snowman pattern

Well, it is another snowy Ohio day. The days are flying by right into the gift-o-rama exchange....and am I working feverishly on my gifts for my friends ? OH NO, I goofed around today and made a snowman....and yes, of course I know panic will set in and this chick will be frothing at the mouth the very night before I need those gifts. Why can't I stay focused....because I am a flibbertigibbet ! The pattern for the snowman will be for sale on etsy
http://www.jackiesplace.etsy.com/
Yesterday, my friend Stella and I went to Amish country hunting just the right gift for my daughter,Chrissy. I did find some small things but not the "IT" gift.....last year it was an antique dress form and it was perfect. Things were kind of quiet in the usually bustling Berlin, but it was Monday, I suppose. On the way home we made an emergency stop for ice cream and the best coffee at Wallhouse in Sugarcreek, ice cream always consoles a sad shopper, and nothing is as depressing as embarking on a Christmas shopping quest and coming home empty handed.

I loved the clip art shoe Cindy put on the blog...I think everyone ought to use that piece on an A.T.C and send them to ME.....that is a wonderful idea.....she has the whole sheet for sale on her etsy site. http://www.lifeoneuropa.etsy.com/

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving and survives black friday.....

Free Collage Image: Vintage Shoe

I've been scanning vintage shoe images for a Collage Image Set to sell on Etsy, and I decided to offer one of them up here, for free.  Consider it an appetizer.  It's a nice Mary Jane / Pump from the 1940's, taken from a shoe store ad that ran in an Ohio River Valley newspaper in the 1940's era.  The images in the "Dress Ups" set are all from that ad, which was showing the shoe store's Easter collection.  To use the image, save it to your computer, click on the image to open up the larger size, and then save, (Right click, Save as:) and then print it.  This is a high-resolution .png  image, so you can resize it down to whatever size you wish for your collages and art projects using your favorite photo editing software.  You can do whatever you like with the image, even use it in craft projects that you intend to sell.  The only thing I ask is that you do not include it in image sets that you wish to sell because, well, because that would be a bit dishonest.  If you've made something awesome using the image, let me know, and I'll post a link to it from here.  Enjoy!

For more images like this one, check out my Collage Set, a .pdf file in two pages (original and in black and white clip art) on Etsy:  

Dress Ups Collage Sheet Set:  Vintage Shoes

the saga of jackies kitchen

Today is another stab in kitchen renovation......the infamous 3 year kitchen project, my husband assured me was a "snap". So Sunday dinner preparation is going to be worked around clamps, screwdrivers, and a "big" freaking saw.....he has also assured me the dust catcher on this brand new must have saw is wonderful. Tell me again why I am trusting a man who misled me three years ago when he started this project and why do i see sawdust covering my things in my future? Adding to the confusion are a few pets, did I mention I have nine cats?????? Well, in all actuality they are not all mine, some are left overs from my son and daughter the others just wandered in. Of course they all have different personalities and range in size from very tiny ewok looking to a humongous "Mr. Ears" bull dog / small coffee table type.
It is very hard to concentrate with all the construction but I have to get back to work on gifts for the December "gift-o-rama". There are seven of us, all artsy fartsy types but all very different styles. I am so excited because it has forced us out of our safe little boxes to create something in another area of art. Right now I am fixing my gaze on what I want to make for Shaun. It is sitting here challenging me....in fact I believe it just stuck its tongue out at me, but after befuddeling me for 4 days it is winning this battle. My creative flow seems petrified at the moment....but no fears, Shaun my "pea brain" is just resting on its flat side , I will get up and dance frantically to Dr.Hook"s "mamas got a squeeze box' (thats what is playing) until the pea rolls over and starts working. What a vision.......

Some Christmas Spirit

We went to the Fort Steuben Mall tonight to set up our Christmas trees for the 1st annual Magical Festival of Trees.  They had an empty storefront opened for a tree decorating party, and there were quite a few people scurrying around putting together their trees.  

The event is a fundraiser for Big Brother/Big Sister of Jefferson County.  The trees will be on display starting Sunday, and the event continues through the day after Thanksgiving.  

Mall patrons can wander through the trees and view them.  They are all for sale.  There is also a voting event.  Each vote costs one cent - yes!  Only a penny.  

I would love for my literary tree to win.  Just because nobody gets it.  

There are two issues of Plain Spoke back to back for the tree topper.  Blue Paper comes down the tree in a cascade like water, and makes a swirly vignette around the bottom of the trunk.  And then there are bunches and bunches of literary figures wearing Santa hats and riding around the tree in paper boats.  

Pictured here is the Virginia Woolf boat.  

She said she would wear the Santa hat herself.  

I'll be posting more photos in my blog after Sunday.  

happy birthday to you..........

so I bet she thinks I forgot..........nope, mind like a steel trap, this one! Today I made Cindy a birthday card..... she will probably see it on here before she gets it....so i guess this makes it like a movie trailer....a TEASE....
starting with gold cardstock, it was scored and folded, then with a Tim Holtz timeworks mask and vintage photo ink on a blender tool, I embellished the entire card and envelope. a torn tag was stamped and distressed on the edges with the same vintage photo ink. raffia was tied to the tag and attached with my trusty scotch ATG700 tape gun...........so happy birthday my friend, you continue to astonish and amaze me...........

so here i am....blogging

from Jackie, the most boring woman in the world this is going to be a stretch. After doing my normal morning chores, most of those revolving around my numerous cats, yes, i am the crazy cat lady. I have decided to put off working on my projects for the 1st annual gift-o-rama, and make an ATC for my new friend Shaun. Being inspired when i found the cutest photo of a little boy I stamped a background, As I was looking at my little boy he was just screaming for wings and a dot of my new fired brick distress stickles on his hat. I was lucky enough to take a class with Tim Holtz and had a cigar band left over from the project we did, so on to the top it went, this was quite an addition, I am horribly selfish with my stash. The edges were distressed with black ink with a blender. Now it is on to the envelope.