Cards Scrapbooking and Art

Etsy card

2011-06-10T22:27:00.001+02:00

On a recent Etsy sale, the customer bought an item as a birthday present for her Mother. She asked me, off the top of her head, if I could write 'Happy birthday (and name) in French and add it to the packaging. Well, yes I agreed to this, a nice idea I thought.

I began by thinking about making a tag, maybe one that folds, perhaps including one with a bit of Vintage French lace and a bit of a vintage French postcard.........and so it went on. By then I'd got the bit between my teeth and ended up making a proper birthday card!

Couldn't stop myself...........

Etsy Loto Bingo bag

2011-06-09T21:38:00.001+02:00

Recently I sold a Vintage French bingo set on Etsy. There were sets of pre-printed cards in bright colours with a set of wooden numbers. The numbers were in a handmade bag, barely big enough, and rather frail.

Very quickly made this bag to hold both the cards and numbers bag.

I tea dyed the vintage metis fabric, added vintage lace, a vintage hand crochet circle, vintage rayon ribbon, crinkled up through years of storage and some white gauze and a silk flower. I hand stamped the front and added some beads to the ends of the ties, which were vintage French string. Oh yes, and a bit of vintage tulle.

1st Birthday Card

2011-05-18T21:12:00.001+02:00

Pink and Girly. That was my friends instructions to me to make her Granddaughters 1st Birthday card.

As anyone knows, I have great difficulty with 'baby' cards, this was no exception, but I did decide to let the inside be fairly plain this time.

I used a Vintage French postcard in the center, and basically anything Pink I could find. The envelope, I totally covered in crystal organza. Annabella was embossed onto vellum. What I did was printed out the name in the font, reversed it, embossed the vellum on a piece of firm sponge, using the print off as a direct template.

I used lots of fabrics on the front, made my own flowers as usual. Shame the whole thing is a bit 'blocky' all squares and straight lines, inspiration was lacking.

The lady who ordered it has asked me to make another card, so she couldn't of been too disappointed with this rather uninspiring (I think) effort.

Book pages Garland

2011-04-01T21:23:00.000+02:00

I have so neglected my blog, sorry everyone, and I have to say crafting in general too. Blame Etsy, I seem to spend all my time doing stuff for my Etsy shops. I say shops because I now have 3, nothing like making hard work for myself.
I have FrenchGypsy for Vintage French items. CartesPostales for Vintage and Antique French postcards, which are very easy to find here of course. Then I opened FabricsFrench because by chance I came across masses of top quality new upholstery fabrics from Paris designer houses. The way it is going if I want to start selling my craft stuff or art, I'll have to open yet another. Not sure I relish that idea much.

Anyway whilst browsing around Etsy, as you do, I came across some handmade paper garlands which looked so effective and simple to make.....so that is what I did/copied.

I made this garland from a Vintage French novel. It is for my heartbroken friend in the UK who is experiencing Marriage difficulties. I hope this will cheer her up. She loves colour so I inked the edges in the brightest most vivid inks I could find. Made a bit of mistake sewing them by machine together. I used thick green shiny thread which my machine did not like much. But, once I'd started, I was committed to continue.
Live and learn as they say.

I am still working on Mr Milo's 'Grave' decoration, which I will show you once it is completed. No deathiness about it, it is going to be bright and cheerful. Still missing my pal so much, especially now the sun is in the garden and he is not here to enjoy it.

French Ticking packaging

2011-02-06T14:46:00.000+01:00

Hello all
and a big hello and welcome to my several new followers, it is wonderful to be gradually getting new followers without having to 'trawl' for them as many people seem to do.

Today I am showing you a simple cover I made for a pair of Vintage French Spectacles I sold this week in my Etsy shop.

I like to try and make my own packaging for items I sell on Etsy. I have done quite a few already but have not photographed them.

I made this from a piece of Vintage French mattress ticking. All the elements on it are vintage, the lace, buttons, everything. It only took 10 mins to make. I think the trick is to have a good idea of what you want to make before doing it, otherwise it can take forever.

Actually, the glasses were bought by a man, otherwise I may of gone for a more girly look.

I hope you like it.

Nothing to do with crafting. Mr Milo

2011-01-28T23:18:00.000+01:00

I was only going to use this blog for showing my craft work, but under exceptional circumstances I feel the need to share with you all an expected but all the same, a saddening event in my life.
Not everyone will understand or sympathise. My Cat Mr Milo has died. If any of you have read my profile you will know I mention him there.

We were together for 15 years. I got him from a rescue center as a young adult, which makes it longer than any relationship I have had EVER! He had been ill with kidney failure (CRF) for the last 5 years, gradually deteriorating, but seemed happy enough. These last 2 weeks he just plummeted. His mouth was rotting with terrible Ulcers, which meant he was not eating anything. 2 lots of antibiotic injections and cortisone later, nothing changed. Yet his Blood tests did not show severe CRF levels. Maybe it was just age?

The vet did another blood test and discovered he had bone cancer and the blood levels showed that he would not recover. 2 options, put him to sleep or 2 cortisone injections. Well of course he'd already had those.

I decided to take him home and let him die with us, in comfort, in his home. That night he was really bad, I slept downstairs with him, administering water, keeping him comfy, talking to him. I battled all night without sleep as to what to do.

At 7 am he sat bolt upright and had a drink, then collapsed again. I moved him into the dining room, where it would be quieter for him, as Bob has the TV or radio on all day, and settled down next to him.
He then looked at me directly in the eye. OMG, it was awful. His beautiful yellow green eyes looked grey and dull, and said 'I am suffering so much'. As soon as the vet opened I called him in to put him to sleep. I felt so relieved to of taken away his misery, I definitely made the right decision, but my god, I am devastated all the same.

My lovely Mr Milo, he is no longer here, except laying beautifully wrapped up in the ground. It is going to be so hard without him. Even Bob who was never a cat person was in bits, much to his own surprise!

It is the end of the most wonderful epoch in my life. I never had or wanted children, so in some ways I guess Milo was the next best thing, but I always treated him as an adult person not as a child. When we lived in the UK, it was just me and him for years. Those were great times together.

I am going to miss his cuddles, even though he liked to be a 'face hugger', his chatter and our daily walks. Then there was his role as 'inspector of works' every-time either Bob or myself worked on something outside, he'd come and watch us working.

Today Bob bought me a bouquet of roses, with a note that said lots of love from Bob & Mr Milo. Lovely idea, but it set me off sobbing again.
I have placed photos of him all around the house. This is not morbid, I just need to get that image of his poor eyes out of my head. I don't want to remember him that way.

We plan to make a shrine type thing where he is buried, somewhere I can go and place things on it and as a point of reference. Not so much for Milo, but more for my own sanity, where I can indulge in self deception by talking to him.
I am too cynical to believe in life after death, billions of people and animals have died, there's no-one who has ever crossed back over to confirm it. That is just life as it is, the reality.

I hope you enjoy the photos of my Sweety pie, also known as 'The black assassin' due to his mouse hunting skills. He was always useless at catching birds lol.

Reste toi tranquil M. Milo x x x x

Fabric Friendship album & thank you card

2011-01-24T01:08:00.000+01:00

I thought you might like to see the packaging I made for the Friendship book. I used oven paper and a vintage French embroidery magazine, all sewn together as a wrapper. I stuck some cut out words all over it.

Then I tied it up with some plaited braid I made out of all the scraps I had left over from making the book.

This time I made a tag too, again with paper and fabrics and other bits and pieces.
You can get the general idea of the size of the book by the photo of me holding it in my hand.

The other day, someone did me a favour so I made this quick thank you card, took me all of 20 minutes! Which makes a change!

Friendship fabric book now finished!!

2011-01-15T21:49:00.000+01:00

Hoorah, the cover was finally done today, so thats it, I'm done! It has taken me about a month to complete the whole thing but I have enjoyed every minute of it. I did not rush it, only a couple of hours a day, sometimes more sometimes less, I just went with my 'mood'

The closure is a glass bead which I removed today and placed a brass keyhole thingy on it and then sewed the glass 'button' back on. I wrapped fine copper wire around the Sun ornament, placed it onto a flower I made ages ago as the colours were right, then onto a horrid gold sequinned star which has nice fibre and gold sequins bursting out of the edges, then a couple of white feathers and an odd bit of fabric left over from making the closure. Oh yes, and added 2 blue roses with a bit of bronze coloured mica painted on.

The 3 little roses type flowers I made by twisting odd bits of fabric and organza that were left over, still have'nt got the hang of this method yet.

The spine: I photographed the word 'Friendship' from my Dictionary, photoshopped it then sewed it over with bronze organza, which I then edged with some lace. Topped off with a couple of antique style brads.
And, that is about it.
Tomorrow I am going to make some fancy wrapping for it before I post it to my friend on Monday.

The whole 'book' is quite sparkly, which really does not show on the photos. These latest photos, I messed around with alot, blurs, textures, masks thanks to an inspiring site: Kim Klassen Great and really simple tutorials on creating these effects. I am still surfing her site. Some PS sites with tutorials are not very relevant I find but most of Kims tutorials are things we'd all like to do with our photos.

Friendship book page H & cover

2011-01-14T16:02:00.000+01:00

Still not finished! The H page is done, which did ot photograph very well, but you get the idea.
For the cover I used some sumptuous raw silk beaded fabric. I think its bridal fabric. I love bridal fabrics, why dont they make them in different colours? In order to move it away from the bridal look I drew on it with coloured fabric pens and coloured in some of the pearls. The closure I made from gold raw silk, its padded and I machined over the top and added some blue embroidery. That is not a button by the way, it is from a disassembled Christmas decoration lol.

And no it is not finished. I want to add some embellishments to the front, probably ribbons and another upcycled jewellery piece in the center.
The weather has been fabulous today so I have been doing things outside instead of crafting indoors. Hopefully I shall get it completed tonight. I already have some ideas for wrapping it up in fabrics and 'stuff'

By the way the H page in particular and the closure was my very first attempt ever at embroidery.

Friendship album progress

2011-01-13T21:30:00.000+01:00

I have completed the last page 'H' after being inspired by crazy Quilting or crazy patchwork, which ever terminology you wish to use. The whole album is very very nearly finished, the cover is on, odd bits tidied up. All I have to do now is complete the front. I had ideas for this but as usual, they have changed!

Hopefully I shall take photos tomorrow for you to see the finished project.

Once it is completed I am going to start on another fabric project, a cuff or bracelet with three opening hearts on it containing hopeful messages. This is to be for a friend of mine whose Husband has suddenly become an idiot, she is devastated. If she wears it, she can open up the hearts when she is feeling particularly sad and hopefully gain some inner strength form it. I cannot wait to start it, I have never made a bracelet before.

See you all tomorrow night.
Jan
x

Friendship album page 'S' and Feline CRF

2011-01-03T23:42:00.001+01:00

The S page revolves around black, silver and white. I used embossing powders on the letter S, in silver so that was my start point for the 'colours'.
The background paper is handmade, not by me, swirls of greys white and blacks. The 'left' side metal pars are composed of old necklace parts. Both pages contain vintage Chantilly lace. There's also a square of Black velvet under the 'S'.
The last page 'H' I have started to compose, but I dont think I will be able to get it completed for a couple of days as my Cat has taken a turn for the worse, he has CRF, need to get him to the vets quickly, and spend time with him as he has become very clingy. It saddens me so much to see him so poorly, I have to concentrate on getting him reasonably normal again. He was diagnosed 4 years ago, so between us, we have done well to keep him fairly well up to now.
If you have a Cat with CRF, you'll understand. I found a great website for info: http://www.felinecrf.org

Fabric Friendship book page I

2011-01-02T14:03:00.000+01:00

Here's page "I" or page 3 of the fabric Friendship book I am currently making.

Fabric Friendship album page 2

2011-01-01T14:37:00.000+01:00

Happy new Year all, it goes without saying that I hope 2011 is better than 2010, or if you had a great 2010, then long may it continue.

Today I am showing the 2nd page I made for the Friendship book or album. This afternoon I want to try and finish the 4th page.

I am very busy with Etsy at the moment, people are buying lots of things from me. However, one item I sold has not arrived to the buyer and they bought it nearly a month ago. I am so very disappointed for them, and annoyed at the postal service. These things happen I guess, but with my shop being new its the worst thing to happen so early on.

Fabric Album 3 pages done

2010-12-31T14:18:00.000+01:00

It is New Years Eve, and I cannot believe that my last posting was December 17th, prior to Christmas, ages and ages ago!
So I thought I'd better start showing what I have been doing all this time.
For a long time I have wanted to make one of those vintage tattered fabric albums or book. Only one way....get on with it.
This one is not yet complete, I have only finished 3 pages of 6. It is going to be a friendship book for someone I have known for many many years. She and her family visited in 2010 and I did not realise just how much I missed her company, I have'nt seen her since moving to France in 2004.

The idea is to make a page for each letter of her name, 5 pages plus the cover.
Today I am going to show you the first page.

T is for Turquoise, Time and Treasure

Vintage style open cut card

2010-12-17T22:04:00.000+01:00

I made this card for a friend I have known since I was 16. Initially I wanted to make a fabric friendship book, which I am still going to do, but I will miss her birthday. Hence I thought I'd make a quick 'ordinary' birthday card and make the fabric book later.
Well it just seemed to grow into this vintage style card. I had the postcard on the front, which is Vintage, and the words were apt for her, so the card just developed from there.
Intentionally I used some card I did not like and some gold patterned vellum which I did not like either, disguising them with other things to distract the eye!
2 new techniques I tried out was to fill the centre of the flowers I made with pva glue then drop seed beads into the glue. I think it worked ok, and secondly, I picked up a batch of vintage brass pins about 1.5" long, they are very soft. I threaded a pearl bead and left over flowers and couple of odd bits of lace onto it and pushed it through the card....top right of the happy birthday stamp, then bent it round to stop it falling out. I think these brass pins could come in very useful for all sorts of things..

The other thing I am doing with everything I make from now on is to stamp 'Save the Dolphins' on the back as I feel particularly strongly about how not just Dolphins, but all sea dwelling creatures are being decimated by humans. It's illegal to kill threatened species on the land, why not in the sea too? It's completely mad. Anyway...don't get me started!
I am considering making some dolphin collage art depicting gruesome scenes of what humans do to them and other sealife. We all see beautiful pictures of sea life, well I am going to show the otherside of the coin, because most people just have no idea what is going on. I will sell them on Etsy and donate the money to the brave people who are trying to stop the daily masacres of Earths oceans.

Joy oh joy....today someone has asked me to make another BABY card aaaarrgh!!!!!

I used another cut down vintage card here...above. Embossed vellum stuck on the back of the front

Some of the patterned vellum shows through on the front

The brass pin

I bought a new (second hand) sewing machine that does fancy stitches. Unfortunately there is no adjusting the foot pressure so getting it take the wallpaper envelope evenly was very tricky. Also above I used my new butterfly and Swallow stamps.

Ages ago I picked up a cheap hearts and circles background stamp from a discount shop which I used on the back of the envelope, along with a new 'French republic' circle stamp.

'Simple' Birthday card

2010-12-07T21:57:00.000+01:00

Do you remember I made a 70th card for my French neighbour? I also made a Baptism card/keepsake box for his daughters baby. Well I was asked by the 'daughters' Mother if I would make a birthday card for her daughter this month. 'But more simple than the others' she said. I understood that French perfectly.

It's my interpretation of simple that is the difficulty! Simple does not seem to be in my vocabulary, this is about as simple as I could make it. It only took me an afternoon, which was fast for me, and in my eyes simple!

I have tried a couple of times to take it round her house, but her daughter has been there every time, so have been unable to show it to her. Just as well her birthday is not until the 20th ;o)

As usual the one and only stamp I used on the front is not stright, despite my best attempts. The main birds in the flowers were taken from a pre-cut glittery decoupage sheet. I made the flowers myself, they took the longest and are in holo, glitter and mirri papers to match the colours.

Above: I found a rather pretty vintage button, irridesent dark fuchia/purple

New baby Card

2010-12-05T21:54:00.000+01:00

Here it is then, the card from hell lol. I just could not get it together with this card, so much so that I get more pleasure knowing it is finished than any whilst making it. It rankled me so much, I do not even want to describe how I made it, I do not want to remember, the aggravation it caused me. Me and babies just do not mix.

Vintage numbers & Zodiac 2

2010-12-04T22:30:00.000+01:00

The last week I have been really struggling with a new baby card for Bobs neice. Whether its because I am not a baby person or not I do not know, in any case I am so pleased it's done and out of the way, it has been such hard work. Perhaps I just do not enjoy making 'cute' cards, because I cannot do them. I will photograph it tomorrow, see what you think.
Here's some more Zodiac sign images until then:

Vintage numbers 5 & Zodiac

2010-12-01T22:36:00.000+01:00

Thats all the Alphabet and numbers done. I have 1 set of Zodiac images that you can have, after that I am afraid I have nothing else to share with you..

Vintage Alphabet & numbers 4

2010-12-01T01:06:00.000+01:00

Yippee! Bob came back from the UK yesterday, and I have unpacked all the things I bought from eBay UK, mostly crafting items. Christmas has come early!

Vintage Alphabet & numbers 3

2010-11-29T20:34:00.000+01:00

I've sold a couple of more things on Etsy.....and posted them....and realised afterwards I'd sent someone the wrong item! AAArrrgh!!

Vintage Alphabet & numbers 2

2010-11-28T23:46:00.000+01:00

The wine themed card I finished yesterday came together so easily. Today I started a new baby card for Bobs niece who at 32 has just had her first baby. Can I get inspired? Nope, it is just not happening. I really wanted to crack on with it too. So after struggling for what seems like hours, I have given up and will try again tomorrow.

40th Wine themed Shadow box card

2010-11-27T21:35:00.000+01:00

The lady I made the 25th Anniversary card for, for her husband, asked me to make a card for her sons 40th next week. I had a chat to her about his interests and wine came up. He used to be a 'beerhead' but has become a bit of a wine buff. So that was it.... theme set.

It turned out lucky, because I'd just got hold of some unused vintage 1929 Bordeaux wine and neck labels which I am going to sell on Etsy. So of course, these were an ideal feature for the front of the card.

The grape band on the front is ribbon, backing paper is suede feel wallpaper which ! used for the envelope too....of course! I did some hand stamping on the envelope, something I rarely do cos if you make a mistake, you cannot change it.

Happy Birthday made in photoshop, tried to copy the font style from the label. 40 cut from cork and I drew 40 on it. Then I decided to distress it a bit, it looked too harsh and ended up smudging the ink! Anyway, I quite liked the effect so left it. Stamped glass on cork sheet used as 'backing paper' for the 1970 best wine...some of the blurb I made up myself, but I did do some research into which was the top wine from 1970.

The back greeting was done in Photoshop with vintage vine brushes. If you are wondering about the 'verse' that's what i was told to write.

! was really pleased with this wine themed address label which I created in photoshop, then painted in the same red and gold accents over the top, with real paint...lol, which I copied from the 1929 label used on the front of the card.

Vintage Alphabet & numbers 1

2010-11-27T20:23:00.000+01:00

Each to their own. Bizarrely, today I sold some 1906 French Mortuary advice notices on Etsy, there were 3, Mother, Father and their 3 year old daughter. It may appear a little morbid, but think about this: If those notices had been thrown away, nobody would be thinking about those people in 2010.
Yes money has changed hands for them, which may seem immoral, but their memories, or a piece of paperwork relating to the most dramatic event in each of their lives are still alive over 100 years later on.

Vintage Elves and fairies (47)

2010-11-27T02:44:00.000+01:00

Late again tonight! It's been a good day, I sold another 2 items on Etsy and I finished the 40th Birthday, Wine themed card. I am actually rather proud of it. I shall post photographs of it tomorrow. The Lady who ordered it is coming to collect it on Sunday, so I really have to photograph it tomorrow.

These 2, are the last of the vintage Elves, Fairies and Angels. The 5 below those are famous fairy vintage photographs that everyone thought were real at the time, but later proved to be fakes.

I still have some more Vintage images for you, these are alphabets and numbers. They are not fabulous, but we coming to the end of the best of what I have, so from now on it will be just odds and ends.

Have a super weekend all, see you tomorrow
Jan

Vintage Elves and fairies (46)

2010-11-26T01:34:00.000+01:00

Oops, bit late doing this tonight...hours pass fast when card making.
Time for Bed........

Vintage Elves and fairies (45)

2010-11-24T22:14:00.000+01:00

I got up this morning to find I had sold yet another 5 items from my Etsy shop, it's unbelievable! Of course, I am not expecting this run to continue, offering free shipping to the first 5 buyers must of done the job. Luckily none of the items bought were heavy, so thankfully, I have not had to fork out a huge amount from my own pocket in shipping.

I'll have to give etsy a break over the next few days as I have orders to make some Cards before the end of the month, so must get cracking!

Vintage Elves and fairies (44)

2010-11-24T00:39:00.000+01:00

Some fantastic news! Even though I opened my new Etsy shop only yesterday, I have actually sold 5 items this evening!!! I am totally 'gobsmacked' and of course exceptionally pleased! I did not sell any big items, just alot of Vintage French postcards. So I am not rolling in money, but it is a fine start indeed.
Je suis un Lapin content ;o)

I've opened an ETSY SHOP!!!

2010-11-22T23:53:00.000+01:00

You know I am so excited about this, opening an Etsy shop. I created it a couple of weeks ago, and for the last week I have been compiling items to sell. Today I listed the first 10 items to sell.
So far I have not listed any of my craft stuff, just some great Vintage French bits and pieces, and a few British items too.
I've tried selling on eBay both in the UK and French sites, but really eBay seems quite abysmal compared to Etsy. In fact I have been selling on eBay since 2001, but I end up buying more than I sell lol.

My name for Etsy is 'FrenchGypsy' and I will be adding a gadget in the side bar on my blog if you fancy a spot of window shopping.
Being as my shop (heehee I 'own' a shop lol) is very new, I am offering free shipping and P&P for the first 5 people who buy from me. This I hope will be a big incentive because shipping costs from France are horrendous to put it mildly. Up to a couple of years ago it was cheaper to send abroad than within France, but not any more unfortunately, its totally reversed. However, it is still cheaper to buy in from overseas than to pay internal postage in France!

Eventually, I hope to list some 'craft inspiration kits' on etsy, which will include things like vintage French emphemera (paper) vintage French Lace and old postcards, found metal items, basically anything I can get my hands on which I think card makers and mixed media artists may want.

If you happen to be a follower of my blog, and there is something you see in my Etsy shop that you'd like, contact me and we will do a 'deal'....a special offer for all those of you who follow my blog. And no, I am not trying to 'collect' followers!

Here's a few items I have listed.

Vintage Angel & fairies (43)

2010-11-22T23:32:00.000+01:00

2 Posts today, your usual 10 Vintage images and the next post will be about some quite exciting news.

I used the image above on my French Baptism Project

Quilling, just amazing!

2010-11-21T22:23:00.002+01:00

Quilling really does not do it for me whatsoever, even so, I realise many people get pleasure from it. I have no inclination to do any myself, until now.
This is the work of Yulia Brodskaya
I am seriously impressed.
She does have a website, just google her name, but if you manage to navigate it let me know because I cannot get past the 'home page'

Vintage Elves & fairies (42)

2010-11-21T22:12:00.000+01:00

Oh no, snow forecast for Tuesday, not alot ( I hope) but all the same, sounds far too wintery for my liking.

Vintage Angel & fairies (42)

2010-11-20T20:54:00.000+01:00

Continuing with free vintage Angels and fairies images...........

Free Vintage Xmas images last

2010-11-18T20:53:00.000+01:00

All good things come to an end, here endeth the Christmas postcard images I have been sharing with you. But, on the bright side, I will continue posting the vintage fairies and angels, from where I left off.
I have just about recovered from the terrible reaction I had from the chocolate and coke...phew, that was very hard work! My Doctor has apologized profusely. So Bob now gets to eat all the chocolate, drink the bottles of coke which I bought in a frenzy of deluded and mistaken joyousness, hahaha.

Free Vintage Xmas images 8

2010-11-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

After receiving my Doctors wonderful advice yesterday about I must eat dark chocolate and drink Coke for potassium, I got some, ate and drank it and have ended up very ill today. I cannot tolerate fructose nor soya. Soya is in the chocolate and fructose in the coke. Shame eh? Seemed such a good idea at the time.

Free Vintage Xmas images 7

2010-11-16T23:35:00.000+01:00

You'll never believe what my Doctor told me to do today........eat more chocolate and drink standard coca~cola. It's absolutely true!! Of course I fully intend to take his advice on board.....straight away!
Well, you may wonder why. My diet is sooooo restricted that apparently I am lacking in potassium which causes leg cramps and digestive discomfort. Chocolate....not milk chocolate because it has Lactose in it, but dark chocolate ( I can live with that) and standard coca~cola is full of potassium. And before you tell me that bananas and tomatoes are overflowing with potassium...I cannot eat them. My only resort is to take his advice. It's going to be hard.
I stopped drinking carbonated fizzy drinks years ago, so drinking coke will be purely medicinal....of course :o) Fingers crossed that I do not find that I get problems with either of them.

Free Vintage Xmas images 7

2010-11-15T20:11:00.000+01:00

I have'nt made anything for ages. What with feeling ill, I have been looking into opening an Etsy shop as I have been browsing what is for sale there and what I think people might be looking for that is French. Mainly ephemera like French vintage postcards and pre 1920's fashion magazines (although they are more like newspapers) plus French music sheets and dictionary pages seem quite popular. Although I can get bags of ancient french lace, the ones on Etsy sourced within the USA are actually alot cheaper!

So I have not been totally lazy as I've been scouring the local used items shops for small pieces I think people would want. Getting piles of little treasures together!

Free Vintage Xmas images 6

2010-11-14T23:03:00.000+01:00

Free Vintage Xmas images 5

2010-11-13T23:32:00.000+01:00

Ho ho ho. I cannot believe that Christmas is only a matter of weeks away. I have so much to do, not Christmas related yet soon it will be time to put up the decorations.

I have a very unique way of making my own decorations with Crepe paper which I will share with you. My method makes a very interesting length for pinning to tables walls or ceilings, AND it makes each strip of crepe paper seem 4 or 5 times its original length, bonus!. They are fantastic for parties too if you use multi colours.
I have looked on youtube and everywhere else on the net and have not seen anyone else making them. It was something I was taught in infant school....a little while ago now he he hee.

Free Vintage Xmas images 4

2010-11-12T23:50:00.000+01:00

If you would like any of these resizing for printing, just let me know and I will change the file to suit your needs.

Free Vintage Xmas images 3

2010-11-11T23:50:00.000+01:00

You may find that these Christmas postcard images are not ideal if you are thinking of printing them off. That is not a problem. If you leave me a comment on which one you would like to print, I will resize it for you suitable for printing.

Free Vintage Xmas images 2

2010-11-10T19:32:00.000+01:00

Hello, I hope you liked the postcards I posted yesterday?
Here's the next 10:

Free Vintage Xmas images

2010-11-09T17:08:00.000+01:00

I have just stumbled across some Vintage postcard images, mainly European. So temporarily I am not going to continue with the Angel and Fairy images. Time is rather marching on so its best to get these posted quickly. Hence I will be posting 10 a day.
Some of them should really give you layout ideas and there's some fabulous sentiments you could use too!

I'd love to see projects you make with them, and I will even post them here if you want with a link back to your own blog or website.

Vintage Angel & fairies (41)

2010-11-08T21:51:00.000+01:00

I am really sorry for neglecting all of my followers for the last few days.
I have not been too well, and to top it off my op which was supposed to of been on Monday, was cancelled.
I am feeling up to doing a bit more today, so here is a 'double dose' to try and make up for the ones I've missed.

Vintage Angel & fairies (40)

2010-11-01T19:53:00.000+01:00

I am coming to the end of the Angel and fairy images, but there are others that I will be posting. They are still vintage, elves, alphabet and zodiac signs. I have to say that in my opinion they are not particularly beautiful images, but if someone can make use of them, then that is all that counts.

Vintage Angel & fairies (39)

2010-10-31T23:27:00.001+01:00

Samhaim greetings & blessings to one and all, may you find peace and replenishment in the dark months ahead, Blessed be.

Nearly forgot to post todays freebies. Just as well it is another bank holiday here tomorrow.

15th C French Paper mill & images (38)

2010-10-30T21:53:00.000+02:00

I hope you are all enjoying the weekend.
Today I visited an ancient restored working paper-mill here in France, 15th Century . Very interesting, and now I can completely understand why handmade paper is so expensive. It is quite labour intensive.
I only bought a couple of sheets of paper. One was A4 made from Leeks of all things, green of course, and another piece is Hemp A3, which is white but looks like a animal has slept on it, sort of fine hairs.
Anyway, here's a few photos if you are interested. Seems I only took photos of the crinkly papers though.

All the papers were gorgeous, made from either pure cotton, hemp or linen, and they were very tactile, felt like plush velvet or suede. The photo above, this paper had come straight off the machine, still damp, hence everyone having a good fondle.

This smoother paper had also come straight out of the machine, and here you can see how many layers it is comprised of. All their papers have a minimum of 10 layers..

Above: A paper dress with a rather large 'hood', which on hindsight I should of photographed from the side.

They also sold inks, made on the premises, not bad at 3.50 euros a bottle. This mill is fairly close to where I live so I can always call in another time for more paper or inks. Here's a link to their website, but it is'nt very informative: Moulin Du Got

Freebie Angel & Fairy images........

Vintage Angel & fairies (37)

2010-10-29T21:40:00.001+02:00

Salut!
I actually got round to doing some experimental 'crafting' tests today. Namely I wanted to see what effect certain products have on both printed paper and fabric. So I cut up 5 of each of fabric into 12x15" and tore some pages out of a large book. I then proceeded to paint each with PVA Glue, Watered PVA glue, Vernis colle (which I bought recently, translates as Varnish Glue) this turned out exactly the same as watered down PVA! I also tried ordinary wood varnish in both Matt and gloss and liquid resin meant for fibreglass. Oh yes and a spray of something I found in the garage of Letereset Gloss, whatever that is!
  The glue and spray ones dried out quickly so I was able to play around doing samples of inks, pencils, pens, wax crayons, oil and chalk pastels, oil paint, and various types of acrylics.
  I am currently waiting for them to dry and see how they have taken. Then I'll have to make a 'sample' book/journal to keep them in.
  My only comment up to now is that Resin is extraordinarily smelly lol.

Vintage Angel & fairies (36)

2010-10-28T16:49:00.001+02:00

Thank you so much to my new followers, I am so pleased that you feel my blog is worth following. Your presence is very much appreciated.
I anyone has a moment to spare: When I am viewing my blog, the background seems to be only appearing at the top of the page. I'd like to know if anyone else is having this, or it is just me! If you could let me know, then I'll get onto it.
Thanks
Jan
Update: Fixed the background. I dont know what happened there because I have'nt changed anything that was'nt already there. Joys of technology eh?

Vintage Angel & fairies (35)

2010-10-27T21:29:00.000+02:00

Nothing much to say today, except I've loaded up my wardrobe with all my winter clothes now. Looking forward to wearing them, I like lots of layers, baggy bright mohair jumpers, long mohair skirts and woolly tights. No I don't care what I look like. haha.

Vintage Angel & fairies (34)

2010-10-26T20:35:00.000+02:00

I had a go at making Quinoa milk today and I must say it turned out very well. I am lactose intolerant and usually use Rice milk on my cereals or coffee, which is quite pricey to buy. I tried making rice milk ages ago and it was like sludge lol, but this quinoa milk is very much acceptable. In case you too are lactose intolerant, I found out how to make the Quinoa milk on Youtube.

Vintage Angel & fairies (33)

2010-10-25T20:54:00.000+02:00

I had a little trip to the local 'City' today and bought some crafty bits and pieces from a discount shop. They are not really craft items as such, but that's how I intend to use them. Also bought some snuggely knitted tights for the winter :o)

Images (32) & regrETSY

2010-10-24T14:58:00.001+02:00

Regretsy: Where DIY meets WTF
I've just found this great site, and had to share it with you. I don't know if you have heard of it? Take a moment to have a look and enjoy the lighter, more humorous side of crafting, specifically so called crafting 'failures'.
However, there IS a more serious side to this site as they sell 'bad art' to make money for charity: $25,000.00 so far, which is not bad, for selling 'bad' stuff!
This is what the site says:

What is the purpose of this site?

1. To make you laugh
2. To raise money for charity (all revenue raised by this web site is donated to charitable causes)
3. To help sell the weird crap we feature

Regretsy link here

Freebie Angel & fairies (31)

2010-10-23T22:46:00.000+02:00

I've had a thoroughly rotten day today. Thats no reason to neglect my wonderful bloggees.
I am certain that many of the images I am posting now, which are from a different file, are the same as the ones in the 1st file....I've been ripped off lol. Perhaps they are in a different size format? I don't know. I'll keep posting them anyway.
Have a fab weekend all.

Fast Hippy thank you card

2010-10-22T21:34:00.000+02:00

I made this card very quickly as a thank you to a male friend who did us a small favour. The lady on the front was taken from a calender I picked up with 70's photo's in it.
Flowers and the rest made from paper scraps.

Vintage Angel & fairies (30)

2010-10-22T21:07:00.000+02:00

Daily dose of 5 freebies

Vintage Angel & fairies (29)

2010-10-21T20:46:00.000+02:00

Vintage Angel & fairies (28)

2010-10-20T23:28:00.000+02:00

I have to tell you, that, I have felt so well today, that I actually mowed and strimmed the lawn! Now you may think this is nothing special, but for me it was. I am a professional gardener by trade, although I only work in my own garden these days. However, I have felt so bad/ill this year that I have rarely done the mowing, or indeed much gardening at all, I just have not had the physical energy. Bob has been mowing, but it has to be said that his idea of mowing is to get the job done ASAP, whereas me, I like to make it look good, regardless of how long it takes me.
So, it has been done 'properly' today, and hopefully it will be the last mow of the season, and I am really chuffed to bits that I have actually had the stamina to do it at all. Wonderful!

4 way blue fabric card

2010-10-19T23:46:00.000+02:00

I will confess straight away that I found this theme/design/layout 'somewhere' on the net, loved it so much I wanted to try it. I have no idea where it was or by whom. So if you know who, let me know because I'd like to add a link in recognition of the inspiration.
Of course it is not exactly the same, but pretty close, the 'back' is all my own work however. It's Bobs nieces birthday next week so I made this for her. She is having her 1st baby next month,she is in her mid-thirties, so I will be making my first 'baby' card, or fabric art, depending what inspires me at the time. No-one knows what sex it is so I cannot even start to think of a colour theme for that one.

Back to this card though: I guess in reality it has 8 sides. I had my first go at fabric printing on my laser jet. I did cheat a bit as I used some heavy duty canvas sticky tape. I just stuck it down onto the printer paper, then cut it off.
Not a stick of wallpaper on this one! Because there is both paper and fabric covering both sides of each 'page' I decided not to put card on it, it makes it feel lovely and soft, but it is not floppy. Same for the envelope. Yes I realise the envelope is totally a different colour, but it was the only blue tissue paper I had. To see how I got the splattery effect on the tissue paper see the previous post to this one.

Every page is completely covered in fabric, except for the 2nd, which is vellum. Feathers from my garden, inked in turquoise.

This is the sort of back of the card, it folds up so that the happy birthday sentiment is the front, if that makes sense?
The blue heart is fabric too, on paper, and is padded. The 'Made for you' page paper is some horrid blue paper which I tea dyed, as I did with all the tulle used in the card.

This is the front of the envelope. If you can image really hard lol, its a scene with distant hills, fencing, grass and a lake. Maybe not? Too abstract? I tried to create a birds nest in the 'tree'. The word Fran, is the Ladies name....Francesca.

The rest of the photos, are just the page details:

Spattered Tissue paper technique

2010-10-19T22:26:00.000+02:00

My First (sort of) Tutorial!
I thought I'd share this with you because it's something I found out accidentally and is so incredibly easy to do. Have a look at the effect I achieved on this plain Royal blue tissue paper:

Ignore the fact that I've covered the paper in Tulle.

Its just water. One single quick spray, left to dry and this is what turned out. I did try it on some pastel coloured tissue paper, nothing happened, so I think it's down to the type of dye used or the depth of colour.

I used to use this technique when painting with watercolours. The only reason I found out how to do it on tissue paper was because I accidentally dropped some water on said paper. Having witnessed the resulting blob, I decided to see what would occur with a quick spray and voila!

I would think one could do exactly the same for creating texture on Crepe paper.

Vintage Angel & fairies (27)

2010-10-19T20:43:00.000+02:00

Here's yer lot for today :o)
2 posts tonight, new card photographed to be uploaded later this evening.
See you later?
Jan

Vintage Angel & fairies (26)

2010-10-18T20:56:00.000+02:00

I hope to show you my latest 'card' tomorrow, I just need to finish the envelope, but I have run out of inspiration today. When this happens I leave well alone or else I end up making a hash of it. However, I've simply got to finish it tomorrow as it has to be posted latest on the 20th.

I hope plenty of you are getting use out of the images I am sharing with you?
More tomorrow, have a great day/evening
Jan

Vintage Angel & fairies (25)

2010-10-17T20:06:00.000+02:00

Bonsoir.......no time for idle waffle tonight, I'm on a roll with a project :o)
See ya tomorrow

Fabric art wallhanging & images (24)

2010-10-15T21:09:00.000+02:00

This wallhanging has really satisfied my love for embellishing, textures and fabrics. For all that might look complex, it definitely took me far less time than making a card, it just seemed to come together without effort. I want to head in this direction more often.
I was inspired by Ruth Rae, her book 'layered, tattered & stitched' plus several other blogs which pointed me in the right direction. Now that I have made my first one, I do not think I will need to refer to them again.

It is not quite complete as I want to add a couple of fabric tabs with a personal messages for my friend. I have hidden a 'Happy Birthday' message, which I hope she will find if she explores it, so she can hang it up without as a piece of Art without a glaring birthday sentiment.

It measures about 24cms wide by 45cms, 9.5" x 18"....ish

Anyway, I don't know what you think of it, any comments or suggestions very much welcomed :o)

I tea dyed the lace and fabrics

Centre embellishment was a necklace. All buttons are vintage.

Brass top bit, half a sawn off key

Navy blue base, is a hardback book cover

2 organza 'pockets ' containing 'things'

Vintage Angels & Fairy images (23)

2010-10-14T23:17:00.000+02:00

I thought I had the day free today to start my next project, one thing after the other cropped up, no peace for the wicked eh? I must be extraordinarily wicked then lol. It's my friends birthday coming up, and every year without fail, I forget her birthday (told you I was bad with numbers!) This time I AM NOT going to forget it, but she is not getting a card. I have made her a piece of 'wall art' instead. It's a hanging thingy made of fabrics. Anyway I hope to get it completed tomorrow....if I don't get disturbed again, then I will post it up for you tomorrow to have a look at, my very first attempt at tattered/torn artwork, see what you think eh?

Meanwhile for your pleasure.........

Vintage Angel and fairies 22

2010-10-13T21:04:00.000+02:00

I've had a day off from 'crafting' today, but had a go at making some radish Pickle....we have some enormous white radishes in our garden/ had in our garden, so we needed to preserve them somehow rather than throw them into the compost bin. I'd tell you how they taste, but being as I have developed an intolerance to Vinegar, it will remain forever a mystery :o)

Baptism project/keepsake

2010-10-12T23:07:00.000+02:00

I am really disappointed in these photos I took of this, they are very very grainy. That's what happens under low lighting conditions. I've spent weeks making it, and now I am unable to show it at it's best. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Shut up and move on eh?

Some of the graininess of the actual people photographs is because the lady who took them forgot to use zoom, so I had a real job on my hands trying to improve them when they were cropped down so small.

For some reason the text has ended up highlighted, and I cannot get rid of it.

I think I'll give up for tonight and go to bed lol

The white lace butterfly top left, I took off of a vintage brooch. The top right and bottom left flowers and elements were donated to me by Malikas' parents from the table decorations at the party. (Except for the 2 round pink flowers which I made)

Malikas' parents, (on the right), have a nickname for her: 'Princess' so I added the 'crown' to her photo, and the background, as she was in someone's arms in the original photo. This 'page' is my favourite.

As you can see, I still have not learnt to stamp straight...grrr!

I zigzag stitched the heart shaped photos onto ........Yeah! Wallpaper! cut into hearts.

I do not know if you can see, but the flower centres under the Ladies photo are tiny tiny mother of pearl buttons only about 5mm across which I picked up in a job lot of buttons recently. I do not 'do' cute, as such, but these buttons are definitely 'Cute'

I am not all that good at arranging photos, but obviously these had to be in 'relative' order. Apologies again for the poor photo quality.

The Above is from the afternoon party, I copied some elements that were on the tables. The cake in the shape of a bed is a traditional design for French Baptism cakes. The peachy and cream background of the cake picture I made from paper decorations they had hanging round the walls. The picture frame, is a chipboard oval I made and I wrapped ribbon round it, put an acetate sheet over the photograph.

The Disney elements come from a box of almonds that I was given by them as a souvenir. Bob ate them as I am now allergic to nuts...nuts! The pink garish 'rose'/flower I made from donated petals that they had spread over the tables.

This project just looks so much better in real life...honestly!

Vintage Angel & fairies (21)

2010-10-12T20:47:00.000+02:00

Been a bit of a mad rush today, photographing the Baptism keepsake very quickly this morning in not very good light then out for the rest of the day. I am giving it to the recipient tomorrow morning, hence this morning was the only opportunity to take pics. Hopefully, I'll be able to improve them in Photoshop. I hope to post them up later on tonight.

Vintage Angel & fairies (20)

2010-10-11T20:32:00.000+02:00

Hoorah!, I have almost finished the Baptism project! Just the finishing touches, then I can show you what I have been up to. It could be classed as altered art I suppose because its one of those wooden boxes you put on your wall, open the hinged door and inside one keeps ones keys. I knew I should of photographed it before I started, never mind.
I am now delving into a different 'folder' for the freebie images. I have had a quick look at them, and I think some may be repeats. So if you recognise some of them, that is the reason why, and I don't particularly wish to go searching through 19 previous posts just to ensure that that the odd one or 2 is not doubled up.

A demain
Jan

Vintage Angel & fairies (19)

2010-10-10T20:57:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I received a comment saying how kind it is of me to give away these images. This may be true, but I do take an awful lot from the 'net, blogs in particular, you know, tutorials and inspiration so I feel I should give something back in return. That's my motivation for sharing what I can with other folk.

Today I had a go at tea and coffee dyeing bits of fabric, lace and some rather hideous papers. I do not think I did it strong enough as they do not look that much different! What a waste of tea :o) I will have another look at them when they are dry and may re-do them.

Today's images.........

Vintage Angel & fairies (18)

2010-10-09T22:04:00.000+02:00

Salut!
Hope you all had a great weekend. Another week approaches....more crafting time....hoorah!