Countdown to Christmas Day 16

Today's matchbox is a delightful creation by Wendy of Bliss Angels and it is truly one blissful little matchbox! The cover is decorated with the sweetest Christmas tree fairy all decked out in green wings and star on her hat! It's just the most precious thing! And it get's even better...tucked inside is a little bird's nest charm. I love this little box...thank you Wendy! Only nine days left to this wonderful countdown to Christmas...be sure to stop in at A Swap for All Seasons to say hello to Linda and see the rest of the matchboxes!

Countdown to Christmas Day 15

December 15th...how did that happen? Busy days for busy elves! But, let's stop and enjoy today's matchbox. This one is from Lizzi of Buttercrem n Roses. When you have time stop and spend a few minutes looking around Lizzi's blog...it's full of lovely things Lizzi's created. Her matchbox is a sweet one with a cute postage stamp inchie on the cover and an old milk bottle cap inside. I love it...thank you Lizzi! Be sure to stop by A Swap for All Seasons to see the other matchboxes.

Countdown to Christmas Day 14

Hi everyone...today started out with pouring rain but it looks like the sun has finally come out for awhile. This is the last day of my 5 day mini vacation and it's so good to see the sun even temporarily! What's your weather doing? Today's matchbox is from Pam of Treasures-n-Textures and it's so sweet. The matchbox is covered in old sheet music, accented in red, trimmed in gold braid and sprinkled with sheer glitter. It's so sparkly. Inside there are three tiny candy canes (somehow only two made it into the photo) that will be perfect for my little tree. Thank you Pam...I love it! don't forget to take a look at all the rest of today's matchboxes...the links are at A Swap for All Seasons.

Countdown to Christmas Day 13

Day thirteen......can you believe there are only 12 more days until Christmas? Me neither! Q has been out of the country for the last week and arrived home this weekend. Luckily I had a few days off so the girls came home for the weekend, we went and picked out a tree, Katie made homemade eggnog and Christmas tree cakes and we had a wonderful time trimming the tree and spending time together. That's what it's all about isn't it? I simply love times like that! Today's matchbox comes from Sandi of Musings of Samiam. I love the pretty ribbon Sandi used to trim this box...it's full of presents. Tucked inside is a pair of Christmas tree earrings in the softest shade of green. I love these Sandi...thanks so much! If you'd like to see more of our little matchbox swap just head over to visit Linda at A Swap for All Seasons. See you tomorrow!

Mail Art has Arrived!

I received a package from Lenna of Creative Swaps full of delightful, colorful, arty mail! What fun this package was to open...as beautiful on the outside as the inside! In addition to the envelope Lenna created to return the swaps, I received envelopes from Sharon, Jo and Laura. Each one of these are just gorgeous...so unique and wonderful! Thank you ladies for sharing some of your art with me. And a big thank you to Lenna for hosting such a creative and fun swap! If you'd like to see more of the mail art envelpes you can visit the Creative Swaps blog and take a look!
Here is Laura's envelope:


And Jo's:

And here is Sharon's:

Aren't these fun? Now...go jazz up your mail!

Countdown to Christmas Days 10, 11 and 12

Well, it looks like my busy schedule got the best of me these last few days...all the elf work has put me behind with posting. So, today I have a trio of lovely matchboxes to share with you. Day 10 is from Marie of Spun by Me. This box is so cheerful with its green checked paper and "cheer" tag. Tucked inside is a beautiful bottlecap charm with a Christmas bird surrounded by glitter...so pretty... I love it Marie! Day 11 was created by my dear friend Grace. This is a gorgeous matchbox and if I didn't know better I'd think Grace made this one just for me...it's red and the image on the front is a little girl holding a doll...Grace knows I have a soft spot of old dolls! Inside is a stone pendant and one of Grace's beautiful inchies. Thank you Grace...I'll give you a hug in person on Monday! Day 12 was created by Nicole of Gibbys Girl. Her matchbox is accented with stars, snowflakes and pearls and inside is the sweetest little angel. I can't get over all the clever and creative treasures everyone is making to put in these matchboxes...it's been so much fun opening them each day! Be sure to check in with Linda at A Swap for all Seasons to see all the other matchboxes!

Day 9 on the Countdown to Christmas!

Today's matchbox was created by Becky. I've been lucky enough to be in several swaps with Becky through the Red Lead Group and I love what she creates...there's always something wry and whimsical about her art. Take a look at the sweet face on this matchbox and that darling little mitten...have you ever seen anything so charming. Being a knitter myself, I know what it takes to knit something this tiny! Thank you Becky...I adore it! Be sure to stop in and visit Linda at A Swap for All Seasons to take a look at the rest of the matchboxes.

Ornament Swap

The Altered Dominoes and Game Pieces Group on Flickr is a great place to play if you like to craft with vintage game pieces. Cindy, from Cindy is Crafty held a Christmas ornament swap this year. The only requirement was to use a game piece in your creation. I love to use old clay poker chips to make altered pendants so I decided to use some of them to create my ornament. So, here I've used an old poker chip, adorable Red Lead vintage Christmas images, some vintage wrapping paper for the rosettes and I attached it all to a glittery snowflake because you just have to have some glitter at Christmas! And of course, I couldn't resist a little Christmas cheer on the envelopes.

Day 8 - Countdown to Christmas

Today's matchbox comes from Hope in the UK. I love the green checked background and the glittery reindeer and Christmas tree...so sparkly and pretty! Inside is a sweet little snowman and snowflake charm...perfect to add to my Christmas charm bracelet. Thank you Hope...I love it! Be sure to stop by A Swap for All Seasons to see the rest of today's matchboxes!

Day 7 - Countdown to Christmas

I dearly love waking up to a new little matchbox to open each morning but I think it's making December FLY by! Do you have all your decorating done? What about your Christmas shopping? Me neither! Ah well, all in good time. Today we have a delightful matchbox created by Jenny of The Red Bulletin Board. I love the larger size of her matchbox and it's decorated with the prettiest paper...it has a real retro feel. Tucked inside is a small glittery star...so pretty! Thank you Jenny...I love it!

Christmas Postcards

I found these recently during a thrift store outing. I love these old Christmas postcards. Be sure to read the one from Edward to Frances...he tells her he hasn't had time to write a letter...he's been "as busy as an old hen with one chick." too funny...I guess even in 1924 the holidays were a busy time for everyone.

Countdown to Christmas Day 6

Can it really be Day 6 already? December is flying by isn't it? Today's matchbox was created by Shawnee. She's made an elegant little tuxedo box and included a sweet little crystal dangle inside. It's so pretty...thank you Shawnee! Be sure to stop by A Swap for All Seasons to see all the other matchboxes!

Countdown to Christmas Day 5

For day #5 of the Countdown to Christmas Elena created this sweet little matchbox. On the cover is a silver Christmas tree topped off with a jeweled charm. Inside is a pretty wing charm and a message of hope. So pretty...thank you Elena! Be sure to stop by A Swap for All Seasons to visit all the other countdown bloggers.

Countdown to Christmas Day 4

Day four in the Countdown to Christmas Swap brings us this beautiful matchbox created by Kathy from Tennessee. The photo just doesn't do it justice...it's wrapped in old seam binding and shimmery fibers that the camera doesn't pick up. Inside is a beautiful Madonna and Child bottle cap magnet along with a hanging fabric ornament created from a vintage Christmas postage stamp and a tiny silver bauble. Every piece exquisite! Thank you Kathy! Be sure to stop by A Swap for All Seasons to check out all the other matchboxes!

Countdown to Christmas Day 3

Here's my Day 3 matchbox created by Sherry Edwards of Sherry's Simple blog It came all the way from England! This is such a pretty one...decorated with a tiny mitten and a beautiful postage stamp with a "Peace on Earth" cancellation. Inside is a gorgeous altered domino. Thank you Sherry...I love it! Be sure to visit A Swap for All Seasons to follow the links to all the all matchbox swappers. See you tomorrow!

Green Paper's December Challenge

For her last collage challenge of the year Mary has given us some images that all of us who've been taking her classes know and love. The challenge is to use at least a piece of each of the images in any creation we like. Not having a lot of time today I decided to try a digital ATC using these images and bits of other papers Mary has given us in the past. Here's my atc and a look at the collage challenge images. If you'd like to download the full-size sheet and play along just visit Mary at her blog Green Paper.

Countdown to Christmas Day 2

Day 2 in A Swap for All Seasons' Countdown to Christmas Swap brings this wonderful matchbox created by Nancy of My Crafty Little Page. It's so pretty with all it's vintage Christmasy goodness! And I you know how I love old bingo numbers...not only is the cover decorated with one but Nancy made a beautiful bingo charm to enclose inside! I love it Nancy...thank you! Be sure to take a look at the A Swap for All Seasons blog to find links to all the other matchboxes!

Countdown to Christmas Day 1

Can you believe it's December already? I know I can't...this year has just flown by! Today is Day 1 in the Countdown to Christmas Matchbox Swap Blog-along. My first matchbox was made by Michele Gibson and it's so sweet! Inside is the prettiest vintage button ring...I love it! thank you Michele! If you'd like to take a look at all the other Day 1 matchboxes head on over to A Swap for All Seasons. See you tomorrow!

Countdown to Christmas Blog Along

Well, December first is almost here! Tomorrow everyone who participated in A Swap for All Seasons Christmas Matchbox Swap will begin opening all those little boxes. My matchboxes arrived about a week ago...I can't wait for the fun to begin! Be sure to come back tomorrow to see the first box and stop in at A Swap for All Seasons to find links to everyone in the blog-along.

Beauty Reborn

Lat year I decorated some empty tin cans, filled them with stones and a large paper white bulb and gave them to friends at Christmas. This one was leftover so I kept this one for myself. After it bloomed I kept it on the kitchen counter behind the sink with some potted plants. Basically, I ignored the little spent bulb all year content to enjoy looking at the pretty bird now and then. Last week when I was giving the kitchen counters a pre-Thanksgiving wipe down I was going to throw out the old bulb and plant a new one when lo and behold I noticed a tiny bright green shoot peeking out from the old brown stem. My little bulb was coming back! I couldn't believe it...I hadn't added water to it in a year and here it was struggling to grow! I added some water to the bottom of the can and just look at it...it shot up this much in less than a week!

"It is not more surprising to be born once twice than once; everything in nature is resurrection." Voltaire

Happy Thanksgiving

Lenna's Creative Swaps

Lenna Andrews is a wonderfully creative mixed media artist who I've had to pleasure to "meet" in Mary Green's online classes. The other day I visited her blog to see some for the work she's been doing for Mary latest class Collage Basics with Vintage Paper. While I was there I was intrigued to see that Lenna hosts a creative swaps blog and that the latest swap was mail art! I love arting up my mail so I just had to join in. We were to create and send 3 artful envelopes to Lenna and we'll receive 3 in return...actually 4 since Lenna will package the 3 envelopes in one she creates herself. As they arrive Lenna's been posting the envelopes on the swap blog. Be sure to take a look at the beautiful mail art that's been coming in at the Creative Swaps Blog. Here are the 4 envelopes I made for the swap. I Created the envelopes from pages of an old ledger I bought recently at a garage sale. And, I'm sure you'll recognize some of Mary's lovely French Dictionary pages in the background. The adorable children were all courtesy of Lisa's Altered Art.

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Rosanna and the Elephants

Mary's having another monthly challenge on her Green Paper blog. This month she's given us another lovely sheet of images to use to create whatever we like. The challenge is to use at least part of each of the three images. I've created a small collage on the cover of an old book. Mary's starting a new e-course this week called Collage Basics with Vintage Paper and if it's anything like her previous classes you won't want to miss it!

Journalfest

Journalfest is like Artfest but the focus is on journaling...making journals, sharing journals or just finding out what journaling is all about. It's put on by Teesha Moore and held at Fort Worden near Port Townsend. A few weeks ago I realized I was going to have a day off during Journalfest so I wrote Teesha and asked her if I could come for just the day. She graciously said yes! I chose a class by Katherine England who turned out to be a delightful teacher. The class was called Oz in a Box. I think that's one of the reasons I chose the class...I love the old Oz books. The other was that I would get to actually make my own journal and learn Coptic binding...something I've been wanting to try for awhile now. The class was wonderful...Katherine was a warm and generous teacher and I'm just thrilled with how my journal turned out. Because the journals are expected to get a lot of use (note to self...use your journal!) the spine is bound with leather...so you can't SEE the Coptic binding. But, it's under there...and I hope to make another journal soon and leave the binding uncovered. Katherine gave us each a cigar box to house our journals and I can happily report it's been out of the box several times already. I find that I really like the size...it's small...about 5" x 7"... but substantial.

Art Smile