Vintage Cherub Collage Sheets Freebies

Here are two collage sheets I made up this morning. I have been scanning postcards and various valentines the past day or so. I decided to make up some collage sheets in the spirit of the One World One Heart Blog giveaway. Although I am not participating this year I was inspired by all of the beautiful art and gifts others are giving away. I have met so many incredible artists and made so many nice people through my blog. I just wanted to offer these as a little Thank You to everyone. I hope you all will be able to use these in your art work. {I made these to fit a 8 1.2 inch by 11 inch sheet of printer paper}

Collage Obsessions - Abandoned

Today I am trying the Collage Obsession Challenge from Elegia and Itkupilli. The challenge was this mansion and the word prompt Abandoned. The first thing that came to mind was a woman left alone with her child - through divorce or death. So, here the lady of the house is with her child watching as her things are sold, taken away so she can take care of her child. Above her sits her protector or totem wondering how to help. The woman is wondering how to teach her child never to make a commitment he can not keep. How to explain why they were abandoned...

Some New Journal Pages

This year I have decided to use the larger Moleskin Sketchbook to use as my Art Journal. After working on my Remains of the Day Journals for so long, my fingers were itching to be back in paint. This past week I decided that it was time to start my new journal. I had read on one of the journaling yahoo sights that Millande was doing a series of videos with prompts to start out the year. It sounded as good of place as any to start. These are some of the prompt pages I have completed.

Millande has a prompt and a video for everyday. Some of the videos for the day are two parts, none being longer than nine minutes. I really enjoy her style and painting. Now, I can finally use some of those Twinkling H2O's I have sitting around. Her journal is made of watercolor paper. Mine is not. I decided to just use her word prompts and go from there. She has a wealth of ideas on these videos.
p.s the pages with a border I used Nancy from Crowabout's border sheets.

The prompt here was use a diary or calendar page.

The prompt - include a smile on your page. This Art Journal is going to have a lot of quotes so I figured this was a good place to begin.

The prompt here was to use a checkered border.

The prompt was have a tree someplace on your page. I used my own photograph tranferred on to the page with gel medium.

Here, we were to use a large circle on the journal page. After my first trip to the beach in a few days due to the cold, I finally was inspired.

The first spread was to be an intro into your art journal. I sort of pooped out on this page. I figure I will go back and finish it as the inspiration comes...

Art Creations Friday - Believe

This has been a long couple of days. This week Art Creations Friday gave us not only gave us this sweet little girl image to do something with, but a fabulous background. I decided after all the time I have spent on the phone with my internet carrier I needed a break. A walk was in order. Here is the little girl image out for a walk in her Sunday best with her protector Mr Crow.

Valentine Freebies

This is one of my favorite Valentine's. It reminds me of my boys.

I had to include one with a bird. They are so sweet.

Aren't they just something? Her all shy and him on bended knee.

A little rose fairy for Valentines.

This is so Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle. I love it.

I am so sorry to get these out late this week. Last chick and I had modem and router problems. We are back on line but still having problems with all of our wireless machines, laptops etc... Needless to say it is a lot of needless tension and stress. Hopefully my computer guru will be able to hook us all back up and life will go on....Hope you enjoy these Valentine images.

The Three Muses Challenge - Something in the Air

The challenge this week from the The Three Muses is Something in the Air. I had a hard time deciding what I felt like doing till I was awakened this morning by a rant by one of the talk radio people. It was about the loss of nest eggs, how there is much bitterness and distrust in the air, a time of unrest....etc... etc... On top of all of that the last chick here is starting to really stretch his wings. He is ready to take the plunge away from the nest. The skills to survive are being honed, that will be the fifth to leave. I am hoping the angels are keeping them all safe on their life journeys.

So, how are your nest eggs? your chicks? are the angels watching over you and yours?

Even More Journal pages - 5 by 5

This journal had much smaller pages. I chose coordinating pages with yellow and green as my themes. The ledger paper I used was yellow and I wanted a garden feel with this journal.

I tried to use images of flowers and spring. I wanted a light airy feel.

More papers, a lattice type printed cardstock, a wedding table number, all remind me of spring.

These pages have a springtime feel with the potting shed image and the green and yellow paper.
It was not hard searching through the scrap box to find everything I needed to stay with this theme. It was particularly nice to watch the pile of scraps get smaller and smaller. I cannot wait to start journaling.

Some More Journal Pages - 6 by 6

I used all sorts of papers, transparencies and images.

This is such a great way to use all those little pieces of things you have been holding onto.

I used a lot of vintage images and images of old things that I like.

Old maps, ledger paper, coupons, parking tickets, anything that appealed to me went in to the pages.

A Chinese take out menu, my own art work, foreign text, anything that evokes a memory is a good way to start in your journal. Often the imagery will be the prompt you need to get started. These are just a few of the pages from the three 6 by 6 journals that I made.

Some Journal Pages - 9 by 6

This is the largest of my journals. It is 9 by 6 inches. This gives you quite a lot of room for photographs, pockets, and inserts.

I tried to leave room for more daily paper and journaling on each spread.

Some of the pages were smaller and I used them almost as if they were for short notes or the image themselves were the page.

Many of the images I used I tried to make relevant to my own life. Like the boat and the number 33. It is a friends and 33 is the slip number.

Here you can sort of get an idea of how thick the journals start out. Much more will be added as the days go by. I hope you will try one. It is definitely worth the effort.

Put Together Journals!

Yes! I have been a busy bee putting together the pages - over 120 - for these five new journals. [480 pages if you count like they do in books] The covers are no longer empty. They are real journals now. The scraps have been flying through my sewing machine. I am taking Mary Ann Moss's Remains of the Day class online and having a blast. This past weekend I took a couple of hours and sewed these five journals together. Whew! Now, I just have to personalize them as I journal through them.

The largest is 9 inches by 6 inches. I really like the amount of space that this size give you. Particularly if you are going to use photographs or have a lot to say! The three middle journals are 6 inches by 6 inches. They feel nice in the hand are easy to throw in a bag to go. The top journal is only 5 inches by 5 inches. The pages are much smaller but I am thinking this will make a great quote and list journal. Only one more to go and I will have the original six covers filled and completed.

Bottles - Cleaning etc,,,

Since I did my last bottle post I have had several questions that were posted or emailed to me. I thought I would answer them in one post. I hope that is okay. If I haven't covered everything please comment or email me.

First - Where do I find them? You don't have to have a river to find them. Most towns and farms have old dump sites. They are going to be away from the town or farm. Usually in an area that is wooded or near woods. This land can't be used the same way farm land or built on like town land. Sometime you can stop at farms and ask where their old dump site is and can you dig there. I often trade photographs I take of the farms for the afternoon of digging. In desert areas they usually dumped the trash far enough not to bring in animals but far enough not to stink to much. Some times asking questions when you see or find bottles will lead you to dump sites.

Second - Once you have them how to clean them? First remove as much surface dirt as you can with a hose. I often just dump them in a large plastic bucket with some Dawn dish soap and let them soak for a day or two. Then rinse, and re soak. Sometimes there are some pretty disgusting things in them so wear heavy duty rubber gloves when you are cleaning them. Next I use a wire brush to clean the inside. If the mouth and neck are small I use a baby bottle brush. If this does not work then rice is cheap and works well.

I use plain old white rice uncooked. Pour into bottle and add a small amount of water, then shake. The agitation usually gets most of the crud out. Dispose of the rice in the garbage. Rice can make birds sick so you do not want to leave this outside. Certain stains and stuff do well with just white vinegar. Just add some vinegar and soak, then shake. When the bottle is looking good I throw them in my dish washer and wash them. Be careful when taking them out, the glass gets hot. Fill the bottles with a small amount of water, add flowers and enjoy.

Quote - Faith

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day I though I would post one of my favorite quotes of his. This man could speak! He truly had such love in his heart for mankind. Something we all should remember this day.

Art Helper - Alphabet Organizer

My alphabet and number organizer.

The top open and you have this nifty compartment to store really large letters and numbers. When traveling I throw in a couple glue sticks and my small journal and I am good to go.

The front folds down and then you have four individual compartments. I split up the alphabet into three compartments and use the fourth for numbers.

This is the inside of one of the compartments. It is so handy when you are in the middle of a page and don't want to stop to find the right letters.


There has been quite a bit of talk about organizing and being more efficient with our art time. One of the things I discovered last year is this little organizer. I bought it at one of the craft or fabric stores using my 40% off coupon, of course. It is just the right size to carry all my letters. It is very easy to travel with and set up on my worktable.

At night or while watching a movie or TV I recycle my magazines by cutting out the letters and storing them in my little organizer. Then, when I go to do a journal page or collage I have my letters right there. Teesha Moore is one artist who cuts and stores her letters for her Zetti style journal pages. Terri over at Pringle Hill has a nice article on how she stores her letters in her January 13 post.

An Angel for Haiti

This morning I turned on the news while I was getting ready for the day. The news out of Haiti seemed grimmer and grimmer. I don't know if you have ever been there, but it is a very poor nation. It is hard to believe the swanky resorts of the Dominican Republic are on one side and then Haiti on the other. I can only imagine the devastation.

This is the Weeping Angel or the Angel of Sorrow. She was made for the wife of the sculptor - Story. I decided that she pretty much sums up how the survivors are feeling right now. I am hoping that there are angels watching over the people and their loved ones in Haiti. The world is weeping with you.

Last night, today and through the next couple of days, soldiers [over 900] and Marines [3,000] from North Carolina leave on a mission to help the people of Haiti. They are going to be facing some tough days. I am hoping you will join me in a little prayer that these men and women have a safe journey on this mission.

Art Creations Friday - Waiting for Spring

This week for Art Creations Friday we were given this sweet image of a little girl with bird in hand. I switched out the bird and immediately realized it was going to be all about the bird, the nest, and color was needed.

It is finally starting to warm up here. This dreadful cold spell is leaving. I am hoping that the weather people are right about the higher temperatures. Warm is good.

Speaking of Bottles

I thought I would share a few more bottles with you. The majority of the bottles we dig up look like the bottles below once they have been cleaned up. Many have turned colors or have this iridescence in them. I think it is from the salts in the water reacting to whatever was in the bottle.

The bottle vary in size from small 1 to 4 inches, to medium 5 to 10 inches, to large anything larger than 10 inches. Most of the larger bottles were Clorox, liquor, or wine bottles. Some of them can be pretty interesting.

These are bottles I have found in my latest excursion to the river. They are all about three to four inches tall. Several of them have cool bubbles in them or are colored with soil and salt. I have lots of this type of bottle.

My girlfriend called me this week to share these bottles with me. She know I have a thing for glass and bottles. These bottles are from Pottery Barn's latest catalog. They are from eastern Europe and are quite large. They range in price from $129.00 to $179.00. No two alike . Wow.

I love these Pottery Barn bottles, also. I think the ones with the forks and spoons in them are so cool. Now I am on the look out for some of these. I do not want to pay the prices they are asking for their bottles. If you run across any bottles like these let me know. I am interested.

January Photograph #5 - The Bottle

One of the things around here to do is to dig bottles. We are a small town surrounded by water. The Cape fear river on one side, the Intercoastal Waterway on another then farther on the Atlantic Ocean. Interspersed among these are several swamps, coastal creeks and a lot of marsh land.

South of town, along the river they used to take the garbage out in wagons and dump it along the river. When the tide came in the coastal creeks and river would swell and the garbage would disappear. The organic stuff would be eaten by the marine animals and birds, the metal would rust and erode, and all that would be left would be glass and pottery.

Every few months, several of us go bottle digging to these dump sites. The bottles are covered in yuck when you first get them. We take buckets and several gallons of water. This bottle is an ammonia bottle. The chemicals have reacted with the soil and water to make this snowy pattern on the bottle. With the light streaming in on it it is so beautiful.

Freebies - Cabinet Cards

During the Holidays I was able to get out and go antiquing a bit. One of my sons is furnishing his new digs and has become quite the flea market, antique and thrift store fan. He actually suggested we should go look for some things. Boy did that warm my heart. In one of the shops I found a large basket of cabinet cards and spent a relaxing half hour rummaging through them. I thought I would share a few of them with you.

Don't you just love her striped dress and wire rim eyeglasses? She looks like a school teacher.


The widow. I am always amazed when I find these photos. This was probably taken on the one year anniversary, at the cemetery where her loved one is resting.


Two sisters? probably not. More than likely sister in laws. There is no facial resemblance. I do like their practical dresses though.


Is this just not the cutest baby? I love the wicker chair they have him in along with the large gingham check pillow. I just thought this was so cute.


Speaking of cute... Look at this fellow in his kilt. I love this type of picture. I think they are so wonderful. I bet this guy had that deep red hair and blue eyes. I found this in with the baby in the wicker chair group.


Of course I had to have this picture. I cannot resist these school pictures. I just love the way the kids personalities shine through. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!

January Photograph #4 - Nest

I have been taking my daily photograph or two. The cold is making it hard to be outside a lot. We have been hit by the cold spell here. It is in the middle to high forties and almost freezing at night. My bird bath froze over a couple of nights. Compared to most of the country we are fairing very well. When it gets cold like this the only thing I want to do is fluff my nest. So today that is exactly what I plan on doing. Hope every one is staying warm...