Bloom

"where flowers bloom, so does hope." ~ Lady Bird Johnson. My entry for the Take a Word bloom challenge.

Steampunkerie

I really like this definition of Steampunk  - "it is a retro-futuristic neo-Victorian sensibility that is being embraced by fiction, it is ornate and vibrant, and intricate - it believes that functional items can and should be beautiful" I created a magazine cover as my entry for the Three Muses steampunkerie challenge.

Orange

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange." ~ Vincent Van Gogh. My entry for Theme Thursday's orange challenge.

Sewing

I was a little obsessed with sewing over the weekend, after I spent most of the weekend behind my sewing machine and eventually returned to my computer last night - no wonder this is what I came up with! The sewing label, spool cotton advertisement and scissor images are all from Graphic Fairy - linking to Brag Monday.

Friday freebie - green cupcake wrappers

I love love love cupcakes, and think they taste even better when they look pretty! Therefore I made some cupcake wrappers, click here for the pdf. I'm off to bake some cupcakes . . . .enjoy your weekend!

La dame de fer

One of my favourite works of architecture - the tower was much criticised by the public when it was built, with many calling it an eyesore. Newspapers of the day were filled with angry letters from the arts community of Paris. My entry for Take a Word's architecture challenge.

Cabbage patch kids

My entry for the Land of Odd challenge at Three Muses this week.

Black and white

This was fun, turning a colour picture into black and white, and of course I just had to add a pop of green!
My entry for Theme Thursday's black and white challenge

Japan

I am thinking of all my friends in Japan! You can buy this poster and support Save the Children: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund, just click on the poster for the link.

Friday freebie - pillow box

I have been dying to use this chic girl in a design, the postcard background and the girl image from Graphics Fairy. This little pillow box is ideal for a small gift. Have a happy weekend! Linking to Brag Monday

Green

Oh . . . . how I love green, there is just something about it - it makes me feel alive! My entry for the Take a Word green challenge. Happy St Patrick's day to all my Irish friends!

Gathering fish

I love words and especially learning new ones -  did you know that a yaffle was an armful of dried or nearly dried salt fish - the amount that could be comfortably carried under one arm. It was also used as a verb, as in to take up an armful of fish. It also had a more general usage as a verb, referring to the work of spreading, gathering and piling fish. My entry for Three Muses fish challenge

Hats and Bonnets

During the 1820's wide-brimmed hats and hat-like bonnets with masses of feathers and ribbon trims were worn by fashionable ladies - my entry for the hats challenge over at Theme Thursday.

Sweethearts

I only recently found this Victorian graphic of children ice skating on Karen's blog, so nice to discover a treasure like that - she posted it in 2008 - so cute! The postcard is also from Graphic's Fairy - linking to Brag Monday. Can't help but wonder . . . . are these two still holding hands?

Friday freebie - journal cards

Do you keep a journal?  I made some journal cards for you, or use them as gift tags, click here for the pdf. Have a super duper weekend dear friends!

Birdlife

I love this background of a little birdie being set free, I gave it a bit of colour and added this cute birdie - my entry for the Take a Word birdlife challenge.

Daisy tree

Spring brings to mind that first green leaves on a tree after winter, a bunch of beautiful white daisies and butterflies! My entry for the Three Muses Spring challenge

Little red wagon

Bumping up and down in our little red wagon . . .my entry for the Theme Thursday boys challenge.

Haute couture . . .

. . . is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Therefore I consider myself a capable seamstress, having digitally sewn this dress with extreme attention to detail with time consuming, hand executed techniques from two different dresses ;-) The antique wire dress form, the background and the flowers are from the Graphics Fairy - linking to Brag Monday.

Friday freebie - happy birthday tags

Since yesterday was my birthday - here are some gift tags for you ;-) Have a great weekend!

Strelitzia

I have decided to give myself this flower for my birthday today ;-) - I am very proud that this magnificent flower also known as Crane flower or Bird of Paradise Flower is indigenous to South Africa and therefore not exotic to me, but regarded around the world as an exotic flower. My entry for the Take a Word exotic challenge.

Rosehead

Do you remember those colourful flower petal swimming caps from the 1960' s? It was kind of my inspiration for this piece - red and black always make such a striking combo!

A collection of roses

I know it probably doesn't look that way, but this was one of those designs that took me nearly half a day to finish, due to all the detail cutting of the roses, but it was so worth it - I am so pleased with the result. The flourish is from a vintage music sheet cover -  my entry for the flourish challenge at Theme Thursday.