Christmas Memories

"Each Christmas

finds me longing for

Christmases now past.

And I am back in

childhood - as long as

memories last."

 

~ Carice Williams ~

Do you save the ends from

refrigerated cinnamon roll cans? I'd

always thought they'd be good for some sort

of crafting, and last year used them for

stamping. Right now, I'm making them into

ornaments. For this one, I used one of the

smaller round images, a paper doily, clear

glitter, and yarn around the outside:

You can find the complete Victorian

illustration here. I also used an endpaper

texture. The only other images used were

free elements, available on Canva.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Thanksgiving poem

I found a shortened version of this poem in

an antique Reader (see page 94). A few of the

lines were familiar, but I really enjoyed finding

and reading through the original poem and

thought others might as well. The sleigh image

was scanned from my copy of the book.

Paper texture source: The Old Design Shop.

Thanks for stopping by, and

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pictures in the Fire

"Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth, for the

touch of a friendly hand and for

a talk beside the fire: it is the 

time for home."

~ Edith Sitwell ~ 

 

8"x10"

8"x10"

5"x7"

5"x7"

8.5"x11"

Years ago, while antique shopping

with my mom, I bought a book:

"Dutton's Holiday Annual - 1890."

It was already brittle & falling apart.

This image has always been a personal

favorite. Happy to save it & share here.

Thanks 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 ~

Thanks for stopping by!

Winter Greens

"The wind lifted me up into

the trees, where I danced to the

rhythm of the evergreen, swaying

to the tune of the northern breeze,

frozen in timeless melody."
  
~ Christy Ann Martine ~ 

My first childhood home had pine trees on one side. Some were pretty tall. While outside, I got the idea to climb all the way to the tip top of the tallest one. Up I went, without telling my mom or little brother - who would obviously - tell my mom.

It didn't take long to figure out long hair didn't fare well in pine branches and sap. I tied it back & kept going. The further I climbed, the more I noticed the tree that once seemed still... definitely was not. Before long, we were swaying side to side. So I stopped and sat in silence. Mom yelled for me from the back deck. I kept still as possible and watched her from above. She never saw me and went back inside.

I stayed up there for what seemed like a long time after. There was only a light breeze, and it was so peaceful that time seemed to stop. All at once I realized it was starting to get dark, and I didn't want mom looking for me again, so back down I went. It's funny - as a kid I never thought that would be one of the memories I'd hold onto 30 years later...

Here are the sources & free

graphics used in my artwork:

*Tuck Ephemera*

3 girls with flowers

*The J. Paul Getty Museum*
Juniper
 
*Image Event*

German book cover, c. 1878

*Lilac & Lavender*

Sleigh Ride sheet music

*The Graphics Fairy*

French handwriting

*Boston Public Library*

White flowers

Old letter to Dad

Hi Dad-

I guess I only write when I want something don't I. Well here is what it is this time. I know you can't go to the State game Saturday only I wish you could. We haven't gone to a game to-gether for a long time. But since you can't come this week I have a leave starting at 1900 Friday to 1200 Monday and if State has a game then I'd like to go if you could. I don't know weather they play at Columbus or not.

Colleen said she was talking to you Monday about wheather or not Cook could take her to the Game. She has never seen a Game like that and I'd like to take her if I could. I also wish you and I could go to one game any way. I'm awful always asking favors of you and Mother. Maybe I'll be able to make it up to you someday.

To-day the Betas play the Sigma Chi's a game of football to-night. We beat 'em 19-0. It was a pretty good game. It reminded me of the games I played with Lancaster. I only hope I'll get a chance to play at State someday. When this war is over I'm going to take George in one hand and his & my clothes in the other and go to State, get George back in training, and put him in Brown's back field. Good idea, huh? We'll have a -?- combination, only I'm going to play Guard. It's more fun. I was playing opposite a guy that was selected on The All City Team at Dayton it's about the same as C.O.L. All league team. But he wasn't so good cause I was knocking him all over his own back field. These guys up here don't like for me to play on the other team cause I don't let them complete their plays. And I knock 'em down and step on 'em (braggin')

Well that's enough of that. Exams start next Wednesday and we get off at 7:00 Friday nite. I don't have anything to worry about I don't think. -?- would be surprised if he saw what I've been doing in trig. And don't you worry either cause I'm pretty sure of myself and besides I been studying pretty good.

Some of the guys are going thru hell week and will be initiated the 29. I'll be initiated in December some time.

These guys are starting to smoke pipes cause they can't buy cigarettes.

Oh yea. I'm beginning to catch on to The game of bridge the other night I was down at the union and some guy talked me into playing. After playing a few hands I told him and the 2 girls that I had never played before except that once you, Mother, George, and I played. I told them I was playing on what I remembered from that and the knowledge I had of rum & poker & Pedro.

Well I guess I better hang up the sheep skin for to-night.
I'll see you Sat.

Love, Dick


I love old handwriting and letters. This one was only $1, and the author drew me in with the first line - turns out, what he wanted was to spend time with Dad. Unfortunately, there wasn't a date or a last name for further investigation, but there's still plenty to give us a snapshot of this young man's life. I gathered this was written in war-time, by a college student talking about Ohio State football. He also might've been a football player from Lancaster, Ohio. I'm from the Lancaster area as well, but the letter was found in a different town, which was a nice surprise!

If I wasn't sure what word was written,

I marked it -?- I welcome any guesses or

further information. Just wanted to share!


You may use these scanned images

in your art, either digitally or in printed form.

Just please don't sell them 'as is' - thank you!

Sleigh Bell Polka

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh!

~ James L. Pierpont ~

Was looking through my stash

of sheet music, and came across

this gem, in a collection of c.1940's

polkas. Enjoy original and

black & white versions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Love the Light

"I will love the light
for it shows me the way,
yet I will endure the darkness
for it shows me the stars."

~ Og Mandino ~

Morning light casts such pretty shadows

on my living room curtains.

This book's cover was in rough shape.

Looks much better without it.

Until next time... thanks for stopping by!

My Heart is Yours

Love in your heart
wasn't put there to stay.
Love isn't love
'til you give it away.

~ Oscar Hammerstein ~

 

This is a sweet c. 1910's postcard

from my collection.

Here's a printable sheet of tags ~ enjoy!

Happy Valentine's day!
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!

A Garden of Roses

"A garden of roses is
a fragrant piece of heaven."

~ Matthew A. R. Bassity ~

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


*FREE ViNTaGE DiGiTal STaMPS*
Polka dot scrapbook paper

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper
Rose postcard
Sheet music cover "Because"
Post card with scalloped border
is from my personal collection.


Thanks for stopping by!

1902 Music & Pink Roses

Because

Because you come to me with naught save love,

And hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,

A wider world of hope and joy I see,

Because you come to me.

Because you speak to me in accents sweet,

I find the roses waking round my feet,

And I am led through tears and joy to thee,

Because you speak to me.

Because God made thee mine,

I'll cherish thee, through light and darkness,

Through all time to be, And pray His love

May make our love divine,

Because God made thee mine.

~ Edward Teschemacher ~

The "Because" sheet music title page

(copyright 1902) as well as rose postcard

are images from my personal collection

of ephemera.  Feel free to incorporate

them into your artwork!

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 the tree by our living room window.

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!

In a Winter-Wonderland

"Now we don hats

and mittens; take our loved

ones by the hand, as we

all become children

in a winter-wonderland."

~ Janet Martin ~

3.5 inch round graphic
and printable with 6 (below).

Snowflakes are from this free font.

3x5 inch, postcard-size graphic
and 8.5x11 printable stationery, etc.

Tag with little girl on sled,
and printable sheet of 6 tags in 2 sizes:

 Original, unaltered Christmas postcard

from my collection:

"Childhood Winters"

I sit and watch the white snow
Piled up outside my window.
And I see in my memory
Red mittened hands and rosy cheeks
Of the child of long ago.
Building snowmen and laughing
Against the wind.
Such simple pleasures
For a child to enjoy
Making snow her winter toy...

~ Rasma Raisters ~



Hello, and thank you
for stopping by!