UNCLE! UNCLE! UNCLE!

Greetings, dear readers!

And a big THANK YOU to each of you for your comments and willingness to help me out of the impenetrable web of confusion that was the Dolly Dingle Valentine Swap! lol  I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard at my own ineptitude!  (a fine word coined by my son Paul) Elizabeth, you are always good for a thousand laughs...I am finally crying "Uncle" on this one and retiring it to the archives of Swaps of Valentines Past. May the jillion little cowboy and cowgirl valentines  rest in peace in their new homes. Amen. 

Meanwhile, back at the valentine sweat shop that has become my craft room, (a "sweat shop" while weather outside is two degrees is quite a feat...) I have completed the little fabric collage quilt, finished a valentine candy box album, and am in the process of creating a sweet treat valentine surprise for hubby dear.

Our wedding anniversary is Feb. 17th...we will have been married 30 years! Can you imagine!? Someone putting up with the likes of ME for that length of time? Holy moly! The man is either a saint or a glutton for punishment! lol

This is a very young "us" ... it's a Silver Dollar City "tintype" photo...which meant the clothing,  (tie and Velcro applied) the cabin...all props. So no, it's not an authentic wedding picture...we actually got married in the living room of a dear little preacher and his wife (with the smell of fried chicken wafting in the air.) The little lady came out of the kitchen with her hands covered in flour, wiped them on her apron, sang a rousing rendition of "I Love You Truly" (I kid you not) and then disappeared to tend once again to their dinner.

The ceremony lasted perhaps 15 minutes. We paid the man his customary "honorarium" for the ceremony, and then flitted off to begin our luxurious honeymoon...a trip to K-Mart. :-)  (Would this man spare no expense?!) We were young, broke, and newly transplanted in Oklahoma (during the oil boom)...we made a mad dash across the Texas state line to Gainesville, TX for the brief nuptials.

Anyway, 30 years later, we are more in love and have more fun than we'd have ever imagined...we are SO looking forward to more days/weeks of travel in the canned ham!

More soon! Paula Clare

VALENTINES UPDATE: 22 DONE, 6 TO GO!

Greetings, dear reader!

Here are the next dozen or so of the valentines I've been creating for E's Dolly Dingle Valentines Day Swap...I've been having so much fun making each of them a bit different! However, they ALL have a signature something (okay, TWO somethings) that are common to each valentine. Can you find the signature item (s) in these 12 valentines?

 

I hope to finish them up today...I'll be back with more soon! 

Hugs,

Paula Clare

28 VALENTINES TO MAKE...10 DOWN, 18 TO GO!

Greetings, dear reader!

As I mentioned in my last post, my mojo has fallen and can't get up...or so it seems. However, in a last ditch effort to find SOMETHING creative in myself I attended a Crop For Missions last weekend and did (somehow) manage to eek out a few valentines.

(Displayed here on a vintage piece of velvet just purchased for...yes, you guessed it...tattered roses! I'll let you know how they turn out!)

I know, I know...it's COWBOYS. Yet AGAIN! I just can't get my fill of these sweet v-intage little boy and girl images!

I used three colors of glitter cardstock: Red, Aqua and Pink. I used stamps, rub-ons, fabric, paper embellies, glittery silver pipe cleaners, and lots of chocolate-colored chalk to ink the edges and "grunge" the little images. (And here's a tip for those of you who prefer your images look vintage instead of printed...print on ivory colored cardstock instead of white. It makes the colors appear richer and more vibrant. I also used textured cardstock which makes the images appear worn in places...not sure why?!?!)

I have two more; still incomplete...pics when they are finished. I borrowed a camera from a friend, so I thought I'd get these photographed while the ability to do so was afforded me. :-)

More soon...what are YOU working on?

Paula Clare

VALENTINES SURPRISES!

Greetings, dear readers!

Be sure to be looking in the mail this week for a package from yours truly...between all the gnome hub-bub and the Valentine's Day swaps and such, I am afraid I have been working frantically to get everything together and in the mail...but it's on the way! PROMISE!

Dearest Nan of "Retired in Alaska", your gnome package will include a valentine that I hope you feel is worth the wait! Dear friend Faith Lynn, your box of altared art goodies (from the giveaway a thousand years ago) has been found (GLORY BE!) and will be stashed in a "GIVE TO FAITH" box for the art retreat! I hope you are feeling better after your surgery!

Dear blog friends, Meri, Joy, Elizabeth, Vivian and others to whom I've promised a gnome tag, Valentine or SOMETHING...your packages will be winging their way to you right away!

Dear swap partner, Michaja: I have not forgotten you! Your sweet little spring package will be winging its way to France soon...oh how I LOVE IT that I got a french swap partner! It's just all too wonderful!

Off to tap, package and snap photos like a mad woman...OH! Speaking of photos...check out my Facebook page to find my pictures of Florida...I'll be posting them here tomorrow! Stay tuned!

ATTENTION: HIPPIE ALERT! I found the most CHARMINGLY wonderful hippie/artist community in Florida! My Florida update will include these photos...DON'T MISS IT!

Hugs to all...it's good to be home...however, the recent blizzard makes me long for the palm trees, I must admit.

SMOOCHIES!

Paula Clare

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Greetings, dear reader!

Back from the islands (barrier islands of Florida that is) and here to wish you all a happy Valentine's Day! Because of my absence, I have been delayed getting valentines (and gnome tags) out to my dear friends who`await them in blogdom. Please know that I will be sending them "post haste" and will be including some extra goodies for being so wonderfully patient!

Meanwhile, I am to share a (some) lovely vintage Valentine(s) with you all...here are a few of my faves...you KNOW how I love darling little cowboys:

 

  

And even little cow bears!

 

I hope your day is especially sweet! 

More soon!

Hugs,

Paula Clare