Sunday, October 24, 2010

Tim Holtz Bird Cage & Autumn Flowers

What a beautiful morning it is here in California! So many people ask me if, after having lived in New England for so long, that I miss the "Seasons" where I live now.
Well, contrary to popular belief, we DO have seasons here. They are just subtle. Okay, I'll admit- compared to New England, they are very subtle, lol.


Never-the-less, I do notice the changes. And this morning when I took my dogs outside I noticed a whole bunch of Autumn flowers that I do not think were there yesterday! Lol, I guess they must have been, but it seems as if they just bloomed overnight.


It was pretty early when I took these pictures. With the sun coming through, they were just beautiful. The downside was that a whole lot of bees thought so too, and being allergic to bee stings I didn't want to get too serious about trying to capture the perfect picture. But I thought these were good enough to share anyway.


So... after seeing those gorgeous flowers I felt a bit inspired. I had planned on spending the entire day in my studio yesterday but a migraine changed my plans. Thankfully, it was gone when I woke up this morning, so I have pretty much been in my happy room since :-)

My main objective today was to make a card for Pam's blog challenge (see my last post, below) and since that involved using something to do with a chick (bird, etc.) I thought why not dig out that awesome Tim Holtz bird cage die? I just had to have it the minute I saw it and ordered it practically as soon as it hit the internet. Yet, in typical Sarah fashion, it has only sat on my shelf since it arrived here. So today I put it through the Big Shot, and look what I did with it:


I must admit, I am pretty happy with the way this card came out. It was really fun to make!


Of course, If you know me, you know that I rarely make cards without using flowers. I have had a bit of a "Prima obsession" for some time now, which has only evolved into an "any kind of flower" obsession! So, after seeing my back yard flowers I knew I'd want to use some really pretty ones today. I added some Stampin' Up! Dazzling Diamonds glitter to these blue beauties. Mixed with the bird and cage I think they all look great together.


I just love this little bird! I die cut him using my new favorite product: Tim Holtz grungeboard. It is so fun to work with! I snipped off the bird's legs (eww, that sounds awful, lol!) as well as the branch, and covered him using a page out of a very old music book that I have been using for my card embellishments. The pages are already a naturally "aged" color, but I also inked the edges of his body and wing with some mulled lavender Distress Ink.


I wish you could see the detail of the cage in real life. I just love how it turned out. I was looking through my new book: "A Compendium Of Curiosities" by Tim Holtz and was really liking the look of his Shabby Chic Grunge. So, I tried it on the cage. I used my SU! large Filigree BG stamp and cloudy blue paint dauber. Isn't it cool? For a splash of red color, I added the little row of flowers along the bottom.


I also embossed the black card stock using the Filigree stamp and clear embossing powder. The Tim Holtz chain and the leaf ribbon (I forgot where I got that) look really nice with it, I think.


So there you have it. I finally used my bird and bird cage die, and I also made a card for Pam's blog challenge. Which leads me to this:
I used to be the master at CASEing cards, lol. But I don't do that much anymore. However, that does not mean I won't CASE a great idea when I hear one! And I love the giveaways I have recently shared with you from Doni and Pam. So... I think it's about time I have another giveaway myself, don't you? :-)

I am working on doing one for my 100th post- and I am only a couple of posts away from that. (Wow- how did that happen?!) I have made some changes to my blog since I first started and since I now have quite a few faithful followers that read my blog for their love of card making and paper crafting- along with readers who share my love of vintage and antique finds, I think I may have to do two giveaways :-)
I am working on figuring this all out and will be back soon with more details.
So keep checking back so you can join me as I celebrate my 100th post very soon!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that you have had a wonderful weekend and will have a great week ahead. God's Blessings to you!




Saturday, October 23, 2010

MORE GIVEAWAYS!

This time, I am going to share with you another way to win some awesome stamping goodies!

First I need to explain the pic. It's of my wonderful friend Pam and me when she came all the way across the country with her precious daughter Whitney to visit me. One of the days she was here, we went to Disneyland. We had a blast! Whit took this picture of us as we waited to ride the Disneyland Railroad train.

But, I know what you really want to know about, and it's not our fun at Disneyland, lol. It's the giveaways, right? Well, I just can't make a post without some kind of picture! I am too visual a person to make a picture-less post ;-) And since the giveaway is from Pam, I figured a pic with her in it would be appropriate and that's what I could come up with. Don't you hate it when you regret not taking more pics? I so wish I had put my camera to use more while Pam and Whitney were here! Well girls, I guess you'll just have to come back and visit me again!!! :-)

Okay- on to the prize deets:

Oh-so-generous Pam is celebrating her 1 year of blogging (congrats, Chickie!) and is going to be giving away an awesome prize. No- that's wrong. Not just "a" prize, but TWO bunches of prizes!

Now, the first prize will be given away soon, so hop on over here real quick so you can join in the fun! If you are not familiar with her blog yet, you are in for a real tweet- I mean treat ;-) Chicks of a Feather is one of my favorite places to hang out on the web, and I am sure you'll think so too. I also have a link on my sidebar- so no excuses that you can't find her! ;-)

Pam's second prize will be going to the winner of her card challenge. The cards (with a "chick" theme) must be in by next Wednesday, so there's still time to get them made and linked up over there. I am going to be busy working on mine this weekend (that is, if my wish comes true and I can squeeze in some time in my studio!). I hope you'll join me.

Okay- off to get a little rest and then I'll be getting up at the crack of dawn. So much to do, so little time- kwim?

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I'll be back a.s.a.p. to post my card for Pam's giveaway. See you soon!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

PEARLS AND LACE

My last post was dedicated to Doni's blog giveaway. This evening I would like to join her "Pearls & Lace Thursday" party ( which you can find here ) and share some special little things that I have that have- not surprisingly- pearls and lace on them.


I'll begin with the lace. Well, I have lots and lots of the "traditional" kind, but thought I would share something a bit different.
These two little porcelain shoes are trimmed with the most delicate china lace you've even seen. Some has been broken off of the larger shoe (and a little on the smaller one as well), but the shoes are still in very good condition otherwise.


The pink "lace" on this one is so pretty and looks so sweet underneath the flower.


Although the gold is worn a bit around the lace of the larger shoe, the writing remains very clear: "Good Luck to you who wears this shoe" is written all around it. And don't you love the little 4 leaf clover inside it? So cute!


I don't know much about them. But I remember well the day that they were given to me over 30 years ago by a dear friend of my grandmother's. After my grandmother passed in 1972, this delightful lady whom I called Aunt Genie became sort of an "adopted" grandmother to me. I have no idea how long she owned them herself, but I cherish them still as they remind me of this wonderful woman who meant a great deal to my precious grandmother, and who became like a grandmother to me.



As for the very small pearl necklace (I had to include something with pearls!), that was given to me by my Godmother when I was a very little girl. The chain is very small and I couldn't possibly get it around my neck today, but it is sweet. Hopefully some day I will have a granddaughter who could wear it ;-)

So there you have it- my contribution to Doni's Pearls & Lace Thursday. Sorry to get it in so late in the evening, but I was too busy with "life", my kids, etc. all day to get to posting until now. I am about to head over and see who else attended the party today. Hope you'll join me!

Oh- and I am already thinking of what I will share for the party next week :-)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Blog Giveaway!


Hello friends! I have some really fun giveaway news to share with you all!
I was blog hopping the other night and came across a wonderful giveaway on one of my favorite blogs. For those of you who are like me and love anything old, vintage, antique- and oh so feminine, this one's for you!

Doni is giving away a fabulous group of beautiful things to commemorate her 100th blog post at her Faith, Grace and Crafts blog HERE

She is offering many beautiful things for a very lucky winner. Just be sure to get over there soon, as her giveaway party ends Oct. 28th.

Thank you Doni, for your awesome generosity! You are going to make your winner very happy with all of those lovely prizes!



Sunday, October 17, 2010

Heart & Soul

Heart and soul, I fell in love with you,
Lost control, the way a fool would do,
Gladly...
Because you held me tight,
And stole a kiss in the night..


And so goes this wonderful song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser. It was recorded in 1938 by Larry Clinton and his Orchestra featuring Bea Wain. It was one of the songs on a compilation cd my Dad made many years ago and sent to me. I dug it out over the weekend and as I was playing it my teenage daughter came in asking me who was singing. She loved the song and continued to listen to the cd with me. I told her this was "Grandpa's music" and that I have lots of it. She stayed up with me late Saturday night listening to wonderful songs from the 1930's and 1940's and loved them. We had such fun.

It got me pulling out lots of great old tunes today as well... Fred Astaire doing Cheek To Cheek, and The Way You Look Tonight; Billie Holiday singing Says My Heart; Sarah Vaughan performing The Very Thought Of You, and The Man I Love... I could go on and on (I'm listening to You Turned The Tables On Me by Benny Goodman right now). There are so many songs from this era that I just love. I guess it's no wonder that when I took the "What era are you from?" quiz on FaceBook that the answer was "The 40's", lol!

So... these songs are the theme for the cards I am choosing to share with you tonight.
As I look at them I can hear those wonderful melodies and romantic lyrics. Can you?


I love how the beautiful colors of these flowers (above) worked so well with the paper. Even the copper brad seemed perfectly matched. (You can click on the pics to enlarge to see detail.)

The gold heart (below) was something I'd been saving for just the right card. Was this the right choice?


And I love this sentiment. I was so glad it fit ;-)


So, after I finished that card I just couldn't stop there. I was loving the paper, the colors, the romantic feel of it so I decided to make a variation of the card. And now I can't even decide which one I like best. How about you?


I decided to only partially "frame" her, as I didn't want to cover too much of this gorgeous paper up.


The "lace" frame on both of the cards was made using a white paper doily. Lots of cutting and piecing together, and tons of ink sponged on it!


I love the lace ribbon and pearl ribbon buckle.


Another sentiment that I thought worked well for the card.

So... do you suddenly feel like listening to some romantic dance music from the 30's or 40's? ;-)

Thanks SO much for stopping by today. I am sorry I have been away for a while. I'd love for you to leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I'll be back soon to share some more things I have been making...

Wishing for God's Blessings upon you!

Supplies used to make these cards:
STAMPS: Image Stamp "Woman In Repose" by Rubber Stampede; "Even More" by Verses Rubber Stamps; sentiment stamp from "Always" set by SU!
PAPER: Patterned paper by Graphic 45; SU! Early Espresso, Very Vanilla and Vellum c/s
INK: SU! Early Espresso
OTHER: Prima flowers; SU! copper brad; paper doilies; lace ribbon; pearl ribbon buckle; brass heart finding; SU! oval and scalloped oval punches; SU! Chocolate Chip satin ribbon; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.