Plush Possum Studio

Chocolate Cherry Bonbon Valentine Heart Set + Matching Background

2012-01-17T13:49:00.001-07:00

At last!
Our series of chocolate heart sets for your visual sweet tooth continues this afternoon with our second set, this time all about chocolates with cherry filling. It's basically the same set as our first one, but with a few changes, including colorway. The marble is from an antique book cover of the Victorian era.
You can expect to see another one upcoming, in a slightly creamier style.
I'm especially fond of this particular set, as it was inspired by a possum affiliate from the Great Plains, who has a real passion for cherries and chocolate.
:)
We hope she won't find herself having too big a craving for her favorite chocolate cherry cordials after seeing this post.
Anyway, here it is, with matching marble diamond background for your use.
For the first in this series, you can go HERE.
Happy Chocolate Creativity!
Rose

Cherry Bonbon Chocolate Heart Set

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Cherry Bonbon Marble Background

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Digital Brush Credit: Obsidian Dawn

Serious Tech Issue

2012-01-10T19:45:00.005-07:00

Dear Friends:
Our apologies for not visiting you all with comments, etc., as well as for seldom answering your emails.
Here's what's wrong.
We are currently experiencing a heavier-than-usual tech issue which escalated over the weekend, and then redoubled yesterday.
The Studio's work horse computer is a Mac which has been invaded by a developing virus which has crashed it too many times to count.
Tomorrow afternoon, we'll hopefully have everything under control again.
This will require serious overhauling, including some uninstalling and fresh installation of software after scanning for virus activity.
We are unusually careful anymore, having discovered how Macs may indeed be invaded, even if firewalls are turned on. We have added extra security over time, and routinely perform multiple scans of the HD and EXHD, yet somehow this got in under our guard before we were quite prepared to handle it.
The computer I'm currently driving is an old laptop which miraculously (after much coaxing and a certain amount of fuss) finally would allow protective downloads at Microsoft. But we are concerned this may not have been enough, and thus won't be online for much longer than needful.
Whatever struck the Mac is still at large.
We want to urge any Mac users to please be extra careful with their machines today.
It is a well known fact in the tech industry that Macs are not impervious to viral problems like this one. In fact, even Apple tech folks can tell you it's doable for anyone bothering who might be aware enough of Mac technology.
There are currently free downloads available (our first one was Sophos, now at Apple's website), along with industry software available which can scan Macs and even isolate and get rid of spybots, etc.
Please do not think you are exempt.
That just isn't the case anymore, as our situation illustrates.
Tomorrow's appointment with an Apple Care Tech should help us clean up our workhorse and make it run properly again.
Wish us luck!
We'll surely keep you posted as to any upshot.
Till then, we hope you'll coninue to enjoy our many image sets and singles, and perhaps share with others what you've found that pleases you.
Thank You for visiting us today with your---
Happy Creativity
Rose

A Chance to Own Some Special Artwork

2012-01-09T11:46:00.001-07:00

I have been very fortunate in my time blogging.
In only 3 days, PPS will have been up and running for one whole year, and during that time, we've met many new people, become friends with a lot of you, and gotten to know personally a few fellow bloggers as well.
It's been a long haul since the old days, when hardly anything was doable for those of us then involved here at the Studio. While our ranks did change up over the summer, and new friends did join our fun, those changes seem to have only made the commitment to excellence continue.
We are learning nearly every day how to better serve you, including how to make our images more workable for the average visitor here.
One of the many benefits of blogging would have to be the wonderful gifts and/or prizes others offer. Over at Artfully Musing, for example, lovely works of art get offered fairly frequently, all of them really quite exceptional.
I am now the lucky holder of one of the prizes from last month, which Artfully Musing's Laura Carson carefully posted to the Studio's office, and which arrived in perfect condition.
Isn't it a thing of beauty?

I think it's gorgeous!

This will be a part of the decorative touches in the office next Christmas.

Thank You, Laura, for sharing such beauty with this ardent admirer of your work! I take such pleasure in visiting your blog for each new post. Your work truly inspires me.

Rose

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Set for Valentines Day

2012-01-08T18:25:00.001-07:00

Our series of various Valentine looks and color choices for you continues with today's post, all about chocolates. With Valentine's Day ahead in just a little over a month, you can expect to find at least a few more offerings at PPS in the coming weeks, all free for use.
This time, we've thrown in a marble background with coordinating colorway for you, along with our fresh set, all of it so you can play with chocolate without needing to diet afterwards.
;)
We hope you'll enjoy our latest choice in colorways for you, and have fun building different valentine looks with our variety of choices upcoming.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

P.S. You may find there is more than one heart in our last post which fits our current post's colorway.

PPSDigiScrap™ Set: Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Hearts

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Raspberry Truffle Marble Background

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Digital Brush Credit: Obsidian Dawn

Fun With Hearts for Valentine's Day

2012-01-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

A head start on our next holiday might be our two heart frames, along the set offered below. What started as a playful idea ended up as today's post, which took some time in the assembly, but was fun to do.
As usual, we offer each page two ways: in Digi PNG format and in our standard JPG For Print format. Just click on your appropriate choice as listed.
We hope you and/or your children will have hours of fun creating with our set and frames. Hopefully, we'll soon be ready to offer a collage background or three for your use here in matching colorways to go along with them.
Judging by today's tech issue, tho', that might take all weekend to complete--or into next week. You can be sure we'll post it here as soon as it's ready for you. ;)
Happy Valentine's Day Creativity!
Rose

Heart Frame

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Valentine Fun Set

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Rectangular Heart Cluster Frame

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG For Print Version HERE

More New Year's Fun!

2012-01-01T14:47:00.001-07:00

We have only recently been able to add to the scene at our sister blog, Steam Tea Travels, where you can find lots of ephemera sets and images free for download. We've put our own special spin on our last two posts, in which you'll find links to the collage set we've sampled below.
Happy Travels!
Rose & Rhissanna

(Featured below in Display Size)

For your choice of either Digi or For Print sizes of the above

set (and a lot more to choose from!), please follow the links posted HERE.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

From all of us here in the Studio, wishing all of you a boundlessly blissful and peaceful 2012 with health and good cheer from beginning to end.
Today's offering comes two ways, one with our greeting, and the other with room for your own greetings and good wishes.
Rose & Co.

Victorian Lady Dressed as Fairy

With Our Greeting

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Without Greeting

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Family Fun Project: A ColorMe™ Game Board for Young & Old

2011-12-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

We recently dove into game-making head first with our temporarily posted Steampunk-themed parcheesi game set, and are enjoying it so much, we decided to go one step further.
This time, you may partly design your board's look using crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc., and make it a family project at the same time.
Our game board sports a storybook look, with four squares to color in. Adults may have to supervise the board's final look by helping to choose which colors to apply to the spaces provided.
GAME RULES
You may go HERE to find those basic rules necessary to get started. Notice the crown motif, moms, if you will, and note also how the rules call for pieces to enter the pathway on the board in that special spot.
ASSEMBLY
It's fairly self-explanatory, involving your supervision only if children may get confused about which areas of the board to color which way. Simply download each corner section below, then print each one for coloring. We've sized our board fairly small, for ease in printing, but you may choose to enlarge it via your local extension or copy center. We actually do recommend that you make multiple copies, as, in the excitement, children often will fumble, and to be disappointed is not something worth remembering.
Also, it may be useful to try for copies made with toner instead of ink, as these will weather the transformation from black and white to colorful finished product much better.
You may laminate it onto your choice of backing. Wood, cardboard, even cloth when iron-on sheets are available for use, may give fine results.
TOKENS or GAME PIECES
Our game was made to be played using dice for moves around the board.
Also, while the instructions site to which we linked, above, offers you the added option of using spinners, our choice would be dice, but you and your children may opt for either.
For tokens, buttons, coins, flat-backed colored marbles (for use with floral arrangements), or game pieces from other games offer several options. Let each child choose or make it a random drawing which decides who gets to move which pieces.
Once the game's assembly is complete, you may want to protect its surface against the general wear and tear expected in times of play. Everything from sticky-backed clear shelf paper to Mod Podge or any other common household child-safe varnish may work quite nicely for your family.
So, gather your kids together, and break out the crayons, markers, etc., and then watch as it all comes together from creating to gaming.
And Happy Creativity, everyone!
Rose

Example of Assembled Product

(for display purposes only)

Section One

Download 300dpi Printable HERE

Section Two

Download 300dpi Printable HERE

Section Three

Download 300dpi Printable HERE

Section Four

Download 300dpi Printable HERE

Antique Santa Claus Paper Doll & Toys

2011-12-22T15:45:00.002-07:00

To add to the paper doll fun of yesterday's post, we invite our readers to also swing by for the Santa which came in the same package at the antique book store I mentioned (a wonderful treasure trove--how I miss the fun there!).
Along with Santa himself in 3 versions, one an ad for sugar plum candy, we include stockings by the fire along with two other separate stockings, one full, and one empty but which is marked "1900."
These fun images were tracked down online, to be added in with the Santa paper doll to create this new set.
For more Christmas freebies, including our fun paper doll set for Christmas, you can go HERE.
We hope you and any children and/or grandchildren you may be sharing the holidays with this year will be pleased with our new set, and perhaps have a little fun with it during holiday time.
Happy Holiday Creativity from all of us to you and yours!
Rose & Co.

Santa Paper Doll +

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Christmas Paper Doll Set for Ornaments & More

2011-12-21T17:15:00.001-07:00

We love paper dolls at PPS, yet had mislaid today's set where things seldom get looked into. Only day before yesterday were we finally able to uncover its whereabouts--and barely with time to spare, as Christmas will be upon us in only 4 more days!
These were a purchase of my own, from a store selling antique books and collectibles which, lamentably, no longer exists.
We've cleaned them up without ruining the old fashioned patina so many have enjoyed before, and added a few touches here and there of color for a better overall effect.
They are set at 400 dpi, higher than our default 300 to date, as they are special and unique, and we felt deserved our very best treatment for you.
I myself use these for ornaments on the Studio's small Christmas tree each year, with outfits glued to each doll they belong with, and a little sprinkle of sparkles from Sakura sparkly gel pens. But you may add your own personal embellishments at whim, or leave them as they are, according to taste.
For more free Christmas downloads you can go HERE.
We hope you'll find many uses for this fun set for years to come.
And Thank You for joining us here at PPS.
Happy Holiday Creativity!
Rose

Antique Christmas Paper Dolls

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Our Next Episode Is Now Ready!

2011-12-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a few display examples (resolution 96 dpi) of the offerings currently available over at Steam Tea Travels.
If you have time during this hectic season to take a breather for a spot of fun and a warming cup of Victorian cocoa, we'd love to have you as our guests there.
Hope to see you soon!
Rose

(Display Sizes Only--for links to 300 dpi versions, you can go HERE)

Celebrating Jane Austen All Weekend!

2011-12-16T19:25:00.002-07:00

For those of you used to PPS's posting an item or two each time, this will be a departure from the usual.
Today, American time, is Jane Austen's Birthday, and we'd like to do her world honor by adding a full range of fun images for kids and adults alike to "fussy cut" and play with much like we use paper dolls, but without dressing.
That's right! We have a cast of characters in various outfits, along with a selection of backgrounds (both public and not so public) to add to the fun.
Also expect to see a lovely Regency style lady of some distinction toasting her toes next to a hearth.
I can see dioramas, tableaus, and various fun ways with collage out of this set!
It's taken us a long while to process it, which is why we've not been online as much here of late. We do hope the wait has been worth it for our friends here and abroad.
Not everything has the same format, although we offer several items in our popular Digi PNG format as well as in print style.
So, here they are, our cast of characters, along with a few fun ways of displaying them!
Happy Birthday to Jane Austen!
And Happy Creativity to all our blogosphere friends
Rose

A Refined Regency Lady

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Our Main Cast of Players

The Ladies

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

For Print Version HERE

Our Regency "Bucks"

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

A Few More Figures for Fun

Download 300dpi Version HERE

A Few More Ladies, etc.

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

(Altho' this Christmas tune had not yet been written, the instrument it's played on is very much period)
(Enjoy!)

My Lady's Boudoir

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Regency Buck's Regal Bedchamber

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Regency Family Life

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Regency Era Home Office

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Regency Era Shopping

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Our Next Chapter!

2011-12-11T19:23:00.003-07:00

Today's latest Steam Tea Travels post is now up and rolling!

Do stop by for a peek at our Links Party there, won't you?

You may find it and Downloadable Imagery HERE

Meantime, here is a display copy of only one of the offerings you'll find there (and there are 3 in today's post alone!), all for Free and for use as you choose. Just another service of our Studio's for you.

Some Sneak Peek Images
(for Downloads at 300 dpi of the following image sets,
please go HERE)

Victorian Style Fan Card / Ornament--Now in PINK SATURDAY!

2011-12-07T19:30:00.005-07:00

This is a PPS Original, a one of a kind design, based upon an old timey design similar to this one.
It's been revamped, altered to conform with our styles today, and has a brand new outlook. We really hope you'll enjoy adding your own creative touches to it!
You needn't follow instructions here. It's all pretty well self-explanatory. Simply print, copy if need be, and cut to join. The join might well be a corded tassel or it could be a brad or perhaps even ribbon streamers threaded through your punched hole.
Over at Rhissanna's Gaslight & Gilt blog, there's a fun set of photos with her own instructions for this project.
Thanks, dear friend!
It can be mounted for scrapbooking in an album, and even sent as a card, once folded.
It might make a fun change from the usual family Christmas photo displays, with the oval frame center snipped away, then filled with a photo or other picture of your choice.
Actually, this might do well as a Thank You card, a valentine, a birthday card, a get well card, or just a decorative item.
This will be our very first time joining Pink Saturday! Go HERE to see all the fun pretties there! Thanks so much to Beverly for hosting this creative gathering!

We do hope your holiday season is a delightful one this year!
Happy Holiday Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Victorian Style Fan Set

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

What your finished product should look like

What our set looks like before assembling

Digital Brush Credits

expectacularmix, lileya

Steam Tea Travels #2 Our Month Long Holiday Journey!

2011-12-04T11:30:00.003-07:00

Chapter One is already posted, and we hope you'll drop by for this first installment!

Our Guests may Link both old posts and newer ones as long as they pertain to our theme set of :
Things Victorian (Christmas in particular); Tea Time; Steampunk; Old London; Scottish New years Eve customs of old.
Please join us, won't you?

You can access Steam Tea Travels directly by going

HERE

Steam Tea Travels #2 Tomorrow Noon PST!

2011-12-03T18:15:00.001-07:00

Our Holiday journey will soon be underway, so we are inviting everyone interested to choose any of their favorite posts that fit our themes list for this time out (please see highlighted below), whether old or new, to include in the Linky we'll have posted by tomorrow noon, PST.
This is a very exciting opportunity for PPS, in that we are sharing the limelight with our dear friend, Rhissanna of Gaslight & Gilt. She will be adding at least one chapter to the storyline over at the Steam Tea Travels blog, starting with her first post there this next week. So, welcome Rhissanna!

We begin our Holiday jaunt with a stay in the London of more than one era, ending with a New Year's Eve celebration somewhere north of the Scottish border {yet to be revealed! ;) }.

Our Linky Themes this time include any of the following: Victoriana; Old London of the 19th and very early 20th centuries; steam-powered technology of the Victorian and Edwardian Eras; Steampunk Art and/or Science; your ideas for entertaining with tea and friends; Scottish food/culture/celebrations/history of the Victorian Era; Fashion/Costuming (Scottish included); Also Your hand crafted and/or digital works focusing on any one or all of the themes in this list.

Please Remember: This time, our Linky List is to remain active until the first part of January, so there's no need to worry or hurry. Take your time choosing what you'd like to Link to this Party. As we will add new chapters periodically once things are underway, you can also look forward to a little more foot traffic from any Links you may offer there.

NOTE: More than one Link is permissible.

Visitors can expect updates, including multiple posts this time around, with extra ephemera sets as a way of thanking everybody for joining us.

There will be fashions on display, a few recipes, ideas for entertaining and decor, a little weird Victorian (and Neo-Victorian) steam-powered technology, along with adventures and sidetrips. You won't want to miss out on all the fun!

So look for our special Holiday Edition of Steam Tea Travels throughout December into the first part of January starting tomorrow!

Won't you join us?
Rose, Rhissanna & Co

Here's a 96dpi Sneak Peek Preview of one of the images you can expect to find during this month-long salute to the Holiday Season in Old London. We'll post the 300dpi version once we're up and rolling.
;)

(The Display Version)

GMAIL SECURITY ISSUES

2011-12-02T13:17:00.004-07:00

Dear Online Friends & Family:
I am sorry to say we are experiencing a technical difficulty which has turned out to be partly a gmail issue, and partly not.
There are those whose names and other info were in my inbox at the time it was robbed yesterday during the late evening hours.
The file that was stolen includes some personal info which was not as carefully guarded as perhaps it could have been, but it wasn't anything so serious as what others tell me they've had rifled through in their own gmail accounts.
Whoever it is perpetrating such a crime is surely busily trying to access any of the files people keep within every email account currently communicating to PPS's gmail account.
Which means all our friends may want to take warning and change their passwords, give gmail their home and/or cell phone numbers for further security, and so forth.
This may lead to further problems for those of you who also keep records using email and/or whose home computers keep on file things which may then be accessed while email windows/accounts are open/actively in use.
I wanted to warn everyone right away, as soon as I began to notice how this had occurred.

I've just been on the phone with Apple, where I got some of the best service I think you'll find anywhere. We ran systems checks on every portion of the Studio's workhorse computer, and while nothing came up, I can't help wondering if I've only been lucky this time.

As this excellent member of Apple's Apple Care staff and I chatted (running disk utilities checks can take time), he divulged he'd also been the victim of a similar crime with his own gmail account.

Friends of PPS had better be warned their gmail and other email accounts may be robbed within the next day or so. Anyone connecting with us on a regular basis via my own personal email may get an unwanted visitor, as these creeps know how to jump from account to account using technology we don't understand well enough, or they'd have been stopped long since.

We do not bank online at this office; however, others whose names and email addresses were in my gmail account during the theft of my one and only serious file there may well do their banking and blogging via a single account with gmail or yahoo, etc.

Please be warned: Identity thefts may occur before there's time to stop the Phishing mentioned in this post. It's best to shut down our computers completely overnight AND not before we have LOGGED OUT of each of our various fun sites, accounts, and so on. That would include sites like our beloved Bella Creations ning, through which any Phisher-man might access and re-access people's private funding and/or private lives.

We are sending our friends this post in an email (that is, anyone we've been corresponding with) although it may have already been too late.

Please be careful, people. When your IT team tells you even they've been experiencing problems due to phishing (also known as hacking into people's emails and using their private information to entrap others, etc.), you know there's a real problem to guard against.

So be careful, think smart, blog with caution, sign out of every account when shutting down for the night, and make sure your online security is working as it should. (Even close windows between tasks/sites. Important!)

We all had better change any passwords right away and then keep changing them periodically for weeks, just to be certain.

Let's batten down the hatches, people!
Let's not let them get the better of you and me!
Rose & Co

"Magnificent" Flying Machines Set for Digi & Print

2011-11-30T19:01:00.003-07:00

The Wright Brothers' Kitty Hawk anniversary is soon to occur, and with that in mind, we are posting a fun set of flying machine images for you to play with.

Included here are two technical images in black and white which we removed all background from for our Digi crowd. Print -style artists will still find the same quality available for use, as we always post both versions at the same resolution here.

I'm fondest of all of that propeller. I can see many possibilities for that one image! ;)

For more info on the Wright Brothers, their aircraft, or the history of flight in general, please go HERE.

Hope you'll enjoy all our collage sets here at PPS as much as we do creating each one for you.

Happy Creativity!

Rose

PPSDigiScrap™ Collage Set: Flying Machines

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

ColorMe™Page: A Princess of India

2011-11-30T08:51:00.002-07:00

It's fun to think of the holidays ahead as working with Mom's schedule and allowing more family fun time, but we all know how that can sometimes not work out as we'd hoped. ;)

From now, through the rest of our holiday season, we at PPS hope to offer moms a break or two in the way of activities, and which kids can do on their own or with little, if any, help.

The first of these offerings is today's ColorMe™Page. It is out of an old volume of childrens' stories of India.

While I don't pretend to know just what her story is, she is rather special, seated on her lovely elephant throne overlooking her palace, isn't she? I find her charming. She looks a little wistful, somehow, sad and quiet. Yet the night sky is showing such a lovely display. The crescent moon is on the rise, and her seat overlooks the water where she can see it reflected.

We hope your kids find plenty of reasons to go out and play during wintry weather, but if they won't always be able to, perhaps a few freebies here may help ease their boredom.
For more fun posts like this one, check out the offerings in this category HERE, and in our Family Fun category HERE.

Happy Holiday Creativity, all!

Rose

A Princess of India ColorMe™Page

Downloadable Version HERE

Christmas Postcard + Decorative Frame

2011-11-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings, everybody! It's Sunday afternoon, and just a week off from our next jaunt into the world of steam via our new sister blog, Steam Tea Travels. If you've never had occasion to join our Link Party before, now's the time to consider your options. Our theme for the trip upcoming will be a double one this time, owing to it's being our Holiday Season. We'll start with late Victorian London, and finish the month with a flourish and a skirling of bagpipes with a focus on Scotland.
Also upcoming, we hope to start a new feature right here at our home blog with a Jane Austen-era theme, so be prepared for lots of new ephemera with a look back on Christmases of old.
Today's post is all about Christmas card making, but what we include here today might also do as well for scrapbooking and/or tag-making. We've included two styles for you, one with the whole of the card for your use, and the other as a simple frame.
We hope you'll find lots of fun ways to share your holiday greetings with others using this simple card.
Happy Holiday Creativity!
Rose

Christmas Candle Postcard

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Christmas Candle Postcard Frame

Download Digi PNG HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

The Cart Driver Works the Holiday Shift

2011-11-24T10:20:00.001-07:00

Today's the day when nearly everyone has the day off to spend with those they care about.
There are exceptions to every rule.
And it's interesting how we tend to take for granted how certain services do continue in spite of another holiday. Take our illustration, for example. In the foreground is the mass transit conveyance of that era, most probably in New York City or someplace like it. The little girl is handing off the lunch pail her mother prepared so that her father might enjoy some Thanksgiving cheer even while he's at work.
But take a second look; for there, off to one side, and almost forgotten, a police officer is also on duty, watching over this sweet delivery.
Let's pause for a moment this afternoon, and keep a thankful thought for all those whose sense of duty keeps our world ticking along, whether or not it's holiday time.
I know they'd much rather be where we are today.
Peace & Tranquility this Thanksgiving morning to you all.
Rose & Co

The Cart Driver's Thanksgiving

Download B&W Version HERE

Download Original Look HERE

Chilly Weather Fashions of Old

2011-11-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

I love to look at old fashion plates, don't you? Women used to have outfits for every occasion, from home life to paying every social visit, to church, and every outdoor activity. Nowadays, we seem to wear our jeans just about anywhere, and for nearly all occasions. As dress code hardly does matter anymore, it's fun to look back and see what women were wearing about a hundred years or more ago.
Our set today is all about that fun. I can't help admiring anyone whose pleasure it was to look fashionably warm when walking her charmer of a little dog. :)
Anyway, we hope this holiday weekend will warm you from head to toe with the light of all things Thanksgiving.
Happy Holiday Creativity, all!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Ephemera Set: Chilly Winter Fashion Plates

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Old Fashioned Knitting Ephemera Set (for Digi or Print)

2011-11-20T15:36:00.001-07:00

I always like to think of the handmade gifts others make the time to create for us as being evidence of their caring. When I was a young lass, I was interested almost to distraction with anything in the needlework world, so I suppose you might say I value the appeal of handmade wearables that much more as a consequence.
In honor of this gift giving season, today's post is all about the knitting tradition. We've even tucked in a crocheted "muff bag" as a salute to you knitters who also like to crochet.
We hope you'll find lots of fun ways to use our Knitting set for your holiday gift giving, including, perhaps, for decorative tags and cards to go with your stitched presents for those you love.
Happy Creative Gift-making!
Rose & Co

PPSDigiScrap™Set: Knitters & Their Gifts

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Antique Truck Graphic: A Gift From Christine H. at The Daily Postcard

2011-11-18T13:34:00.001-07:00

Isn't life wonderful? It brings us surprises of friendship along with gifts like this one.
Christine was nice enough to email me some very fine scans from a book of hers which I admired in her post HERE. It's really a fascinating article! You may want to check it out!
I was so surprised, I dropped our other project for over the weekend in favor of some of her automobile ephemera. The scans we received she had so graciously set for our default setting of 300dpi--so we had very little difficulty in processing our first offering from her set for you.
Her scan work was just perfect as it was, so we didn't have to do much beyond straighten or clean up as we generally would.
We are offering this one for your use in both colorways of Original Look and B&W.
So a big round of applause for Christine H.!! Once you visit her stellar blog, you'll be sure to want to return for more of her interesting musings! Please remember to thank her with a comment or two and your Follow while you're there.
Hope you'll treasure your friends from near and far this weekend with some of your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Christine's Truck Imagery

Original Look

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Black & White

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Wintry Weather DigiScrap™ Four Pak

2011-11-18T11:27:00.002-07:00

Our first post for the weekend is this weather-themed set of four lovely old images from London, Paris, New York, and Japan. It puts me in the mood for more snowy weather, as well as for the Holidays--which are fast approaching!
Each one seems to tell us a story. I'm guess our Japanese beauty is enjoying the cold very little--she looks like she's shivering in spite of her heavy wrap and her protective parasol; while our business man, upper left, has a more determined stride, as if he's ready for dinner with his pretty young wife or family.
We love all these old images, and hope you will find plenty of uses for each one.
Happy Snowy Creativity!
Rose & Co.

PPSDigiScrap™ Wintry Weather Four Pak

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print version HERE

Holly and Mistletoe Page Frame for Digi or Print

2011-11-17T19:15:00.002-07:00

With the holiday season now fully underway, we thought we'd offer this fetching Christmas themed frame for your use.
At just 6.25" wide by 4.75" high, we think it might make a handy card front or post card, perhaps labels, tags--you name it!
Our design actually came off an old post card that was much the worse for wear. But we cleaned it up, removed the background and center opening for those of you into Digi art making (not to worry--there's a For Print version offered here as well!), and then refreshed its color a tad.
We hope you'll find lots of fun ways to use this holiday frame with your--
Merry Creativity!
Rose

Plus Holiday Frame

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Fun Farm Graphic

2011-11-16T09:57:00.003-07:00

Isn't this colorful illustration delightful? I think this would do well in a kitchen or in a child's play area. But it could also be used for a pillow cover or greeting card, couldn't it?
The little chicks are as cuddly looking as the real thing, and the rooster is obviously a good dancer, isn't he? ;)
We hope you'll enjoy our latest harvest time image with lots of your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose
P.S. Check comments for the key to the meaning behind the picture. Rhissanna had the answer!

Farmyard Dancers

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Autumn Oak Cluster Motif Sets for Digi & Print

2011-11-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

We found this lovely old decorative element and decided to restore its look for you without losing any of its old fashioned charm. We're providing this in 4 sizes per set, and in two separate colorways, brown and classic black & white.

I love its old style appeal, the many details in the clusters of leaves and acorns. We hope you'll find many uses for our set.

Happy Autumnal Creativity!

Rose

Autumn Oak Motifs

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Classic B&W

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Currier & Ives Thanksgiving

2011-11-14T09:36:00.003-07:00

Greetings, everybody! Hope you had a pleasant weekend and are refreshed and ready to create using our latest item for Thanksgiving.
This time, we feature the cropped version of that famous old Currier & Ives print, "Home To Thanksgiving." It was cropped due to messy margins which would not clean up properly via digital means, but still looked so new on its own, it was decided to make two versions of it for you, one in sepia, and one in the original look.
Don't worry- we managed to save the print, if not its margins, so you'll have the actual look of this old fashioned farm scene to its margins.
Both colorways are set at a high enough resolution to allow for some enlargement at your local copy center, and are suitable for framing once the margins are obscured and/or cropped.
This might make a fun card as well, especially for those of us living in areas of the country where it does tend to snow in time for this warmhearted holiday.
We hope you'll find lots of uses for this fun old graphic.
For more Thanksgiving graphics, you can go HERE. And for our Harvest collection, try going HERE.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Currier & Ives Thanksgiving Print

Sepia Toned

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Original Look

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Steam Tea Travels #1

2011-11-06T10:39:00.009-07:00

Good morning (or good afternoon, alternatively), everyone!
We are pleased as punch to allow our guests a first peek at our new sister blog, Steam Tea Travels!

There you will find all manner of lovely treasures to collect in the way of ephemera. This is a short term offer, so now's the time to climb aboard our good Airship, the Viola, for High Tea with friends.
This invitation will hold only for a week, through the following Sunday evening. (This time lasts from 11/6 thru 11/13)
We'll leave each journey's links visible until it's time for the next journey. That way, everybody gets a chance to be first to add their link(s).
But you may post several links each, as long as they fit with the themes of old French style, Steampunk (of course!), Teatime, or Travel back in the day.

Those of you wishing to head for Paris with us at this time, may exit using our gangplank--

HERE.

The linky for this special event closes late this evening, 11/13/11.

Antique Harvest Illustration Two Ways

2011-11-02T13:50:00.003-06:00

For me, the beauty of this old illustration from our archives is in the simple lifestyle shown.
Look how many people are assembled to do this one simple job of caring for a potato harvest! And then notice how little technology is involved.
I think it's easy to forget the labor intensiveness of old world farming these days, simply because it's so rarely seen anymore.
Imagine sitting down to supper after a hard day's work on the old fashioned farm depicted, and enjoying a piping hot potato which was harvested that very day! The mere thought of it gives me a thrill.
Even with modern technological advances in cultivating, the long hours put in, especially on a family farm, are considerable.
So let's give thanks to our family farming community this year by remembering the many men and women who like to make certain we may put fresh produce on the table, family style, during the holiday season as well as all year round.
Happy Harvest Creativity!
Rose

Harvesting a Potato Crop In 1910

Sepia Toned

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Black & White

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Thanksgiving Ephemera Set for Digi & Print

2011-11-01T12:39:00.000-06:00

While my hand's still a bit stiff, sore, and in need of a bit more rest, we do have a few images for you already on hand which we hope you'll enjoy, starting with today's.
This one's all about the upcoming American tradition of Thanksgiving. Included in it, you will find two pretty autumn leaf embellishments, a hand painted watercolor turkey in a bower of red maple (?) leaves (he's a digi, btw), and 3 pretty post cards on our theme.
We hope you'll find lots of uses for this fun set, including backgrounds and anything else you can think of.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™ Set: Thanksgiving

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Plush Circular Embossed Frames + news from our Studio

2011-10-27T10:28:00.001-06:00

Due to problems with the Studio's mouse, I'm having some difficulty with flexibility. It's pretty painful at times. Don't worry. This may soon get resolved. However, I am going to need to rest this hand and arm more frequently than normal, and therefore will be unlikely to get back with you right away.

Please understand it may be a few days before we can get it together enough for a new post or posts.

All's well otherwise, and we hope to be able to bring you the same service as usual shortly.

Thank you for your patience.

Rose

Salmon

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Goldenrod

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Jade

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Turquoise

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print version HERE

Prussian Blue

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print version HERE

Lilac

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Steampunk Decor for Cake Stands & More!

2011-10-26T10:48:00.003-06:00

This has got to be a favorite of this possum's. I love me some Steampunk! Better yet, when it has an Art Nouveau platform on which to build its look for our readers, it makes it all the more fun for yours truly.
We offer you 3 style widths of our new edging, each ready for your clever snips with scissors and/or artful punching with edger punches.
These may print well on card stock--but remember: the Sample Sheet below may be an 8.5" by 11" snippet, but the actual size of our finished product will print at 11" by 17"--or U.S. Legal Document Sized.
This will provide you with a print-worthy version of two 15.25" long strips per each style.
Please note how this pattern has a slight irregularity, and no amount of tinkering with its look has yielded our idea of matching end to end with the same even ended results a professional wallpaper printer may be able to give you.
That being said, there's a way around any problem of this kind, one being to hide the blemish spot with a cover-up of some sort. We include our spacers, in two sizes, large and small, as decorative cover-ups.
Have no fear!
Not one possum would ever expect you to go blind fussy cutting each little pinked edge!!!!
Instead, we left it this way for more creative fun.
I could see the middle two styles, in particular, being cut with decorative edged scissors/edger punch a bit below their bottom pinking and in the white, uncolored areas of your final print-out.
At which point, with a few strokes of a little Distress Ink in an appropriate shade to match your printer and/or copy center's output, you'd have a customized version all your own.
Lace may be an option for some, particularly if it's creamy in tone and/or tea/coffee stained for that antiqued look we all crave when it comes to Steampunk crafting.
Anyway, we hope you'll enjoy this latest outing in the Steampunk genre, a favorite of ours for some while. For more PPS Steampunk freebies, you can go HERE.
And, for more of our free Party supplies, you can check out the goodies by going HERE.
Have fun all year long with that--
Happy Steampunked Creativity!
Rose

Steampunked Art Nouveau Decorative Edging

for Parties & More

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print version HERE

SAMPLER

Digital Brush Credits: Obsidian Dawn, Mel's Brushes.

Free Halloween Frame for Party Time Fun!

2011-10-24T14:01:00.001-06:00

Today, we are featuring a brand new frame, one not found anywhere else. In this exclusive design, you'll find enough room for words of your choosing, something we hadn't quite thought of as preferable before.
It is featured here in PNG format for your re-processing, as well as in our regular Print format, both for ease with application, with both set at 300dpi.
So shrink them, pull them, even expand their size somewhat, and they should keep their good looks for you well enough.
We hope you'll find plenty of uses for this latest addition to our frame collection.
Happy Halloween from all of us here at the Studio and--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Spook House Frame

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Digital Brushes used are from: Obsidian Dawn, mickeyrem, BrushLovers.

Plush Page Frames: Art Nouveau Nature Motif Four Ways

2011-10-22T11:19:00.000-06:00

Today we're featuring our first set of page frames in quite a while. This time, we began with a public domain item found online, then converted it four ways for you.
And aren't they lovely? I have to tell you I nearly swooned when we first found it could be converted into new colorways which look fresh enough. As not everything will convert, this was a pleasing trial and error process which yielded the four tones you see below. I'm especially fond of nature themes, having grown up near woods and wilderness, so this one really plays my heart strings.
We hope our friends online will find plenty of uses for these lovely, old style art nouveau frames.
enjoy your weekend with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Plush Page Frames: Art Nouveau Nature Motif

Earth & Stone

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Maroon

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Royal Purple

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

Hunter Green

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download For Print Version HERE

NEW Party Mask Blanks for Fancy Dress Style & Decor

2011-10-20T20:14:00.005-06:00

Grab your stash, and add what you will, this will be your project!
The fun thing about these masks is how versatile some may turn out to be. I love them all. Quite frankly, I'm thinking of creating my own wall display of 4 of these designs right here in the Studio's main headquarters.
But as Halloween fast approaches, and so many of us don't have time to spend toward costuming, perhaps some of you may find at least one of the designs we're offering usable.
As before, you'll note we are using the 11" by 17" Legal Size (in U.S. terms) format in order to provide more options per print.
Our Digi crowd will find we are including their favorite PNG downloads, while the Hands-On crowd may choose to go with our JPG Print ones.
There are two sets here, both utilizing old textiles, marquetry inlay patterning, a bas relief design, and a few other dainties for sophisticated mask designing.
And, as printer styles vary, and paper qualities do differ, we're recommending your smoothest papers and/or card stocks. Please refer to the suggested construction techniques listed in our first Mask Blank post, or perhaps the special post on how Dezinaworld's June created hers.
Enjoy your creative crafting fun for that--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSPartyGear™: Further Fun With Mask Blanks

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG PRint Version HERE

Set Two

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Scary Alphabet Tricks & Treats!

2011-10-20T13:43:00.000-06:00

In today's post, we are featuring a lovely old set of alphabet capitals from a book by Dover, but with a Halloween themed twist. Each letter has been gone over (almost painstakingly, I might add) for every flawed area, and then refined for your use.
We'd hoped to post the entire alphabet with a new, souped-up look, but it became an overwhelming process, taking up far too much time.
As a consequence, we've opted to share with our readers the best (to our eyes) of what we've been able to refine, in true Halloweenish form.
So here they are, all 3 colorways of "Trick or treat" in true grotesque styling.
Happy Halloween Creativity!
Rose

Scary Alphabet Halloween Sign

Purple

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Green

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Black & White

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Witches & Goblins by Arthur Rackham

2011-10-19T09:01:00.001-06:00

Arthur Rackham is famed among illustrators, stretching back over a century. His work has graced the pages of some of the finest literature for children ever created, including works by Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and J.M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan).
Today's post will offer you a taste of his work in two pictures to one sheet, both with an eye towards Halloween decorating, etc. Along with the usual clean-up job, they have been enlarged slightly as well as lightly altered for your use.
He was unusually gifted at augmenting any author's words with just the right touches of paint, ink, and under drawing, and he was a past master at the subtlety it takes to capture a child's imagination while holding it to the story's context.
Though his works were highly collectible before, his talent is often overlooked in today's rush of technological advances and children's programming.
I like to think someday the world will fall in love with his works all over again.
My affection for them has never dimmed.
Happy Halloween Creating from your friends at PPS!
Rose

Arthur Rackham Witch Illustrations

Download Full Resolution Version HERE

Halloween Costume Ephemera

2011-10-18T10:15:00.000-06:00

Here it is, almost Halloween time, and we have yet to post any type of costume set for you.
Well, that's about to change!
Our set includes fun images from long ago ideals on what costume was for. You see, back then, one hardly went for complete disguise, not at the average "fancy dress" ball or party. Oh, no! That would never have been approved of in some circles!
Instead, styles of the day were augmented to reflect the idea of disguises, but tended more toward staying focussed on the tailoring of the time, corsets and all, as you'll notice when you see those styles we've found.
Nowadays, I think we view costuming very differently than our Victorian, Edwardian, or even early 1900's ancestors. We like every costume to look original, and to maybe take a shape that will look authentic even if it's not. We like to copy costumes the pros have made for TV and motion pictures.
Hidden away in an old photo album from the 1970's is a series of pictures I once took of a large group of schoolboys, 10 or so of them, not one over the age of 9 or 10, each one dressed up as Darth Vader!
:)
Me? Today I like to wear my very updated, befeathered satin witch hat. It's purple, very modern and pretty.
What do you like to wear for your Halloween fun?
Happy {Halloween Costuming} Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Collage Set: Old Fashioned Costumery

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Autumn Elf & Friends

2011-10-16T17:15:00.000-06:00

To conclude our weekend-long mini blogathon, we thought we'd offer you a few added extras for prettying up those dull days of Autumn when winter's chill's just beginning and leaves are cheerlessly brown.
We're offering 3 special Digi images in this package, two with mirror image looks, and one in the word, "Autumn," spelled out with twigs. Love that one.
Have a great week ahead with all your plans to use your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Set: Colors of Autumn

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Fall Fashions in Color: Early 20th Century

2011-10-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

I love these styles. They were so feminine, so impractical and fun to look at. Since then, most clothing has receded into being hardly about the cloth, and more about the big reveal. ;)
But we were just beginning to hurry then, to take trips faster, to make everything about rapidity. An interesting time in the history of the world. Technology has taken us so far so quickly, I think we've let it take us on a ride without gentility and calmness. Not everything that may be quickly done is necessarily better, in this possum's humble opinion. And our fashions reflect this.
Then and again, I do enjoy relaxing in my blue jeans and knit tops! LOL ;)
Thanks for looking in on our little weekend-long mini marathon today.
You may expect another post here shortly.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Early Twentieth Century Autumn Fashions

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

"Dem Bones!" Skeleton and Skull Set (with Musical Accompaniment)

2011-10-15T19:16:00.002-06:00

Tonight's blog fest, A.K.A. our Mini Marathon, includes some fun imagery for your Halloween scene.
This set is a special one, in that nearly everything in it's a Digi. For those of you who are Digi-ready, please note which version you'll be downloading. Just look for the label, "Digi PNG," and you can't go wrong.
Meanwhile, for our Hands-On friends, we'd like to recommend you download the one marked "JPG Print" for best results.
The two bottom lines of skulls, with and without frames, are actually Digi borders which may be spliced together with repeat layers.
Hope you're enjoying our little autumn mini-fest, going on from now till late Sunday afternoon.
And Thank You so much for stopping by!
Happy Creativity!
Rose
P.S. Scroll down for some musical fun!

PPSDigiScrap™Set: "Dem Bones!"

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Coffins, Graves, & Spooks Galore!

2011-10-15T18:30:00.001-06:00

Our first post today was all about autumn color, the leaves, travel to scenic locales, and so forth.
This one, however, is all about our Halloween fun using spooky themed graphics.
Included in this package are images we only just found out were usable in this manner, so they've been added to the mix. Our creepy grave robber scene gives us a jolt, while the rest of our graveyard scenes rest in peace.
We're also including two more of the Gustave Doré illustrations to Poe's "The Raven," these at a slightly lesser quality than those we had posted here earlier. We've left all the old markings, freckling, and so on to several of the items in this set, hoping you'll look upon them with favor as being more hauntingly real and therefore more usable. (love freckly paper--always have!)
So have fun with all your aHalloween musings with that--
Happy Creepy Ghoulish Spooky Scary Creativity!
BOO!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Collage Set: Coffins, Graves & Spooks!

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Scary Halloween Label Set

2011-10-15T18:26:00.001-06:00

Continuing our weekend-long Ephemera Blitz, here is some shabby bling for your party goodies and whatnot.
Enjoy your "poison"!
;)
Rose

Halloween Labels

Download Digi PNG HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Credits: Digital Brushes: DigitalArtEmpire, green_eyed_butterfly.

Autumn's Finest Hour--On Wheels!

2011-10-15T11:24:00.000-06:00

Isn't this a lovely time of year? Every color seems remarkable against the sky, whether the weather might be clear where you are, or stormy. Many of us love to head for the hills, mountain passes, or valleys of their youth during autumn weather for glimpses of colorful foliage. There's a nostalgia about such places I find quite touching.
The two pictures we've uploaded for you this morning are all about traveling through countryside when nature is at her showiest.
I'm loving that old automobile. Isn't it charming? The bonnets of the ladies are tied down with scarves, and their vantage point over a valley is simply divine! But those cyclists--how serious they look! I would imagine it takes great skill, balance, and confident handling to ride those high-wheeled bikes over such a dirt road!
We hope you'll find plenty of uses for this duo and that you'll enjoy our weather with those thoughts of more of your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Autumn's Antique Wheelers

Download Full Resolution HERE

Lovely Autumn Leaves + News of A Special Giveaway!!

2011-10-14T19:08:00.003-06:00

This is my favorite time of year for color in the natural world. I love all the russets, the golden tones, the pretty, bright, vivid red golds lighting up the sky on cloudy days. Well, today's post brings to the fore a mood which I can't get enough of, as I'm always sad to see Autumn's color palette fade.
Let's enjoy it to the fullest, then, with our art skills, and by adding leaf color to our designs we might just capture Autumn's tone before it's gone. I might have a few ideas for cards addressed to friends and family at Christmas, usually, yet these evoke a kind of calm reverence for all things fall which might do well for Thanksgiving or Harvest time cards.
The four designs below are soft and yet so brilliant, they really add to all things autumnal.
While you're here, you may want to head over to the Rusty Rooster where Vickie is about to give away some wonderful artwork along with lots of goodies!!! You can follow her blog's link over in our left column, or you can go directly to the post that applies by going HERE. Really an unusually nice set of prizes.
Hope you'll enjoy your visit there as much as I did with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Autumn Leaf Four-Pack Collage Printable

Download Full Resolution HERE

A Look at June's Marvelous Mask!!!!!

2011-10-13T16:42:00.003-06:00

I feel so proud and pleased to be giving you all the latest news.

Our friend June, over at Dezinaworld, has today posted the most lovely gift for PPS.

She has taken something we posted and made it into something truly special.

And then blogged about it---with bells on!!!!

Check this out:

Wow!!!!!

This just knocks my socks off!

Imagine if you will, me, knocked sockless at my computer--a sockless, blogging possum!!!! :)

I just love everything she did with that Mask Blank. Her version of it far out-classes everything we'd hoped for!!!! Don't you just love the added bling around the eye area? Just the perfect touch, if you ask this possum. And her color sense is divine!!!

When polled, our good friend June's response was for the go-ahead on our featuring her lovely mask in a separate post here at PPS. In her email responses, she wrote:

"I used good strong plain card with no other backing and it's good and sturdy. I used a hot glue gun to attach the lace and just added bling and some ribbon. It was really easy and I did plan to do something more elaborate but sadly I didn't have the time. Happily though, I was very pleased with the result.......I adore the masks and immediately could see their potential, they are cleverly designed and perfectly sized (and you may quote me on that)."

Isn't it a blessing to have such a good friend?

Her featuring this design has given us possums a real boost in our numbers, along with some new Followers.

This woman really is a gem (yes--and you may quote PPS on that!). ;)

BTW, her latest sale on Halloween merchandise is awesome wonderfulness through and through! Be sure and pop over to see all the other goodies that Dezinaworld has to offer as well! It's a great place to find collage elements of all kinds.

Take care, all, and have a massively marvelous good time shopping over at June's. Her DT's made up of spectacular artisans with much real creative flair. Every week, it's something different over there!

Don't know where she finds the time to keep it all going so smoothly--she must be one dynamic woman.

In future, we'll be keeping parts of this article in our Feature Gallery Page. You can look for it here in about another week.

Happy Creativity!

Rose

Creepy Collage Background Freebie

2011-10-13T13:17:00.004-06:00

I love spooky, dark corners where wild things creep, don't you?
Not really?
;)
Well, I guess I really can't say I do either.
But when we're talking Halloween, I see such a spot as wonderfully full of potential for much creative nonsense. In answer to that question, we are adding to our Halloween backgrounds collection with a brand new, large scale (meaning standard copier/printer paper sized) creepy collage background.
It has lots of possibilities, as I'm certain you'll find out once you see it at its largest size on screen.
There are nooks and crannies for you to poke into, and shady spots to place things over, not to mention an ambience that is surely outside the bounds of most people's comfort zones.
We hope you'll enjoy this latest outing into backgrounds for Halloween.
Thanks so much for stopping by with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Collage Background: "Secret Tower Room"

Download Full Sized Version HERE

Digital Brush Credits: hilla29, Obsidian Dawn, jermshaw.

The Headless Horseman Rides Again!

2011-10-12T23:35:00.001-06:00

In Washington Irving's eery tale of Ichabod Crane and his heart-stopping ride through the woods of Sleepy Hollow, we get a glimpse of Americana with a macabre edge.
Old stories like this make me want to go hunting for old books with freckled pages and artful illustrations, like the ones we've put together for you in tonight's set.
Irving, like our Halloween Poet Laureate, Poe, loved to tell tall tales with a hard edge, or with haunting consequences. He was an elder contemporary of Poe's, and both men knew the American landscape well.
I love this creepy old story, with its nervous protagonist. It reminds me that not everybody is heroic, although we all do heroic deeds, sometimes without wishing to need to.
As an added bonus, look for an old cemetery map from the real Sleepy Hollow (yes-a real place!), along with a vintage photo post card of Irving's gravesite.
We hope you'll enjoy all the old images in this set with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Legend of Sleepy Hollow Set

Ichabod!

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Bats & Vamps! (Parents Slightly Cautioned)

2011-10-12T16:20:00.002-06:00

Today's post is all about the scare we get from fangs in the dark. Most vampire stories can be pretty bloody, but we're bypassing that with just the initial scare, all for that Halloween time fun.
Below, you'll find a variety of vampire images, including a colored engraving or two of Prince Vlad Dracul himself, along with some of his friends.
Parents: One of the images included has a partially bared bosom. This factor seems to be all part and parcel of the Victorian desire to titillate and scare all at once. Please use your discretion.
We are including two Digi PNG images, one of which might be used like a"stamp," for your use with this set, for those with Digi capabilities. Please make a note of that when you make your choice for Download. Simply click on the offering marked "Digi PNG" for the right choice.
Those preferring a Hands-On approach (this possum enjoys both ways to create) are urged to go with any downloads marked as "JPG Print."
Stay out of any dark corners and--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Bats & Vamps Collage Set

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Steampunk Mask Blanks

2011-10-11T12:03:00.002-06:00

Well, you can never have too much Steampunk--not if you're this possum, anyway! Our thoughts have turned to travel lately, from a standpoint of our favorite theme. To add to our selection of masks for your use this time (or anytime) of year, the obvious conclusion was to think in terms of travels abroad, especially by air.
For what Steampunker would be without her or his own flash airship? One certainly must be able to gauge where one is headed if aloft, then. And to add to the experience, we began to explore antique maps online for more inspiration.
Not only that, but one of our marble paper colors, sepia to be exact, looked so right in with these two sets, it was almost a given it belonged.
You'll note how, once again, we are relying on a large scale sheet as printing surface, that of 11" by 17", or standard Legal Size in U.S. terms. Most U.S. printers may handle almost any format no broader than 11", so most of our visitors will find it easily printable, given the correct sheets of paper.
We also recommend that these be backed by either a stronger paper such as a semi flexible card stock, or with fabric of a smooth texture and fine grain prior to threading string/ribbons/yarn/what have you through the holes at either temple.
The possibilities here strike me. One might add, perhaps, paper cogs or rusty metal machine parts , watch parts, little bits of ephemera or music box parts, then maybe add a few details from our cogged gems set, all to make a unique display of one's own.
Anyway, you get the intent with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Steampunk Mask Blanks

Set One

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Set Two

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

More Poe Collage Imagery--All New (with a Caution for some parents)

2011-10-10T17:16:00.006-06:00

As many of you already may know, our friends over at Gingersnap Creations have designated their theme for the entire month of October as being "Go Poe!"
And, because you can never have too much ephemera when choosing items to collage with, we thought we'd add more fun to the mix today in the form of a brand new collage set, all Poe oriented.
Parents are to be warned, there is nudity below.
While this will have to be a first for us, some of our guests here may find it less than welcoming.
The image in question is an illustration for one of Poe's many stories, and, as there is an uncovered "bosom" involved, you might wish to keep your kids away from your screen. There is no sex involved, just a death scene, with bared breast on a collapsed maiden.
Some nudity among most artists is seen as only natural.
But we respect our visitors and their children, and are certain there are those among you not caring for displays of any sort which might introduce young minds to ideas best left for after they've reached a certain level of maturity.
Thank You for understanding.
As for the rest of our collected images below, there are some wonderfully gloomy depictions of Poe Cottage by various artists, one of which almost, but not quite, could be altered for ATC backgrounds. We've included various portraits of Poe, of which there were quite a few available online. We've cleaned them up for the most part, to the point where you may use them readily.
Some items are left unrefined, for the creepy effect. Torn edges and old, stained matting in a buff color make me think of some long forgotten parlor where ghosts creep, lending atmosphere to any artistry.
Incidentally, the upper left hand corner item is the one with just about the right dimensions for a creepy ATC background!
And for the Digi crowd (always make certain to download your correct version, marked "Digi PNG") there will be some backgrounds missing, most notably from the pen and ink sketch, which is now completely without background, and so may function over any surface using Digi processes.
For our Hands-On community, we'd like to recommend they use our JPG Print Version offering.
Be sure to check out all our Halloween offerings, including our first Poe post, by going HERE.
Thanks for stopping by, with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

More of Poe Collage Set

Download Digi PNG HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Two More Gustave Doré Illustrations for "The Raven"

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Steampunk Party Invitations

2011-10-07T19:32:00.001-06:00

This evening's post is all about your Steampunk party and how to start it. We have your ideal invitation set below, including a special insertion designed to please prospective guests.
Meanwhile, I've been hard at work creating a new set of simpler party masks for you in this same design mode which anyone might enjoy wearing but which say "Steampunk" through and through, so you can hopefully look for those to appear here within the next few days.
Our Insert printable below is a simple bi-foldable once cut away from its margin. It's pretty self-explanatory, so I won't go into it here, but if there are any questions, just leave me a comment, and I'll email you in response. Once folded, you have only to swipe a glue stick in a few places and/or to pierce and sew (like you would a simple booklet) for the desired effect. I myself like the finished look hand stitching brings, but we don't always have the time for such tedious processes, now do we? ;)
The whole affair was designed to fit with your standard A2 sized envelope, which you may find online or at your local copy center.
I recommend pre-printing for best results, as a test of your printer's response to this design.
Also, it's naturally best to print your cover onto white card stock, and your Insert on standard white print or copy paper. Just a hint.
For the rest of our party wear in this theme, you can explore our Steampunk category HERE.
We hope to have you stop by again shortly for more party fun here at PPS, as we intend growing our collection all through this party season.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Steampunk Invitation + Insert

Download 300ppi Version HERE

Insert

Download 300ppi Version HERE

Digital Brush Credits: Obsidian Dawn, nadine pau.
Font Credit: Dieter Steffmann.

Poe & His Raven + Bonus Illustration Duo

2011-10-06T09:16:00.005-06:00

Our friends over at Gingersnap Creations are currently hosting a month long challenge which they are calling "Go Poe!"
(Great title, huh?)
Of course, part of the landscape of all things Halloween would have to be today's featured poet laureate of October 31st, our own Edgar Allan Poe. His "The Raven," in particular, is a feature of this time of year, mainly due to its strange setting and its haunting refrain ("Quoth the raven: Nevermore!"), which most of us have been familiar with since we were young.
His works have been published in many languages the world over, and people are still fascinated by his skill with words.
His mysterious end has been debatable among scholars since it occurred. Perhaps this adds to the mystique surrounding his life and body of work.
In response to this challenge, we have brought together various related images for your use, with the emphasis on Poe's Raven, his life and times, and the artwork created to illustrate his strange musings.
We have included, first, a 12" by 12" DigiScrap set, available for both Digi and Hands-On creative work, followed by our usual 8.5" by 11" formats for your use.
PLUS we have added our Bonus Illustration Duo sheet for your enjoyment. The details are simply priceless in these!
For more of our Halloween freebies, you can go HERE.
Hope you'll join all the fun with our Gingersnap Creations friends this season, and try your hand at their fun theme! And thanks for looking in on us!
Happy Spooky Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrapPak™: Edgar & His Raven

Download 12" by 12" Digi PNG Version HERE

Download 12" by 12" JPG Print Version HERE

Set 2

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Accessory Set: Poe's Life & Times

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Illustrations In Workable Format

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Graveyard Scenes of Times Past for Digi or Print

2011-10-04T18:17:00.001-06:00

What would our Halloween fun be without a few spooky or creepy places to scare us silly? ;)
I happen to find older cemeteries truly of interest, as full of history, in some cases, as a good book on the subject of those now gone.
Our collage set reflects this with several settings for you to collage over and/or incorporate in with other elements. I especially like the mysterious, ethereal form in our painting in the lower right corner, along with that old stereoscopic photo of one part of a southern cemetery. Love the weepy Spanish moss fronds in the latter--perfect for this theme of Halloween.
Our Digi crowd will want to go for the choice marked as "DigiPNG" while our Hands-On friends will want to choose the one marked as "JPG Print." Please note the distinction when choosing. :)
We hope that you'll find this set of images both appealing and worth using.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Cemetery Scenes for Collage

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Collage Printable Freebie: Teatime in Good Company

2011-10-02T17:53:00.001-06:00

Today's post is all about the loveliness of teatime in the presence of friends. This month, over at Gingersnap Creations, there are two challenges for which we thought we'd offer a few images. One of these, "Gal Pals," ends at midnight, tonight. The second one, entitled "Shared Moments," we think also might fit with today's ephemera set, so even if you haven't the time to join the fun on the first one, you still will have plenty of time to use our set for the second, which closes October 16th.
There is nothing like the pleasure derived from treasured moments among those special friends one might call "kindred spirits" (to coin a phrase used by Ann of Green Gables' Ann Shirley and her "bosom friend" Diana Berry). I have often thought of teatime as one of the best ways of relaxing with my closer associates. Tea, finger sandwiches, delicate goodies made to look pretty, all set in a warm, inviting environment, can bring out the very best in one's guests, don't you agree? :)
Our ephemera includes some antique images of tea parties, along with various related bits for Digi and/or Hands-On collage. Among them, we are including several images for our Digi visitors without backgrounds, for easier use with their digital editing software.
Our Digi crowd will want to go for the choice marked as "Digi PNG" while our Hands-On friends will want to choose the one marked as "JPG Print." Please note the distinction when choosing.
Hope you'll find lots of fun ways to express the joys of friendship using this set.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Ephemera Set: Tea & Company

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG print Version HERE

A Ghostly Cemetery in Paris--DigiScrap Printables in 3 Sizes

2011-09-27T18:37:00.004-06:00

Well. I must say Halloween has its hold on us for sure! We can't seem to get enough!
One of our members is keen on the history of this Paris cemetery, and so it was decided to recreate this scene into something slightly creepier than before.
Her design sense generally rocks, so we hope she may enjoy the final outcome of our foray into the past via Paris' most famous cemetery, Pere La Chaise (sorry about the lack of accent to the first "e" of "Pere"--no place I checked could give me accurately the right way to create it here for you using this computer). It is an historic cemetery in so many ways, you may wish to learn more about its denizens by going HERE.
We offer our newest DigiScrap background in 3 sizes, so anyone may make use of one or all of them.
I've included it in the latest Three Muses Challenge, the theme of which is the Moon. Not sure if it really fits, as the Moon herself does not show, only her lovely glow from the sky. If not, I'll simply re-edit this post and maybe try for something a little more celestial for my entry in this stellar challenge.
Have a spook-tacular time using your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Background in 3 Sizes

French Cemetery at Twilight

Download 12" by 12" Size HERE

Download 10" by 10" Size HERE

Download 8" by 8" Size HERE

Credits: Pere La Chaise image--Wikimedia Commons

Digital Brushes used--Obsidian Dawn, hilla29, witchy_13, nadine pau-stock,

Spook-tacular ATC Backgrounds!

2011-09-27T13:11:00.001-06:00

As promised, here is our spooky six pack for your ATC fun. I like the creep factor here, especially hidden in the scene with the two howling dogs. But they're all really fairly spooky, as may be seen. We naturally expect you guys to creep us out the further by adding your own dashes of spooky art-ing around to the surface of these babies. ;)
Hope you'll share with us how some of you have been able to utilize them. (broad hint)
(Now for the guilt trip!)
After all, we do offer our works here for free.
(See?Guilt-guilt-guilt!--boy it sure piles up around here, huh?)
;)
Seriously, everyone, we realize you can't always show us your works made with elements we have provided, but we can't tell you how much it pleases us when you can.
Anyway, have fun today with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSATC™ Six Pack: Spooky Background Scenes

Downloadable Version HERE

Monsters & Mummies & Ghosts, Oh My!

2011-09-27T10:25:00.000-06:00

Isn't this a fun time of year? Our Halloween fun is just beginning, while Fall is blooming before our eyes in many splendored colorful displays.
I like walking through the leaves that drop and collect by the wayside, don't you? That crisp rustle all around my feet as I wade through a pile of leaves takes me back to childhood fun raking leaves so we kids could take running jumps into our pile. Makes me grin all over! :)
Our second set in our Halloween Collage Series for you is all about the creepy, scary, or ghastly ghostly. In it, we have included a funeral for a mummy, complete with barges on the proverbial Nile. Also, two more freaky cat images for you, this time a little larger, and with the added benefit of both ways facing. Thought that might make a nice graphic for someone wishing to create a banner, header, or some fun collages.
We also supply a small cross section of our collected images of ghostly scenes, more of which you'll find here later on this week. We also hope to feature a new Halloween ATC background set for you later on today, so do stop by for a second peek if you're interested.
As usual, we feature the Digi PNG Version first, our Print JPG Version next, followed by the Display Copy, all of which differ from one another.
The first one, of course, has no basic background, allowing our flanking crazy cats to be usable straight off. The Print Version, like the Digi, is set at 300dpi, which means it's print ready. Our Display model, on the other hand, may have all the appearance of being a pretty fair image, but you'll find it's lacking greatly, being set at a mere 96dpi (the latter helps us to save storage space in Picasa).
Just a heads-up for our newer visitors.
Once again, we've accessed Wikimedia Commons for you, cleaning up, resizing, and generally reprocessing items for your use. We'd like to thank them right here and now for being our most diverse find so far online or anyplace else, for that matter, for public domain and copyright free imagery. It's a beautiful world!
We hope you'll find lots of uses for our image sets below, and that at least some of you may let us in on how these images worked for you. In the long run, this can only help us bring you better quality all around. Thank You.
Happy Creativity!
Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Halloween Collage Set 2

"Monsters & Mummies & Ghosts, Oh My!"

Download Digi PNG Version HERE

Download JPG Print Version HERE

Digi and Print Halloween Collage Sets

2011-09-26T21:22:00.001-06:00

With Halloween just a little over a month away, we thought it was time to bring on the fun!

And what a line-up of things to get into the Halloween mood with! Even the bats seem pleased to be included. ;)

As before, We've chosen to offer you our best by providing our Digi visitors with several PNGs in one set, as well as keeping the Print crowd happy with lots of imagery which is already prepared for your use.

Our Digi crowd will find their set in our "Digi PNG" version, and our Print crowd may find theirs listed below as "JPG Print."

I'm crazy about that cat, the one with the back arched. We found him online as a part of a magazine cover featuring a turkey, which we decided was removable in favor of allowing our cat to shine at his wicked best. And, with some doctoring, we found him to be a moderately good PNG image. Hope you'll dig him like we do! I think he's a real spook cat, if ever I saw one!

We've altered the other images to fit, doing the work for you with background removal/cleanup, as well as giving each a chance to shine through altering its dpi to 300. This means you may have to be selective in your resizing or enlarging of each item in our set, as some may not resize much before losing their good looks. This probably includes those magazine covers below. These were offered at such low resolution, we hardly dared stretch them in the process of adding them to the set. Hope this won't be a problem for you.

Enjoy your early fall weather with that--

Happy Creativity!

Rose

PPSDigiScrap™Halloween Sets

"Mr. Poe & Friends"

Download Digi PNG Set HERE

Download JPG Print Set HERE

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Free Party Gear for a Batty Good Time!

2011-09-26T13:30:00.002-06:00

We're having fun here in our Studio playing around with images in preparation for Halloween. It's too good a chance to miss!
Earlier on this month, we posted our first ever grown-up Halloween party gear offering, that of a batty invitation, which you can find by going HERE.
Now we're including our follow-up to that particular post, that of matching Menu front and Pop-Up Place Card.
Thanks to a friend of ours, Gracie Adams (not blogging at this time--sorry), we are able to also show you what those little batty place cards really do look like once done. She has so kindly offered to help us with this project, and we hope may handle our photographic needs for a while. (hint, hint)
And isn't her card a cutie? Note the way it's folded, using the dotted lines included in the design. She followed the instructions to a tee!
Thanks so much, Gracie dear!
I simply cannot wait for more Halloween highjinks to happen in our blogosphere! As this will be my first autumn as a possum for PPS, this makes the time blogging here all the more pleasurable.
So, without further ado, here are your new party accessories.
Have fun creating for this way fun holiday with your--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

NOTE: Instructions for this project come with the actual printable.

Gracie's Photo

Digi Brushes used in this photograph by green eyed dragonfly and hilla29.

Batty Themed Pop-Up Place Card + Menu Cover

Download 300dpi Version HERE

Spiders & Snakes! Yikes!

2011-09-23T10:48:00.001-06:00

Today's post comes straight out of our archives here at PPS.
You'll note we had already posted some pages from the antique book on snakes of the British Museum quite early on in our time blogging. Today's may seem overly refined, but the two we're posting were, for some inexplicable reason, very nearly pristine as they were.
Our spider page comes out of an old Harper's Reader dated 1888. This one little volume has some quite charming (?) images, including that of our arachnid friends below.
Hope you will enjoy our little foray into naturalism today as much as we do sharing our ephemera with you.
Please note that there is a fun music video clip for you at the bottom of this post. ;)
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Spider & Snake Ephemera Pages

Trap Door Spider

B&W

Downloadable Version HERE

Original Look

Downloadable Version HERE

Snakes in Their Skins

Downloadable Version HERE

Snake Skulls & Jawbones

Downloadable Version HERE

Yikes!

Steampunk Party Mask for Ladies

2011-09-22T18:04:00.006-06:00

Well, it's about time, if you ask this possum, for our ladies to enjoy their first Steampunked mask. We took great pains to differentiate this one from her counterpart from two posts ago. In doing so, we gave our gal some special decorative touches with a bit of feminine flair.
We hope you like her veiled top hat and winged clock, along with the French map which frames her eyes.
You'll notice her format is the same as for her heart's desire, 11" by 17", otherwise known in the states as "Legal Sized." Once again, there is a 1/2" margin at both side edges. Do bear that in mind when you choose to print this one.
As for me, I guess I cannot choose which one of the two to favor.
Please recall how it's better to back anything made with paper with at least one layer of heavier yet flexible material such as card stock. To reinforce those string holes on the face portion is also best.
While you're at it, you may want to check into the rest of our Steampunk Category. Also, you can go HERE for our Halloween goodies.
We're adding some geared-up gramaphone music at the end of this post for your listening pleasure.
Thanks for stopping by and--
Happy Creativity!
Rose

Printable Steampunked Mask for Ladies

Download 11" by 17" Legal Document Sized Printable Version HERE

CREDITS
Digital Brushes used in the design process of this mask are from
Obsidian Dawn and nelchee.