Vintage card display

Bringing out all the old Valentine's cards stirred up my interest in all my other cards I had stored in boxes.  There's one box filled with old cards and letters given to me by family, that were in an old trunk in the garage for about thirty years.  I brought them in the house a couple of years ago because they were smelling a bit musty, and since then I've tried everything to get rid of that smell with no luck.  I thought they would have to be thrown but held them in the box until some new remedy was invented.

I remembered the handful of vintage cards I'd bought a number of years ago that had the odor but after displaying them for a while it was gone, so I thought it would do no harm trying this out on the Valentine's cards for a while.  Not only did they look pretty, but I'm dead chuffed to have the mustiness all gone!  I've decided to leave them displayed in my work room along with all the other "musty" cards for a while longer.

I'm going to use my conchos and ribbon to hold the prettiest of the cards, and set the others up high on the cabinets.

Valentine card for Saturday

This card turned out much prettier than it shows here, it isn't as red and doesn't show the Diamond Stickles I added to give it a little bling.

My friend Tam wanted me to show my Valentine's tree, but it isn't anywhere near grand enough to post, just a small artificial tree filled with paper cards and hearts that I  found around the house.  It was a good thing to do because it forced me to gather all the old cards together and I found a lot of cards (not hand made),  from my husband that sat in a trunk for about 30 years.  A little while ago I forced him to sit as I read out all the loving messages in each of them!

I'm going to design a special tree for next year, maybe of dowels or something to hang our cards.  Meanwhile, here's a link to a smashing Valentine Card wreath from Williams Sonoma ($39.95).  I have many of the scraps shown, in Victoriana Calendars that I've been saving so I might just try to make one like it.  I love Valentine's Day!

http://www.exoticexcess.com/decor/valentine-card-wreath/

Come Easter, if I remember, I'll post a picture of my Easter egg tree that has many of my hand crafted styrofoam egg ornaments.   Many moons ago, the galleries that sold some of my other crafts sold these for me as well.  I wonder if people still make them.

I'd love to see links to other people's hand crafted cards or ornaments!

Valentine Card

Another card I made years ago for hubby. I cut the roses from a flimsy magazine so it's a little shabby chic right now.

Regent Street, London

Christmas is the time of year when cards start to arrive from home (London) and I have longings of Christmas past.

Journaling:
Card from Home "We went shopping down the West End"

Can there anywhere be a more beautiful and spectacular sight than London's Regent Street at Christmastime? In the early 1950's, London was dull and lifeless, with a grey depressing look because of the veil of dust that came from smog and the remains of bombings of the war, but several years later, before I left, to live in Hawaii, this long passageway from Oxford street to Piccadilly Circus had turned into a magical wonderland, and I believe all of London's Christmas charm began here.

I remember the one year when I had a little money saved so I could give gifts to all those I loved, I was pleased with myself and decided to give this street a go. I sauntered from one shop after another searching for that one special thing that would make each person happy. I know I spent more time looking at the window displays and decorations than my shopping, and In the end I spent my money closer to home where the costs were more within my range.

It was Regent Street that stole my heart that Christmas, and I realized that even though most of London still wore a tawdry cloak, and money was still scarce, that in all the world, London was still a good place to be.
Credits:
Photo by permission of freefoto
Katie Pertiet card from Letter Box Christmas Kit
Ali Edwards_DecemberDaily_LayeredTemplates

A YouTube Christmas

I need a break from all those hearts!
Stef's Creative topic in the Digishoptalk Forum for this week, is about creating layouts when there's no photo of the memory, story, or event, etc.  These are mine from a couple of years ago.

 

Journaling:

Holiday music began in the stores before thanksgiving, setting the mood for shoppers to get their lists crossed off before the big day, Most of us need it, that holiday feeling to get started with cookies and decorating.
I never realized music played such a big part of getting into the holiday spirit, and not being able to hear it well these past several years I found myself in an empty place I'd not experienced before. Then came my Bose headset. Plugged into the computer and with a search on Youtube, I was lost in the flood of nostalgia I'd been longing for.
The soft and velvet tones of Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby worked best.  Listening to these old friends brought fond memories of Christmases past.

credits:
Dana Zarling - Grungy little Christmas papers
Ali Edwards - TemplateNo13 with Font
Katie Pertiet - Brush from Days of December

Another heart, for Thursday!

Some of these cards are a little repetitive, I never realized I had used a doily with so many.  The sunburst is made from clay - one segment has broken off.  I can't remember how I made this but it looks like I laid lace on top of the clay and rolled over it to get the  texture.  This card has a lot of dimension, but looks a lot flatter on screen.

Peacock for Wednesday

This is really old, I made it with clay and cardboard and think there were instructions in a magazine.  It's falling apart and the paper coils are loose.  It is a "card" not mounted to a background - I placed a poem on the back.
SaveSave

Tuesday's Valentine

I cleaned this up in Photoshop for use in a layout sometime.  I made these and other ornaments years ago when Victorian was popular.  They're made of clay with added charms and tiny flowers of clay and silk.  A gallery sold them for me along with my dolls, jewelry, cards, and other items.  Another clay one tomorrow.