THE UPS AND DOWNS OF CREATING......

Sometimes there are days when I hit a complete drought where creating is concerned.  I will nearly always start off with a beautiful antique postcard as my first inspirational piece.  Then from that place go absolutely no where!  Believe me I mean no where!!

I will sit and look at the image for ages waiting for something to click and settle in my mind and it never comes.  This image was a perfect example!  There have been times I have abandoned an image because I am in such a rut in regards to ideas and vision.  This young girl is so beautiful that I felt sure I would be romping along but no, after a couple of days of hacking in bits and pieces I was no nearer a finished design.

The hardest part of this design was if you would believe it the background!  I tried so many before I got to the simple sky idea.  Wish I had though of it earlier and from that jumping off point I was off and running.

Sometimes it can be so frustrating but when you do finally get to the point where it all works and comes together it is magical.

I hope you enjoy this new Fairest Of Them All Collection and have a great weekend of creating!

You can find this new range in my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA by clicking HERE.

I am sharing this blog post today with Beverley at HOW SWEET THE SOUND pink Saturday.  Stop by for a visit you can find it by clicking HERE.

PAPER DOLLS TO MAKE YOU SMILE......

 I love vintage paper dolls and I am lucky enouugh to have a large collection of them.  Sad to say that after many years of play they are often in a poor state.  Many have missing hands and feet plus torn off heads.  I have been slowly working my way through them and giving them the restoration that they deserve.



I could not resist adding some of my favorites to some digital artwork.  Believe me when I tell you that I have spent many hours on these dolls repairing and enhancing them to how I would like to think they would look today if newly created.   I hope the girls like my choices for them!



I spent many hours on the face of this paper doll and really enhanced her best features.  There is a lot of work that has gone into the colouring, hair, eyes and cheeks.  I hope that they bring a smile to your face and take you back to when you played with paper dolls, thanks for stopping by!

These prints and more are now available in my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA and you can find it by clicking HERE.

This has happily been linked with BEVERLY at HOW SWEET THE SOUND.

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.