A Summer Garden

Good morning, my friends!

A beautiful day here near the coast…a bit foggy, but we’re used to that here in the summer…

I’ve been looking out my window at my roses that need pruning and dead-heading…my fruit that needs picking…my flowers surrounded by weeds…Too many summer vacations can really make your garden OVERgrow!

Well, instead of getting my hands dirty and  going out to do something about it, I did what any addicted to cardmaking woman would do…make some garden cards!

Here’s what I have for you today…first:

This is to remind me of what I SHOULD be doing today…!  I love this beautiful collage image and designer paper from Graphic 45—so very vintage!

Lace, ribbon, and vintage buttons, as usual…a layered flower made with different-sized circle scallop punches.  I just cut between each scallop to make the flower—so easy!  Lots of platinum Stickles, a touch or two of Dazzling Diamonds, and we’re all done!

Next, another one of my favorite playthings…Vicki Chrisman’s 3D Shadowbox die, available precut from Crafty Secrets—LOVE these!

Here’s a few close-ups…all the images are from Crafty Secrets’ “Birds and Blossoms” Images & Journal Notes booklet and “Calendar” Creative Scraps…

 

The first panel…

…and the center…love that gorgeous vintage birdie!  And what about those sumptuously glittered Prima flowers?!  And the leafy trim—yummy!

…last panel…big, fat, cabbagey roses…just the way I love them!

Lots of lace, of course…gingham ribbon and crystal rhinestones…some of my very favorite things.  I also altered the color of the central panel with Ranger’s Crackle paint.  Lots of platinum Stickles, too, of course!   I gave the whole thing a good, healthy spritz with “Iridescent Gold” Glimmer Mist….love it!

Well, that’s it for me today…got some more projects covering my kitchen table, so I’d better get busy! 

Well, whether you decide to dirty your hands today with garden dirt or ink…just make something beautiful today!

See you soon with something new…

 

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Graphic 45,garden

Sew Stylish

 

Good morning, my friends!

Wow!  It’s been a long time since we’ve visited, hasn’t it?!  Got home Saturday from our week up at camp, and took me till yesterday to make a little something to share with you…my crafty mojo was left somewhere up in those beautiful mountains, I think!

Here’s what I was surrounded with…

The gorgeous, towering redwoods of the Santa Cruz mountains…

A beautiful little grove I was quietly sitting in one afternoon…

Here’s the result of a VERY long hike a group some of our girls went on…

…they literally collapsed on this sofa in the mess hall after they got back and showered…and fell asleep in an adorable heap!

Well, back to my reality…cooking, cleaning, running all around town,….and playing with all kinds of wonderfully vintage things!

Here are a couple of cards I finished yesterday…first:

I just had to pop up this mod woman on top of the pattern images!  A bit of rick-rack trim, some black grosgrain ribbon, my favorite platinum Stickles…oh, yes…and a Pearl Stickles necklace for her, as well…and that’s about it!

I LOVE these wonderfully retro images from Crafty Secrets’ new “Sew Nice” Creative Scraps!  Tons of fabulous images printed on both sides of the cardstock…so much to choose from!

Next…a bit more fashion…from the kitchen this time…

This one really called for a bit of gingham ribbon, grunged up with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink, some fabulously kitschy paper from Graphic 45…a few vintage buttons…

…a dash of Dazzling Diamonds, finished off with a little more framing with platinum Stickles.

These images are from Crafty Secrets’ newly revised “Domestic Goddess” Creative Scraps…

…just look at all that wonderful kitschiness!

Well, of course, my cards reminded me of some of my very own stylish women in my family, so I thought I’d share some “fashionista” photos from this same time period with you…

My Mom (in the yellow sundress), with her Aunt and cousins in the late ‘40’s…

My Mom, again…3rd from the left…with a group of her friends in the mid ‘50’s…

A couple of shots of my parents while they were dating in the late ‘50’s…

My in-laws, Paul and Shirley, just after their wedding…walking off in a shower of rice…1959.

My Mom in her going-away dress after their wedding reception…1960.

Mom…still stylish after 2 babies…1965…

…and I just had to add one of myself…I love this shot…looks just like a Madame Alexander doll I have.  Taken about 1963-64.

Well, that’s it for me today…have a wonderful summer’s day.  Laugh, play, make something beautiful…but whatever you do…do it with style!

 

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Creative Scraps,Fashionistas