrich was title "Clark Gable on the Golf Course". All dressed up in golf shoes, plus fours (old style golf pants), golf club and a bow tie. And as a matter of fact Clark Gable did visit the San Marcos Resort and no doubt played a round or two of golf there.

From there mom and I took a short walk down the block from the resort to "The Art on Boston" an art gallery...on Boston Street.
Lisa, another very creative student in my class, had made decorations for a "Paris" Christmas Tree displayed at the gallery. The tree is part of the local merchants "World of Trees" contest. Lisa had some glittery frames she embellished with red Dresden trim, and inserted a image of Marie Antoinette to hang on the tree. She also made red, white and blue die cut Eiffel Tower ornaments decorated with Sticklers.

Mom and I each took a ballot and voted for the "Paris Tree".

Art Deco Birthday Card

I can't remember where I found this image. I don't think she is a flapper. But the dress and head piece are the "Art Deco" look. Maybe 1920's or 30's. I thought she would look great on a card.
I played around with different back grounds. She didn't look quite right until I found this Basic Gray paper..."Marrakesh". The aqua and black work so well together. I covered her dress with black Stickels...some rhinestones on her shoes and center of her belt (is that a belt?)

She does look pretty good on a card. Now the question is... is that a shadow under her arms or...?

Fairys, a Bathing Beauty and Birthdays

One of my favorite Blogs is Graphics Fairy. If you haven't discovered Karen's wonderful images, you don't know what you are missing! Karen shares at least one new image a day. She has a site full of treasures she has found, fixed, edited and improved.
I discovered this fun image of a vintage bathing beauty on Karen's site a while ago.

When I was making cards this Summer for all the "Fall" birthdays, I printed off the photo, cut around the image, added some patterned paper, lots of Stickels,

a vintage postcard, a few rhinestones...

and created a "By the Sea" collage card. All the cards have been sent out to friends and family with "Fall" birthdays, so I'm finally able to post these.