Beyond Scrapbooking - Crafting - Creating With Paper is FUN!

There are so many moments in each and every day of our lives that we capture in memory, photos, letters, cards, email.  Events and moments filled with fun, happiness, poignancy, precious images or simple beauty.  We live those moments and want to be able to cherish them, share them and get some experience of them again and again.  

If you have boxes of  keepsakes and photos, old autograph books and falling apart photo albums -  scrapbooks will help preserve the cherished photos and memories and creating scrapbook pages is a lot of fun!

New England days are starting to get shorter, Fall is in the air and we are all turning our attention to more indoor time. The cooler crisper air always helps sharpen my thinking and creative process. I start to think of all the fun and cute projects, either for getting my holiday cards and gifts in process or just for decorating. And one of my favorite ways to spend time is crafting and making stunning things with paper! If I have the supplies handy, it is easy to create whether I just have a few minutes between other commitments or if I have a whole block of time devoted just to making beautiful gifts (some even for myself).

My Etsy friend, Nola makes these wonderful little dresses out of some of her papers:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/InkOnMyPaws

And Etsy friend, Sheila has a charming array of handmade gift tags in her shop:

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/SiriusFun

My Etsy shop has Scrapbook / Craft paper, How-To Books and Embellishments  - Be sure and check out the paper - Solids,  glittered, foiled, geometric, designer - paper and more paper!! 

In My Shop

Best Fabrics

Years ago, I took a quilting seminar from a wonderful teacher
and shop owner named Mary Ellen Hopkins.  To give you a sense of her,
her first book was called,

The It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt Book

or you might know her Connecting Up Series

NannysDrawers

I had brought all the required materials, including a wide range of fabrics
from which I could select to do my project.  Probably looked something like

this neat fabric at LadyFaceQuilts

Mary Ellen got us started and while people were busy working, she wandered around the
room, checking to see if anyone needed help and looking at all the
fabrics. When she got to my work table, I had most of my project
pieces cut and still several pieces of fabric untouched.  She picked
up one piece - it was my most favorite of all.  She commented on how
beautiful it was and noticed I hadn't cut into it for the project.  I
told her something like I was saving it for a special occasion before
I could bring myself to cut it up.  its quiet  has the type -

Mary Ellen started to laugh and said to me: "ALWAYS use your most beautiful fabrics first.  You love them and they should be in your projects.  If you don't use them, after
you are gone, someone will buy them at a yard sale and cut them up for
Halloween costumes."  I realized how right she was. Now I fill my
quilt projects with my best fabrics.

The Memory Continues

One day I went to town, to the toy store, carrying my dollar, saved from coins in my little piggy bank, which I had figured out how to rob without having to break.  I couldn't bear the thought of smashing the ceramic figurine as I had once seen my brother do. So that day, I proudly carried my dollar into the shop and presented it to the kind man who owned the store. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/89119960/lefton-piggy-bank-b35

From junkinjane

Part of the mystery of the surprise ball was the joy of being able to select which ball you would take from the wire cage holding the many beckoning globes. I was a person quite partial to the color green, but the ball that spoke to me that day was a lovely, soft, pink color. I reached in for it, selected it, held it and admired it while I felt the heft of it in my small hands. And then carefully carried it home where I could sit and safely unwrap its bounty.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/90154844/surprise-ball-large-pink  

from

RubyDarlingDog

I remember a small "jeweled" ring with a band one could squeeze together or pry open to fit almost any sized finger. And a very small, dark blue whistle with a piercingly high squeal.  But the treasure was the last gift waiting at the very center of the ball. Not much larger than a good-sized pea, it was a clear glass ball with a thin gold band around its circumference. And inside was one tiny sand-colored granule. Attached to the band, was a miniature gold page with the words: "If ye have the faith of a seed of mustard."

http://www.etsy.com/listing/105275349/faith-as-small-as-a-mustard-seedantique

from aperfectpeace

MEMORIES AND VINTAGE

My Etsy shop is full of lovely vintage items as are many other Etsy shops, as you will see in the links, and lately I started to think about why I am so drawn to the old and sometimes less than perfect objects. It may be the connection it gives to younger times and more carefree days.  I invited a life-long friend to share her thoughts about vintage things and past memories and this is the beginning of her story:

"When I was young, maybe 6, I came upon a treasure in the local toy store. The store was filled with wonderful and exciting treats.  Magic tricks and dolls and board games and books...."

http://www.etsy.com/listing/100532655/party-magician-1940s-vintage-magic-games?ref=usr_faveitems
from TheIDconnection

http://www.etsy.com/listing/104229192/vintage-ideal-tonibetsy-doll-cute?ref=usr_faveitems
from dolloves

http://www.etsy.com/listing/104585043/vintage-wizard-of-oz-board-game?ref=usr_faveitems
from ThingsYoullLoveNLife

"... Baseball gloves and science experiments in boxes complete with detailed instructions. Silly putty (in colored plastic eggs) and slinkies and packets filled with metal jacks and a small soft rubber ball. There were many shelves filled with lots and lots of stuffed animals. And for a dollar, you could get a surprise ball - yards and yards of crepe paper wound up to be about the size of a grapefruit..."

http://www.etsy.com/listing/83475470/favor-size-surprise-ball-multi-streamer  
from ReverieAndFancies

"As you unrolled the long, thin strips of ruffly paper, several little gifts fell out of the wrapping and dropped into your fingers.  You could stop unrolling at the sign of a gift, to marvel at your luck (or grumble at the stupidity of the item). Or you could unravel the paper ball as fast as possible to pile up all the little toys and trinkets, only to examine each of them in detail after the ball had released its whole trove and dissolved into a long pile of stretched and torn colored paper..."

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110360473/15-feet-of-ruffled-crepe-paper-streamers
from CharmiosHandmade

Quilts for Jessie and Mimi

ClosetFull Etsy Shop

Beautiful Bird Book

This book was published in 1964 and has been used for reference and even in the field. Thus, it does have some damage.  Still it is beautiful with 435 plates.  I have listed it to sell in my ClosetFull Esty Shop and I thought you would like to see some of the photos.

Happy 4th of July

ClosetFull on Etsy is one Year Old!

ClosetFull Shop's One Year Etsy Anniversary will be June 25th
Vintage items from a lifetime of collecting
Books, Sheet Music, Games and Treasures
Crafts, Sewing and How-to Books

***ANNIVERSARY SALE*** 25% off every item now until 6 PM June 25th***
USE COUPON CODE: ONEYEAR in my Etsy Shop:   ClosetFull

Val's Awesome Mosaic

From

valnorthwoods   on Etsy 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/valnorthwoods

This scrapbook is page after page of lovely old-fashioned cards and keepsakes.  There is a more detailed description in my Esy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClosetFull

And I knew you would want to see some of the photos.

Still sorting the Sheet Music

This is an on-going project and a delight...
A big trunk of old sheet music - Some as old as 1880 and some in the 70's...
Everything about it makes me sing!

Not just the music and words - the wonderful graphics on the covers  - and the memories...

So, I was thinking of Flag Day - also my son's birthday - so double special...
and I made a treasury on Etsy:


http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAzMjMwNTZ8MzE5MjA5MDgz/red-white-blue-flag-day-usa-june-14

and I also found some neat red/white/blue sheet music to list in my Etsy Shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClosetFull

You can see that I had a wonderful morning!

The Quilter

I decided to share some of my quilt books and magazines in my Esty shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClosetFull

And while looking at my quilts, fabric and books and speaking to my good friend Lisbeth about our quilting adventures together, I mentioned maybe writing something here - she kindly gave me the following words - she is a writer as well as a quilter as you will see:

        "Making a quilt is joyous creative activity from start to finish.  You end up with a piece of beautiful art filled with your loving energy in which you can wrap a person.  You start with diving into your fabrics  to pull your "palette." 

"Usually there is a thought or an idea or an image that is like the seed you plant into the rich, nurturing ground  - and with love and tender care, watering, attention, a little green shoot springs up through the dirt to start its new life as a plant."

" The seed idea for starting the quilt can be very specific (the recipients favorite color or hobby or location or something you just associate with the person). And with the first inspiring thought, you start your treasure hunt through your stash of fabric. You touch    pieces and smile when you find a piece you had completely forgotten you had.  You take a piece that might be the right color and another that might symbolism the activity. And you just keep going until you have a wonderful pile of fabrics from which to choose.  

Sometime you use them all, sometimes you veer off in another directions. One piece draws you to the next piece either because there is something in the shape of the prints or the transitions of the colors or the blending of the motions. And piece by piece, the magnetic energy of the fabrics draw each other out of the pile and into their place.  When the pieces have all come together and the quilt is finished, the love moves through the quilt, drawing your eye through the pattern. Like that dry seed that grows to a strong and healthy plant. Like the joyous creation of life.

And...I loved it so much, I made an Etsy Treasury, too:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dee761348fb8eef4aebf82f/the-quilter?ref=pr_treasury

Music at the Auction

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClosetFull

Remembering Auction Times With Dad

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67640788/western-stetson-cowboy-hat

My love of auctions began when my dad first took me as a little girl. I probably would have loved anything I got to do with Dad, but the auction was special. There was so much to see! Big pieces of furniture,  artwork, clothes, linens, books, music, carpets, tools, jewelry, postcards, dishes and other glass, silver, coins, antique dolls and toys. And a sense of excitement that filled the building along with the treasures.

I still thrill with anticipation on auction day. As I park in front of the huge log house, I find my thoughts leaping ahead.  What will be sold tonight? Will I find new treasures? Will my bidding strategy be successful? If I am out bid, will my disappointment be washed away by the fun of seeing who wins the bid for the item? Will 'all the regulars" be there tonight? Such an interesting array of people - but more about them another. 

At the last auction,  I found a box of sheet music that dated from 1880 to the '70's.  I am having a great time looking at it, remembering some form the past and deciding which ones to keep and choosing a few to share in my Etsy shop.  

There Can Never Be Too Much GREEN

New Treasury this morning you might like...
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dcfcc2e88e06d91ed21570e/the-nature-of-green

and a green item in my shop might make you smile:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClosetFull

Spring is here at last

Found these cute items on Etsy and thought you might enjoy seeing them...
From TheBrightonEmporium   "An adorable vintage Easter postcard that is postmarked 1928."
and from LaMeowVintage  "1920s Easter card of a girl with butterfly wings."

You know how much I love the 1920's!!