A Sentimental Journey

"Winter, a lingering season,
is a time to gather golden moments,
embark upon a sentimental journey,
and enjoy every idle hour."

~ John Boswell ~

 

This is a c. 1902 postcard that I altered from black & white
to sepia tone and pastels. I just love her expression.  Below
is a printable sheet of tags or bookmarks for you ~ enjoy!

"By recollecting the pleasures
I have had formerly, I renew them,
I enjoy them a second time,
while I laugh at the remembrance
of troubles now passed, and which
I no longer feel."

~ Giacomo Casanova ~


Where would a sentimental journey
lead you today?

Thank you for stopping by!

Dreaming of a Pink Christmas...

 "Blessed is the season
which engages the whole world
in a conspiracy of love!"

~ Hamilton Wright Mabie ~

Here's a list of free graphics &
sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
White clematis
Pink phlox
Scalloped border

*The Graphics Fairy*
Pink rose "La France"
Back of old photograph
Torn paper texture

*The Vintage Moth*
Antique ledger

*Free Vintage Digital Stamps*
Polka dot scrapbook paper

*Lost & Taken*
Book cover texture
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Antique Images*
Handwritten journal page

*Just Something I Made*
Handwritten letter, 1908

*Aquastock on DeviantART*
Gold glitter stock photo

*Lucky Palm*
Angel with pink wings

*Vintage Feedsacks*
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Calligraphy frame

*Vintage Images*
Light pink roses
 

Thank you so much for stopping by!
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Our Jack O'Lantern...

"It's cold and we are sleepy,
the air is cold and still.
Our jack o'lantern grins at us
Upon the window sill..."

~ Unknown Author ~

My 9 year old daughter created this original artwork!
I transformed her sketch into digital images to share...
so from both of us ~ please enjoy!

 Above, printable bookmarks or tags in brown and orange hues.
They look great printed on cream-colored card stock.

Below, printable bookmarks or tags for kids
(or kids at heart!) to color... this was my daughter's idea.

 Below, an 8.5" x 11" printable sheet of journal or note cards in 2 sizes.
I love the texture and shading on this jack o'lantern.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in these images:

*The Graphics Fairy*
Torn paper texture

*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

Thank you for stopping by!

September's Flower

"Now violet and rose have had their day,
I'll pluck the soberer asters with good grace
And call September nothing but September."

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~

I used a black ink pen to outline most of the petals and leaves...
it was fun "working" on them this afternoon.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
Asters and foliage

*Graphics Fairy*
Handwritten poem


Thank you for stopping by!

Flag of the Free

"Flag of the free, fairest to see!
Borne thro' the strife and the thunder of war;
Banner so bright with starry light,
Float ever proudly from mountain to shore."

~ Unknown Author ~

Printable set of patriotic gift tags or bookmarks,
and printable sheet of 10 tags, 2 x 4" each, below.

Printable sheet of tags featuring lyrics to "America the Beautiful,"
and 8.5 x 11" sheet music I've scanned and partially restored,
from my personal collection of ephemera.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*clkr.com Free Clipart*
United States flag
 
*imagesbykim*
Flag of the Free sheet music
 
*The Vintage Moth*
America the Beautiful sheet music 

*Lilac & Lavender*
Fabric texture


Thanks for stopping by!
Have a safe & fun holiday weekend!

In Full Bloom

"Life and love are very precious
when both are in full bloom."

~ Louisa May Alcott ~

Blue hydrangea tags approx. 2.5" x 4" each.
Postcard graphic approx. 3.5" x 5.3"

Printable sheet of 4 notepapers, 4" x 5" each.
Vintage blue hydrangea stationery 8.5" x 11"

Printable vintage music & hydrangea tags:

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*The Graphics Fairy*
Blue hydrangea
Round frame

*TucksDB*
Postcard border

*Lost & Taken*
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Carol Anne's Boutique*
1908 French letter

*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
Postcard back

The sheet music used in the last set of tags
is from my personal collection, c. 1940.


Thank you  for stopping by!

We Bring Roses...

"We bring roses, beautiful fresh roses,
Dewy as the morning, and coloured like the dawn."

~ Thomas Buchanan Read ~

 Gift tags printable ~ note the intertwining roses.
Printable 8.5" x 11" stationery with roses and handwriting, below.

I couldn't decide between postcard borders, so here are both versions.
The first postcard is approx. 5.3" x 3.5" and the second approx. 5.5" x 3.5"

Printable sheet of 4 notepapers or journal cards, 4" x 5" each.

Printable vintage roses ~ 8.5" x 11" image.

Printable featuring 2.7" x 3.2" notecards and approx. 2" x 3" tags.

Printable sheet of 12 tags, each approx. 2" x 3".

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
Bouquet of roses

*Carol Anne's Boutique*
1908 French letter

*Lost and Taken*
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
Postcard back
Postcard back, scalloped border


I also created a Facebook cover photo
which you are free to use.  It's available
on Lilac & Lavender's FB page.


Thank you for stopping by!

Sweetest of the Flowers

"Sweetest of the flowers a-blooming
In the fragrant vernal days
Is the lily of the valley
With its soft, retiring ways."

~ Paul Laurence Dunbar ~

Tags above are 3.2" x 5.2"
and in the printable sheet below 2.5" x 4".

Round graphics above are 4".
In the printable sheet below they are 2.5". 

So excited to offer a pennant/banner for the first time!
The pennant is approx. 7" x 7.5". I decreased the size to 3.7" x 3.8"
and fit 10 to a sheet for the instant printable banner, below.

Here are the free graphics &
sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
1908 lily of the valley
Lily of the valley bouquet

*The Vintage Moth*
"Royal Beauty Waltzes"

The sheet music used in the pennant/banner
is from my personal collection, c. 1940.


Thank you for stopping by today!

The Sweet Lily

"No flower amid the garden fairer grows
Than the sweet lily of the lowly vale,
The queen of flowers."

~ John Keats ~


5"x7" graphic

Printable with 3.5"x5" cards and approx. 2"x3" tags.

Printable 8.5"x11" stationery and
printable sheet of 4 notepapers, 4"x5."

Here are the free graphics &
sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
1904 lily-of-the valley 

Lily-of-the valley bouquet
"Ida" lily-of-the valley

*The Graphics Fairy*
Torn paper texture
Vanilla apothecary label

*Old Design Shop*
Aged paper texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper


Thank you
for stopping by!

Homegrown Sunshine

This morning, after seeing my daughter off on the school bus, I remained standing by our kitchen window. My thoughts drifted to what I would've seen here only a few short months ago: a seemingly infinite expanse of white fields. Today, the only white I see is in the blossoming crabapple tree and petals of a few scattered daffodils. There is green, beautiful green everywhere, but it didn't get there without a little gray... and as I look up, yes, here it is again. Here comes the rain.

I usually don't mind rainy days. After our long winter, I'm downright grateful for it instead of snow or sleet. Still, this morning I couldn't help but yearn for the sunshine and blue skies we had just yesterday.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Mom?" was followed by a big hug and kiss. A little boy now stood by my side, and we looked out through the rain streaked window. He sighed and offered some 7 year old wisdom, because he obviously could see I needed a dose. "Mom, you know we can't have all sunshine, even though it's pretty nice. We've got to have rainy days too. They're not so bad... come on, I know! Let's read some books!"

So that's what we did. We spent the morning hours reading all kinds of books in "Daddy's chair." The gray clouds and rain outside lost their power.  We chose to make our own sunshine:

Suppose you're dressed for walking,

And the rain comes pouring down, 

Will it clear off any sooner

Because you scold and frown? 

And wouldn't it be nicer

For you to smile than pout,

And so make sunshine in the house

When there is none without?

~ Phoebe Cary

Our local weather forecast is rain and thunderstorms all week, and that's to be expected. It's the end of April, after all. My prediction is of a slightly different sort:
a week of sunshine, of the homegrown variety.

Garden of the Heart

"Let us, then, plant with diligence and care
the garden of the soil, but let us, with far deeper
earnestness, tend the garden of our hearts."

~ from The Cottage Gardener, 1849 ~

Here are the original postcard
images from a set, Floral Favors,
found on TuckDB:


Carnations
Fruit blossoms
Violets
Roses & forget-me-nots
Primrose
Roses


Thank you for stopping by!

Spring Lilacs & Music

It's happiness for me to hear
A songbird's sweet refrain
Or smell the lilac's fragrant blooms
After a soft spring rain.

~ Carice Williams ~

Printable lilac stationery above, and notepaper below:

Lined notepaper:

Below are 2 printable pages of lined notepaper and tags:

Lilac & French music cover photo:

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*Flickr*
Lilac image, c. 1909

*The Graphics Fairy*
French sheet music

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper
Botanical lilac tag

We search afar for happiness
When it's just outside our door.

~ Carice Williams ~


Thanks for stopping by!