Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Generations  Wedding  Album 



 Hello, and Thank you for stopping in today!  I'm so glad you've joined me. 

 I wish I knew what the future will hold 🎔  -but for now, it looks like I will be away on an (extended) visit to see my parents and family - my mother is quite ill . . . so,
 I will not have a craft room for the weeks to come~ But here is something I wanted to share again:
  I hope to post a few of these photo's (below) to Wen's SIMPLY NEUTRALS TUESDAY Party!
Please take a moment if you can to browse the beautiful entries there ~


  ***This is adapted from my post - September 2015~
Several years ago I made an album for . . . myself! It doesn't happen real often ; ), but I had acquired some great family generational photo's and wanted to make a keepsake~ so I  created an album of wedding pictures from some of my late husbands family; and mine as well~

It is my most cherished creation ❤ because of the precious photo's it contains, and the love I poured into it.   - one of the pic's dates back to my Great-great Grandparents on my fathers side~

There is something about vintage B&W pictures that... makes me want to create!
To see them displayed with beautiful papers, laces and bits of ephemera.
I am often inspired and filled with idea's when old photo's are in my hand.


This is the cover (about 6"X6")
Made with white corrugated board & some vintage sheet  music (a gift from my father!)
 Most of the chipboard in this album (like the lovely mannequin) is from > Blue Fern Studio's.
Most of the papers used in this album are from Prima >  http://www.primamarketinginc.com/ ( their Almanac and Printery collections)

This page above is my mother's parents~ Juliette and Michael (Rene' was his middle name & I remember  Grama often called him Ray)  They were French Canadian.
The fussy-cut bird and nest was G45" Little Darlings" paper. The chipboard vines are Blue Fern Studio's and the bird cage is a die cut.

My husbands grandparents (mothers side);  Kate (Catherine) and Chuck -  but we all called him "Poppy"~  He was a gardener by trade and had several green houses where he made his living. Grandma Kate was a kindergarten school teacher for many years.
The cute hanger ppr clip is from Tim Holtz.


Here are my parents.  I shared this photo a few weeks ago and posted it to Wen's Simply Neutral Tuesday Party!! http://appleapricot.blogspot.com/   
Aren't they a lovely young couple! ; )
I used lots of home made flowers (Prima papers) and the chipboard butterfly is Blue Fern.

This is my fathers grandparents~ I've heard some stories about them!!! Can you see the twinkle in their eyes?  
  *All of the buttons used in this album are vintage - from grandma's jar.
This is my husbands parents on their wedding day of course~ With the Grooms parents (Grandma & Grandpa "O") on the left; and  the Bride's parents (Kate & Poppy) on the right. I used some lovely wedding Appliques, home made flowers, lace, blue seam binding and the beautiful bird paper is from the "My Minds Eye" Co.   The stick pin was made by a gallery friend @ Scrapbook.com


What a fun page this was!
Alan's Great-Grandparents above (*this is their Anniversary party - there are no wedding photo's that I am aware of.)  I've always known them as 'Oma & Westy'  He was quite the old salty dog! &  Joined the army/navy? by lying about his age. He had stories for sure ;)  and claims that he helped chase Pancho-Villa through Mexico~


There are a few more pages in the album . . . but I think I will end with this page below.  My fathers parents~ And I think my favorite collage.
Again, a mix of chipboard, hand made flowers, corrugated board, lace, netting, and Prima papers~

I am blessed by your visit!    ~~Thank you again for joining me~~
Hugs and God bless,
Karen



Wednesday, April 11, 2018

This is a gift for my mom.  It is a photo of her own mother, and grand mother.
(so, this photo is my grandma & great : )
 Hello to you dear friends.  Your visits are so encouraging!  <3  Thnks for peeking in~

This mini collage is for my mom.  It is a photo of her mother (on the left) and her grandmother, (rgt)
Hence, 'mon mere et mon grand mere' = my mother and my grandmother~

Moms grandmother was born in Canada to French immigrants, and her mother was also born there-
but then the family migrated to the Detroit area.  (which is where I'm originally from.)
Mom grew up in a French speaking home, but with her 8 siblings all speaking English, the language
was not practiced and eventually lost : (  although moms mom and dad spoke French to each other
often; I remember that.)

I included one of the extraordinary butterflies that Jesse at  http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com/
was so kind to gift us.  It is on her March 28th post.
As for the beautiful black rosette, that was a lovely purchase from SuziQu at Etsy  
I shared about this in my last post~~

I used older scrapbook paper and a spool pattern for the base.  layering a paris postcard, dif. snippets of lace, seam binding and 3 mop buttons.  
I 'fussy cut' the images from a photo and then traced it onto some black cardstock; & cut it out again for a backing.
I included lots of beads and glitter and glass; spilling out from the folds and tears - like in my grandmothers own life~ Like little treasure seeping from the richness of who she was, and out to all who knew her. Never complaining but always encouraging and positive~
I remember her well.  Mysterious and wonderful.  With her beautiful French accent!

My camera is still acting up and it may be a while now before I can take time to work on that, as I will be heading to be with my mom very soon; for and extended time.  She is very ill and on Hospice in their home . .  I can take my accounting job with me and have family to take care of my place here in MT.
I'm trying to prepare myself for this difficult journey ahead; as there has been  so. much. loss.  in our family in the past 6 years.  But God goes before me~


Would you look at those hats : )   FANTASTIQUE !!

I wish you a blessed weekend ahead!  I appreciate your visits so very much~
Hugs,  Karen









Friday, April 6, 2018

Dreaming in Vintage


Hi friends~
Recently I made a purchase from a wonderful shop at Etsy. "suziqu" (fabrics, textiles, journals, cards)
   The owner is Suzy Quaife, and it's an amazing place. Vintage is the key word  for me :)    here is the link>   https://www.etsy.com/people/suziqu?ref=pr_faveshops
I just had to show you what I recently received.

 So many lovely vintage patterns, fabrics and lace.
and ribbon! OMW it's a dream~

 Netting is gorgeous~    fabulous images and tags!
 And look at the black lace!
 Toile   ~love love~

I just had to post this!  I feel so blessed~   I am dreaming in vintage and hoping to do some creating soon; if time will allow.  Suzy, I'm inspired!  And I  hope the 'creativity' is there for me~  My heart says yes!

Thank you for peeking in to see my  ' vintagey ' purchases <3  I appreciate you and all the encouragement I receive from my blog friends~
Lots of love and hugs,   Karen

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

A 'Paper Bag' Thank You!



Hi friends,
I hope and trust you had a blessed Easter?  I was with family & friends, and it was a great week-end!

I am sharing with you today a paper bag that I've recycled : ) into a card.
The "crown" at the top is really just a vertical strip of paper that I decoratively punched.  It slips into the bag - to write your sentiment on~

My camera is still not giving me the pictures I want; and I can't seem to get a close-up! : (
*sigh*
I lightly edged the small bag with ivory paint,  & covered it with scrapbook paper (Bo Bunny)
The beautiful image was a gift from Marie @ Lost bird Studio's~ http://marie-lostbirdstudio.blogspot.com/

I've used some pale tissue paper behind the image, and bits of cheese cloth, buttons, sequins . . .
Thank you for taking a peek today!
I'm hoping to share this @ Wen's Simply Neutral Tuesdays party~ at Appleapricot.blogspot.com
Please take a look at all the gorgeous neutrals you will find there!

Well, here is a closer shot - but where is the top?! LOL
OK, I surrender.  I'll need to take the camera (and the photographer!) in to the shop~  *sigh*

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead~
Blessings and hugs,  Karen O