Turn Your Heart…

A beautiful face looking up at me from the table…a face I’ve always loved, but haven’t known as much about as I should….



I don’t have many photos of my great-great grandmother Mary Jane, but I do have snippets of her writing, letters, and her life story as carefully kept by her daughter—my great-grandmother—Mary.

Mary Jane Robinson West was born in the back of a covered wagon in 1848 as her family made it’s way west…can you imagine?!  What a dramatic beginning to an eventful life!

{image found online}

Glimmers of insight into a beautiful soul taken from a few saved letters to loved ones:



“I am sure, dear John, that we grow through trial’s losses and disappointments…Your children love and pray for you.  Everyone sends blessings, and remember, we do have many.” (Written to her husband, far away on business, on the sudden death of his brother…killed by Indians.)

{image found online}

In a letter to her father:

“I often wonder if you can appreciate each other as much as I, who have been so much away from all of you.  Our family gatherings are so beautiful—such a feeling of true love characterizes everything about them…no one could know the feelings which I experienced that (last night we were together).  They were engraved upon my heart and can never be erased…”



It’s amazing what happens when you turn your heart towards someone you’re connected to…you find and understand things that you never have before…

A sweet poem written by the new bride Mary Jane that I’d never before seen…

{image found online}

My Home

I’d have my home a bright, bright spot

Where the strife of life would be forgot.

Where hearts should grow more strong and fair,

In thoughtfulness for beauty there.

I’d have surroundings pure and bright

Flowers with all their sweet delight

And singing birds and waving trees

No home’s complete without all these.

And in this pleasant house of mine,

Love, hope and peace should ever shine.

Love in the dear hearts sheltered there

Hope and peace in the whole glad air.

                                                     --Nov. 15, 1865

I’m happy to say, from all I’ve heard and seen, she created a home just like the one she dreamed of…

So many things about a life to share…much to much for one post on one day…

A new page for my heritage scrapbook made yesterday…



Just a few elements of a life beautifully lived…wish I knew more, but so grateful for what I do know about Mary Jane…



…one thing I know for certain is that she felt the same way I do about our family…a little line found in a letter to her family towards the end of her life…

“I am anxious that my mother’s posterity may know their…duty.  I want my children and my children’ children to accept this obligation…To search honestly and generously (for their ancestors), that there will truly be not one broken line.”

{close-up of copy of above letter, typed in a beautiful vintage-style font…}

I’m trying, Mary Jane…

Turn your heart towards someone you love…you will be amazed at what you will find.



Julie

{Beautiful floral images, Crafty Secrets’ new “Love Mail” Creative Scraps; seam binding and homemade rosettes colored with “Cherub Pink” and “Creme de Cocoa” Glimmer Mist; vintage key from Tim Holtz collection; vintage mother-of-pearl buttons, lace, typed sentiments}

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Love Mail,Mary Jane Robinson West,Tim Holtz,family history

Hello Friend

 

Good morning, my friends!

It’s raining cats & dogs here on California’s central coast today…hope things are a little better where you are! {I secretly love a good downpour, though…we don’t get them very often!}

Just one project to share with you today using the fabulously retro "Dimestore Vogue" Paper Sheets and Tags" kit from Vintage Street Market...

…I just love it!

Today, just a card for a dear friend...

I did a bit of patchwork as the base of the card, with some of the sweet gingham print and the pattern paper as background...

A friendly little "hello" using one of the button images from one of the paper sheets, and my own typed sentiment, edged with a bit of Platinum Stickles …

I punched border of xxx’s on the  beautiful aqua foil sheet to add to the sewing theme of the card, using one of my new toys…an “x” border punch from Recollections…so fun!

One of the  beautiful "models" cut out as the focal point of the  card...love these images!

A bit of the "Linen" Tinted Tape along the number line on the side for just a bit of aging and interest...

A little collection of tags, a button from the tag sheet, and a single posy...gathered up and tied in place with some of yummy "Pink Sorbet" Baker's Twine...

...a gathered edging of the gorgeous brown crepe sheet...sewed in place and edged with Platinum Stickles...

Now, of course, I have to add a couple of adorable photos of my Mom…

…the retro fashion images in this kit always bring her photos to my mind…here she is in her new Easter dress, about 1955…

…and looking pretty sleek here…I just LOVE her fabulous 50’s style! (She’s still pretty stylish, I must say!)

Well, that's it for me today.  Hope your day is filled with everything wonderful…

See you soon with something new.

Julie

 

LiveJournal Tags: Vintage Street Market,Dimestore Vogue,Karen Ostlund Smith,friends

Vintage Chicks…and a Winner!

Happy Spring!

My goodness, what a blustery, rainy few days we’ve had! 

Here’s proof:

Yesterday, our poor trampoline—and it’s a HUGE one!—was carried by the wind from farther down in our one-acre backyard…

(Folded in half!  To give you an idea of how large this is…my husband is a big man…6’4”)

…to being literally draped over our side fence!  I’m afraid there’ll be no jumping today…..!

Even with this crazy weather, the lure of Spring caught me in it’s clutches this morning, and I just had to make a couple of cards to celebrate the new season…

As you will soon see..the natural lighting is still horrible for photos. Almost as soon as I finished taking my pictures, it started hailing…oh, well!

 

Some sweet little Spring Chicks, courtesy of Crafty Secrets’ “Seasonal” Creative Scraps…

…nothing too involved on this card…a bit of iridescent sparkle on the flowers, some spritzing with Glimmer Mist, framing with Platinum Stickles, lace, ribbon…that’s about it.

The colors I used today aren’t typical springtime card colors…

Lovely pastels will come later…for now, the colors of the earth awakening…deep reddish-purple buddings on my fruit trees…

…yellow-gold tips of daffodils emerging from the rich, brown, rain-soaked earth…

…these are the colors that are speaking to me these first new days of Spring…

I love this vintage chick {sound  familiar?}…an adorable image from Crafty Secrets’ “Easter” Creative Scraps…

…I cut out a second one to pop it up just a bit…

…a bit closer-up…

Again, nothing too involved on this card…just the addition of some milky, smooth vintage mother-of-pearl buttons…

Does everybody else love crinkled up, old seam binding as much as I do?  So yummy to play with! 

Okay…now for the winner of the Crafty Secrets/Eclectic Paperie Blog Hop here on my blog…

Cindy Adkins of Whimsical Musings!

Congratulations to you, Cindy!  I’ll be sending you an email message as well.

There were 16 winners between all the different blogs in the hop…we had so much fun! Thanks to all of you for playing along with us this weekend!

Well, that’s all for me today…whatever your weather this second day of Spring, I hope it’s peaceful, cozy, and filled with every beautiful thing…

…and if it’s not raining at your house…step outside and take a little peek at all the marvels of the season…they’re all around us.

See you soon with something new.

 

Julie

(blooming images found online…too rainy to take my own today!)

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Eclectic Paperie,Spring,chicks,Easter,Seasonal