Can it be? The end of September already??
I guess I'll have to pack away all the back-to-school decor I made. It was fun while it was out!

One last card so I could use this image of the girl and dog I've had forever. Small scraps of paper pieced together for the background and another Jenni Bowlin label. That glittered crow added a little sparkle.

I have wanted either an Airedale terrier or a wire-haired fox terrier for most of my life... I think it all started with those old 'Thin Man' films from the 30's?
Maybe one of these days...

class of yesteryear...

I am back with another card today.

I loved this image of a school class from ???  I cut it out leaving a narrow white border (to really make it look like an actual photo) and mounted it on some black cardstock. A ruler cut from a sheet of paper, old Dennison label (LOVE those babies) and the pen nib is making one last appearance.

One thing I did to make the printed photo look "old" was to actually add some creases to it. Works like a charm- the ink came off somewhat giving an authenticity of age. Love that technique on something when you're trying to add a little age.

learn...

A real quick pop-in here today with a card...

This one was super quick to make. Once again, the Jenni Bowlin definition label and some clip art from Cosmo Cricket (pen nib). The little girl was cut from a sheet of Graphic45's ABC Primer collection. Kind of sad to use up the last of those papers- I had saved every little snip of scrap. I will never tire of that paper line- it was darling.

Have a great day!

little women

Here are some cute girls to go with the cute boys from yesterday!

It's the last in the September collection of framed 'back-to-school' pieces.

I used a Jenni Bowlin definition oval along with a vintage image of four girls. Again black, white and red patterned paper make an appearance. It's probably my all-time favorite color combo (which is evident by looking in my closet... 90% is black and white with a few pops of reds and pinks).

Wow- that is one BIG pen nib!

little men...

When I found this image I thought these 3 little guys were SO cute!

All dressed up in suits with their hair slicked down smooth... they seemed like perfect candidates for my 'back-to-school' obsession this month.
Black and white and red paper from Jenni Bowlin had been sitting in my folder screaming to be used somewhere so I broke it out for these framed pieces. Love it with the black & white images from the past.

Those old india ink nibs again!

What a great motto to remember all through life: Learn.
Never stop.

missy pissy...

Framed piece #3... this little girl has the funniest expression on her face. In our class we decided to name her 'Missy Pissy'.

Guess she wasn't as keen on going back to school as her momma probably was to send her. Or it could be that gigantic bow on top of her head- I'd have been pretty unhappy to have to wear that thing to school. or anywhere that anybody might see me.

 

She even gets to be the star on a little note card.
I think I should send it to my mom because I used to have a little blue sailor dress just like this! Knee socks too. No bow. thank goodness.

Sorry little vintage photo girl, whoever you are.

the girls...

Another framed collage of sorts for September... I have so much fun each month putting together the series of related pieces- it's a class I teach here at my home studio for a group of ladies who come every month to join me in playing with scissors and glue!

These girls just look like they're up to no good, don't you think? Yeah, I would have wanted them to be my friends too... because you know you'd have fun getting into trouble with them. I'm pretty sure girl "A" is the ring-leader of the group.

They're sitting on top of the cutest little ruler from Maya Road. They've always got fun embellishments to play with.

I figured that since I had all my stuff out to create, I might as well make some cards.

Here they are again to say hi.
Guess I'll sit down to write someone I love a little note!

india ink and other things...

Oh. my. gosh.
I can't believe how long it's been since I sat down long enough to write a blog post.
Shameful I tell ya. Just shameful.
It seems I took a little summer blog break! A freakin' long summer break. And a part-ways into the fall break. But it sure was fun.
So I'm back with some stuff to share. I'm really feeling that back-to-school thing even though The Daughter has been back in school since the end of July. We have short summer breaks around these parts.

Here's a little bingo card creation for September. I just love the expression on this kid's face... she looks like she's not too happy waiting for whatever it is she's waiting for...

Check out those cute little Mary Jane's she's got on!

I really like that 7Gypsies red ruler tape. Even though it's sheer, it's fun to use on things. 

Do any of you remember using these pen nibs with india ink? I loved that stuff! (although not the mess- it wasn't very forgiving. My mother HATED it and I wasn't allowed to use it in my room. So I didn't. As far as she knew *wink*). I had an art teacher in high school who actually gave me about 20 bottles of india ink- every color you could imagine. 

hmmm... I wonder whatever happened to that stuff? I'll bet my mom had something to do with it's disappearance...

back to school... the end!

Well, here it is... my last back-to-school piece. And it's my favorite!!!

I really love love LOVE this little boy in the pedal car. When I was little, there were a couple of these at my grandparents house and all of us kids loved to play with them.

Pretty Maya Road rhinestone buttons were the perfect size for the wheels... guess it realy should be a girl's car!

back to school, part 4...

OK, we're finally getting to the end of the back-to-school pieces, I promise!

Just couldn't resist the little calendar page from Jenni Bowlin, mixed with old papers from Graphic45.

Have a great day!

back to school, part 3...

Again, trying to use up stuff in my design team pack for the month (the month of January!) I combined them to make another back-to-school themed collage for September display...

One thing I've used over and over on projects is that 'measuring tape' strip- it's from the old Cosmo Cricket 'Material Girl' line. One of these days I'm gonna run out of it and I'm gonna be so sad! Guess I'll just have to start hunting for the old paper measuring tapes like my Grandma always used.

back to school, part 2...

I haven't got much time to post today... adjusted school schedule, lots of errands and a class here at my studio tonight (but that part I LOVE!) so this will be real quick...

This silhouette of the kids and dogs playing is so sweet. I stitched the paper together for the striped background and used lots of buttons for the stars. Super fun and super easy. I might make a handful of these for 4th of July next year!

back to school...

I keep waiting for that "smell" of fall... you know, when the air is cool and crisp in the morning and you've got your new pencils and notepads (oh, don't even get me talking about how wonderful paper smells!) in your arms while you're walking to school... OK, that totally dates me because The Daughter hasn't a clue about walking to school (what? walk??), much less not having a book bag or backpack to carry her supplies in! Yeah, and we actually made it the entire day without an iPhone. Imagine that.

Way back during the spring months I made a series of pictures to display during the month of September and I totally forgot about them until now!

I really love the Cricut for things like these silhouettes. Quick and easy! I had to use all of these unrelated papers because it was my design team challenge- but with some machine stitching and a bingo card, it all came together. Once I started digging through my collage drawers, I was surprised at how many things I had that would work with the 'back to school' theme!

I'll share more tomorrow...