LEAP YEAR IS HERE! LADIES START YOUR PROPOSALS...

If any of you have your eye on a fine fellow you would like to marry, this is the traditional day when it is acceptable for you to propose marriage to him. Otherwise, if you are a conservative kind of gal, then you'll have to wait another four years for this opportunity to come around again.
I found this cute little leap year postcard when I was out foraging for valentines last month at the flea market and I couldn't resist sharing it with you. Enjoy your leap year possibilities.....

FEEL THE LOVE!

Today my friend Sherry over at Espirit d'Art bestowed me with this "You Make My Day" award. And get this, she's giving it to me for the nice things I said about her in yesterday's post. Well, Sherry, you totally deserve to take credit for all the wonderful thoughtful RAK's you serve up out here in blogland to me and many, many others and today this award is a boomerang and I send it right back at ya! Thanks for making my day and for all the kindnesses you perform every day. They do not go unnoticed.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED FOR A MEME!

Last week Sherry of Espirit d'Art tagged me for a MEME to answer some questions about myself. First, I have to tell you that I can't say enough nice things about Sherry. I had barely settled into my new space in blogland when Sherry found me and offered me her friendship. She is a one woman welcome wagon and I am sure lots of others in blogland feel the same way. She is totally sincere in her desire to be of help to the rest of us. I say thank you, very much, Sherry. Your friendship is greatly appreciated by me. Hope these answers in some way help you to know me better.

Now, here are your questions and my answers:

Four Movies I Would Watch Over and Over
Big
Tin Cup
The Wizard of Oz
Blazing Saddles

Four Places I Have Lived
I am Kentucky born and bred

Four TV Shows I Watch
Medium
The Closer
The Big Bang Theory
The Office (Really, I debated here whether my answer should be "The Flavor of Love"- who
doesn't love Flav O' Flav, but that is a really dark secret about me)

Four Places I Have Been
I would have to list states here and it would just be sad. Lets just say I am well-traveled in
the Mid-West and parts of the South

Four People Who E-Mail Me
I don’t get many emails – you know who you are.

Four Favourite Things To Eat
salsa and chips
Chicken
Chickpeas
Chocolate!

Four Places I'd Rather Be
I do my traveling in my mind

Four People I'd Love To Have Lunch With
My mom (she's deceased)
Ralph Nader (there’s a few questions I like to ask…)
Oscar Wilde
Bette Midler

Four Things I Look Forward To This Year
snow!
Holidays
Art
Maybe teaching an arty class

I'm supposed to tag 4 more people, but I'm so very new I don't know if that should apply to me. I'll mull it over and get back to you.

MORE INSPIRATION!

Here are some additional images from http://stlouistimeportal.com The harp is actually the offical symbol of Ireland, not the sharmrock. The shamrock is thought to bring good luck. Notice how both images are cleverly included the above three postcards.

SOME INSPIRATION FOR YOUR ST. PADDY'S DAY TAGS

I know a lot of you are working on your tags this weekend. I found a great site to download free antique postcards: http://www.stlouistimeportal.com/ These are just a little of the eye candy available at their site.

LEAN CLOSER TO YOUR MONITORS AND LISTEN CLOSELY: THERE'S A FREE GIVE AWAY YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT!

While it might be wiser in my own self interest to keep this information to myself, I have decided to share. My internet friend Shari is having her first give away over at Plays With Paper . Get on over there and put your name in the proverbial hat to win her gorgeous soldered pendant with the caption: "I shop vintage." Good luck to each of you!

DON'T FORGET THE BIRDS ATC

This is an atc I made for a swap at a yahoo group. The sky is textured with globs of white tissue paper and the "snow" is white cotton batting with big coarse clear glitter. I've added the glitter to parts of the tree trunk to increase the snowy effect. The tree and the birds are rubber stamps I cut out. The birds are attached to the tree limb with a pop dot.

SIGN-UPS FOR THE ST. PATRICK'S DAY TAG BOOK SWAP ARE NOW CLOSED!

We have 19 players who have signed up for the swap (including me). I am going to play in both groups so that will give us 2 perfect groups of 10 each. You will get more specific instructions by email. Please let me know if you do not get that email. Now go have fun and get those tags done! Thanks for playing! Cheers, Trish

Beaded Button Beauties

These little beaded button beauties have been making their way around the internet. I made these two for a swap on yahoo. The lady in the pink hat I made from an old vintage photo. I colored the hat with metallic rub-ons and made the "butterfly" from a pansy rubber stamp I cut apart to make the top and bottom. The angel I made from a copyright free dover angel head, embellished by a gold halo made from a deconstructed earring. (I bought a whole bag of these earrings in various metal colors from the dollar store - I knew they would come in handy!) I cut the butterfly from an old vintage book page and embellished the butterfly with Ranger Distress Ink (worn lipstick) pink flower velvet ribbon, print rickrack, and pink stickles. Both are backed with heavy cardstock and have ribbon hangers for easy display. The button tails are made from heavy wire and vintage beads. If you click on the photo you can see an enlarged image.

Caution: You may not be able to make just one.

AND THE WINNERS OF THE SHAMROCK GIVEAWAY ARE....

The Luck of the Irish has smiled on:

1. Darly of Daisy's Little Cottage

2. Marilyn of Summer Gypsy

CONGRATULATIONS!

Please send me an email with your snail mail addresses and

I'll get your shamrocks in the mail to you.

FREE SHAMROCK! SIGN UP HERE FOR GIVEAWAY!

In honor of the upcoming holiday and our St. Paddy's Tag Book Swap I am giving away a lovely Beistle honeycomb shamrock to the first two winners. The actual shamrock measures 11" X 13". I thought they were vintage (they look it) but my assistant, who has much younger eyes than I, pointed out that they have a date on the package of 1981. Still, it would be useful for your holiday decorating. Anybody can signup to win one of the shamrocks, but you must leave me a way on this post to contact you in case you win. If you leave me a comment on this post and you also a member of the swap, I'll put your name in the hat twice. If you post the tag swap banner and my blog address (THE TATTERED ROSE at http://mydistressingjourney.blogspot.com on your website, and leave me a comment here that you have done so, I'll enter your name again. Drawing on Monday, February 18 at midnight (EST). May the luck of the Irish be with you!

TODAY I BOUGHT BACK A LITTLE BIT OF MY CHILDHOOD FOR $1.00

I have had a troubling stressful week. Monday there was sleet and snow and ice and Tuesday had involved calling a locksmith when I locked my keys, coat, purse, etc in the car while I was trying to work on the effects of the above weather. Having had enough of being blue and unhappy, I decided that it was time for a little retail therapy. And when I buy myself a little piece of happiness, I don't head to the nearest mall or retail outlet - I head to an antique store, a flea market, or a thrift shop. Today I happened to be near one of my favorite little antique stores so I rushed in to see if anyone was selling any great vintage Valentines (sadly they were not). Suddenly, on a little table I spotted the empty Brach's Valentine Hearts box pictured above. Although I could not have conjured up the box in my mind the second before I spotted it, I immediately recognized the little sixties graphics as a box from my childhood and my heart began literally to beat a little faster. I think I got one of these boxes every year during my childhood filled with little pink, orange, green, yellow, white and lavender conversation hearts. The pink, of course, were always my favorite. My girlfriends and I savored the little sayings as though they were the prophesy of a famous soothsayer. We pondered our future, our fortunes and our loves, past, present and future. I turned over the box and it had a price tag reading $1. Today, for Valentine's Day, the universe sold me back a little moment in time for love and affection and the nominal fee of $1. I say Thank You! and Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

NEW ST. PATRICK'S DAY TAG SWAP BANNER!

My friend Shari over at Staffordshire Garden Designs made me this great swap banner that you can post on your own blogs! Thank you so much Shari. It was so considerate of you to do this for me!

Be sure and check out Shari's website and her great new broken china jewelry at http://staffordshiregarden.com/

And please think about joining us for the St. Patrick's Day Tag Swap. Since time is so short to St. Paddy's Day no one will have to make more than 10 shipping tags. Details are below and you can sign up by leaving a post here with a way to contact you or emailing me at thetatteredrose2006@yahoo.com.

EVERYBODY'S IRISH ON ST. PADDY'S DAY! PLEASE JOIN MY TAG BOOK SWAP!

Would you like to have some extra fun this St. Patrick's Day? Please join our St. Patrick's Day Tag Book Swap by leaving your name here and a way to contact you. The rules are simple:
1. Transform some #3 shipping tags (2-3/8" X 4-3/4") , front and back, with your favorite Irish images, colors, and/or sayings/sentiments/blessings. Any medium is welcome. I'm a vintage girl myself, but some of the group are new to swapping and we would like to see as many different techniques and mediums as you'd like to use! The number of tags you make will depend on the number who sign up for the swap, but I promise no more than 10 in any one group. You can use as many embellishments as you like, but please be sure to leave the hole at the top of the tag so that I can use it to tie the book together.
2. Mail the tags to me by March 1st and I'll make a booklet of one tag from each person in your group and mail them back to you in time to display them for your St. Paddy's Day fun.
3. Sound like your kind of Irish fun! Then leave me notice on this post or send me an email at the address above. We would love to have you!

I'M IRISH AND I'M PROUD! ANNOUNCING ST. PATRICK'S DAY TAG SWAP! SIGN UP HERE!

The Valentine Tag Book Swap was so much fun, I've decided to do one for St. Patrick's Day as well. If you want to play, please sign up here and leave me a way to contact you (email).You do not have to have a blog to play.

Here's the rules:
1. Use #3 shipping tags - 2-3/8" X 4-3/4". Cover them front and back with the mediums of your choice with St. Patrick's Day images and/or sentiments. You will be notified of how many tags to make after sign ups close, but no one will have to make more than 10. I have no idea if others will want to play, but some new creative spirits would be nice and appreciated.

2. Mail your tags to me by March 1 and I will make a booklet from everyone's tags by respective groups. You will also need to mail me a self-addressed stamped padded envelope when you send your tags.

3. I will then mail you a booklet of tags from your group you can enjoy for the holiday!

4. Have fun!

VALENTINE TAG SWAP RESULTS!

Back last month I was not looking forward to Valentine's Day. No sweetie to call my own and no celebrations in sight for the dreaded holiday. Then I had this idea for a Valentine Tag Book Swap among some of my friends at home and on the internet. My favorite comment was from my friend Marianne when I sent her my pitch for the swap by email. I apparently oversold the concept about how this swap would guarantee a fun Valentines Day because came her simple reply: "Will they be tall, dark and handsome, these valentine tags?" I sent back the message, "No, but they are the best I'm going to do this year! Are you in?" Came her reply: "I'm in!"

Some of the participants are veteran crafters/artists and some are relatively new and some were coached in by yours truly - most, maybe all of us, veteran and newbies alike, expressed the sentiment about whether or not our tags were "good" enough. I love them all - each and every one. They are all fabulous and I hope all who participated in the swap and all who may view them here will get as much enjoyment from them as I have gotten collecting them and making them into booklets to mail out and/or distribute. I am still waiting on one set of tags (and I apoligize to Dee that I don't have pics of hers here, but they are somewhere in the USPS hands), but I don't have a digital camera and my friends Pat and Nancy were kind enough to come over yesterday and help me take pics of the ones that have arrived safely. When I have all the tags, I will make a booklet so that each player will get a tag from each person. I just wanted to give you all a chance to see the pics before I mail them.

Tags (front and back) from Nancy, Sharon, and Sherry.

Tags (front and back) from Janet, Trish (me), and Pat.

Marianne's tags are made of felt and some bling and every one is a little difference. Here's a sampling. Here are a couple of Shari's tags and some shrink plastic charms I made for the booklets.

VINTAGE HEART SWAP PICS!

Just take a look at the great Valentine Box made for me by my swap partner Tricia over at http://www.vintagebliss.typepad.com Each side has a decorated vintage valentine with embellishments added to it. It was a very thoughtful gift and will be a keepsake for me to use every year and a great storage box for all my heart things. I was so lucky to get Tricia as my swap partner and I just love the box and all the many, many things she packed inside it. If any one out there is considering joining in a swap like this one, I heartily recommend it. It's a great way to give and to receive and make some new friends in the process. Thank you Tricia and our swap hostess over at From my Cherry Heart for making this a happier Valentine's for me.

Notice the vintage envelope holder with red roses that's enscribed: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year - Emerson." And the Vellum Grab Bag envelope and the Grow Your Own Valentine little red pot (sadly, I discovered it does not grow a man to be your valentine, but little mini roses) and the sheer pink bag of red resin hearts. All so very lovely! Notice the tiny little gummed evidence tag edged in red. Too precious! And the little vellum envelopes as packaging. Lovely and useful, too.

Vintage Heart Swap!

I participated in a swap sponsored by http://www.frommycherryheart.blogspot.com The rules were get a container and fill it with things that are either shaped like hearts or have hearts on them and there had to be at least one vintage item. I was having some camera difficulties so I sent my things out without getting any pics of them. If you want to see what I sent my partner, you can see her pics at http://www.vintagebliss.typepad.com I made her a vintage red valentine collage purse and sent her a selection of some other goodies. But wait to you see what she sent me..... I'll have some pics up soon. I really had a great time in this swap, both giving and receiving. Much thanks to my swap partner and our hostess for making this a great swap.

ANOTHER HANDBAG!

I bought this photograph in an antique store. It wasn't until I enlarged it that I noticed that there were lots of other girls in uniform on the lawn in front of the castle. I'm guessing that it was graduation day from some academy. If you click on the picture, it will enlarge so that you can see what I'm talking about.

The little blue plastic airplane on the purse is a game piece from an old game. I cut out the phrase "I wish you Godspeed" from an old novel.

DAY SEVEN!

DAY SIX!

DAY FIVE!

DAY FOUR!

DAY THREE!

DAY TWO!

O.K! So I said just paper and glue and that is a little Golden red fluid acrylic (paint) I added, but its my challenge and it"s just for fun so there are no collage police (usually).

ECONOMICAL ART!

Last year I participated in a Seven Days/One Magazine Collage Challenge. Here's how it works:

1. Pick one magazine, any magazine. It can even be a free flyer from your local store. (I used Lucky magazine)

2. Pick a paper - any paper - I used cardstock, but you can easily use notebook paper.

3. Every day for one week make a collage by cutting out pictures from that same magazine and gluing them down on your paper with the glue of your choice (a glue stick is the easiest, but you can easily use any glue compatible with paper).

4. No mess, no fuss. Just a way to develop your skills. Try it! I think you will surprised with what you come up with. And if you tire before the 7 days are up...who's to know. Its just a little fun with glue and paper.

My own day 1 from last year is above.

SCRAP CROW ROUND ROBIN BEGINS!

I belong to a few Yahoo! groups and one of them is doing a scrap crow round robin. Each month I get someone else's crow to embellish and mine keeps flying around until all members of the group have added one detail to each person's crow. I posted my crow today. There she is to the right, Odeana Raven. I made her from a scrap of muslin I painted with black textile paint and embellished her with a scrap of gathered black lace torn from an old dressing gown cap and a silver heart locket with a pink sticker added to the middle of the heart. I sent her along with a letter of introduction to her first "sponser" in her little brown leather portfolio (a leather business card holder purchased from the 75% off table at Barnes & Noble) and a little travel journel which I embellished with a stamped owl. "Dear Sponser, ...Odeana is famous for her big heart...and her frilly feminine side." I was very proud that I was able to make her because I don't really sew, but I figured that since I was getting her back, no one could really complain if my workmanship wasn't up to snuff. I wish her well in her travels and I may have an update here from time to time about her adventures on her 9 month trip. Godspeed, Odeana! and may you return with many stories for your brothers, Hugninn and Muninn.