Swap Card

Here is a cute playing card from my little collection.  Notice the heart-shaped pendulum.

Enjoy!

In Tow

Not quite a collection yet as I only have two tow truck toy cars.  The yellow one has been mine since it was new in the 70s.  It's a "Dodge Wreck Truck" by Matchbox. The all green truck I bought at a thrift store last year.  It was made by Playart which I never heard of.  Think I'll find any more old tow trucks so I can actually call this a collection?

Enjoy!

Lydia's Post Tag

This tag I made for myself.  It's scrapbook paper and a "label" my husband made for me to use on cards, etc. that I make in the event I ever sell one!  Ha, ha...

Enjoy!

Wacky Answer

I doubt anyone has platform shoe polish in the back of a closet, but most of us probably have a can of Crisco shortening on a kitchen shelf. I know I do!

Nothing Ever Happens On My Block

I kept some books from my long-ago childhood and thought I would share one today.

Nothing Ever Happens On My Block was always a favorite of mine.  Great illustrations, lots to look at, and a funny story.  The plot is about a complaining boy who doesn't notice all that goes on behind his back.

The title fonts and drawing style certainly screams of the era (copyright 1966; I bought this copy several years later from my school's bookmobile probably 1972ish).

Enjoy and don't take your block for granted!

Wacky Pack Wednesday

Here is a newer Wacky Pack even though the theme is very 70s.

Enjoy and get down!

TT/Purple

Purple has never been one of my favorite colors, but it is the theme this week at Tag Tuesday.  For some reason, I thought of the "Purple Cow" poem I've known since I was a kid.  What I didn't know was how old that poem is-- written in 1895!  

Ever wonder if anything you create will surface 117 years later?

Enjoy!

The Password Is: Altered

Remember the Password game I bought?  It was posted here on 3-25-12.  I decided to use the word cards as the base for altered tags.  Here are the results and more sewing pattern girls.

Enjoy!

Red Admirals

Time for a nature break.  Here are a few photos from last week.

I've noticed a lot of Red Admirals this spring.  One report that I read stated this could be a good year for butterflies.  From what I've seen, I'd say that was right.

Enjoy!

Reserved Seating

Here is another vintage goodie: a pin cushion that belonged to my great-aunt.  She was quite the knitter, crocheter, etc.

I don't know its age-- has to be pre 1970.  Any better guesses out there?  The two mouse stick pins are mine from the mid-late 70s.  The fabric bird in the background was made by my mother some 25 years ago.  The dust on the table is mine.

Enjoy!

Beagle Collage

Another dog collage on a wooden plaque.  I made this late last year.  An ode to Beagles.  If you've ever owned one or knew one, you certainly understand the words I added!

Gee, I should really make a plaque about Coonhounds, shouldn't I, Rhody?

Enjoy!

Wacky Answer

For the two people living on Mars who did not guess yesterday's (4-18-12) Wacky Package:  it was Dole sliced pineapple.

Go West

This ceramic planter belonged to my grandmother.  She had a dozen or more novelty planters, all planted, in her kitchen in the 60s and 70s.  And did she have a green thumb!  This woman could plant a dead stick and end up with the most beautiful shrub, tree, flower on the block.

Unfortunately I did not inherit her green thumb or planter collection.  This is the only one I have, and I can't use it a a planter as water seeps out between the tan top and green bottom.  Hmm.  Did my grandma have this problem?  I keep small pads of paper in it at the moment which works well.  Just don't add water.

Enjoy!

Wacky Pack Wednesday

This Wacky is a no-brainer, and a pretty funny one.

Enjoy!

TT/Spring Flowers

This week's theme at Tag Tuesday didn't require too much thought.  Spring flowers. I decided to get the watercolor paints out of storage and actually paint a flower.

A careful observer might notice similarities between this tag and a photo posted here on 3-23-12.

Enjoy the flowers!

Peter Max Tray

Ten or so years ago my sister found two of these Peter Max metal trays at a thrift store.  This is the better of the two.

Knowing what a fan I am of psychedelia, she gave both to me.  What a pal!

Enjoy and peace, man!

Playing Cards

I have a modest collection of vintage "swap" playing cards.  That is how I started making note cards since I had some playing cards I didn't want to keep.  I thought there had to be something "crafty" I could do with them.  Well, shoe boxes full of note cards later, I branched out to tags, plaques, bookmarks, and here I am today. All thanks to old playing cards.  

If you've never given playing cards much thought (I hadn't), you'll be surprised at the hundreds, thousands, of different designs.  Here is a pair of happy birds from the "Have A Nice Day" 70s.

Below are two note cards I made from playing cards.

I will post more "neat-o" playing cards now and then.

Enjoy!

Wacky Answer

Yesterday's (4-11-12) Wacky Pack was Bold laundry detergent. Did you guess right?

Putting The Peonies To Bed

For three nights my husband and I have covered our two baby peony bushes due to a "freeze watch."  They will be two years old in October, and this is the first year they have buds so I'm not taking any chances (no matter how tacky they may look wearing old pillowcases!).

Enjoy!

Wacky Pack Wednesday

Is this product still around today?  I had to look it up.  Yes it is so many of you might guess it, but if you can't come up with it, don't flip your wig!  Ha, ha...

Enjoy!

TT/Spring Cleaning

How do you make the concept of "spring cleaning" into a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" piece of altered art?  Well, that is the challenge this week at Tag Tuesday.  Going with the "carpet beating" suggestion, I perused the internet and found this nifty image of a maid holding a carpet beater.

I added some trim and made a mini beater as an accent.  I just twisted some wire (took a few tries to get the right pattern) then wound the ends around a piece of a wooden skewer which I painted.  I even made a second beater, a tad smaller, for my dollhouse.

Enjoy!

Sewing Shadow Box

An aunt of mine gave me a box of my grandmother's sewing notions many years ago; long before I was in to collage work, but I did think to make a shadow box out of some of the more interesting pieces.  I also included a tiny photo of my grandma and her signature from a old letter, although I doubt "Grandma" would qualify as a legal signature.

Enjoy!

Easter 2012

Wishing everyone a very nice Easter!

Enjoy!

Baby's First Easter

My first Easter may have been decades ago (that might mean only two, you know), but I have three cards from that distant holiday.  This large card has a tab on the bottom that allows it to stand and rock slightly.  It is also printed on both sides, as you can see.  Too cute!

A bear for Easter?  Still cute though.

And how about this baby asleep in a nest?  They don't make cards like that anymore!

My mom kept my cards in a scrapbook that must have been seven inches thick! About 20 years ago, I grew tired of storing it, took the cards out, and chucked all but the cutest ones.  What a DOPE!!

Enjoy (and save your cards-- there are enough dopes in the world as it is)!

P.S.

I failed to mention in yesterday's vignette photo that the light blue/crocheted egg was made by my aunt a few years ago. So sorry!

Not That Old Trick

Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.  Presto!  This is a "Japan" marked salt & pepper set that belonged to my grandmother.  For reasons lost to me now, she gave it to me many, many years ago.  I had it on a bedroom shelf for a long time back then.  Now, it hangs out with my Easter decor, and I put it out every year. 

And here is a peek at the entire vignette atop a tall video cabinet.  The white vases were already in place, but worked well for Easter so I left them there.  By the way, the small rabbit in the pink hat is a wooden ornament purchased in the late 70s. And my mom made the beaded rabbit sometime in the 80s.

Enjoy!

Scoreboard

This just in: The Cubs lost to the Nationals 2 to 1 in rather depressing fashion. They were leading until the 8th inning; the rest is now history which brings to mind an old joke. The Cubs can't sell beer at Wrigley Field anymore because the lost their opener. Ha, ha... Better luck next time!

Opening Day

Opening day at Wrigley Field! We made it through another winter.  Even though the ivy will still be brown, the Cubs will take the field at 1:20 p.m. (Chicago time).  Keep your fingers crossed and dress warm-- it will be awfully chilly there!

GO CUBS!

Wacky Answer

So did everyone remember L'eggs pantyhose sold in the plastic eggs?  Kind of cool. Does anyone remember the shiny colored eggs they used at Christmas? Below are three L'eggs Christmas eggs that my mom made into ornaments with white crochet thread.  I still hang them every year.  Of course, I could have waited to post this until December when these ornaments would have been out.  Instead I was rooting around in a box in the basement in April!  Why take the easy way?

Enjoy!

Wacky Pack Wednesday

The over 45 crowd should get this one.  And probably remember its unique packaging.  I kind of miss it!

Enjoy!

TT/Easter

The Tag Tuesday theme this week is "Easter."  My original idea was to use an image of the Easter Parade movie poster.  But while hunting on the internet, I came across the sheet music cover for the song and liked that better.

The only problem is now I have that song stuck in my head.  "On the avenue..."

Enjoy!

Eggs In One Basket

How is this for a nifty Easter salt and pepper set?  It belonged to my grandmother, but I have had it for at least 25 years now.  The bottom is marked "Japan."  It comes out every Easter at my house.

Enjoy!

Still Occupied

After yesterday's post, I felt guilty about not digging out the "Occupied Japan" leaf dish that was packed away in my basement.  And would anyone care in six months (does anyone care now?)...  So even though it wasn't a rainy day, I found the dish in between laundry loads.  Here it is; you can exhale now.

Enjoy and Happy April Fool's Day!