Monday, September 27, 2010

Good Friends are for Keeps…

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Good afternoon, my friends!

I hope your weekend was wonderful—the first weekend of fall—can you believe it?!

I’ve been continuing my little family chipboard album I started last week…can’t tell you how much fun I’m having with this!

It’s a Maya Road large tag-shaped album that Crafty Secrets is now selling…and I love it!

Here’s what I worked on this weekend…

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This is the cover for my album…I love this beautiful vintage image from Crafty Secrets’ new “Vintage Photos” Creative Scraps—just gorgeous!

I just layered a couple of beautiful papers from Graphic 45, distressed the edges with Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Inks, vintage mother-of-pearl buttons, a bit of sparkle, of course…

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…some lovely paper flowers…they were a light pink already, and I spritzed them with a bit of “Cherub Pink” Glimmer Mist, which made them fabulous!

Next:  My grandmother Pauline and an enormous fish…

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This one makes me very happy!  I have lots of old family photos, as you know, and Sandy (owner of Crafty Secrets’) liked this one so much, she wanted to include it in the new “Vintage Photos” Creative Scraps!

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Back in 1908, my grandmother—still a single girl of 20—went by train from Northern Arizona to the coast of California with her mother, Ida, who was having lots of health problems….

While there, they stayed with relatives, and on her mother’s good days, Pauline felt free to spend time at the ocean…she loved the spray of the waves, the feel of the sand…so different than her high desert home!

It was while there that this wonderful, staged photo was taken…such a common thing to do in those days…Tourist spots would often have “sets” ready made that you would just step into and have your photo taken.

I included her handwritten description of where and when the photo was taken on my page…

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…I also added some “sand” (clear, chunky German glass glitter), shells and pearls at the bottom…

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…and covered the whole page with both “Iridescent Gold” and “Gold” Glimmer Mist.

Next: Good Friends…

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Pauline was a school teacher in a small school in her little Arizona town…teaching drama in the same school was her very good friend, Mary West…

Don F. & Mary West Riggs

Here’s a very newly married Mary and her husband, Don F. Riggs.  I don’t have a single, young photo of Mary, so this was as close as I could get…

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…and Pauline, about the same time…

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They stayed wonderful friends all through the years, no matter where life took them.  Interestingly, their families both ended up in that same small town of Snowflake, Arizona later in life…

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…they lived very near each other, and spent much time together, along with their families. 

The photo of the two women in my project is  another photo of mine that Sandy wanted to include in Crafty Secrets’ Creative Scraps…this one is in the new “Girlfriends” set…the photo is of Mary and Pauline, sharing a taste of a new recipe, perhaps, on the steps of Pauline’s house.

The two friends dreamed that one day, Pauline’s oldest boy, Rudger, and Mary’s oldest girl, LaPriel, would fall in love and marry, uniting their families…

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…which they did…in 1934…a dream come true for two good friends.

Here they are again in the early 1940’s…two friends (along with their husbands) united as grandmothers of these two little boys…my father, Clayn, on the right, and his older brother, Grant.

Clayn & Grant with their Smith & Riggs grandparents

These two dear friends stayed very close to each other throughout their lives.  I was able to get to know them both when I was a little girl before they passed away…Mary first, in 1967, and Pauline followed, less than a year later in 1968…friends to the end…

Mary West Riggs

Pauline U. Smith

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I hope the rest of your day is just wonderful…enjoy time with your family and friends…and who knows?  They could be one and the same one day…

I’ll be back Wednesday with something new…and with the winner of my anniversary giveaway!

See you then!

Julie

26 comments:

  1. That is the neatest story...many friends want their kids to grow up and marry and these really did! What a blessing, a friend for life! Love your work here. :D

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  2. I love love love your blog! Thanks for all the family history that you put into it! And please enter me in the giveaway drawing...

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  3. Great story.Thanks for sharing. Love the vintage pictures!!

    Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

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  4. You have the best family stories and pictures! I love how you are preserving them for the future!

    ~Holly

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  5. Julie, This is the most touching story of friendship and true love and longevity. It's just wonderful that your images will be enjoyed by so many. Your panel arrived today! It's just as wonderful as I imagined it would be. The surprise card you included was enjoyed by all over our dinner! Oohs and aahs and lots of compliments passed around. I have all of your cards displayed and find them such a joy when my eye catches them! Thank you again so much for joining my swap! I have added your panel photos to my wonderful Halloween post today! Elizabeth

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  6. Julie,
    Your blog, your art, your stories, your inspiration are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I love this so much..it is gorgeous and love the story!!! Wow!
    Love,
    Cindy

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  7. Found your blog through Maria Cecilia one of my best friends as of very recently. We actually met in Chile while I was there and I visited her house which is, as you say, beautiful. But she's the real gem in the house, full of love for her garden. Everything you see in her home, outside and in, she has put together, even the tile were hand picked and laid out by her. Hope to visit you again. I, too, live in Cali, in Ventura County. And I love it here.

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  8. Lovely tags and story you made.

    Hugs,Willy

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  9. Oh Julie, I just love this beautiful story of a wonderful friendship that has spanned many years and generations! Love, LOVE the old photos, and of course I love what you have created with them! You are just so dang talented!! I hope you have a lovely week my sweet friend,
    lots of love and hugs,
    Marie xxoo

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  10. Dear Julie,
    I alwayes love visiting you, reading your wonderfull stories from the lives of your family-seing the fhotoes.
    AND the beauty you create, dear.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  11. What a wonderful story of friendship, Julie! I love your album, so lush with layers & embellies!

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  12. Another lovely post Julie.

    And love the chipboard album and so pleased to see what you have created as I ordered one just yesterday, so thanks for the inspiration.

    B x

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  13. Wonderful story and beautiful artwork along the way!

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  14. What a moving story and you documented it so beautifully-just amazing.

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  15. Just totally love your blog Julie.. project.. writing.. everything! {love}

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  16. Hi Julie,
    I've got a story that's sure to make you giggle...wanted to let you know!
    Hugs
    xo

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  17. Hi Julie,
    This has been one of my favorite posts. Such a true friendship, shared between these special women. So heartfelt...and the photos, beautiful!
    Maureen

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  18. This is a wonderful post Julie.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Hugs Hanne

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  19. Hi Julie!
    Your post is (as always)beautiful and inspiring! Which reminds me, YOU are the winner of my September "You Inspire Me" Award! Please drop by my blog to pick up your Award Button! Hugs! Paula Clare

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  20. What amazing stories, Julie, and how spectacular that a little piece of your family history is now also immortalized in the wider community of crafters and artisans using these scraps! Imagine what they would think, LOL!! Fabulous projects, and such a fun read today! TFS :)

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  21. Hi Julie! We really love how you combine family history with your artist's touch. It's a gift you have and we're so glad you share it. :)

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  22. Mom, this post is fantastic! I couldn't even make it to the next one before I had to leave a comment. I love this story and you narrated it beautifully! Plus it's wonderful to see our family pictures being appreciated by so many other people. Keep up the fabulous work!

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  23. Hi Julie. I just left Paula's Palace of Altered Art and had to come see who made all those beautiful creations. Wow!!! You work is absolutely beautiful. And the tags above sure lived up to the preview. They are so sweet and pretty. You are one talented gal. Thank you for sharing them and this story. I really enjoy reading it. So sweet.

    Hugs...Tracy :)

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  24. The tags are beautiful. I love the staged pic of your grandmother and the story about how the two friends were united through the marriage of their children. It doesn't get any sweeter. I'm sure the pictures and stories are very inspiring for you.

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  25. Your blog is lovely, and your art work is fabulous!

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