French Stationery

Wouldn't it be nice receiving

a handwritten letter on this stationery?

 

The versions below so could be

personalized with your own images.

Or use them in other projects.

I used graphics
from these sources:

The Vintage Moth

The Graphics Fairy

Just Something I Made

"Never lose an opportunity
of seeing anything that is beautiful; 

for beauty is God's handwriting,
a wayside sacrament.  Welcome it
in every fair face, in every fair sky,
in every fair flower, and thank God
for it as a cup of blessing."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Our Collections...

All it takes to start a

collection is 3 of one thing...

So what do you collect?

Image Source

I collect quite a few things, 

under criteria mentioned above...

cookie cutters, wooden boxes,

baskets, old chairs, glass, quilts,

postcards, books, canning jars,

candles, little white bowls, crocks...

I even have a collection of tarnished spoons,

which was inspired by this photograph.  

By wisdom a house is built, and through

understanding it is established;

through knowledge its rooms are filled

with rare and beautiful treasures.

Proverbs 24:3-4

Ephemera gift tags

"Look not at the days gone

by with a forlorn heart. They

were simply the dots we can

now connect with our present,

to help us draw the outline

of a beautiful tomorrow."

 

~ Dodinsky ~

Here are the sources & free

graphics used in my artwork:

*The Vintage Moth*
Pen flourishing

Antique ledger page
 
*Lilac & Lavender*

Family medicines advertisement

*The Feathered Nest*

Girl & Christmas tree

French ledger ephemera

*Knick of Time*

Pears soap advertisement

(site down - March 2026

linked via Pinterest)

Thanks for stopping by!

Springtime Gift Tags

"I love Spring anywhere, 

but if I could choose, I would

always greet it in a garden."

~ Ruth Stout ~

 

Here are the sources & free

graphics used in my artwork:

*ffffound*

Labels - page 1

Labels - page 2

 

*A Home & Heart*

Lilac watercolor

*Wordplay*

Lilac illustration

Yellow daisies

Cosmos

*The Vintage Moth*

Pansies

The images below are from

my personal collection.

They're free to use as well:

Remember...

No matter how long the Winter, 

Spring is sure to follow.  

~ Proverb ~

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer of '62

 "You are worried about

seeing him spend his early

years in doing nothing.  

What!  

Is it nothing to be happy?  

Nothing to skip, play, and run

around all day long? Never in

his life will he be so busy again." 

~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1762 ~  

----------------------------------------------------------

My Aunt Elaine shared this photograph.

From left to right: Janet, Joan, James, Doris,

Elaine, Norma, and Gary. The youngest brother,

Randall, was born the following summer.

 

My dad, Gary, was 5 years old then... 

the same age his grandson is now. 

Mom asked our family over for lunch

yesterday. While getting the kids ready,

had a last-minute idea to print this 8"x10"

photo for Dad. I changed it to sepia-tone

and added a background texture. 

Not sure where this photo was taken, 

but looks like they had fun there!

Wishing you a great day... 

maybe with a few fond 

childhood memories thrown in!

 Thanks for stopping by!

Advertisement inspired Clip art

I was inspired to create

clip art after seeing a post

about antique graphics on 

Knick of Time:

 

Here are my illustrated interpretations of:

'Good Morning' brand coffee

Lavender scented fine soap

C.M. Berry's Amazing cure-all ointment

   I also came up with a few 'Home Sweet Home'

graphics as well as a quaint English cottage.

I couldn't decide what the cottage should

advertise... what do you think?

One last thing...
 
If you use any of the clip art, 
please leave a comment...
Always interested to hear or see

how others use my art.
 

Thank you for stopping by!

Sweet vintage girl ~ Printables

I shared this set of printable gift tags 

for Valentine's Day yesterday...

I knew my mom would love the little girl

holding her doll, since she collects dolls from

this era. She asked if I could make a printable

collage or cards using that image. Here's what I

made for her and would like to share with you:

~ Printable 8"x10" collage ~

~ Printable cards ~

Thanks for stopping by!

Valentine's Day gift tags

Here are the sources & free

graphics used in my artwork:

*Magic Moonlight Free Images*

Girl with pink flowers

Girl wearing hat holding flowers

*Vintage Images*

Girl with doll

*Altered Bits*

Book page texture

*Vintage Feedsacks*

Calligraphy frame

Had to include this quote, as it captures

how I feel about my own little girl...

 "A daughter is a miracle that

never ceases to be miraculous...full

of beauty and forever beautiful...
loving and caring and truly amazing."

~ Deanna Beisser ~

Tale of a Noisy Bucket

This morning, I woke to the sound of an alarm. 6:00. The wind and rain blowing outside easily lulled me back to sleep. Lovely day to stay under the covers. Half an hour later, there was a familiar pitter-patter of footsteps down the hall, pausing at my door.

Looking over, I could make out a fuzzy form but couldn't tell if it was my son or daughter. So I asked, "Who is it?" Olivia quietly responded, "Mom, can I come to your bed?" I said yes, so she ran and eagerly jumped under the covers, nestling in close to get warm. I asked why she was up at such an hour, as she's usually my late sleeper. 

"The wind blew over a bucket outside, and it was really loud... it's rolling around now, do you want to see?" I reminded her, "Mommy can't see without her glasses." With that, she scrambled out from under the covers to grab them off the dresser and left for the bathroom.

I heard the water running shortly, and so I just looked up at the ceiling, taking in the little noises she was making. She came back, gingerly holding them (by the frames, so as not to smudge her handiwork), and helped put them into place. 

Side by side, we crawled over to the window. There was the bucket! We sat in silence a moment. I glanced over at my little girl... her hair illuminated by the garage light. Perfect in all it's crazy curliness. She was still busy, taking in the morning scenery. Hesitantly I broke the silence, asking if she'd like to have tea together. With eyes now at their maximum widened potential, she shook her curls up and down, "Yes!"

By this time, her brother was up too. We sang our "good morning" song and headed downstairs - now making tea for three. Zachary asked for cinnamon tea right away, but Olivia was not having it. "Yuck mom, I hate cinnamon... except when it's in cinnamon rolls or on cinnamon sugar toast!" They both wanted rolls with butter left over from dinner. I made everyone's tea to order, and we enjoyed breakfast together.

Mom called and we chatted a few minutes, ending with Olivia singing a little song she just learned about mothers and chocolate cake. Zachary went off to play with tractors as I got Olivia dressed and ready for the bus.  She paused to say goodbye to her brother, and then to the end of the driveway we went.

I knelt down and took her hands, as we always do, and as I started to pray, Olivia stopped me. She asked if she could say a few words... so I of course said okay. "God, thanks for knocking that bucket over with the wind this morning.  It was a great idea!" We finished praying just as the bus crested the hill.  She turned around, smiled and waved goodbye...

Thank you God for all your great ideas!!

"An Evening in the Country Store."

An evening in the quaint old country store!
While Winter's feet were kicking at the door,
And Winter's white-nailed fingers striving hard
To raise the windows he himself had barred;
Save when he chased upon their weary rounds,
Through tracks of air, his yelling tempest-hounds.
Bark louder, storm-dogs!  To our dreamy sight,
Your voices made the fire-cheer twice as bright,
Promoting high beyond a moment's doubt,
The value of the dry-goods shelved about.

There's little you'll be wanting, cheap or dear,
That has not something somewhat like it, here;
Whatever honest people drink or eat,
Or pack their bodies in, from head to feet,
Want what you may, you'll get it - search no more -
Or imitation of it - in this store.
The body's needs not only here you'll find,
But food here, too, for the sympathies and mind;
For in one corner, fed by many lands,
The small post-office dignifiedly stands,
With square, red-numbered boxes in its arms,
Well stocked with white and brown envelope charms.
Here the little girl, irresolutely gay,
Asks if there's "any thing for us to-day";
Here the farm lad, who wider fields would seek,
Comes for the county paper once a week.
Through this delivery port-hole there is hurled
Printed bombardment from the outside world;
The great, far world, whose heart-throbs up and down,
Strike pulses, e'en within this quiet town.

The quaint, well populated country store!
A hospitable, mirth productive shore,
Where masculine barks take refuge from distress,
In the port of and evening's cheerfulness.
The rusty stove, with wood-fed heat endowed,
Shoots hot invisible arrows at the crowd,
To which the chewing population nigh
Send back a prompt and vigorous reply,
And find time for side-battles of retort,
In various moralled stories, long and short:
From one that's smart and good enough to print,
To one that has a hundred hell-seeds in 't.
Here laws are put on trial by debate,
Here solved conundrums, both of Church and State;
Here is contested, with more voice than brain,
Full many a hot political campaign;
The half surmised shortcomings of the church
Are opened to some sinner's anxious search;
And criticisms the minister gets here,
From men who have not heard him once a year...


~ Will Carleton

The above is an excerpt from "An Evening in the Country Store," published in 'Farm Festivals' copyright 1881.  The illustration accompanied this poem, but the artist is unknown.

"Mending the Old Flag."

In the silent gloom of a garret room,
With cobwebs round it creeping,
From day to day the old Flag lay-
A veteran worn and sleeping.
Dingily old, each wrinkled fold
By the dust of years was shaded;
Wounds of the storm were upon its form;
The crimson stripes were faded.

'Twas a mournful sight in the day-twilight,
This thing of humble seeming,
That once so proud o'er the cheering crowd
Had carried its colors gleaming:
Stained with mould were the braids of gold,
That had flashed at the sun-ray's kissing;
Of faded hue was its field of blue,
And some of the stars were missing.

Three Northern maids and three from glades
Where dreams the South-land weather,
With glances kind and their arms entwined,
Came up the stair together:
They gazed awhile, with a thoughtful smile,
At the crouching form before them;
With clinging holds they grasped its folds.
And out of the darkness bore them.

They healed its scars, they found its stars,
And brought them all together
(Three Northern maids and three from glades
Where smiles the South-land weather);
They mended away through the summer day,
Made glad by an inspiration
To fling it high at the smiling sky,
On the birthday of our nation.

In the brilliant glare of the summer air,
With a brisk breeze round it creeping,
Newly bright through the glistening light,
The flag went grandly sweeping:
Gleaming and bold were its braids of gold,
And flashed in the sun-ray's kissing;
Red, white, and blue were of deepest hue,
And none of the stars were missing.

~ written by Will Carleton, published in 1873

 "Coming together is a beginning.

Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success."

~ Henry Ford ~

Friendship's Garden

"In friendship's fragrant garden,
There are flowers of every hue.
Each with its own fair beauty
And its gift of joy for you." 

~ Friendship's Garden ~

Don't those blooms look so nice in winter?
I took these photos in my garden last year, 
knowing I'd need to see a reminder of

what will eventually return after the

snow and ice melts...

Spring Dreaming

It's January, and while there are good things about winter... I can't help but begin thinking spring. Now is when I get out magazines & my journal to jot down gardening ideas. New flowers to try here - another flowerbed there? What worked last year, what didn't...

Last year I took photos of my flowers for the first time. It's amazing how quickly blooms fade - so easy to take them for granted. I knew there'd come a bleak winter's day when I'd be thankful to see my garden in bloom: reminders of spring's promise. The return of golden sunshine and color.

That day is here, and yes, I'm thankful I stopped to take these...

Happy spring dreaming.

 

Sweet Little Note

Today I'd like to share

my favorite postcard with you...

There's a booth at The Olde Shoe Factory specializing in postcards and old photographs. I stop there often, sometimes only to look through the images. On one such visit, I chose to look through the flower-themed postcards. This lily-of-the-valley image is lovely, but what captivated me was written on the back...

 

I love that Mr. Alden Hopkins

found a way to send his wife her

favorite flowers, even miles away.

What a sweet man to send

his wife such a note...

It traveled from New York to

Ohio, from a Mr. to a Mrs., and

after nearly 60 years... to me.  

I'll be sure to hang on 

to their sweet little note

and treasure it always.

Read Janet Martin's poem 'Rags' 
partially inspired by this postcard.