Bird Bee and Bloom

Friday freebie

2012-01-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

Children's books....

2012-01-24T06:34:00.000-08:00

     Once upon a time, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do some work in a friend's bookstore. Ordering children's books. Pretty much, the perfect job in my opinion. A source of pleasure and renewal during a particularly difficult time, I found a great deal of enjoyment reading, searching out and ordering children's book (a passion of mine). I met many authors and illustrators and enjoyed their stories of how their work comes to fruition. Anyone who looks at a children's book and thinks it must be 'child's play' to write one, to illustrate one would come to learn that all is not quite as simple as it seems.

     The Caldecott Medal is named for Randolph Caldecott, the 19th century illustrator.
(an example of Caldecott's work)

     The Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association picks one picture book each year as the Medal winner, with several other books getting Honorary Mentions.
     While I must confess, I don't always agree with the winners, there are many that I wholeheartedly cheer for. The Polar Express and Owl Moon being particular favorites of mine.

2012's winner is a lovely little storybook -

     Being a pushover for terrier type dogs, I think the illustrations of Daisy and her adventures are captured very cleverly.
     If you have a favorite Caldecott winner I would love to hear from you.

Betty's back!

2012-01-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

These are photos of Bettie Purdy a few years latter. I include the one of Betty standing on the step alone because I think the detail of the steps is just great and interesting to look at. The second photo is of Betty and her little friend George McKeen. These were taken somewhere in the Washington DC area I think. No dates on them though.

Little Bettie Purdy is our gal Friday . . .

2012-01-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

This sweet little thing is Bettie Purdy, age 1 and 1/2 years. Adorable. Love those little MaryJane shoes! I admit I have a passion for those shoes on little girls. My daughter had them in black and in red, and even in pink when she was tiny. The red ones were my faves!

This is a RPPC, with a postmark of Washington DC on it. Not dates though.

Hello to the new arrivals on my Followers list. Thanks for joining. I hope you find some photos that will inspire your work. And, please do go visiting some of the blogs that are listed here. There are a lot of talented and generous women out there and being able to visit each other is a great thing!

Friday is freezing, so the freebie is . . .

2012-01-06T04:20:00.001-08:00

keeping that theme . These two little guys seemed to be dressed for the cold, but still, they maintain their dapper little attitudes. Love the little hats. No info on the back, but I have decided to name the little guy on the right Sid. (He reminds me of a little old man who worked at my first job, a LONG time ago!) And, the other little guy, seems to have a bit of trouble keeping still long enough for the photo, so he is going to be dubbed Speedy. So, Sid the Kid and Speedy it is.

Keep warm!!

and the final photo of 2011 is ....

2011-12-30T04:02:00.000-08:00

Helen Lucas sitting on a park bench (Jethro Tull's AquaLung just went through my mind!). Taken in 1930 this photo came from a group of pics I got in a lot purchase, part of the Devota photos. Many of the pics were taken in Washington DC and in the Norfolk VA area. Most of them were still glued to that old black photo album paper so any other info on the back is lost forever.

(Helen was one finely dressed lady. I covet those shoes! - and looking at the size of them in the photo, I think they would have fit me!!!).

So, here we are in the last days of 2011, taking a page from Helen's book, let's all take time to sit for a moment to reflect on the past year and enjoy the good memories, take strength from lessons learned, and have hope and excitement for all of the possibilities of the coming year.

Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-24T15:34:00.000-08:00

Enjoy!

Better watch out little Karl...

2011-12-09T02:31:00.000-08:00

Do you think Karl Jens just found out about Santa's "Sees everything, knows everything" rule? Ummm....maybe someone needs to mention that "You better not pout" is covered in that rule book too! The basic Santa Rules for Boys and Girls were pretty much the same back in 1919 when this photo was taken, as they are now in 2011.

As always, the BlaBlaBla Rule applies to use of this photo.

If you can, take a moment to send a little prayer or positive affirmation to the Virginia Tech community today in light of the events of yesterday morning.

December's first Friday is here . . .

2011-12-02T02:50:00.000-08:00

December has arrived here with a chill in the air. It is very very cold in the barns. Friday mornings my daughter has a dressage lesson, rain, shine, hot, cold. The horses and ponies all seem to love the chilly air, they have been quite frisky lately.

Personally, I do not like the cold. (It may have something to do with being stranded for days in an unheated cabin in Bear Mountain NY. Having to crack the ice to get water is not my idea of fun. Not to mention no indoor plumbing of any kind, and what that entails. Ugh. Need I say more? Thankfully, I was young, I was game for an adventure. I was C O L D. And, I vowed "As God is my witness, I will never be cold again!" (to paraphrase another woman).

Today's photo features a little girl who evidently shares my aversion to cold. Heavy little coat and a hat and a fur muff all keep her toasty warm - I hope.

The countdown to Christmas and Chanukkah begins. Shopping and wrapping, baking, and planning, every one is busy at this time of year. Hope that your busy activites are ones that bring you pleasure during this holiday season.

Friday, filled with busy.....

2011-11-11T04:31:00.000-08:00

My mom had hip replacement surgery and today she will be transferred to rehab, so I have been busy getting ready for that. Happily, she is doing well, and I think her recovery will go smoothly now. (She walked 5 miles a day, every day, rain or shine before her fall, so she was in great shape to begin with.)

I wanted to get this post done early because once the day starts moving along, I think I will not be back here until late tonight.

So, here goes -

Old photos of beautifully dressed children are so easy to be captivated by. Oftentimes though, there will be a photo of a child who may not be the first to grab your attention, but, on a second or third look you realize the subject has a charm and grace all their own. Today's little photo is of Mildred E. Goddard, age 5 1/2 years. The photo was taken in 1907. This is someone's darling child. From the top of her prerequisite big white hair bow, to the bottom of her shiny black boots she is just the perfect. Is that a tiny necklace of pearls around her neck? I think so. Hope you enjoy the photo. I think Mildred is adorable.

Novembrrrrrrrrr!

2011-11-05T03:50:00.000-07:00

November has arrived with a chill in the air. Last week, I was walking around in flipflops. Now, I am looking for cushy warm socks. But, I am not complaining. Autumn is my favorite time of year.

Thanksgiving brings a time for us to reflect on people and things that we have reason to be thankful for. One of the blessings and joys of my life comes with each November. The birth of my first child. I remember the Sunday morning he was born like it was just yesterday. In my memories is an image of my sweet husband sitting in a chair in the recovery room holding his precious little son. The look on his face is something I will carry in my heart forever.

Tomorrow the child, who is no longer a boy, but now a 6ft 1in man will be home for a family dinner. Though a child no more, he will always be my baby. Happy Birthday sweetheart. You remain one of the most precious gifts of my life.

This weeks freebie is a photo of someone else's little sweetheart. Cute little guy, who looks like he may have given himself a nifty little hair cut for his portrait. I adore that little suit he has on. There are no identifying marks on the reverse of the photo to give a clue as to age, etc. He is a little darling thing though.

Frightday's freebie

2011-10-28T04:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, so it isn't quite Halloween yet. So, no treat for me! But, you get your Friday treat!

These two are just adorable. Their litte clothes are precious. Those hats, those little smiles. They are just perfect! I cannot imagine why someone would go to the trouble of taking this great shot of the children and never even bother to identify them. Nothing written on the back. Well, we get to creat our own little life stories for them. I would love to hear any ideas that come to mind. The little boy looks sweet and a little bashful. The girlie though? She looks like a little bundle of mischief. Looks to me like she stopped to have her photo taken, but the minute the camera clicked she was off like a flash!

Hope you get a little giggle of enjoyment from this weeks freebie. I did.

Frosty Friday, well, okay, very chilly Friday

2011-10-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

I think that the Fall weather has arrived. It is kind of chilly out there today. Happily the heating system has been replaced and everything is nice and warm inside!

Today's photo is a little confusing for me. I think that this was a postcard, but not an RPPC, rather though, a commercially printed one. I am not really sure. Whatever it is, it is in rough shape, but the image is very clear. Although the face of the young girl is not exactly sad, it seems to be guarded. A beautiful face without a trace of joy in it. And, that chubby little baby, well, I just love that hat.

A printing notice on the back says it is from Newcastle-on-Tyne. The tune of some old song rang in my head about 'coals to Newcastle' - which was the poor house a long long time ago in England. Does anyone know if this is the same Newcastle as the one in the song?

Whatever the image represents, I wanted to share it with you because I just thought it was interesting.

Whew! Thank goodness it IS Friday -

2011-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks I have been dealing with water damage issues and it is exhausting. Getting rid of a garage filled with items that are dripping wet with filthy water, in an extremely warm and humid environment - not fun. Especially when you are done for the day and a hot shower would really feel great - but oh, wait - the water ruined the whole heating system for the house and that is being replaced, a major job on an old house. Cold water is not so good when you are filthy.

All my winter clothes are GONE. Tossed in the dumptster. And, being what I like to refer to as 'a realistically sized woman', shopping for new clothes is not the pleasure some may think it would be.

And, to top it all off, to make it just that much worse - the trials and tribulations of dealing with insurance companies regarding the fate of my waterlogged brand new car just keep dragging on.

I have decided that starting tomorrow morning there is going to be a new age of positive goodness enveloping my house, my car, my kids, my dog and my husband and me. So, negative vibes finish up your nasty reign, because at midnight tonight you are outta here.

This weeks little photo may give you an idea of what I feel and look like right now! Enjoy the photo, I think it is absolutely adorable.

Friday's photo, little fellow and his ride...

2011-10-07T03:35:00.000-07:00

This is a cute little snapshot I got in a lot purchase of old photos. The little guy is just adorable. And, check out his little ride sitting on the porch. Today's kids have the little Cozy Coupe line of riding vehicles, powered a la Fred Flintstone - by two little feet. Back then though kiddie-kars were made of heavy duty metal and push pedal action. They were really something!

OH! October -

2011-10-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

September left us with a little math lesson --

How many inches of rain needs to fall in 2 hours to create 22 inches of water in a 2 car garage?

5 inches

Everything in our garage is ruined, including my brand new car. Phooey on September.

Now it is October, my favorite month of the year. I love the Fall and always look forward to the change in the season. Pumpkins and beautifully turning leaves, crisp air, Halloween, Halloween candy, and little children running around dressed up to trick or treat. Love it.

Speaking of trick or treating and candy - what candy was a favorite to find waiting in your bag of goodies? Mine was tootsie rolls!

Happy Friday!

2011-09-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

A gorgeous little photo today of a baby in a buggy and the family dog all stopping for a photo op on the side of a house. ( I think those are peonies in the background. I love peonies, ants and all!) It almost looks like the baby and the pup are stopping for the photo begrudgingly, they thought they were starting out on a little excursion around the neighborhood!

Answers to some questions -

2011-09-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Molly! Yes, I do know ASL. My daughter is deaf and we have been signing with her since she was about 3 months old. 23 years later and I still learn new signs all the time. I think of it as a work in progress.

Hi Rose, I do collect old photographs, mostly of children and children with dogs. Pretty much, if there is a dog in the old photo I am a soft touch to buy it. I made a little book a long time back called "No Bad Dogs", which features children and American Staffordshire dogs (pit bulls) from vintage photos. The Am Staff was a very popular family pet in the early part of the last century, so much so, that there are many photographs of children posing with the dogs. Right now, I am accumulating vintage photos of standard poodles (preferably white) to make a little book about this wonderful animal. (I have a white standard named Maggie, who is one of the delights of my life.) When I first started doing altered art work I was very grateful to all of the people who shared their photos on the net and made a promise to myself that I would continue the practice by sharing the photos that I find. There are so many great women (and men) out there who share their knowledge, images, time and talents with others in the making of art, I am now trying to pay it forward, so to speak.

Roc!!! I am loving loving loving all of the gorgeous work that you are doing with your journaling. Your blog just glows with color and whimsy, I have a ball roaming around there! Lately, I have not been doing too much art work. I have been busy with the daughter girl and her health issues. And, I have started to do some more research work into the symbolism used in tarot cards. (I dont use them as 'fortune telling' cards, rather I use them as prompts for finding clarity within. The whole Jungian theory of archtypes, etc.)

Thanks to all who take the time to comment on my blog. I really do enjoy reading your comments and hope that you find the photos useful in your art work, or even just as interesting bits of history.

oops! I almost forgot!

2011-09-16T13:29:00.001-07:00

I overslept this morning. At 745am I jumped out of bed and within 15 minutes was out the door with my kiddie, off to her riding lesson!
Oh those horses. They were all so happy this AM. Yesterday the temp was 92. This AM it was 61. The horses (and me!) approve! Enough summer already. Oh, and please take your stinky mosquitos with you!
Came home and started doing stuff and suddenly realized, if this is Friday...then where was the photo!!
Here is the photo! I forgot where this one came from. I think in a lot batch I purchased. All starched and pretty, the children sit/stand on a rug. (After I washed, starched and ironed those clothes, my kids would be wrapped in bubble wrap - oh, wait, they didn't have bubble wrap then!) Anyway, here is today's sweet little photo. Have a great weekend!

Travels of an awol mouse . . .

2011-09-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have not had time lately to feature a blog that my mouse has visited. I go zooming around, but then don't get to the linking stage.

For example - I happened upon http://thecoincidentaldandy.blogspot.com
and got lost there for quite a long time.

I am gaga for art deco anything. Without doubt, my favorite skyscraper in the universe is The Chrysler Building in New York. Gorgeous, wonderful. Music - the Gershwin, Cole Porter music. Old black and white movies from the 30's 40's 50's. Vintage clothes, with the 20's being my absolute favorite - the glamour and glitz of Erte's illustrations. Oh be still my heart.
Well, then what else do I find there - Vargas pinup girls. Probably, in my opinion, the most beautiful pin up girls ever made.

So much more is there, if you like art deco, vintage clothes, old music, old buildings, well, you get the point. Go, visit the Coincidental Dandy. You'll have fun.

9/11 - A Day of Remembrance and Service -

2011-09-11T04:44:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago, there was a hole left in the sky by senseless hate. A hole in the hearts of a nation. We can all do our part to fill that empty space. There are so many programs, services and individuals in need of manpower, participation, kindness, compassion, help or even just a friendly word of encouragement. When we give of ourselves we honor and respect those who are no longer here. Thanks to those who gave of themselves to save others. In this way, all of them, every one of those precious beings, will never be forgotten.

Kids and dogs...

2011-09-09T03:18:00.000-07:00

If I come across a photo of children and dogs, I am hard pressed to pass it up. Kids and dogs pretty much sum up my idea of the perfect picture. I got this photo in a 'lot' purchase I made because I wanted another picture in the group. (That one is not posted yet.) Anyway, this picture made me laugh a little. Obviously, some one was an avid dog lover.
Here, 4 little adorable children are posing for the camera with the glaring sun in their eyes. Three shade their eyes from the bright light and one looks downward towards the dog. Oh! Wait, now I see- the dog seems to be main attraction in this little group. The three other children are sort of squeezed in on the side. Check out the only notation on the back of the photo -

I guess young Bob should just be happy he was even mentioned!

Last Friday of the Summer!

2011-09-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Although this photo is in pretty bad shape, I am posting it because there are some really adorable little faces in this group. Some seem to be delighted with school. Some seem to think school is a legal form of torture and some are just looking for a way to escape. It would seem that the teacher has already headed for the nearest exit! She is no where to be seen in the photo.

Check out the adorable little girl in the last row, third one in from the left. She just looks like a little sweetie to me. And, look at the poor little darling in the second row, last one on the right. Well, she just looks like misery personified. (Do you think someone should tell her that this is just the first day of the first year of school.

Although my two are no longer in school, I still love September. Brand new shoes, and first day outfits. New school bags (back packs now) sharp new number 2 pencils, a big fat pink eraser, a box of yummy smelling new, never been used crayons in a rainbow of colors, black and white marble composition books, maybe even a little lunch box.

And, a big yellow school bus filled with kiddies pulling away from the curb, all watching out the windows as their mothers do the Happy Happy Joy Dance!

It's the first day of school!

ByeBye Irene, you nasty girl you.

2011-08-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we did not lose any trees, especially my beautiful old Diorellas. They were the only reason I bought the house we live in. Those two trees, I love them. We did lose power for about 12 hours, and you know my feelings on that whole issue. I did have 4 bags of ice so my diet coke was COLD, I was able to endure!

I hope that anyone who was in the path of Irene faired as well as we did.

Here's the little freebie!

2011-08-26T05:24:00.001-07:00

Sweet little child. No identifying comments on back. So, who knows, boy? girl? Your guess is as good as mine. (I am leaning towards boy.)

Not too much time this AM. I have to go move things off the lawn and batten down the hatches. Supposedly we are going to have some wild times with Irene in the next 2 days.

Yesterday, my daughter's riding instructor Barb called to say that she was moving the horses to a safer area, quite a job, but certainly worth it. She has a stable filled with horses that are real troopers. They are the mainstay of her riding program, Forward Motion Farm's Untamed Spirit. She has been a moving force in the therapeutic riding community. I cannot even begin to imagine the numbers of children and adults that she has instructed over the years. If you want to check out her farm, and riding program you can see it here at - http://www.forwardmotionfarm.com/

So, on that note, let's all hope that Irene does not stay here too long and that she remember's her manners while here!

Well, the saga continues....

2011-08-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

as I wake up this AM to find that our house, our street, our city and the surrounding cities all have been saturated with the smell of burning, smoke. North Carolina's Great Dismal Swamp continues to burn and the smoke is now zooming our way on the pre-Irene winds.

Fist of all, I think a prize should go to the person or persons who named the Great Dismal because they knew from whence the speak. Not long ago a big big black bear was found 'vacationing' on the Beach, down by the oceanfront, in the heavily treed yards of the homes there. It seems he wanted a little change of scenery - from where? The Great Dismal. Let's be honest, if a bear who has free range of an entire heavily treed swamp decides to WALK to the 'big city' well, something's gotta be going on. (Not to mention, when did this bear do all of this walking, unnoticed?) Oh, wait, maybe it was when the smoke from the burning trees in the Dismal was so bad that we could not see a big black bear lumbering across the city?

Now, if the smoke and assorted wildlife that I really love (in their own habitat, thank you very much) aren't enough we have the shakey-shakey earth quakey a few days ago. Everyone calms down from that only to be introduced to.....Irene.

Look, Irene, do not come here. I do not want to have to deal with another hurricane. The last one that had a big impact here was Isabelle. Let me just say, 5 days without electricity (which should really read - without light to read at night, AC or most important ICE CUBES) was more than I ever wanted to experience again. But, to paraphrase an old saying, "This ain't my first hurricane".Katrina literally wiped out the homes of my mother, niece, sister and nephew. Not to even mention that it decimated the town where I was born and spent much of my childhood summers. Enough with the hurricanes already.

And if all of this does not seem like a comedy of errors, a farce of phooey, I wake up this AM take a deep breath and holding it, run out to get the paper, only to meet the neighbor's DIL sitting outside smoking. (The smoke does not bother her it would seem). And, what does she tell me?

"It looks like all of the predictions for 2012 are coming true. Everything seems to be moving in that direction." At which point, I turned around and moved myself in the direction of my house.

Burning swamps, runaway bears, earthquakes, Irene (and her nasty sister storms) all are too much for someone to have to deal with before my first cup of black coffee no sugar of the day. There is just so much a person should be expected to endure.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go start stockpiling ice cubes.

Well really, an earthquake?

2011-08-23T19:09:00.001-07:00

See what happens when I finally break down and do housework. An earth quake. I was in my bedroom putting away clothes and the house started shaking. Now, you tell me, don't you think I should just forget about this whole housewife, housework domesticated lady crap.
Happily, everyone is fine. My son up in Richmond said the hospital shook. I mean really. A hospital! Thankfully nothing happened there either.
An earth quake. Who would have ever thought?

Okay, I admit it....I love True Blood...but..

2011-08-19T02:58:00.001-07:00

Popular literature seems to have an over abundance of vampires, shape shifters, werewolves, ghosts even. But, I have to draw the line at zombies.

Zombies! Yuck! At least those gorgeous vamps Bill Compton and Eric Northman seem to have quite a few talents that are worth potential exploration - BUT - and this is a big but - zombies. No way. There is no thing even remotely appealing about a squishy, oozing, flesh falling off mess to be a love interest. Last Monday, while at the Library doing the volunteer thing, I checked in over 30 paranormal themed books. All of which seem to subscribe to the same illustrator's services for depictions of the main charaters. But, there isn't enough make up , paint or whatever to make a zombie look 'dateable'. If anything, the zombie is way past it's fresh until date. Bill Compton or Joe Zombie? Umm....one TrueBlood coming right up.

And, now that I have rambled on about zombies back to the important stuff. Friday is here and so is a photo. I got this one last weekend at an antique show. I just though it was a great little phot.

I think the lady, appears to be very well dressed, is visiting relatives. The two little girls, I am not so sure about. I don't know if they are childen of the house, or little girls on an adventure visiting family. I think they are both lovely little girls. In the background, can you see the lace curtains on the window, the rocking chair, the bit of a pet dog laying on the porch, or how about the man hwo appears in the doorway And, of course, there are no bits of info on the photo. Just a moment captured in time, of a charming little group.

Have fun with the picture.!

A day of remembrance and honor...

2011-08-12T02:55:00.000-07:00

Today, here in Hampton Roads there will be a day of remembrance for the 31 military men killed in the recent helicopter attack in Afghanistan. 17 of these young men were stationed here in our area.

If you can, please, take a few moments to say a prayer or send positive affirmation to the families of these men and of all of the families who have lost a son or daughter in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Back on track...Friday's freebie -

2011-08-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Um...I am thinking that little girl on the right must have been a real "cat bird" as my little old neighbor lady says. That face sort of looks like "Smile pretty?? Yeah right!" I wonder if she was a little tomboy, that is some awfully short hair for those days. Can you imagine the despair that was shed over combing those curls into a girly do, when she would rather have chopped it all off. It boggles the mind to think how they got her into an actual dress! (Of course, this is my imaginations about this photo, as there are NO bits of info on the back of this photo. How rude!!!)

Back to my little old neighbor lady. I have always loved old people. When I was younger I loved to hear their stories. Porkchop Hill, trench warfare, WW I was a reality to my grandfather and uncles. Flapper dresses and Prohibition were an active part of my grandmother's younger life. (I think she would have been the original "Miss Cat Bird". ) My neighbor, Mrs. W was married in St. Patrick's Cathedral hours before her husband was deployed for the duration of WW II. A young girl from the mountains of North Carolina, alone in the big city! At the 'peri-old lady' stage that is looming ahead for me I hope that I can be like all of the oldies that I have had the pleasure of knowing. Old enough to know that the little crap stuff of life is really not that important in the big picture.

More Mrs. W words of wit will be featured soon. (And a photo of her and her beloved Kenneth). If you have any little old lady wise/witty words from your family/friends please share them with all of us. They usually cause a great deal of laughing a smiling.

And Miss CatBird and all the little bird-ettes of her family will be back soon, with photos too!

Have a wonderful weekend!

here it is. . .

2011-07-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

Oops! Friday seems to have just gotten away from me this week.

Well, I find it very curious that two of these kids are all dressed up, and the one in the middle is ready for work. (Which, by the way, notice the beginning definition in his arms, I think work is not something he is unfamiliar with.) I wonder if this photo was taken to mark a visit with relatives for the day? As usual, no info on back of photo to give us ideas or hints. Phooey! I will never know.

That Tumbly litttle FishLady is at it again!

2011-07-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled and delighted to learn and relay to others that Marsha of TumbleFish Studios fame has been tapped to do the cover art for a magazine. Marsha's work, which is just gorgeous, her original pieces, prints and digital kits for use in your own work are simply sutnning in my opinion. I have several of her prints framed for my enjoyment, and I am gleefully happy to own an original TumbleFish portrait Marsha made for me of my daughter.

Learning today that the Tumbling little Fishlady is busily gaining recognition for her great work delights me to no end!

Congratulations Marsha, you derserve every OOOOOHHHH! and AAAAHHHH! you get!

Check out the magazine cover and the many exciting pieces featured on Marsha's blog -

http://tumblefishstudio.blogspot.com/ or click on the link in the righthand column.

OOPS!

2011-07-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

I must have had the beginning of heath stroke - that should have read 107 degrees, NOT 117. I think 117 would just about do me in!!!

FRYday's freebie -

2011-07-22T04:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I woke up this morning and it is 88 degrees. With the heat index it is supposed to be 117 today. Ummm.....that is just disgusting. (Not a big fan of hot humid muggy crappy weather.) So, I ran outside to put the hose at a slow drip on my fig tree. It looks a bit drooped. Hah. Who am I kidding. It looks like it is getting ready to give up the ghost.

Maggie poodle walked outside, looked around from the shade of the porch, looked at me, did an aboutface and went back into the AC. Thankfully, she had her poodle-suit taken off a few weeks ago. So, she is not overdressed!

So, today, Friday, or as I have renamed it FRYday, I have a adorable little girl named Patsy for the photo of the week. She is not so happy it would seem. Not even a crack or glimmer of a smile on her chubby little face. In fact, I think she is shooting dagger-eyes at the photographer. She is certainly a little character. I wonder what she grew up to be?

Since it is going to be sweltering pretty much every where in the country today, use this as an opporutnity to use smart health practices - set up your art supplies, grab that book you wanted to read, or click onto the movie you want to watch and know that you are not goofing off - you are staying out of the sun and heat! (Or, if you are like me, you are going to run to the car, turn on the AC and drive to TJ Maxx and More- it is a healthy lifestyle choice also because the store is majorly AC'ed!!

This week's freebie is . . .

2011-07-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

Every year my sister and I went to spend the summer in New Orleans with our paternal grandparents. We loved going there. We had good friends we grew up with waiting for us. When my sister and her friends were the teenage cool chicks my friend and I were still at the stage where we thought boys were something that you wiped off of your shoes before going indoors. Anyway, my sister and her friends were very interested in a group of young boys who all had brand new Honda motorscooters. The boys zoomed back and forth past my grandparents house day after day. But, this was in the days when girls did not make the first move. Enter the two kid sisters. We really did not understand why they would even want to talk to those boys, but we told them that we could make those boys stop and talk to them. The teen queens laughed at us, and told us to get lost. But, being the two goofy girls we were, my friend and I hurriedly put on our swim suits and proceeded to run around the front lawn with the water hose (New Orleans, in July, PRE-A/C days - is the definition of H - O - T!) The queens were seated upon their thrones (three metal patio chairs on the front porch) doing their best imitation of 'cool teens'. Then, off in the distance, the hum, hummmhummm, hum of the scooters began to get louder, closer. The queens, up on the porch, strived for the nonchalant, disinterested look, the two of us down on the grass began to run about frantically, hysterically, with the hose, having a blast. The scooters neared, and just as they passed the house, we turned the hose on th boys and their bikes. The queens screamed. The guys stopped their bikes and turned around to come back to do, who knows what? Because the two of us did not stick around to find out, the only evidence of us having been there was the hose gushing water flopping around in the grass.

BUT!!! The boys came and the Queens apologized for their horrible little sisters behavior. They were mortified. They were going to kill us when the got ahold of us. We were so annoying. Did the boys want to sit down and let the scooters dry off a little. And, did they want a Coke (you know, real Coke, in those little tiny green glass bottles that needed a bottle opener to get the cap off).

And, so....guess what? That begin a long friendship between those boys and girls that lasted for years. Meanwhile, the goofy ones (that would be me and my friend) really didn't see what the big deal was. The queens wanted to meet those boys. So, we arranged for that to happen. And, given that we continued to breathe air and run through the woods, and swim and build bonn-fires and walk to the sno-ball stand for many years after that, I guess the Queens had decided to stay our executions.

This is what I thought of when I saw this photo. The girls in this pic have gathered for this photo-op and those 3 boys seem to have been allowed to stay. The blonde haired boy seems to be enjoying every moment of the event. The two dark haired boys are taking a more serious attitude. (Maybe they know, that any minute one of those girls is going to notice them again and tell them to get lost? The oldest girl doesn't know if she wants to be in the photo or not, hence the downward tilt to her head. Does she really want to be in a photo with this bunch of juveniles?)

Hope the photo elicits some fond fun memories from the younger days for you!

A little guy for Friday's freebie!

2011-07-08T02:52:00.000-07:00

I got a pile of old photos recently and this little cutie was included. No name or identifying info, but I sure do think this is one darling little boy.

The BlahBlahBlah rule applies, as always.

A very sad day.....

2011-07-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today, every child in this country was told that they are nothing more than garbage to be tossed away.

Here's Friday's freebie!

2011-07-01T03:57:00.000-07:00

I saw this photo and just got a kick out of all the different characters. Several of the ladies have on some very 'unusual' outfits,and I just love the hats on all of them.

Whenever I find a group photo, I always wonder what they were doing when the photo was taken. This group leads to much speculation - were they camping? Was it a meeting of a club of some kind? Maybe a family reunion? Love the 3 little kids on the rock. Especially that knowing little smirk on the face of the one sitting on the rock.

Maybe they were having a 4th of July celebration? Which would fit right in with this coming weekend. Monday is the 4th of July. Happy Birthday to the USA!

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Blog Backup Question

2011-06-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

Does anyone have info on how to save a blog? I would like to save mine but am not sure how to go about this? Any suggestions?

Friday, freebie, finally!

2011-06-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

So many little faces to check out in this photo. I always get a kick out of group shots like this. The camera snaps and everyone gives out a tiny peek at their personality. The little one at the left end of the photo looks like she is so excited she can't sit still. The child on extreme right is intentinly looking at something. I think the child is a boy and he is really wishing he was any where but there with all those girls! the third girl on the left in the back row looks to be Miss Goody Girl. And, the bows. Those hair bows, those ringlets, banana curls (whatever you call them). Just love it!

Hope you enjoy checking out the little girlies and the poor miserable put upon boy that got stuck with them!!

Father, Dad, Daddy, Pop, Pops, Papa or Babby . . .

2011-06-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday is Father's Day! This week's theme is "Daddy and me"! Hope you like the two photos.

Happy Father's Day to my sweet Artie. You have given me a precious gift - you are the wonderful, loving father of my two children and the finest man I know. Happy Father's Dad Babby!

....sorry, a little late this week!

2011-06-11T02:13:00.000-07:00

At 10 am the temp was almost 97 degrees. Big kisses and standing ovations to the man who invented AC. I am forever in his debt. Even Maggie Poodle was happy to stand at the doorway and look out at the squirrels from the comfort of the cooled house. Instead of barking 'get out of my yard' she seemed to be snickering 'neener neener neener, sweat your little squirrle butts off out there!'

I spend the larger part of the early morning making sure that my plants were ready to brave the day ahead. Checking the water level in the fish pond and doing any ugly task (like clothes in the dryer or spraying again for the unkillable poison ivy) being finished pretty quick.

This pretty much explains why Friday's freebie has turned into Saturday's sweetie!

This little guy is adorable. He does notseem to feel too adorable though. Not sure if he did not like being plonked down in the middle of the weeds, or if his little white suit put lie to the idea that white is cooler in the sun. Al I do know is he seems less than thrilled to be having his photo taken. No identifying info on the back of photo. The only info is the photo was taken in Rio NY.

Oh no! I just had a terrible idea - what would happen if poison ivy and kudzu were crossed? Shades of one of thos old 1950's B rated monster movies (love em!) Killer Kudzu, And, now of course, I had an even worse realization. If I refer to 1950 B rated monster movies as "old", then, that must mean.....I am old.....aaaaah!!!!!

(ominous music reaches a crescendo....and fade to black.....)

- the end -

or is it?

A Dignity of Dragons, Ogburn/Ceccoli

2011-06-06T03:09:00.001-07:00

When one wakes up and learns something new the first thing in the morning, can a day be more perfect! I am a logophile. A lover of words! And, when combined with two of my other delights - children's books and art - well - just be still my heart!

In your travels to library or bookstore, or even here on the internet, check out the gorgeous-ness that is "A Dignity of Dragons" by Jacqueline K. Ogburn, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli.

A Dignity of Dragons is a 'collective of nouns for magical beasts. We are all familiar with a gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a murder of crows (a particular favorite of mine!) but what about the dragon, the yeti, the weirs or weres of different species - wolf, fox or bears. Surely the all deserve to have as colorful and descriptive a name given to their groups?

Medusa and her sisters, reptilian tressed ladies that they are, are aptly given the designation 'a tangle of gorgons' (after all, wriggling snakes must certainly be cause for some pretty messy tresses!) An 'avalanche of abominal snowmen' pretty much sums up the feeling one must get upon seeing a massive wall of white furred creatures moving towards you.

The illustrations, well, will we ever see a spray of water on an ocean's surface the same way again after viewing 'a splash of mermaids'?

The book is beautifully written and illustrated, a glossary describing each wonderful creature and it's origins in folklore is included.

If you get a chance to check out the book at your local library or bookstore, or even here online, you are in for a treat.

Could this be called a Friday Threebie?

2011-06-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

Today's photo features three children, and of course, not even a crumb of info about them. That little guy in the middle - is his sister holding him in place, those photos required the subject to remain still, motionless (and emotionless!). He just looks like he is watching the clock, waiting...waiting...waiting....to jump around and shake the wiggles out of himself!

When looking around for old photos, often I come across one that has a darling child, that is blurry. What could have been a wonderful photo is ruined by movement of the subject. (Who could sit still for 5+ minutes while a photo was processed? Not me!) The blurry photos were all kept though. Sometimes, that is the only photo they may ever have of a loved one. So blur or clear the photos were still precious.

Oh, on another note regarding old photos - I have quite a few old studio portraits of men that I have no need for, studio photos of men seem to be a popular 'filler' in lot sales of vintage photos. Anyway, if you are in need of these, drop me a line, I would be happy to send them to a good home.

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog . . .

2011-06-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, come on, you didn't really think I could make something like that up, did you? No, no. This is the title of Lisa Scottoline's book featuring some of her writings from her "Chic Lit" column for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Scottoline,well known author of 17 (and counting) mystery thrillers, is funny. My kind of funny. Someone who sees the absurdity in Life and laughs at it. And, let's face it, if you cry over the things that drive you mad, well, you eventualy have to stop crying and do something about it anyway. And, usually you will find that the problem isn't worth the mascara that now makes little raccoon rings around your eyes! (Which by the way, is not a good look, for anyone, except a racoon.)
Driving in the car while listening to the author read her book is a decadent little luxury (thankfully, one that is completely fat-free and does not have a single calorie or carb.) Of course, when you are laughing out loud while sitting at a red light, other drivers may give you a bit more space once that light changes to green. (Which, given the driving habits of people in the Tidewater area of Virginia, may not be such a bad thing.)
Whether considering what 'powers' she would possess were she to suddenly become not super woman, just "NormalWoman", or explaining why one little Corgi can suddenly command fear in 3 lovable, goofy golden retreivers and the human who adores them all - even little Cujo-corgi. A smile of knowing agreement will come across your face. Scottoline finds the bittersweet moments of relationships with daughters and mothers. Girls that change as we watch them grow up to become young women. Our own super "NormalWoman" moms become little white haired ladies who evoke a fierce feeling of protectiveness in us.
Any and all of these little essays give pause for thought, because we all have felt this way at one time or another.
Best summed up in the column titled "Betty and Veronica" Scottoline weights the pros and cons of being either Betty or Veronica (of the Archie comic series - jeez am I dating myself here!!) Given the option of being either the all American good sport nice girl perky cute Betty and the spoiled little rich girl Veronica, who is beautiful, knows it and revels in it we know we are supposed to say we would be Betty. But secretly, we all want to be Veronica - after all, who could pass up unlimited credit cards and guys who just get all ga-ga goofy when you walk into a room.
If you get a chance check out the funny in this book!

Oh Brother!!

2011-05-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

I got these two photos recently, two cute little guys with their hats and walking sticks. I thought they would make a nice little 'set' of photos for a project. The theme of brothers can bring on lots of ideas. Big brother, little bother - er- I mean, little brother! So, I got them, scanned them and sat down here to post them. And, suddenly, I realized - these two may not be brothers after all. I think it may be the same little guy, at two different times. Both were taken at Plummer's, Instantaneous Process of Children a Successful Specialty, Wheeling, West Virginia. but the ad print is different on each of them. It seems like Mr. Plummer got fancier adverts as he became more successful at his specialty! Brothers, or same boy, either way, I think they are sweet little photos. Hope you enjoy them.

Remember all of those who served our country over the years, those that have passed on and those young men and women who are now veterans and active duty this Memorial Day weekend. Have a happy extended weekend off and be SAFE!

2011-05-20T04:09:00.001-07:00

This photo came from a 'lot purchase' of 50 assorted photos - I was especially pleased with this one.

Check out the shoes on the two ladies on either side of the bench. The younger one has her shoes tied to the back, while the woman opts for the ankle tie.Posh vs. Practicality? Note the positioning of their legs also - daughter and mother,maybe? the younger one has a rose in one hand, and I think the clippers used to cut it in the other. Also, she had a lovely cross (I think it is a crucifix) on her neck. The young girl in the middle - something is saying RED HAIR to me.( I adore, love and covet red hair!!!) She appears to be 'surrounded by the two other ladies on the bench. But, to me there is a little look of 'Just wait, my time's coming..." in her smile. The gentle lady in the back seems to be a bit removed from the group - I am thinking,cousin or aunt that lives with them. Someone who is part of the family, but just a bit removed. And Boy? Well, he is just one smartly dressed little guy. Check out that little cap on his head! And his little suit as an anchor and his socks little sailboats. Something tells me this little guy is the darling of this family. The one boy amongst a gaggle of women!

The little black iron fence, the stairs, also iron, and the shadow of the trees on the house all add to the overall look of the picture.

So, why am I writing all of this? Because there is not even one little scribble on the back of this great photo to give me a clue! Therefore, I had to make up my own little history for the group.

Hope you like the photo! It is something a little different from my usual studio portrait type offerings

Bird Bee and Bloom: formspring.me

2011-05-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

2011-05-17T17:08:00.001-07:00

It's Friday! Here's Verna!

2011-05-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know, I do not like my name. But, it seems that this name is determined to find me. I have accumulated several photos of little girls who have been saddled with this name. This is the first one I got. I bought the photo on Ebay and when it arrived, I turned it over and there on the back was written Verna Pettit.

Check out the shine on her little black boots. Spiffy! Hope you can used the image in something fun!

On another, more serious note, May is Food Allergy, Celiac Disease and Asthma Awareness Month. If, like me, you have a family member with food allergies, or Latex allergies and/or asthma, you know that education and information about these conditions are an important aspect of dealing with the challenges of these conditions.

Allergies to Latex, different foods, meds and asthma are a regular part of my daugther's life. Recently, she got a new book called "Alllergic Girl", written by Sloane Miller. Miller is the titular 'allergic girl'. The book chronicles her adventures (and misadventures) dealing with allergies as a young woman in the real world. Any one who is or has dealings with allergies may find the book interesting.

Meanwhile, there is also a website newsletter about allergies that may be useful to anyone interested in the subject. Check out -

http://allergicliving.com/

If anyone would like to share their experiences dealing with these allergies or others, I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

Addicted to Rubber - Going out of Business

2011-05-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

The online shop Addicted to Rubber Stamps is going out of the online business. If you are in the market for any type of art supplies, stamps, paper, etc. you may want to check out what they have. Right now the prices are approximately 30% off.

Love the hat! Friday's freebie -

2011-05-06T03:41:00.000-07:00

I have so many wonderful photos of little girls or the amiguous little babies dressed in white, but few photos of little boys. The few I do have though, I think are especially nice. Taken in 1902, this photo is of 4 year old Dan Houck. I just adore the hat! The photo is starting to deteriorate so I wanted to get this one scanned and onto the site. The 'foxing' on it is really starting to spread. I hope that it will be not too much trouble to remove it for your work.

Sunday is Mother's Day. I hope that the day holds happy moments and/or happy memories of having/being Moms, Mommies, Mamas!

Friday's here. And, so if the freebie!

2011-04-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

I found this photo in an old junk store. I just think that she is such an interesting little thing. Her little dress seems to be a cross between something remade from an older woman's dress and a little costume. Check out that tinsel on both side of the skirt - and her jewelery too.

I did laugh when I first saw the photo, because, if you have a girl child, I can safely say you must have seen the same look on her face at one time or another. The word "WHATEVER!" comes to mind.

I haven't said it in a while, so I will today, the usual BLAHBLAHBLAH goes with the pic. Don't include the image in a collection or collage sheet that you sell. Free means free for everyone.

Have a good weekend. This weekend we have a horse show and a dog show. Hopefully, we will also have nice weather.

The Muse is not a - musing....right now....

2011-04-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

I've been in a bit of a rut lately with my work. Not really sure why. But, I am getting the urge to start working on an idea that I have been accumulating images, etc. for a while. About a year ago I made a little book, titled "No Bad Dogs", which features vintage and antique photos of children with Bully breed dogs. I really loved how it came out. And, now I am getting ready to start working on a book about standard poodles. I adore dogs and really enjoy working with vintage photos featuring them. So, if you by any chance happen to have any images of poodles with or without kids (vintage and antique) that you would like to share please let me know.

And, this is one of the delights of my life - Maggie, my standard poodle. She is an absolute clown. Here she is having a little rest with 'Joe Duck' her favorite toy.

Hoppy Easter! Hoppy Spring! Hoppy Hoppy Freebie!

2011-04-22T01:17:00.000-07:00

This dapper little guy seems to be dressed for Easter! What a cutie he is! I just adore those little knee pants. His name is Paul Lucas,not sure if Lucas is a middle name or a surname. Dated Easter 1930.I don't know where the photo was taken, as the image was glued to a scrapbook and the entire back of the photo is gone! Whatever they used for glue in the 1930's, someone should think about bringing it back because it does not wear off, even after 80 years! Aren't the houses in the background interesting?

Easter weekend is here. The flowers are starting to bloom. Azaleas and tulips and the little tiny buds on the trees! The colors of Spring are always so beautiful.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Here's the Freebie!

2011-04-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous photo of two precious children. No identifying marks or info on it. But, I sure do think they are adorable.

Enjoy!

The Computer Crashed

2011-04-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I have always heard that expression, and thought, wow, it must be something awful to have happen. Well, I am here to tell you it is not awful. It is WORSE than awful. Wave byebye to everything in your computer. Fortunately, I have a lot of it of downloaded elsewhere. But, ugh!

So, now here is the new computer. And, I have to figure out how to use it because it has lots of bells and whistles. Friday's freebie this week will be delayed a day or so while I figure out how to use this setup. (I am NOT computer savvy.)

Be back with the picture soon.

April Fool's Day - No freebie!

2011-04-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

Hahah!! April Fool! Here is the freebie for this week! Isn't she sweet? I am obviously on some kind of sweetie, sweet, sugar, glucose, diabetes type roll this week. Happily, though, new meter, better numbers and a new determination to get the numbers under control and the meds O-U-T of my house.

Anyway, I digress, on to the freebie stuff.

This photo was taken in Harrisburg PA, no date or name on the image though. So, my nosey fix will not be satisfied this week. But, I do think this little girl is just precious. I love the sweet little ribbon/bow in her hair. She looks so delicate and girly to me. Since we have no way of knowing her name, let's call her April. Hope you find a wonderful purpose for her image in your work!

Be a sweetie - take the test!

2011-03-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well, obviously, since everyone knows I threw my meter against the wall (it has been behaving perfectly since then (hahaha) I have to now toss this little brief bit of news/info your way.

The American Diabetes Association is sponsoring the STOP Diabetes Challenge -

click here to take a quick test to see if you or your loved ones are at risk for developing diabetes type 2 - and just think, you don't have to even give one little teeny drop of blood!!!

http://stopdiabetes.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SD_risk_test_english

Saturday's sweetie - Tea with Me

2011-03-26T05:22:00.001-07:00

I remember having a tea set when I was little. The little china kind, not the funky modern plastic jobbies that began to be produced in the 60's. (ooooh....I am revealing my age!!!) I loved to play 'Mama's and Daddies" (another term for "Playing house").

Today's photo is of a sweet little child with tea set and that appears to be one very nice set there. Also, I have to say, the clothes on this child just do me in. I love them. Notice those little 'spats-like' shoes. And, the chair and table. Well, just be still my heart. What a great photo.

There are no names or identifying marks on the front of the photo and sadly, the back is totally obscured because it has been glued to a piece of scrapbook paper. So, I have no info to share regarding the little kiddie!

Technical difficulties have been resolved - I threw my blood sugar meter against the wall, and now the readings are ZERO, so I feel better. Hah! (and, you thought that the technical difficulties were of the computer kind I bet!)

Hope you enjoy the Saturday Sweetie. I think she/he is just adorable.

Friday freebie -

2011-03-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

will be Saturday's sweetie this week.

Sorry for the delay. I am having technical difficulties.

V

Friday's freebie - here's Alta!

2011-03-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

This little sweetie is Alta Myrick. The photo was taken in Palmyra NY, there are no other identifying marks on the back. Wouldn't you think that a name like Alta Myrick would not be very commmon? Guess again - in my search for her 'people' online there are dozens of Alta Myricks. So, the search continues, in the meantime, you may find something fun to make using Alta as one of the features of your work.

It is supposed to be almost 80 degrees here today. So, I have several things that I need to get planted. Lemon thyme, thyme and rosemary are going in today. Also, have to plant two peonies. I love them. So do ants. But, they are so beautiful I am willing to share them with the ants!

And, best of all, I have my little godson here today. He is 4 now - and I am remembering all the fun things of little 4 year old boys. My little boy is 28 now. So it has been a long time since I got to do fun things, like look for bugs, feed the fish in our pond, watch cartoons, and all kinds of things tha I get to see again through the eyes of a little guy.

Have a great weekend.

The Blog Guidebook

2011-03-16T21:02:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to post a note about The Blog Guidebook - a wonderful blog site that features free blog listing as well as spotlights on individual blogs. I have found many fun, informative, useful blogs from the site. If you can, check out Blog Guidebook (you can click on the little bee icon down the page there). Hope you find it a useful as I have.

Mamie pretty much sums it up . . .

2011-03-11T02:04:00.000-08:00

Such a beautiful little face, but such a sad little face too.

This is Mamie Rowland, age 3 - no other info on photo. Mamie is a beautiful little girl. Her little clothes and hair, so sweet. But, wow, such a sad little face. I wonder what was going on in her head at the moment this photo was taken?

I know what has been going on in my head lately. A major creative funk has been looming there. Aside from some small projects I have not been snipping paper, gluing stuff, stamping, embossing, embellishing or any other fun things. The 'Why?' of it has been nagging at me, and stubbornly refusing to reveal itself.

While getting Mamie ready for posting and searching for a photo of my daughter on a favorite horse, many of the collages, ATCs, postcards, etc. that I have made over the years happened to pass across the monitor. And, suddenly I realized I was smiling and laughing a little bit because I remember making every one of these, and I also know that I liked them then and still do, and am proud that my name is attached to the work. Somewhere along the way I lost site of following my own heart when working on my art. I had fallen into the habit of trying to fit my work to the ideas or themes or fad of the moment. That is when my work came to a grinding halt.

So, armed with this new insight, I have finally started to work again. Work on my terms, with the sole intention of pleasing my mind's eye.

And, while I am on a major tear here, I would like to add - I have enjoyed posting in this blog over the past few years and value the friendships that I have made - Andrea, Trish, you two have been a huge support to me in my endeavors. And, Roc, you continue to inspire me to keep working and creating. Thanks go to everyone who has taken the time to add to my followers listing or stop and leave a comment.

BUT - (such a small word, with so much power) -to those who each week when stopping by to download the freebie image if you have not bothered to do more than snatch and run maybe you should stop and think about leaving a comment, posting an image of what you have used some of the photos for in your work, or just plain old say hello.

WHY? That's easy, plain and simple -

Because nice matters.

Friday's freebies - Davota's return!

2011-03-04T03:56:00.000-08:00

A while back, I posted a photo of an adorable little girl sitting on a donkey. The girl's name was Davota. A old photo album filled with pics of Davota's family yielded quite a few pics of a little girl who grew to be a long tall woman with impeccable taste in clothes. The bulk of the photos are taken in 1930. Davota, is a new bride, very much in love with her husband, Ernest. From the backgrounds of the photos they were obviously in the Washington DC area and then in the Virginia Beach area. Ernest was scheduled to ship out to sea. I have several photos of 2 young men, both in officer's uniforms. I am still trying to take the black photo album paper off the back to find out which one is Ernest. In the meantime, I have also gotten a lead on Davota's family tree and am trying to contact them so that I can send all of these great photos off to her family. Davota appears in these two photos dated 1930 Easter. Check out the car in the background. And the clothes, well, what can I say? I am a fool for the clothes from that era.

The back of one photo has an inscription - To my darling and divine husband Ernest from your loving wife, Davota. If I find out more of what happened to Davota and Ernest I will keep you posted. (Jeeezzz!!! I am in heaven. My favorite clothes and a lead on who is who in the photo. Nosey work to do!)

Friday's freebies, a little beauty and 2 for 1

2011-02-25T01:55:00.000-08:00

Babies seem to be the order of the day for this Friday's freebie.

Margaret Barrett, daughter of Ella and Raplh Barrett is quite the little beauty. I think Mom and Dad must have been quite pleased with their girl! On the back of the RPPC is a note from mom Ella, to someone named Elsie - it reads -

Dear Elsie, There will be plenty of work after the 15th and all winter. We are going to Ralph's home tomorrow. Will be back in about a week, so come as soon as you can. Do not dress up (illegible word) me. Over is Margaret. Ella

The two little cuties in this second photo just tickled me. They are obviously very happy little things. I especially like that look of delight on the child to the right's face - obviously the feelings were very much so, they appear to go all the way down to his little feet - notice the blur of the shoes (they must have been moving a little bit!) The two are Estella Paskell (left) and Richard Wilkerson (right). According the the back of the card this is an RPPC taken at Schreick Studio on N. High Street, Columbus Ohio - Over Kresge's5 and 10 cent Store.

Hope you enjoy these two photos.

Friday's little girlies!

2011-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well, here are two adorable little girls named Laverna and Augusta Stickdorn. No other identifying marks on the RPPC. The older one is looking at someone with the classic 'are you kidding me?' look kids seem to master younger and younger as time goes bye. And, baby girl there is looking like 'what the heck is that?' (she is little so she can't say hell yet). Two little cuties.

Oooh....oooh...oooh..my daylilies are all starting to pop up! Can't wait to see what they are going to look like. All of these came from a sale sponsored by the Daylily Society of Tidewater. I have decided to try one David Austen rose this year. This one is going to go in a big big pot so it can be given lots of TLC. I think I am going to go with Shakespeare 2000 because it is supposed to be very disease reisitant. Wish me luck.

WKC!!! Hickory - Scottish Deer Hound!!

2011-02-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful surprise!!! Hickory, the Scottish Deer Hound is a beauty and as the judge said, he is perfect for his breed! Oh boy! What an exciting show this year. Including the charming Best in Show judge!!! Hooray for dogs. All of them. Purebreeds, crossbreeds, mixed breeds and mutts. Love them all!

Friday's freebies - sibling names & washing and ironing

2011-02-11T01:25:00.000-08:00

Here are today's little freebies. I think their names are Florence and Laurence. But, I am not positive because I can't read the handwriting. If anyone else can, let me know your thoughts about what the names are.

Given names are a source of interest for me. Most likely because if I could I would like to 'give' mine back. (I always wanted to be named Denise. Do you have a name you would have preferred?) Maybe if we waited for a week before naming a newborn, we would be more clear headed and rethink naming a poor innocent little baby something like Mathilda Maude or Herbert Mortimer. Or maybe, after of week of no sleep with a new baby, Mathilda or Herbert would sound like perfectly lovely names. Jeez, a week with no sleep and I think the name Verna wouldn't sound quite as awful as it does!

Brother Laurence does not look too happy to have his photo taken. And, Florence's dress must be stiff with starch - that is the only explanation for its' wrinkle and crease free condition.

Starch! I remember my grandmother and my mother using starch, Niagara starch. I had some pretty nifty little girl dresses that required starch. Can you imagine ironing cotton dresses that have been dipped into starch solution? The advent of spray starch must have knocked hours off of wash/iron day. My mother used to iron on Sunday afternoons when I was very young. I remember coming home from my grandparents' house every weekend to find my mother in the kitchen with the ironing board and piles of lightly dampened clothes waiting to be ironed. I first learned the art of ironing by doing all of the handkerchiefs. (Yes, handkerchiefs. I am not sure I even knew what a Kleenex tissue was then, or if they even had such a thing.) I remember the satisfaction I felt when I was finished with my 'job'. All those little piles of beautifully folded handkerchiefs. I still have an iron and ironing board that gets used quite often. Where did all of this nostalgia for ironing and starch come from? On the news yesterday morning, all 4 of the newsreaders said they did not own an iron. Wow! I wonder what their handkerchiefs look like? (Oh, who am I kidding? No doubt they were all born after the invention of Kleenex, spray starch, wash and wear, polyester, nylong, spandex and dry cleaners!) Poor little things. They will never know the thrill of a pile of freshly ironed handkerchiefs!

Friday's freebies -

2011-02-04T02:52:00.000-08:00

It's interesting how people can look at a photo and see things so differently. When I first saw this photo of sisters, Della and Opal Newman, I thought that they were very sweet looking little children. Another person looking at the photo commented to me that the girls were 'homely looking'. Hmmmm, I don't know. I just don't see that. Well, whatever you see in them, I hope you can find a use for them in your art work.

This next photo is 'Charlie Rieslings son'. Of course, it would be nice to know what the little guy's name is. But, I guess he will just have to be know as Charlie's son. I think he is adorable. I had to laugh a little bit because when you look at his face, Charlie's son looks like he is smelling something B-A-D. This is one child who does not seem thrilled with the whole photo experience. But, he is a cutey!

The Bla Bla Bla applies, as usual.

That little rodent from Puxatawney . . .

2011-02-03T20:49:00.000-08:00

has not seen his shadow. Hopefully, we will be seeing the beginning of spring in 6 weeks. Spring brings thoughts of garden plans. In NY I had a beautiful rose garden. I love roses. But Virginia has not been so cooperative. Blackspot is the bain of my rose garden efforts here. So, I went to my next favorite flower, the day lily. Late last summer I planted a group of day lilies in various colors and types around my fish pond. I can't wait to see what they look like. I love when the little tiny green bits start popping out of the ground, and the little leaf-babies start opening up on the trees. It's such a wonderful and exciting time of the year. So, little rodent I will be watching and waiting. Remember. You promised.

BOOK REPORT - Sandy's Circus by Tanya Lee Stone

2011-01-31T13:20:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, I am absolutely ga-ga for children's story books. I especially have a liking of story books that bring the world of art in its' many guises to little ones. (This love affair started many years ago with a book called "Linnea in Monet's Garden", simply gorgeous.) Volunteering at the library gives me the opportunity to see many of the newest children's books being published. Today a whimsical book titled "Sandy's Circus" came across my desk.

Written by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Boris Kulikov, Sandy's Circus is the story of Alexander Calder. One of Calder's first creations was a whimsical moveable delight known as Sandy's Circus. Made of 'found objects and materials', paper, cork, bits of metal and string, the circus was a moveable magical wonder. The public lined up to see the circus made of bits and pieces of strings and things.

Anyone who enjoys using found objects in their art may enjoy taking a peek at the book or some of the sites that feature Alexander Calder and his work. This book is a great resource for introducing the fun children can find in making something from the junk that most grown ups (but not their moms!)usually toss in the bin!

http://www.tanyastone.com/index.php?id=41

http://www.calder.org/home

http://whitney.org/Collection/AlexanderCalder

Friday's freebie is topped off with a bow!

2011-01-28T03:29:00.001-08:00

This beautifully dressed little girl comes from the Washington DC area, there are no other identifying marks on the RPPC. I just love the little rosette garters on her stockings. The bow in her hair is like a perfect finishing touch on a lovely little outfit. Great chair also. This must have been a treasured photo to someone, because it is in perfect condition, obviously having been well cared for over the years.

This second photo is of a group of children, the only identifying notes on the back of this RPPC are 'Guess who this is' written in the note section, and 'Sarah Green' written in the address section. I always like to scan these group photos, because when they are enlarged there are usually some interesting little details that are missed in the smaller image of the original. I am kind of wondering if that little girl in the back row, to the left, borrowed that bow from our little girl above!!

Hope you enjoy these. And, as always, the Bla Bla Bla rules apply.

A beautiful gift from -

2011-01-23T06:17:00.000-08:00

Andrea, of Art Legacy arrived for me! I just love it. The birds, the bees, the blooms, love it B-I-G !!! Thank you Andrea for thinking of me!

Visit Andrea's blog, Art Legacy, link at right, to see some of her beautiful work, and leave a comment to encourage her strongly, to open an Etsy shop because her art is just gorgeous!

Friday's freebie - The Boys

2011-01-20T19:30:00.000-08:00

Little girls in those gorgeous white dresses and big hair bows, tiny babies in magnificent white baptism gowns and little boys dressed in white are such favorites of mine. I always wonder how those babies and those little boys stayed so clean, or at least stayed clean long enough to pose for a photo! But! There is another kind of photo that I really enjoy too - it is little boys in overalls. Just regular little kids stopping long enough to take a photo.

I especially like this photo because I adore the haircut on the older boy! (And, check out that ornamentation on the chair. It looks like a lion or dragon sitting on the corner of the chairback. I haven't seen one like this before.)

Anyway, hope you enjoy this photo. Nothing written on the back, so I don't know who these two darling boys are.

Friday's freebie, a Purdy little girl -

2011-01-14T03:09:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of a little girl, last name Purdy. No other bits of info, except that. She is a lovely little thing. Her chair looks almost like a little throne. She would make a beautiful little princess. Enjoy and remember the Bla Bla Bla rulls apply.

Somerset Studio magazines -

2011-01-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, so, as I mentioned in an earlier post - I did NOT get the flame thrower for Christmas. So, here I am, week 2 of January and in need of a decision about the massive accumulation of stuff that I have gathered over the past few years. There are items that I am tossing away, with only small whimpers (usually drowned out by my husband's shrieks of joy) but there are some things that I will not toss out. So, to that my darling husband I say 'plllllbbbbb' (apply raspberry sound here). I am hoping to find new homes for some of them.

I have, literally, years and years of Somerset Studio magazines of various types. Some of them are rather old, BUT, all of them are in PERFECT, pristine condition. There are no missing pages, or marks of any kind on any of the pages. Is anyone interested in trading for one, two, 10 or all of them? If so, you can leave me a note here in the comments section, or you can email at birdbeeandbloom@yahoo.com.

I am interested in swapping magazines for ATCs, postcards, either art or vintage, old photos,collage sheets, etc. Or if by any chance anyone has old PERFECT copies of Mary Englebreit's Home Companion magaine, I would trade for that also.

Oh, I think I hear 'him' kind of whimpering something about 'not in, out, out, not in....'

Prayes and positive energy -

2011-01-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

Please say a pray or consciously send positive energy and wishes to all of the victims of the shooting yesterday in Arizona.

It's Friday Freebie Time!

2011-01-06T18:29:00.001-08:00

(okay, I know that it is still Thursday night, but I am posting now so that I can make sure the photo is posted. because tomorrow I am going to pretend to do laundry. I asked for a flame thrower for Christmas, but did not get it. I really don't know why, because this is the only solution I can come up with to get rid of the tons of laundry I have to do. Honestly, it would be so much easier to sweep up a bunch of ashes from the laundry area than to deal with those clothes!)

Anyway, this week's little freebie is of a darling little girl, beautifully dressed including some nifty spiffy little spat-like boots! And, I love her hairband and hair cut. That is one of my favorite haircuts! This is an RPPC with no identifying info on the back. So, my nosey-fix has not been quenched for the week! She certainly is adorable though.

Mail call -

2011-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quick little note to tell Outstanding Stranger, Roc, Peppapig and Andrea that your packages have been mailed out today. Hope you like them!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T03:00:00.001-08:00

New Year equals resolutions - a basic, well known equation.

Resolutions tend to go out the window around the same time the foresty fresh scent has left the building along with the needle-less tree. You will be stepping on those little snarky dried up needles for weeks, months to come - every time you grab your foot and hop around you'll have a quick little jab of guilt about those forgotten resolutions.

This year my resolution is simple - No more resolutions. Instead, I will try to look at my failure to comply in a more positive light.

No more feeling guilty for not exercising more or not keeping my house in perfect order. I will view the hopping around with the dried up needle in my foot as my exercise for the day. Also as having done the vacuuming for the day - and BONUS! Doing the vacuuming without benefit of electricity thereby also saving energy. It could almost be called The Trifecta of Resolution Resolution!!!

Jeez! I feel kind of giddy, tingly even. 6 and 1/2 hours into the brand new year and I already have this whole resolution thing under control.....oh, wait, that tingly feeling is the hole in my foot where the pine needle jabbed me. Well, I guess I better go find a band aid, that is, if I can remember where I put them . . .

Just a reminder -

2010-12-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

The following prize winners have not yet contacted me with mailing addresses. You can do so at birdbeeandbloom@yahoo.com

Trisha of French Kissed
Outstanding Stranger
Houdini
Marsha of Tumble Fish Studios
Cristy Cortez
Vintage Susie

Please drop me a note with the info so I can mail out the envelopes.

my Christmas wish for all of you -

2010-12-25T04:44:00.000-08:00

is that you may experience the joy and wonder of the Christmas holidays with the same awe and delight I did as a little girl meeting Santa Claus!

and the last gift goes to.....

2010-12-25T04:33:00.001-08:00

Marsha at Tumblefish Studios!

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 191
Result:
82
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Marsha, please send me your address via birdbeeandbloom@yahoo.com so that I can mail off your Danita!

Thank you everyone for participating in the LollaPalooza One! I had fun putting the event together, as a way to show my appreciation for all of you who follow my blog and drop little notes of encouragements and comments!

Next week, Friday Freebies will begin again.

2010-12-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

As Christmas Eve begins, my wonderful LollaPalooza comes to an end!

2010-12-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

This is a 5"x10" high quality print of one of my original collages on 8.5 x 11 Epson matte paper. It is signed and titled by Danita, the Folk Artist.

This will be the last drawing of the 2010 LollaPalooza!

A signed print of Danita's beautiful work - I love Danita's art and am so pleased to be able to have this lovely print as the final prize in a totally fun filled month of wonderful gifts.

Check out Danita's Etsy shop, blog and other sites at the following links -

Original Art Prints Jewelry Dolls by Danita Art by danitashop
blog: http://www.danitaart.com
on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/danitaart

I will post the winner tomorrow AM after Santa has left this building!

It was Houdini who done it!

2010-12-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Houdini won the little minimaggiemoos!

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 191
Result:
101
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

They are quite adorable and I hope you enjoy them Houdini-girl!

Contact me at birdbeeandbloom@yahoo.com with an address to mail them to!

Lolla and Palooza are getting a bit tired....

2010-12-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

so this drawing is for something a little - well - a little little! In fact, they are mini - little mini moo magnets by Tammy of TammyStudio on Etsy. I just got the biggest kick out of these little mini-maggi-moos! I liked them so much, I put them on some of the packages I wrapped for Christmas this year! The little magnet set being featured today contains 4 little beauties to enjoy and use as you please.

Check out Tammy's shop - it is great fun!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TammysStudio?ref=pr_shop_more

I will post the winner tomorrow AM. Christmas Eve!!! It has gone so quickly! I can't believe it. Tomorrow's prize will be posted later today so you can get a little peek at the final package in Lolla and Palooza's pile of goodies!

Tah dah! And, the winners are -

2010-12-22T14:43:00.003-08:00

The winners of the Anne Cresci illustrated postcards are:

Little Spiderweb Fairy -

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 191
Result:
13
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Outstanding Stranger

Fox Girl

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 191
Result:
123
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Roc

These are really quite lovely and I think you will enjoy them.

Tomorrow I have the second to last prize and it is a beauty. Friday, Christmas Eve, will be the final drawing for the signed Danita print.

Tah dah! And, the winners are -

2010-12-22T14:43:00.001-08:00

Lolla and Palooza present Anne Cresci of Matilou

2010-12-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Anne Cresci is an illustrator from Lyon, France. She has a blog here on blogspot -

http://annecresci.blogspot.com/

and an etsy shop named Matilou -

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

Anne's work is just lovely! Today's prizes will be 5x7 prints on high quality paper of 2 of her beautiful little fairy people.

There will be two winners for this round.
Prize 1 - is the little butterfly caught in the spiderweb
Prize 2 - is the little fox girl

I will draw the numbers tomorrow morning and post the winners names. Please contact me with your mailing address so I can get these out to you.

So, little Miss PeppaPig, how does

2010-12-21T05:55:00.000-08:00

the world look upside down???

True Random Number Generator

Min:001
Max:191
Result: 50
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

The Random Number generator chose number 50 - PeppaPig!

Please send me your address so that I can mail out your little card!

Congratulations!

The countdown to Christmas begins -

2010-12-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

One thing, of many, I love about the internet is that we are able to visit the blogs and shops of artists from all over the country and world. And, we can do it without having to leave the cushy comfort of our own homes. While putting together the gifts for this LollaPalooza I had the best time visitng shops and blogs. When I happened upon the Etsy shop DUDADAZE. And, I was just tickled by the whimsical feeling of the work I found! You can viist the shop also - the link to the shop is http://www.etsy.com/people/DUDADAZE?ref=ls_profile

Our next drawing is for an adorable ACEO titled 'She Believed the World Looked Better Upside Down'. This limiited edition card, number 65 in a set of 100 is signed and numbered on the back.

I will post the winner tomorrow morning!

Mega drum roll please!!!!

2010-12-19T03:51:00.000-08:00

Pah rum pum pum pum!!!! (that would be a Holiday Season drumroll!)

The first random number drawing is for the 5/7 print of 'My Attitude Don't Need No Adjusting!' by artist Anitra of Cute Art World! And the winner is -

True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
41
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Trisha of French Kissed!

Pum pum pum, pum pum pum (drumroll continues) -

Up next is the signed limited edition ACEO of 'Mama you are an angel' - pum pum pum -True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
170
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Cristy Cortez!

Rum pum pum pum....

Baby Bird Guardian multi size pack - will be going home to -
True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
37
Powered by RANDOM.ORG
Andrea!

and finally - pum pum pum pum pummmmmmmmmmmmm!

Mama you are an angel multi size pack goes to -
True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
126
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Vintage Susie!!!

Many thanks go to Anitra for this wonderful gift opportunity!

Will all of my winners contact me at birdbeeandbloom@yahoo.com with your address info so that I can mail off your beautiful prizes!

Time for an Anitra-Palooza!

2010-12-16T05:06:00.000-08:00

Anitra of Cute Art World kindly included several bonus items to the package that came with my original order. These wonderful little pieces of art are being featured in the next drawing. There will be 4 winners in this event -

1. 5x7 print of My Attitude don't need adjusting!
2. signed and numbered ACEO of 'Mom you are an angel'
3. multi size mini prints pack - 'Baby Bird Guardian'
4. multi size mini prints pack - 'Mom you are an angel'

The drawing numbers will be posted on Sunday, December 19 -

Tumbling along to TumbleFish Studios -

2010-12-15T05:02:00.000-08:00

Tumbling along on a trip to TumbleFish Studios will be great fun for

True Random Number Generator

Min:1
Max:186
Result:
120
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Kathy Bruner

Kathy you are going to go fishy flipping gaga wild at Marsha's shop!! I will contact you with details after I finish posting this note!!

Congrats!

One picture is worth a thousand words....

2010-12-13T03:42:00.000-08:00

or, in this case, $10 towards some absolutely gorgeous stuff!

Marsha, of TumbleFish Studios fame, has donated a gift certificate to her shop for the LollaPalooza here at Bird Bee and Bloom! I am thrilled to be able to have the gift certificate as a part of the celebration. I adore her work, as my walls will attest to! If you visit Marsha's blog or Etsy shop, be prepared to be awed, inspired and just down right delighted.

Tumble Fish Studio (if the link does not work, you can click on the link under my favorites)

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

The drawing for TumbleFish Studio's certificate will be held on Wedensday, December 15. I will post the winning number here. In the meantime you can go visit and drool at Miss Fish's sites - remember there are no calories in eye-candy!!!

The Class of '29 is going on a trip!

2010-12-12T02:12:00.000-08:00

All the pretty little faces are going to live on the Isle of Mann! PurpleCat, aka Karen Tomlinson is the winner of The Class of '29.

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 40 Powered by RANDOM.ORG
#40 - PurpleCat

Karen, please send me your new address, because I seem to recall you have moved to a new home in the past year.

Congrats!

Contact info for winners -

2010-12-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

The Class of '29 joins the LollaPalooza!

2010-12-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

This gift-away is for a print of 'The Class of '29'. I have a weakness for prints that feature many small subjects that form a larger idea, and I adore any thing that is in the Art Deco stlye. (Champagne and diamond bracelts, speakeasys and men in doublebreasted pinstrip suits and fedoras and ladies in little flapper dresses! Oh boy! And, those shoes and the jewelry - did I mention the diamond bracelets??? That is a dream for me!) And, that china-doll hair cut which I sported for several years in my 20's (with great success - I did mention the diamond bracelets, right?) Well, this little print created by Samantha Battersby of Matouenpeluche just tickled me! I just love it. I have it framed and hanging in my house and get to look at it and enjoy it every day. So, I picked this as one of the prizes because I think it is just about perfect!

You can check out Sam's Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/matouenpeluche

And, her blog is at http://matouenpeluche.typepad.com/matouenpeluche/

The random number drawing will take place on Sunday morning, December 12th. I will post the winners name then.

In the meantime go take a little trip to Sam's sites, you are going to have such fun!