Glimpse of Happiness

 

"I caught a glimpse of happiness,

and saw it was a bird on a branch,

fixing to take wing."

Richard Peck

 

I used a bird illustration found in a book:

The English Year. Autumn and Winter,

published in 1913. I imagine it perching

briefly, preparing to fly off again.

Typewriter font messages were added to some,

and some were kept blank. I like having the

option to write in another message or a name,

if using as a gift tag. They turned out nicely

as rustic mason jar ring Christmas ornaments.

 

Hope you're all staying well & staying warm!

It's definitely getting colder here in Ohio.

There was a dusting of snow the day after

Thanksgiving, which made it feel like

Christmas Time's a-Comin'.

A final thought...

"The moments of happiness

we enjoy take us by surprise.

It is not that we seize them,

but that they seize us."

Ashley Montagu

Thank you for stopping by!

Joys of Christmas

"And, so, Christmas comes

to bless us! Comes to teach us how

to find the joy of giving happiness,

and the joy of being kind."

Gertrude Tooley Buckingham

 

It took awhile to gather so many different images, but I love the final collection. As you can see, there are snowy homes & a church, 2 "stained glass" patterns, holly & mistletoe, little brown birds, and a child & angels with Christmas trees. I'll be using them as gift tags - they would look beautiful accented with glitter or a gold/silver marker. Another suggestion would be fitting inside a canning jar ring (regular, not wide mouth) and giving as ornaments. Below is an example of one I made:

Here are the free graphics

& sources used in my artwork:

*The Old Design Shop*
Snowy candlelit cottage
 
*TuckDB Postcards*

Silver angel & tree 

Angel holding pine tree

Cottage with sheep

Snowy church & water

 Many birds & blue pot

*The Feathered Nest*

Girl & Christmas tree

French ledger ephemera

*rawpixel*

Holly

Myrtle branch

Mistletoe

*Ephemeratopia*
Pair of birds

*NYPL - digital collections*
17th century wall tile

Earthenware panel

Thank you for stopping by!

O Springtime Sweet!

 
O springtime sweet!

The whole earth smiles

thy coming to greet;

Our hearts to their

inmost depths are stirred

by the first spring flower
& the song of the bird...

~ James Freeman Clarke ~

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

*The Graphics Fairy*

"Presented to" title page

Back of an old photograph

*The Old Design Shop*
Aged, stained endpaper
 
*TuckDB*

Beautiful girl with primroses

*The Feathered Nest*

French ledger ephemera

*rawpixel*

Watercolor leaves

*Starsunflower Studio*

Round apothecary label

*Internet Archive*

Bird eggs illustration

*Flickr*

Sheet music c. 1728

*F.P.T.F.Y.*
Chippy wood background
 

*Canva*
Free element: 

ripped masking tape
 

"Earth stirs herself from a long cold sleep,

To welcome the sun & warm gentle rain,

Gladdening the heart as a promise she keeps,

As we open the door to spring again."

~ Mildred L. Jarrell ~

Thank you for stopping by!

Those Who Wish to Sing

Those who wish to sing
always find a song.

~ Swedish Proverb ~

              How Birds Learn to Sing

                       How do birds first learn to sing?

                       From the whistling wind so fleet,

                       From the waving of the wheat,

                       From the rustling of the leaves,

                       From the raindrop on the eaves,

                       From the children's laughter sweet,

                       From the splash when brooklets meet.

                       Little birds begin their trill

                       As they gayly float at will

                       In the gladness of the sky,

                       When the clouds are white and high;

                       In the beauty of the day

                       Speeding on their sunny way,

                       Light of heart and fleet of wing...

                       That's how birds first learn to sing.

                   ~ Mary Mapes Dodge

Facebook cover photo

*New York Public Library*
Song thrush
Robin
Nightingale

The sheet music is from my
personal collection, circa 1940's.

Thank you for stopping by!

The Birds' Christmas Tree

I designed most of the images to be cut out together (as seen below)
then folded and glued (I used a glue stick).  Sit under a heavy object for at
least 10 minutes to prevent the paper from curling.

It's sweet to think of others this time of year... 

including the local birds!  We like to put out extra birdseed
 and hang suet cakes in our crabapple tree.  It's fun to watch
 them fluttering and hopping about... and it feels good
 knowing we've helped provide a meal for them.

Here's my gift idea ~ if you're already putting together
a gift basket for a gardener, or just looking for a simple
gift for teachers, etc.... buy a few suet cakes at the store
(or make homemade bird tree ornaments with your
 kids) place in a brown paper bag, fold down the top
and punch 2 holes.  Weave jute or ribbon through,
and add one of these cards or tags ~ done! 


Here are the free
graphics & sources:


*TuckDB*
Postcard image ~ robins

*The Feathered Nest*
"The Birds' Christmas Tree" poem


Thank you for stopping by!

I Heard a Bird Sing

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember...

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

~ Oliver Herford ~

Aren't these little robins sweet?
The first image is a FB cover photo.
The second is an 8 x 10" blank December
calendar.  The last image is 8 x 10"
paper for scrapbooking, etc.


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

*TuckDB*
Robins & holly postcard
 
*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

I also used the font Parchment for "December"


Thank you for stopping by!

A Wise Old Owl

"A wise old owl sat on an oak;
The more he saw, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?"

~ Edward Hersey Richards ~

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

*Old Design Shop*
"Holiday Fun" owl

*The Sum of All Crafts*
Circular scroll label
Delicate rectangular label

*Free Trinkets and Treasures*
"The compliments of the Season"

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Birds & Blossoms

"When April steps aside for May,
like diamonds all the raindrops glisten;
Fresh violets open every day:
To some new bird each hour we listen."

~ Lucy Larcom ~

Hope you enjoy these sweet little songbirds!
They are 3 postcard images from a set called Birds and
Blossoms, which are based on paintings by A.L. West.
I love them all ~ can't pick a favorite!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Vintage Bird-Inspired tags

Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;

they sing among the branches.

~ Psalm 104:12 ~

 

This collection of tags was inspired

by the little birds chirping happily 

outside my kitchen window...

These tags are free

for your personal use... enjoy!

Here are the image sources:

*The Vintage Moth*

Antique ledger page

Birds with nest

3 eggs

Nest with 2 white eggs

*flickr*

Speckled eggs

*The Graphics Fairy*

Nest with blue background

French sheet music 

*Green Paper*

Green frame

Thanks to all who provided me 

with these beautiful graphics!

I'm also linking up with
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Thanks for stopping by!