VINTAGE STYLE CLOTH DOLL FABRIC PANEL......

It is no secret that I love anything vintage and my home is a testiment to that style.  One thing that always take me straight back to my childhood is vintage paper dolls and cloth dolls.

These wonderful creations just seem to embody the emotions and feelings of that time.  They have a charm and style all of their own.  I am lucky enough to have a large collection of some of my all time favourites and this new additon to my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT BOOK is a homage to these faulous vintage charmers!

I have spent many hours digitally remastering this paper doll from my collection and the face was a true labour of love.  I am slowly creating a collection of cloth dolls that would have given me joy to own way back when.

This sweet boy is my very first large fabric cloth doll and the doll panel is about 16" tall, the perfect size for siting in a chair or on an antique bed!

I hope that you love these as much as I do and I will be creating some new ones for my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT BOOK, you can find it by clicking HERE.

PRETTY BOOK COVERS......

Full Of Shabby Chic Charm......

1930s Vintage Wallpaper......



Retro Union Jack......



Very Jane Austen......

Vintage Roses And Burlap......

 I love vintage books with a passion and my current favorites can be found HERE.  Inspired by these beautiful covers I have designed some of my own to use when decorating some of my more mundane paperbacks.

These book covers add a certain charm to tired old books and I cannot wait to begin dressing up my old library of books.  These take me back to my school days in England when we had to cover our school books with brown paper and put our name on the front.  These would look so much prettier!

I hope that you love them as much as I do.  I know that this is not a new idea but I wanted to put a different spin on an old tradition, have fun!

THE LOVE OF VINTAGE BOOKS......

One thing I love more than anything is vintage books and I cannot go past a shop that stocks them without popping inside to see what is on offer.  I was so lucky a few months ago and was able to buy these beautiful books.  The papers and details on the cover are truly wonderful and could not have more shabby chic charm if they tried.

These books are all around 90 years old and I know I will happily sit down in a cozy corner and read them.  When a book is as pretty as these are it just gives them so much more charm and appeal.  I currently have these in one of my guest bedrooms on the bedside cabinet.  Set there ready for someone to open them up and dive into another world.

Like most people today I do have an iPad and I love it!  I must admit it is one of my great joys to read a new book on my Kindle app.  The convenience is wonderful but it still cannot beat that musty smell that comes from a well read and well loved book.  There is truly nothing like it in the world!



FREE DIGITAL POSTCARD IMAGE......



Time for another free image for you to enjoy from my large collection.  This image has been restored by me and is great quality with a high resolution.  Simply click on the image and then right mouse click and save.

Enjoy using this image for your crafts the only thing I ask is that you do not sell the image digitally or as part of a digital collage sheet, have fun!!!!!

For more digital image be sure to check out my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT POSTCARDS you can find it by clicking HERE.

MY FIRST BOOK ON KINDLE......

My very first ebook is now available on AMAZON.COM and I am so excited. After all of my hard work and the fantastic help from my husband it is finally up for others to buy and I cannot quite beleive it.

I feel as if I have been working on my book Spun Cotton Mixed Media PAPER DOLLS forever and that it was never going to get onto Kindle.  But today is finally the day!

You can find this book on AMAZON.COM by clicking HERE.   If you do not have KINDLE you can also get an APP for free by clicking HERE and this allows you to turn your device into a KINDLE reader!

If you have ever wanted to learn how to make these wonderful collectibles that date all the way back to Victorian times well now you can.  I have made this ebook to be as simple and easy to follow as I can with photographs of each and every step and simple instructions.  By following everything that I have learned from making these figurez for many years you too can create something wonderful for you own home and find a new love and passion.

If you would like to customize your figure you can use a photograph of your daughter, grandaughter or family member and start your own heirloom collection!

This blog has been linked with Beverly for Pink Saturday and you can find the link HERE.

I would love to hear from anyone that has bought this bouk and for you to share your creations, blessings,

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.

PRETTY PAPERS......

I have been really busy this week working away in Photoshop putting together new designs for my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA.  One thing I wanted to create was more pretty florals and papers so that was the starting point for this new collection called PRETTY PAPERS.

These designs were inspired by vintage wallpaper from the 1930s and 1940s, enjoy!

If you would like to see more designs please drop by my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT BOOK, you can find it by clicking HERE.

VINTAGE FRENCH WALLPAPER......

Large Print......



All Occasion Card Design......




All Occasion Gift Tags......



One thing I love more than anything is vintage cottage wallpaper, there is nothing more that says 'Home Sweet Home'.  These latest designs by my Etsy store YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA have been created with that feeling in mind.

The large 8.5" x 11 U print is perfect for framing, a journal or scrapbooking, and just speaks vintage charm.  There are also designs suitable for all occasions cards and gift tags, enjoy choosing which one to use.

You can find these new creations at YOUR CRAFT EPHEMERA by clicking HERE. 

I am so happy to link up with BEVERLY from HOW SWEET THE SOUND, stop by and say hello by clicking 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.





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......