Color of Winter

"The color of springtime is

in the flowers; the color of winter

is in the imagination."

- Terri Guillemets -

These gift card envelopes were made

based on a design first shared in 2012.

This time I went the extra step for you

and made 4 ready-to-print designs.

Plaid background - made by layering

stripes in 2 shades of slate gray:

Gift card envelope - how to make:

After cutting out, fold using the edge of your gift card, credit card, ruler, etc. as a guide. Glue with glue stick - read below for how I do it:

Place a piece of cardboard from a cereal box (about the size of a gift card) inside the envelope before you glue (so you don't glue the inside of the envelope together, and so it's not too tight to get a gift card inside when finished).

Here are the free graphics

& sources used in my artwork:

*Tuck Ephemera*

3 girls with flowers

Frances Brundage created

beautiful artwork, including 3 girls

holding "Christmas Roses" under an

umbrella on a snowy day.

*The Old Design Shop*

Grungy paper

Snowy village

Loved the cozy feeling

of this moonlit village scene.

*F.P.T.F.Y.*

Distressed wood background

*Shadowhouse Creations*

 "Beneath the Surface" texture

This texture overlay

helped soften the plaid.

*Canva*

Free design elements:

round frames

"Merry Christmas"

Thank you for stopping by!

Snowy Pine & Berries

These lined and plain printable

graphics are a good size for

writing a note, or maybe a family

recipe. I like displaying this size

on vintage clipboards.

This printable sheet of 4

graphics would be a great size

for teacher notes or labels.

These tags were made using a small

section of the original image. When

layering I like to keep something

simple. Here it's the color palette.

...

He knew at last that he had been a fool,
To think of breaking the forest rule,
And choosing a dress himself to please,
Because he envied the other trees.

But it couldn't be helped, it was now too late,
He must make up his mind to a leafless fate!

So he let himself sink in a slumber deep,
But he moaned and he tossed in his troubled sleep,
Till the morning touched him with joyful beam,
And he woke to find it was all a dream.

For there in his evergreen dress he stood,
A pointed fir in the midst of the wood!

His branches were sweet with the balsam smell,
His needles were green when the white snow fell.
And always contented and happy was he,
The very best kind of a Christmas tree."

- Henry Van Dyke -

Here are the free graphics

& sources used in my artwork:

*The Graphics Fairy*
Snowy pine & berry postcard
 
*Lilac & Lavender*

"Antiqued" lined paper

Postage stamps and cursive

Thank you for stopping by!

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.

The sweet Victorian illustration was from one of my books. You can see the entire image here. I also used an endpaper texture. The only other images used were free elements, available on Canva.

I don't like to waste space, so filled up some of the empty spots with rectangular labels and tags, as well as pretty medallions and lace...

Thank you for stopping by!

 

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!

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 falling apart, so this and many other pages have already come out. This sweet image has always been a favorite. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have...

Thank you 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 childhood home had pine trees on one side. Some were pretty tall. While outside, probably bored, 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, was not. Before long, we were swaying side to side - far enough. Mom must've thought she should check on me. She yelled for me from the back deck. I stayed as 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 - I never thought as a kid that would be one of the memories I'd hold onto 30 years later...

Here are the free graphics
& sources 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

Thank you for stopping by!

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!

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!

Fair Perfect Rose

As a flower in the garden
Bending toward the sun,
Unfolds it's tiny petals,
One, by one, by one...
So faith expands it's beauty
Until at last it grows
Into life's lasting flower...
The heart's fair perfect rose.

~ Rebecca Helmann ~

Pink rose and buds ~ 8" x 10."

Printable set of tags or bookmarks above, and
printable cards for notes or journaling, below.



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

*TuckDB*

Pink rose with buds, 1908
Long-stemmed pink rose with buds


"If there were no tribulations,
there would be no rest;
if there were no winter,
there would be no summer."

~ St. John Chrysostom ~


Thanks for stopping by!

The Sleigh Bells

'Tis merry to hear, at evening time,
By the blazing hearth, the sleigh bells chime;

To know the bounding steeds bring near
The loved one to our bosom dear...

~ Susanna Moodie ~

This Victorian image depicting
a sleigh ride made for some lovely
wintry stationery ~ enjoy!


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


*Wordplay*
Victorian sleigh ride

*Boston Public Library on Flickr*
Cigarette trade card (back, frame)

*Old Design Shop*
Aged paper texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper



Thanks for stopping by...
best wishes to you & yours
for a Happy New Year!

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!

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!

Let It Snow...

 "Gather your loved ones

and let the winds blow,
This is the season;
let it snow, let it snow."

~ Janet Martin ~

These circles are 2.5" and would work
well as gift tags or labels, or used to spruce up
a regular mouth canning jar.  Simply place one
on the flat lid, then screw the ring band on
to keep it in place.


Here are the free graphic
& font sources I used:


*Old Design Shop*
Aged paper texture

*Dafont.com*
Faux Snow


The opening quote from Janet's poem
is so fitting for us, as we'll be gathering
with our loved ones on this very chilly,
snowy Thanksgiving day...


Thank you for stopping by,
and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Angels Among Us

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come down to us in our darkest hours.
They show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

~ Don Goodman & Becky Hobbs ~

Snow angel ~ 5 x 8" graphic, and
printable sheet of tags ~ 3 sizes.
Enjoy!

Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly
entertained angels.

~ Hebrews 13:2 ~



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

*Vintage Images*
Angel holding white lilies

*Vintage Feedsacks*
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

*Dafont.com*
Faux Snow


Thanks 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!