A Ducky Welcoming Committee

These three ducks sit in my front entry way welcoming all who come to visit, each one having their own story to tell if you stop long enough to listen ! The multi-colored one once sat on a shelf in your G'ma and G'pa Johnson's basement family room. The ironwood one is super heavy and was purchased at a store in Naha, Okinawa. The brass one was another purchase while we were in Okinawa. It's back is hinged and opens to hold whatever one might like to put inside, although, originally meant to empty ashes into when emptying the ashtrays. I love my ducks !!

Dote On Me Ever

Haven't been doing too much artsy lately, but, decided to create some Valentines and this was my first. I have used printed scrapbook paper, which happened to have Mom's name in the upper right hand corner, onto a blank greeting card, cut out roses from another piece of scrap book paper, a premade paper photo frame and a couple other odds and ends for embellishment, all distressed with Tim Holtz' Vintage Photo ink. The photo is my Mom -- the one my Dad carried in his wallet of his "sweetheart", which I thought suited Valentine's Day perfectly. Inside, is the verse, Love Me, by John Wilby which expresses how I saw my Dad in his feelings for Mom.

A Cute Little Gift

This little guy was a Christmas gift from my grand-daughter, Hilery. She has been creating these little stuffed animals and characters this past year or so, and I ooh and aah over every one of them. She uses mostly fabric from socks and every one of them is just as cute and perfect as they can be. The hat covers his teddy bear ears and I am a teddy bear fan, for sure ! Plus, red has always been my favorite color, so, it was a perfect gift for Gramma !!

Lacey Candle Jar

I see beautifully embellished bottles and jars and have never tried this art until this week. This candle jar had been on the shelf in the closet for awhile. I used lace, ribbon, a jeweled dangle, a gold leaf from an artificial branch, a gold star, glitter and last but not least, an authentic vintage brass key taken from my collection. I have several old brass keys picked up years ago at an antique store. They have been displayed in an old printer's tray in the computer nook -- this one has found a new home.

Simplify

My altered Christmas cards this year are going to be very simple, such as this one is -- pretty blue paper, light blue organza ribbon, shiny snowflakes and a cute little snowman embellishment. Time seems to be getting away from me. Recovering from the back surgery has put a huge cramp in my style !! Anyway, it has been four weeks yesterday and each day, I have a bit more strength and energy. Hopefully, I will get back to blogging a bit more often, too.

Vintage Black Gloves

When I was going through a box of my old "things", I came across this pair of black gloves that I wore back in the 50's and 60's. Those were the days that no outfit was complete unless you had matching gloves !! Sometimes, it is difficult for me to think of my keepsakes as "vintage", and times I wonder who that old lady is that just passed me by in the mirror !! Anyway, my friend Sharon, had a pair of white gloves that she had picked up at a craft show several years ago and they were stuffed, hot glued together and embellished, so I used them as an example to do something with my pair. These look a bit "Christmasy" with that red bow, so maybe I will use them as part of a centerpiece on my dining room table come holiday time. It was a fun project and better than putting them back in a box just to be stored away.

Scented Memories

Sometime ago, I showed the photo of the old perfume bottle Mom had kept for so many years. When I came across that bottle on the day I was helping her clean out some high cabinets and she told me about Dad having given it to her, it brought back memories of the first perfume your Dad gave to me when we were dating. I did not keep the bottle after I used it all, but, thanks to Ebay, I found one very similar. The scent had a bit of spice to it and I think influenced my choice of perfumes forever after. As usual, I believe his mother chose this gift for him to present to me, but, that has always been okay with me -- she had excellent taste !!! This bottle in it's little case, will go into "the treasure chest", now.