Using old Books

I LOVE old Books - especially of Nature with Birds, Flowers, and Butterflies! I found a Beautiful Old Book from the 70's which has been totally devoured by my crafting endeavors. If I can recycle something, then the satisfaction is great.

This Book is a gem!

and these are the tags I made with some pages.

These can be used for so many projects! I have sheets of vellum sentiments in gold and black which I used and stitched to the Tag.
They are for sale in my shop together with some faux postage stamps which I stamped and cut out from this beautiful Book:

and they look like this:

With old music sheet paper, I collaged these tags, which have a faux postage stamp and fussy-cut flowers, also from an old book.

and finally, I'm sharing these altered wine labels with Bird Images from a very old Book:

I will add the link to my shop here. I have many more projects to share another time.

Apparently, millions of Books get thrown away every month!! Can you imagine, all the new papers we buy while brilliant Books are getting trashed. That is such a shame!

Hope to have inspired somebody today.
Jacqueline

Pocket Folders

So, hello to you all! I know, it's been a long time, and I hope you are all well. I have been so busy with my Etsy shop that it has taken up a lot of my time and I am enjoying it so much!

I wanted to share my Pocket Folders with you. I have made so many, and in so many different formats that it will be hard to choose just one.

I found a template in this Etsy Shop which I have used to make them. You can either print directly to your patterned paper or make your own covers.

This is the one I have been using.

I chose the cover from a Book called 'Island: the diary of a Year on Easedale', which I also sell in my shop but it has sold out for the time being. Beautiful Book with gorgeous pictures of Nature on a Scottish Island. I just cut out the cover from the Book and adhered it to the front of the template.

This is the inside cover with the two pockets which are part of the template pack. I cut out the printed template and covered with other pictures from the same Book. I love to fill the pockets with Ephemera which I make myself from all sorts of different sources, like pp, old botanical books, etc.

This is the back which is also a picture from the same book. When the two covers have been made I attach the spine, of which there are three to choose from. I prefer this lovely music note one, which I don't have to cover. Of course, the pockets are made after the covers have to been fixed together.

So this is just one I am sharing with you, which has sold in the meantime.

Please take a look in my shop, Souvenir de la France. You can find it here.

Thanks for your visit today, I hope you are inspired to have a go yourself. You can keep all your little bits and pieces safely inside this folder and its such fun to make.

I hope to post again soon!

Jacqueline

Tag-Frames

Hello! It's sweltering hot here, way over 30°C every day and very energy-sapping.

I made another four 'Tag Frames', I will call them that, as they have a recycled element of a window envelope, used as a frame for a nice picture and then sewn to a piece of patterned paper and then adhered to the Tag card base, finished off with a piece of string or bakers twine. A die cut leaf and a prima flower have been stitched together with the frame.

I thought these would be a nice replacement for a gift card or as a gift tag on a package for someone special or a special occasion!

I have these for sale in my Etsy shop 'Souvenir de la France'.  They measure 5 1/4" by 3 1/2" and come in two vellum pockets (two tags in each) and four envelopes. I enclose a little tea-bag with Provence lavender from the garden.

That's all for today! Wishing you all well this Summer!

Oh yes, a little photo of my two daughters-in-law, my son and grand-daughter yesterday, having fun in the pool.

Jacqueline

Set of Five Notes Cards in Collage style with Bird-prints

Hello everyone - very hard to create and concentrate in this hot weather!

I did manage to make some cards for my Etsy shop, helped by a fan on my desk.
My shop is called Souvenir de la France btw.

I discovered some beautiful bird-prints a while ago which really lend themselves to the vintage collage style and I had some lovely patterned papers to combine them in the mix and match fashion.

These are in the white/beige/pink/red and green color combo.

I also made some in blue and green.

Thanks for popping by and enjoy the summer!
Jacqueline

My Etsy Shop

So now and again I will be advertising some items which can be found in my shop.
I am selling off some stamps, which are still in very good condition, as I am developing my style and want to use more diecuts and patterned paper in my creations.

One of my stamp can be found HERE

And another item is this card, which can be found HERE:

At the same time I'm sharing one of my latest cards using a diecut and patterned paper.

I have been so busy and not able to create as I would like too, but hope to share more soon.
Thanks!
Jacqueline

Recycling

Hello ladies, hope you are all well!
I found a die cut which I LOVE and is of course another way of using up the papers! It's just another way of making puzzles, mixing and matching with patterns and colors.

My card size here is 4.5x4.5". I diecut once on kraft paper for the frame and then I diecut some left-over papers. I placed the frame on dimensional tape and filled in the gaps.
I can see this becoming a lovely pastime in the future.

Via pinterest I was inspired to use up the window envelopes which drop in the letterbox from time to time. I found some pictures from magazines I liked and glued the vellum window which had been cut out leaving at least a centimetre margin, to the picture. I then cut out the picture with the frame and sewed it onto a large tag which I then decorated with a diecut leaf and other embellishments.

It gives such satisfaction to recycle in a creative way!
Jacqueline

Sewing on paper

We have a free day today so I'm finding the time and space to visit some blogs and post something.

I have discovered how easy and lovely it is to sew on paper. Never really gave it much attention before, but for me it adds something. Typical really, because it's only because I got an extra chair so that I could sit behind the sewing machine that it happened..!

I have made so many that I have chosen a couple for the blog. Now I have discovered the Cuttlebug, stamping has taken a back place. I find it much easier to use and play with paper now and I'm enjoying that.

The first of May is celebrated by people giving little pots of Lillies of the Valley, called Muguets in France.

Happy May 1st!
Jacqueline

Magazine and paper recycling

Through the Cuttlebug I have discovered more than just paper cutting of designer papers - I have been seeing my old 'gathering up dust' magazines being transformed into tags and grid designs! This 'bug' has gotten me in its grips because it has opened up new doors for recycling and enjoying the process!

First of all, my sewing work-place. Hubby had his eye on the panoramic view when he had this conservatory built, unfortunately, the humidity is no good for paper so I had to relocate, but I can sew here as my love for paper-sewing has grown too. This Cherry tree survived a recent hail storm and gives such pleasure to have such a view! Btw, I made the fabric lamp too.

This share is of my lucky find of a Terracotta table in a second-hand shop just down the road for a spot price, including the two chairs. It is stylish and can withstand the rain. 

These tags (above and below), four of which were magazine pictures which I love, cuttle-bugged into tags and stitched on one side using various punched out circles or squares (from scraps), either from designer papers or old books, and a die-cut leaf (below). Just love doing this.

Finally a card with one of my die-cut roses which I love working with too.

That's it for today!

Enjoy a peaceful Sunday,

Jacqueline

Happy mail winner, tags and project

Hello, this Easter Monday.

My winner is Maxine D. Random Org picked nr. 10.

Maxine, could you send me your address?  Look for my e-mail on the reply to your comment.

 

As you know I just love recycling. Today I'll share some tags that were inspired by a Pinterest post. Before the paper bin gets emptied I salvage every piece of patterned paper that the punch, either round or square will fit into to squeeze out the remaining precious paper. I used sewing to attach the pieces which gives added texture. I love sewing on paper, so much better than on fabric.

I quickly made this for my grand-daughter Hanaë.I don't know whether you have heard of  the magazine Daphne's Diary, well it was in there.

Have a blessed week!

Jacqueline

Some bird cards and a snail-mail giveaway

Hello ladies. Thank you to all who left me feedback on my last post! I just hope to inspire people as I get inspired by you all!
I have been into creativity a lot lately, but not only cards. I haven't posted any of the things I have been making with paper, only now and again on Pinterest, so I'm going to share in the form of sending somebody some 'happy mail'. You know we all like to see an envelope in the mailbox that's different, that's addressed to us and it just kind of makes a day extra special! I am not saying that it will blow you away, I just want to do a little share.

So, if you are interested, just leave a comment and I will send some 'snail mail' to the person chosen.

I am in the process of making a series of cards with these bird-prints. I love these prints so much! Right up my street and they mix and match with nearly every form of patterned paper. (Hint: One of these botanical bird prints will be in the snail mail). The Bible verses on the cards are in French, from Isaiah 41:10, one of the verses that have spoken to me in my situations that have been difficult in life. God is faithful.

This is the second one.

In the times I change up the creativity pattern, I am crocheting. Here are 'some' of the things I have made, including the headband which my grand-daughter is wearing.

I have also nearly finished two big double-bed blankets and just yesterday gave a baby-blanket away as a present for a new-born but forgot to take a photo. 

My fourth grandchild will arrive in October and another baby blanket will be added to my work-load! But I'm not complaining, I love it.

Have a blessed day!!

Jacqueline

No stamping just die-cuts

Good afternoon in Creativity Land. As inspiration struck I'm posting some tag-cards. Usually I am active in three languages and it helps sometimes to not use a sentiment. I have a small drawer with patterned papers which I insist will all be used and I've found that die-cuts help me utilise them.

Diecuts used are a dimensional Rose, Leaves and Tags; also to use-up papers, some baker's twine and three crystals for embellisment.

On this card I have placed the tag upside down and embossed the rose for texture, even if it was with a snowflake embossing folder.

There are numerous other combinations I could use. Sometimes all one needs is a design to build on and then the fun begins.

Just adding another one as these were as scraps lying on the table and I was able to puzzle them together to make another card. That is what I like about crafting!

Jacqueline

Holiday and share

Hello! I have been away on holiday in Guadeloupe. My husband has always wanted to travel to the Caribbean and having saved up thousands of airmiles he got one ticket free. The weather was beautiful, not too hot and certainly not cold and we travelled around both of the small islands which are joined together, making them the 'Haute Terre (High ground) and Terre Basse (low ground). The sea is such a gorgeous torquoise color!

We took this one from the shade of a huge coconut tree. After being stung by a jellyfish I was very careful when swimming in the sea.

This is my little card share for today, using an oval and leaf die-cuts.

Thanks as always to those who visit me!
Have a lovely friday and weekend!
Jacqueline

Mixed grid

 I wanted to share this grid-card today which I posted over on my other blog as it uses one of my new die-cuts which I really love

It's time to use up the scraps again. This time I pulled out the tiny square punch-outs and the bigger square punch outs to pull this together in a die-cut grid.

Before I empty the paper bin I see if there is anything my punches can salvage. Then I put them into a tiny plastic chest of drawers to use at a later time, like today.

It is so satisfying to recycle and find a home for every piece of paper!

Jacqueline

xx

Christmas... again... Reindeer.... again

Hello lovely ladies. I can't get enough of the diecut deer, such an elegant image but I will settle down with the dies eventually!

Merry Monday calls for pastel colors. I usually craft with earthy colors as I'm attracted to them but as I had a pastel deer, I thought I would use it.

Here is the inspiration picture at Merry Monday

I also made a quick little tag:

I have a couple of other Christmas cards to share, one including the Village Stamp from Hero Arts.

And another which is a deer again, but I puzzled it back into another piece of paper.

That's all for today. Have a lovely week!

Jacqueline

Merry Monday - Let it Snow

As I'm loving making Christmas cards, this challenge blog is wonderful for inspiration.

The theme this week is 'Let it Snow' and here is an inspiration picture:

Snow gives such a glow to Christmas cards and I wish we got it more often, here in France.

My first project is a tag: I used a page from an old magazine to cut the deer and I emboss old envelopes in advance so when I need some snow I have it all ready. Then I tear it into shape for the snow effect and that is how I love creating! So simple. I added a touch of glitter to the antlers.

My second card uses the Postcard Stamp from Hero Arts.

I used my new deer die-cut which I'm so happy with, so elegant with the big antlers.

Thanks for the challenge!

Jacqueline