A VERY BELATED CHRISTMAS GIFT...

Greetings, dear reader!

I have a confession to make...I have been feverishly in the throes of trying to create/complete Christmas presents for my nieces...due to the financial nightmare that was our late 2011 situation, I hadn't the funds to purchase the gift I initially wanted to get darling niece Emileigh:

Behold the amazing book offered by Anthropologie:

It was $40...and while I LOVED it, I couldn't afford it. So I decided to create one for her myself...

I started out with a 9.99 black cloth bound sketchbook, various washi tapes and stickers, papers, and fabric odds and ends...The image on the front and back cover are Graphic 45 Steampunk papers...aren't they fabulous? The letters are from Michael's $1.00 bin...I should have gotten 40 packages of these letters...I LOVE them!

 I incorporated hand painted papers and original brown paper bag collages...images from a clearance rack kids book (written by Madonna...the illustrations are fabulous...The English Roses)

Do you remember my niece Emileigh is the one with the Etsy shoppe? I created a headband much like the ones Em makes for the sketch of this particular English Rose...I love how the page turned out...I just cut and organically began to assemble the book as ideas came to me...(as many of you know, I don't do too well with a "pattern" or a detailed 'plan') lol!

 And then created pages where she can cut, paste or sew designs and/or photos to the page...

 Again incorporating my own personal art in several of the layouts...

 And hand drawing frames, and borders on the pages...

 I actually sewed the fabric to this page...and stapled ribbons at the bottom...I love how it turned out...

Funny how many of my creations "take on" the aqua and red theme...although I had no intention of incorporating that into her book necessarily...

 Here I used stickers and a measurment card from a tape measure/washi tape package...and button stickers!

 Emileigh's friends are as talented and adorable as she...I'm sure she'll want to add photos of her friends in their fashion/trendsetting ensembles!

 And SHOES! OH MY GOODNESS! DOES THIS GIRL LOVE SHOES? Stilettos no less...

 so space for those pics was a MUST...(lots of blank pages before and after for additional drawings/photos...

 And this is my favorite page...a page that pays homage to patterns...chevron, stripes and dots...

And here is the back of the book...there are lots more pages, some blank, some with other surprises on them, but I wanted to share with you some of them so you could get a feel for the book...not a Hywel Davies sketchbook to be sure...but something I hope she'll like just the same...

Next? Working on amazing niece Aria's photography sketchbook! FUN! More soon!

Paula Clare

INSTALLMENT 2 OF: OH MY GOODNESS!

Greetings, dear readers!

After only a few days to recover from the first "Random Act of Kindness" that landed on my doorstep, I awakened to even more goodies arriving at my mailbox! Behold the Valentine-y goodness:

What wonderfully, quirky and inventive things to send! See the vintage "Cootie" and the bag of little Sherriff's Stars? LOVE! And the heart-shaped measuring cups and spoons are just utterly adorable! 

There are candy hearts (and a tube of Valentines M&Ms which have mysteriously "evaporated" (so says the guilty hubs) and darling cupcake liners...and rubber stamps and vintage valentines and...and...

Wait a minute...did I say CUPCAKE LINERS? (Several were Mary Engelbreit) hmmmmm....I'm starting to think this has the earmarks of a certain someone...I shall continue to ponder that notion. Meanwhile, back to the goodies...

And crepe paper and ribbon and twine and cupcake toppers! (See my darling little Owl? A creation from Elizabeth at Creative Breathing) OH! And look at the Hello Kitty book (HOW IN THE WORLD DID THEY KNOW I'm a "closet" HELLO KITTY fan? SPOOKY?!?!) And see the mousepad UNDER the Hello Kitty book? A vintage Shasta...a "for no reason" gift from my dear friend Sandy McClay at 521 Lake Street. (In fact....I'm starting to think MANY of these goodies have Sandy written all over them....confessions?)  

See this fab little travel cup? I got it at a dollar store a thousand years ago...but here's the GREAT thing...not only does it keep your Earl Grey piping hot, but it has a clear insulating cup so you can change the look of it! It was just Christmas sweater paper, but NOW, I used the darling little sack some of my treats were in to make an adorable, vintagey Valentines Day travel cup! I just LOVE the little skunk! Isn't he sweet? This vintage pattern is one of my faves. 

I can't wait to get started...I think I shall make celebratory cupcakes first! Isn't blogdom an amazing place? So many incredibly generous, kind and wonderful women...

ALL THAT TO SAY, WOW! Thank you dear friends (both known and unknown) for making me feel special and loved!

Love and hugs to you all!

Paula Clare

OH MY GOODNESS...DID I MISS SOMETHING?!?!

Greetings friends in blogdom!

I am writing to you in a state of ... of... shock and awe! 

(Okay, that's not my best "shocked" and "awed" face, but it's one that lets you know how much I'm smiling!)

In the past two days, I have received some of the most amazing things in the mail...is it my birthday? No....Christmas? No....whatever could it be? Just friends in blogdom being their amazing selves? YES!!!!

Look at the goodies that have come my way! Some from Renee at My Vintage Mending (THANK YOU, Renee!) and another "friendly sender" from "Friendship Lane in the Heart of Ohio". I cannot get over how sneaky this sender was...there wasn't even a postmark on the package! HOW do you do THAT? Must be a friend with a secret-weapon friendship with the postal carrier...or ... or ????:

 October Afternoon papers...MY FAVORITE of all papers! Christmas Style (oh so retro!) and Campfire and 5 and Dime! The very papers I've been secretly coveting for weeks!

 Darling vintage storybooks and (SWOON) a vintage coloring book...10 Little Indians...no doubt to go with all my vintage cowboys! LOVE! And more vintage images on storybook cards! So SWEET!

 And doilies and pipe cleaners and vintage papers and craft supplies and little tiny, Eastery goodies just SCREAMING for an altered art ... SOMETHING! (Tiny shadowboxes inside easter eggs? Little book/turned shadowbox)?

 And a valentine fabric "tussie mussie" (what is it Jenny B. of Allsorts calls these?) Anyway, one of my very own! LOVE! And the little cowgirl hankie shall have a revered place in the canned ham...I'm framing her in a barnwood frame! And buttons and trims and all the "matching" goodies that go with October Afternoon papers...OH HOW I LOVE THEM! This color scheme is so very ME, don't you think so? And vintage valentines and Christmas, and... and...

It's just all so kind, you know? I mean, my husband is always taken aback by the generosity and friendship of "virtual strangers" ... but *I* know better! I know there is nothing "virtual" about our friendships...blogdom is a REAL place where REAL kindred spirits meet and inspire and create and share with one another! I am feeling like Queen for a Day...especially when I cannot think of a single event or "reason" for such amazing kindnesses. 

LOVE the Lipstick hankies...a fish and a pig...with lipstick! SO kitschy! I LOVE them! I'm beginning to wonder if this was part of a well devised conspiracy????? Anyone going to "fess up?" Or is this all just incredible random kindnesses finding the same doorstep?

Regardless, I am feeling amazingly blessed and very, very fortunate to have such awe-inspiring bloggy friends. Kisses and hugs to all...I'm off to play!

Hugs,

Paula Clare

STILL INSPIRATIONAL...

Martin Luther King Junior

WHAT I FIND INSPIRING RIGHT NOW...

Greetings dear reader!

I have been away due to a horrific dental issue...I'll not sicken you with the gorey details, but suffice to say I have been in too much pain to do ANYTHING but medicate myself and pray for relief. My face is swollen and I believe I resemble Magilla Gorilla...(who remembers HIM, hmmmm?) Anyway, many THOUSANDS of milligrams of antibiotics later, I am feeling some relief...and so I thought I'd let you know what I've found to keep me busy and inspired during these weeks...

As you know, taking my little vintage Camper Mary Lou is a great joy in my life. I have dreamed of our retirement when we will be on the road more than we're not! 

 

Anyway, I have such a love for these tiny spaces...and just SWOON over them being used in photoshoots and such. Have you EVER seen a more beautifully sweet engagement shoot? I LOVE these photos by Shannon Boettcher of fotoNovella

You can see the entire photo story here: Hippies and Hearts . I may try to get something like this together for my youngest son and daughter in love when they come to visit us this summer...

Also, I've been perusing shops that are contained within little campers...SO vintage, SO tiny, SO inspiring! Like the sweet peach Oh So Lovely Shop:

Just look at that little camper! Their shop is wonderful too! Another great find was this: 

Haberdash Vintage...a great little Etsy shop housed in a little vintage trailer! Sweet! I am just so inspired by women (mostly) who find their passion and then create a way to make money doing what they love! My love of travel and all things vintage allow me to live vicariously through these and others (on my sidebar) until we can afford to do the same ourselves! 2.5 years to retirement and counting! WOOT! Check them out when you have time...be prepared tho. It may be HOURS before you come back!

More soon!

Paula Clare