Whew! What a Day!

When I woke up this morning I was sure it would NOT be a creative day, but I surprised myself! I was wanting to make my Mom some notecards for Mother's Day using my new-found PhotoShop 'skills'. I was pretty happy with what I would up with, several hours later! This first one is a picture of her, the rest are of her mom and aunts, etc. I hope today found you with some creativity to spare!

Getting Better!

I am still having fun experimenting with Photoshop. I made this tonight, and printed it out in 4x6 for a really cute card. You may remember from a few posts back that I found her on this website. Poke around for a while! It's hit or miss, but lots of fun. Next I want to try using some of our own old family photos to make something for mom for Mother's Day. Hmmm...

Tomorrow I'm taking the kids out to my mom's. They are spending the night while my husband and I go to an annual black-tie fundraiser. I'm really looking forward to it, but am also looking forward to hopefully swinging by one of my favorite antique malls on the short trip out there. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a great find!

In the meantime I am remiss in not telling you about an ATC Swap ( a chain kind of thing) that I am way behind on! I found out a bout it from the talented Sarah. I am being a slow poke partly because I don't know who else to sign up; I need more people to add to the list! I'll fill you in next time. Maybe I can talk one or two of you into it! Have a great weekend - -

The Experiment Continues...

Okay...now I am really starting to get the hang of this! How fun!

Tech Saturday

I can not believe I actually 'made' this on PhotoShop! Okay, Okay, it's only three images, but still! Go out there and try it, if I can do it, you can do it, too!
I'm going back to the computer - - while the creativity floweth!

Happy Thursday

Today I took a much needed mental-health day, and puttered around some of my favorite haunts. I was so appreciating having some time to myself, that when I saw this plate, I knew I had to take it home with me!

Today was also a great day for finding some fab photos! I am really excited to try and experiment with these now that I am playing around with PhotoShop!

This vintage ticket to a church supper should also make for some fun scrapping. Now to figure out the scanner...!

Made this notebook that other night; it's going out to Renee in Ocean Grove, New Jersey - an Etsy friend!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend - -

Poetry in Motion

Valentine for Ernest Mann

You can't order a poem like you order a taco.

Walk up to the counter, say, "I'll take two"

and expect it to be handed back to you

on a shiny plate.

Still, I like your spirit.

Anyone who says, "Here's my address,

write me a poem," deserves something in reply.

So I'll tell you a secret instead:

poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,

they are sleeping. They are the shadows

drifting across our ceilings the moment

before we wake up. What we have to do

is live in a way that lets us find them.

Once I knew a man who gave his wife

two skunks for a valentine.

He couldn't understand why she was crying.

"I thought they had such beautiful eyes."

And he was serious. He was a serious man

who lived in a serious way. Nothing was ugly

just because the world said so. He really

liked those skunks. So, he re-invented them

as valentines and they became beautiful.

At least, to him. And the poems that had been hiding

in the eyes of skunks for centuries

crawled out and curled up at his feet.

Maybe if we re-invent whatever our lives give us

we find poems. Check your garage, the odd sock

in your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite.

And let me know.

--Naomi Shihab Nye--

Happy Sunday

You know how I love those vintage girls! Dress patterns and old magazines are my favorite place to get their sleek sophistication. I made this card today. This lovely lady has also inspired me with an ATC idea I just may try out, using an old French for Travelers book I found this weekend. The kids and I went to a huge, annual used book sale on Friday night. We had a blast. I found lots of old vintage books that were just itching for a project I had in mind...journals!

I tackled two this weekend - Nancy being my favorite. It was hard to pull her apart, I'll admit. But once I got started, I realized the countless projects I could do with her now loose pages. I also tackled this old spelling book, he was bigger and abit more fragile than the Nancy Drew.

Susanna

by Anne Porter

Nobody in the hospital

Could tell the age

Of the old woman who

Was called Susanna

I knew she spoke some English

And that she was an immigrant

Out of a little country

Trampled by armies

Because she had no visitors

I would stop by to see her

But she was always sleeping

All I could do

Was to get out her comb

And carefully untangle

The tangles in her hair

One day I was beside her

When she woke up

Opening small dark eyes

Of a surprising clearness

She looked at me and said

You want to know the truth?

I answered Yes

She said it's something that

My mother told me

There's not a single inch

Of our whole body

That the Lord does not love

She then went back to sleep.