LATEST DESIGN 'MISS DOLLY'......



Perfect size for hang tags, atc and aceo......

 

All occasion card design.....

  

Large print perfect for home decor, journals or scrapbooking......

This latest design was completely built around this wonderful image of the little girl with her dogs.  I knew as soon as I finished restoring this postcard that these little charmers would find their way into one of my designs.

Miss Dolly as I like to call her reminded me of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Toto, so that was my jumping off point.

Miss Dolly travelled around Oz and during that time she made friends with a blackbird called Freddy and they became firm friends.  Freddie had managed to escape from a blackbird pie and was very grateful to be safe once again.  The blackbird flew high in the sky and helped lead Miss Dolly home.  Like all good little girls Miss Dolly did not want to arrive home empty handed so she came bearing beautiful flowers for her parents.

Patch not wanting to be left out has found a new friend called 'Trotter and they were both pleased to be home with a warm fire to snuggle up to, bliss indeed!

This charming new design is available in my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA and you can find it HERE.



VINTAGE POSTCARD FREEBIE......



Click on the image and then right mouse click and save......

 

DID ANYONE SAY DOG......

This postcard is a favorite from my personal collection and  the dogs face is priceless.  I believe the dog is a poodle but it could be something else entirely.  To me the dog has a look of "Okay enough, can I go now" and the little girl is so sweet.

I have included a high resolution of this image for you to use in your creations.  I only ask that you do not sell it as a digital image or on a digital collage sheet. This image has been restored and repaired by me but anything else is fine.  I would love to see some of your creations from this image and showcase them on my blog.

Anway enjoy this special postcard and have fun......

Check here for other freebies on my blog:

http://yourcraftbook.blogspot.com/2012/01/vintage-embroidery-freebie.html

http://yourcraftbook.blogspot.com/2012/01/valentine-freebie.html

http://yourcraftbook.blogspot.com/2011/12/have-happy-new-year.html

http://yourcraftbook.blogspot.com/2011/07/gift-for-you.html


You will find more beautfiul vintage postcards at my digital Etsy store YOUR CRAFT POSTCARDS click HERE.

THE JOYS OF DIGITAL RESTORATION......



Before




After

TILLY & HER DOGS......



One of the great joys for me has been learning how to use Photoshop and acquiring a new skill.

Truly amazing!

When I first started it was with very simple things such as repairing a tear or a dirty mark.  Since then I have learned a lot through mostly experimention and mistakes.  Many, many mistakes, you do not see the ones that do not meet the mark.

I have included for you to see a before and after postcard that I own.  Although the postcard was not in great shape and the colors were awful I did not let that deter me from buying it and bringing this wonderful image back to life.

Depending on the original state of the postcards it can take from 30 minutes to literally hours to complete.  This was an hours image, I think you can tell!!!

Sometimes I nearly give up......

One thing I learned early on was to save, save, and save my work as I went along.  I have lost images that were nearly finished if there as a glitch on my computer.  It took a few hard earned lessons before I really began to make it a habit.

Enjoy having a peek at what can be done and don't be aftraid of learning something different, you might find a new love, I did!!

This sweet image is now available from my etsy store YOUR CRAFT POSTCARDS and you can find it HERE.

FEATURED ARTIST - MY VINTAGE WHIMSIES






Wonderful Etsy art work by LORI LUNDY of MY VINTAGE WHIMSHIES.  Please be sure to check out these beautiful creations HERE.  You can always find something delightful from this very creative Etsy artist, enjoy looking at her work.

These lovely pieces of artwork have been created using images from YOUR CRAFT POSTCARDS......

For more images from YOUR CRAFT POSTCARDS click HERE.





BLOG GIVE A WAY ENDS 31ST JANUARY......



Click HERE for details of blog give a way.....



VINTAGE EMBROIDERY FREEBIE......




 


These free images have been created from vintage embroidered pillows that I am lucky enough to have in my home.  I included a pretty matt around the pictures for you to enjoy!

Click on the images to make them bigger and then save as a jpg to your computer.  I have made these a high resolution scan for you so that you get a crisp and clear image to work with, happy crafting!

Use in your crafting projects but remember they cannot be sold as digital images or on digital collage sheets, the copyright remains with YOUR CRAFT BOOK.

I would love to showcase any creations that you make with this image, have fun......





FEATURED ARTIST - VINTAGE BY CRYSTAL......



OK I have to admit that I am addicted to Crystal's work.  Who could not be, feast your eyes on some of her Valentines Day creations!




Love the pink glitter heart......




Out of this group my favorite is the figure with the baby, how cute is that!




Valentine Day cuties......




I always love the owls, I think I need to  buy some of those!!!

Please be sure to check out VINTAGE BY CRYSTAL it is always full of wonderful whimsical treasures.  You can find Crystal HERE at her blog or HERE at her Etsy store, enjoy......



VALENTINE FREEBIE......

 


Click on image to enlarge and right mouse click to save......

I have made these images a high resolution so that you get a clear and crisp image, enjoy!!!!

 

Here are a couple of Valentine Freebie images to enjoy!  Use in your crafting projects but remember they cannot be sold as digital images or on digital collage sheets.  I have repaired and restored these images for you, have fun coming up with some fun creations for Valentines Day.

Keep your eyes open for more free images coming your way, enjoy!......

Please click HERE for another blog freebie and also at A ROSE WITHOUT A THORN......

SANTOS CAGE DOLLS......



I love Santos Cage Dolls and have always wanted to own one or two but to be honest they are very expensive to buy and more than I am willing to spend.  Having said that though I was so lucky and picked up two beautiful Santos Cage Dolls from the fantastic TUESDAY MORNING.




This gorgeous figure in the perfect shade of grey is my favourite.  I just love the expression on her face.  She normally sells for $179.99 but I got her from Tuesday Morning for only $69.99, what a great buy! I placed around the neck of this lady a little gold heart that my husband bought for me when I was about 19 years old.  It is so sentimental to me and I put it on a little gold chain, perfect now I get to see it everyday......





My second Tuesday Morning Santos for only $59.99, another steal!  Boy was I pleased!  I dressed up this sweet girl with a blue oval sapphire and again placed it on a small gold chain.  Now the girls are all ready!!!

 


Normally I would not even spend that amount but I new how muich these sell for so in the end these two girls came home with me and were my Christmas treat for me.  I love them both and will hold onto them for a long time.  I love going to Marshalls, T J. Maxx, Homegoods and Tuesday Morning you never know what you are going to find.

If you want to find out more about these cage dolls here is a website that sells these very dolls and lots more, enjoy!!!   http://www.santoscagedolls.com/.



BLOG GIVE A WAY - SPUN COTTON DOLL TUTORIAL......





I am beginning today my very first blog Give A Way, the winner of the Give A Way will receive a PDF copy of this wonderful Spun Cotton Paper Doll Tutorial from my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT BOOK, available HERE.

There are a number of ways you can enter this competiton and they are listed below, have fun!!!

The rules are very easy for you to follow:
The blog give away will run from tonight January 11th, 2012 until January 31st, 2012 11.59 pm Eastern Time......

Any or all of these, the choice is yours......

(1) For every comment left on any of my blogs from January 11th, 2012 until the closing date and time you will be entered into the give away. The more comments you leave the more enteries you will build up and increase your chances of winning.

(2) Placing my blog give away button on your blog will count as TWO enteries (you will have to notify me that you have done this). Just simply copy and paste the top blog give a way button.

(3) Following me on Google will count as TWO entries.  If you are already following me on Google you will automatically receive TWO free enteries, enjoy!

(4) Adding my YOUR CRAFT BOOK link button to your blog sidebar will also count as TWO enteries (Again let me know that you have done this) this is on the right hand side of my blog.

(5) Lastly adding my blog www.yourcraftbook.blogspot.com to your Favorite Blogs List will also count as an entry.

Have fun and the best of luck......

ORGANIZATION......



I just love to organize and I have to say it is a bit of an obession of mine.  This year I decided to get the Christmas decorations fully organized and into line.  For me this often involves the use of plastic containers and these very large flip top bins were perfect.  This is the first layer of my Santa box, to me it is a thing of beauty!




Second layer of Santa Box with everything in its place!




Third and final Santa box layer.  Now that is not the end of it for me I then took all of these photographs and printed them off into a word document and placed the printed document in the top of the box.  This means next year I can duplicate how I packed them, not bad!!!




I am going to do this with all of my decorations this year just call me Martha Stewart.  Happy packing to all of you slowly taking down your holiday decorations......