A Wedding, A Fishy Story...and a Giveaway!!!

Good morning, my friends!

Hope it's a beautiful day so far for all of you--it's really gorgeous here--the rain has passed, the sun is out, and it looks like a perfect day ahead!

And speaking of a perfect day, today is my turn to host the Crafty Secrets' $50 giveaway! 

I'm so excited to participate with Crafty Secrets' in National Scrapbooking Day--which we've turned into a weeklong celebration--more fun for all of us!

In keeping with my love of vintage and family history...that's once again what my cards today are all about...Here's my first:

This is one of my favorite of all of our family photos...my great-great grandparents, Orley S. and Polly May Stapley on their wedding day, August 22, 1894...she was just 20 years old, he was 22...so young!

 I love her beautiful dress, her floral garland and necklace, and just the way they're sitting--a classic!

They were one of the early families in Mesa, Arizona and had a very large family...many Stapleys are still there in Mesa....I love that old town!

For this card, I used Crafty Secrets' "Classic" paper pack for just about everything--the beautiful background paper, "The Lover's Wish" saying is cut from the sheet music design in the pack, as is the little scrolled corner piece on the bottom right of the photo...

I also pulled our the sewing machine for the first time on this card--it won't be the last time, I can tell you!  What fun!  I also made the lace flower at the top by simply gathering lace--topped it with a beautiful vintage pearl button.  Lace, satiny ribbon and lots of "Platinum" Stickles finished off the job...

Next, another photo that just makes me smile!

Here's my great-grandmother, Pauline telling us a bit of a fish story!  Postcard photos like this were a fairly common thing to do while visiting a vacation spot...fake ocean backdrop...VERY large fake fish!

Here, in Pauline's own handwriting--"Ocean Park, Calif.  July 30, 1908".  Pauline was a schoolteacher in a little town in northern Arizona, and had taken a well-deserved vacation to visit cousins in California...she was 21 years old that year.  Love her smile!

I used Crafty Secrets' "Classic" paper pad again for this card.  The "Seaside Memories" saying, the starfish and seashell stamps are all from one of my favorite newer stamp sets, "Mermaids"...

...isn't it wonderful?! 

Lots of Dazzling Diamonds on the shells & starfish, silver Stickles dotted all around and framing the photo, some beautiful light blue lace and soft white ribbon--topped off with some of my favorites--vintage mother-of-pearl buttons.

Well, that's it for me today!  Hope you're having fun with all the Crafty Secrets' giveaways this week!  Now, it's time for you to enter mine...

***All you have to do is leave a comment on this post--nothing fancy...that's it!*** 

Please make sure to leave me your email or a link to your blog so I can let you know if you're the winner!

Good luck to all of you!  The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 1st--see you then!

It's All Fun & Games Until the Queen Arrives!

Good morning! 

Oh, my!  It's raining & blowing so hard here in California today!  I love the sound on my windows and roof...when I can stay cozily home by the fire...NOT when I have to drive around in it, though!  Oh, well!  We do need the rain...

I'm trying to get ready to leave for CHA early tomorrow morning--can't believe it's finally time!  I just have a couple of cards to share with you today that I made to bring with me as samples of new Crafty Secrets' stamp sets.  These will be available at CHA and can be ordered afterwards--you will love them all!

Here's my first...from the new "Greetings from Wonderland" set--

...just look at all the fabulous detail on the Queen! 

Being the Queen of Hearts, she need a red heart doily background of course...I used one of my favorite retired SU! sets of designer paper on this one--love all the royal red!

The Queen also demanded plenty of my favorite real silver shavings glitter--nothing but the best for her!   Some lace, ribbon and a few lovely red crystal rhinestones to finish it off, and that's it!

Next, one of my new favorites sets!  I've always loved mermaids, and never have found a stamp set that I love enough to get...this one is just perfect in every way!  Sandy will be posting images of these new sets tonight on the Crafty Secrets' blog, so check over there later on to see the whole set.  All these vintage mermaid images are sheer perfection in my eyes!

Here's one of the lovely water ladies...this is such an elegant image...

...I didn't want to add too much and take away from the beautiful lines on the image, so I didn't !  Very simple, but some Pearl Stickles were required!

Love this beautiful lace I had on hand from my Mom's stash--she was so generous to share with me last summer--thanks, Mom!

Lots of layers on this one, but not a lot of fuss. 

Keep checking the Crafty Secrets' blog for more new stamp sets--so many are being released this week--it's a vintage girl's dream!  You can also leave comments to be entered to win these new sets--so go visit & give it a go!

Off to take the girls to school and get busy...think I will have to get a little inky today, though...can't be all work now, can I?

 I won't be posting again till after CHA--I'll miss you, but I'll be back with lots of photos & stories for you--see you then!

Have a wonderful day today, whatever the weather!