The second of 2 September Book Arts posts... ...before I go on a bit of a health hiatus for a while here at the Studio. The month of September's gemstone is the Sapphire. I chose to use the differing tones in the average sapphire as the inspiration for this set. Please respect my copyrights and follow the red letter Guidelines listed at the foot of this post. Thank you. The set requires 2 circle punches, one in the 1 inch size, the other in the 1/2 inch size. For some examples of how I like to suggest that people might use my sets, please follow this link HERE and look for the Display. Happy September Creativity!
Cinderella in one of her quieter moments, feeding the little birds who've come to pay her a visit. This is a favorite story for many people. I love the old style hearth that's big enough to sit in. The whole setting is really wonderfully done. Though I've seen it in a number of spots online, I thought I'd offer my own version for coloring or tinting. I think this project would work best using colored pencils, but the choice is yours, of course. Don't you simply love her shoes? Happy Coloring Creativity!
Mercy and her husband, Tom have invited Victoria to join them on holiday at the seashore. The proud new papa of one still sports his fatherly mustache while wearing the grey stripe bathing costume that we're so accustomed to seeing him in.
As for both Mercy and Victoria, this year the two cousins will be wearing the very latest in swimwear.Most women then tended to wear something on their heads in order to cover their hair, but not our two young Victorian women! Both have appointments with a hairdresser for later in the afternoon. By then, both will have changed clothes following bath time. After that, everyone is looking forward to a casual teatime in their family suite at the hotel with the baby, when it will be Nanny's evening off to visit a friend. As for Mercy and Tom's new baby, the little one is still a bit young to be out of doors all day long. We are allowing Mercy to have a nice, relaxing afternoon swim. This is her family's first chance at a holiday since the arrival of the baby in March. The baby's new skills have grown very recently to include rolling over. This caused much excitement, as all were present for that special moment. It's Nanny's turn to look after the little one for the afternoon today, especially as it is now nap time. Then it will be time for a promenade using a fancy stroller that was called a perambulator (we called them baby buggies here in the U.S.). For more about the baby, you'll have to wait for a later post. That will keep you guessing, won't it? :) Meanwhile, it's grownup swimming fun for all three of the members of this Victorian family. For more Plush Possum Studio paper doll fun, from wedding gown to riding clothes, my guests may follow this link HERE. Happy summer playtime creativity!
"April showers bring May flowers" is a very old rhyme which is the theme of this brand new Set. The Set below is complete with matching Accessories such as Photo Corners and Button Alphabets in 2 colors. My next post will offer two further free downloads. These could be used in gifts or cards for Mother's Day as well as for year round creative fun. For Personal Use Only: This is not a set to use in anything you make that is to be for sale. The reasons are as follows: Parts of this set must not be sold for certain legal reasons. Unless you have purchased a license from the digital brush designer, Mel Rodicq Creative, the Fancy Edges patterning used by me for this set may never be sold under any circumstances. (For more information, please follow the link, HERE) Those parts include the Trim (located at the top of the Download) and the Backgrounds (for those, please follow this link HERE) Everything else you see here is 100% mine, none of which I am offering to be used in items that are for sale. This is a Special Set. The digital brush designer whose free brushes I've used for this project has copyrights, too. Please respect all copyrights listed and follow the red letter Guidelines listed in this post. Thank you. The illustration that inspired this new Set is from Victorian times when crinolines, petticoats and decorated bonnets were in fashion. The three girls are sheltering from a retreating rain storm under one very large umbrella. They seem happy in each others' company, don't they? I've chosen the three colors that were featured most often within the illustration in the other Downloads. Note how there are two colors of trim, along with their matching buckles, plus two 1 inch buttons and two 1/2 inch buttons in the first Download. The same buttons I've used in my new 1 inch Button Alphabets (same colors). For the Alphabets, you will need only a 1" diameter circular paper punch or cutter. For the rest, a 1/2" diameter one should be sufficient. As for the Bonnet Badge, it is 2 inches in width. Perhaps a circle cutter would work better for that item if hand snipping using your scissors wouldn't be your choice. The entire Set is a PPS Exclusive, and that includes my new Bonnet Badge that can be made into a sticker or decal or else collaged as is onto your surface of choice. Everything has my copyrights, so you mustn't sell anything you see here, even if it is altered by you or someone else. This protects my copyrights and at the same time allows you to have my stock to use for free. Posted below in order of appearance, is the first Download, followed by the Accessories.
The matching Background Downloads, one in Pink and one in Blue, will be offered in the next post. You may follow the link HERE for both (Please see the red letter Guidelines and Credits there as the same rules apply to both the Backgrounds and this set. thank you). :) Happy Rainy Day Creativity!
Do you recognize something about Victoria's new visiting dress? Victoria's cousin, Mercy has a maternity smock with the very same sleeves and neckline. Most young Victorian women and girls knew how to sew for their family members, as well as for their homes and for themselves. The two cousins are no different. Please follow the red letter Guidelines for both versions of this outfit at the foot of this post. Thank you. Mercy had to adapt their shared pattern in order to make herself a smock with some pretty details. She paired it with a maternity skirt of a matching color way. You may see that outfit by following this link HERE. Victoria's version of the same dress is, of course, not for an expectant mother, but rather for herself. I'm offering this two ways, the first with a frilly short cape tucked under one arm, and the other without the little cape. I've added a purse for the very first time. Previously, she's carried a parasol or perhaps a gift or a Gladstone bag (a kind of large handbag made for traveling). Both outfit downloads include a hat for every hair color. Fairly soon, I hope to be able to offer a few items about Mercy and Tom's new baby, as well as some new adventures for Victoria and her family. Happy Playtime Creativity!
The expectant mother-to-be and her cousin, Victoria have been busy making some very cute new baby clothes. While Victoria has been using her embroidery skills on one sweet little bonnet, Mercy has been adding ruffles and ribbons to a second one. All of the artwork and downloads in my Paper Doll Collection are copyrighted. I am the copyright holder. Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines displayed at the foot of this post. Thank you. In a sunlit corner of one upstairs room in the new home belonging to Tom and Mercy, a screen (for the blocking of stray drafts) has been positioned over a nice rug. This cosy spot is a temporary one, as the room into which it has been placed is to be redecorated in time for the baby's arrival. Our cat, lovingly named Miss Beatrix Potter (after the famous author and illustrator of the same name) or "Missy" for short, has taken an interest in all of the to-doings today. No doubt she has tried more than once to play with the skein of yarn which has been laid on the chair. :)
The treadle style sewing machine has been put to much good use today near one window. Notice the pretty christening gown with its many ruffles and bows. It was customary during the 1800's for babies to be baptized as soon as was thought healthy for both the baby and its mother. Sometimes, a lavish outfit was worn by the new child just for that occasion. We'll see more of this charming gown very soon. Atop it rests a third stylish bonnet, while off to one side rest two pairs of beribboned booties, one pair in blue and one pair in pink. As nobody knows yet whether Tom and Mercy's little bundle of joy is either a girl or a boy, Mercy plans to be prepared for both. There are a few sewing notions alongside the lavender trimmed bonnet. The berry red pincushion holds some of Mercy's sewing pins. A few of her needles are holding her thimble in place, so that these are hidden from view. Mercy's new outfit is one that she and her very clever grandmother stitched together one week. This is based on a favorite sewing pattern of Mercy's, but this time it was given a discreet new look by being altered to fit her tummy. This sort of maternity wear was really quite common during the 1890's. The sleeves and upper bodice were generally fashionable, while the rest draped rather loosely, fitting as a sort of smock. Her matching purple skirt, likewise, was been altered for an adjustable waistline. Grandmother Lacey is really quite a clever seamstress, so both came out looking pretty as a picture. Both clothing items are also really very comfortable. Don't you think that Mercy looks pretty in them? Her apron is a handmade gift from her cousin and best friend, Victoria. It is a simple cotton wrapper gathered to a short yoke. This will keep any dust or thread clippings off her nice maternity outfit. For her it is a lovely reminder of her close ties with Victoria. The whole household speaks to her of the love of her family members. Many things were either passed down or otherwise purchased newly in order to help the young couple to make their first home together a pleasant place in which to live. As for Victoria's outfit, you may recognize its beginnings in the Kitchen Set which I posted fairly recently. This time, instead of a rolling pin, she has her charming embroidery project in one hand. A special gadget called a "sewing chatelaine" is clipped to the waistband of her crisp apron. Notice the little embroidery scissors? And can you spot the splendid needle case? Such gadgets are still a joy for me to handle and use. Though practical, they look almost like special jewelry to me. Below is a series of 4 Downloads. The Standard did not turn out quite as I had wanted. Of course, this pattern could be altered for use with this project by you. It should fit just enough to hold the little scene upright - that is, as long as card stock or stiff backing is used for the scene and the standard both. Cardboard from a leftover cereal box might do very nicely for this project as well, but you decide. All white background needs to be snipped away from the scene first, of course. From there, your glue stick with some careful positioning should do the trick. Happy Playtime (or needlework) Creativity!
I had to build this one from the ground up - a real challenge for me! This post includes 1 new room + 1 new outfit for Victoria. The kitchen is lit by gaslight, not electric lightbulbs, as will be the remainder of Mercy and Tom's first household together as a young married couple. Although there were some places where electric lighting was being used during the 1890's, for many more moderately well off families (mainly middle class) it was considered a high priced luxury. This project has been on the drawing board now for weeks and weeks. This work has copyrights. Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines that are listed at the foot of this post. Guidelines will sometimes vary from post to post, so please read all carefully. Thank you. How I built this kitchen scene It began simply enough as a whim for one more room, this time of the more practical sort. The basis for it was actually of much poorer quality than required. The furnishings may have had styles authentic to the place and time, yet the art depicting them made the final effect almost look grimy. So where to begin? It actually began with me "rebuilding" the entire room as well as refitting it to the dolls. It felt a little bit like redecorating a real room. New wall coverings got tried, but nothing made me smile until I'd created some new wallpaper in a fetching stripe. The flooring was redone entirely from "scratch," as we say in the U.S. That was a fun project in and of itself. The stove in the basis picture was definitely authentic in that it had been placed inside the older kitchen hearth. Further research showed me how some households with newer kitchens then had slightly larger ranges in niches and nooks decorated with wall tiling. I finally found just the right range, and then a tiling image I'd been saving for just such an occasion. A few color changes later and the entire kitchen began to be real enough. I added the pretty floral tiles to match the cheery feeling of the wallpaper. The cabinet on the right hand side of the room is actually a kitchen "dresser." We might call it a "buffet" or a "cabinet and hutch" duo. This kind of furniture often was kept and passed on to the next generation, as it was not installed for permanent purposes and so could be shifted from one home to another. This needed a genuine overhaul, and so I used digital "wood veneer." Perspective, shadows, highlighting, and scale (size of each thing in relation to the rest) were among my biggest challenges. I've kept this one on file still in PSD format (unfused, all layers) as a sort of a memory book of the process the project required. The rest of the picture I will explain in the story for you now. For Some Basic Instructions and Tips on assembling any one of my Paper Doll Rooms, guests may choose to follow the link HERE. The Story Victoria had a little bit of vacation time leftover before her school days were due to resume, and so she has stayed with Mercy in her new home. The two have been very happily busy adding finishing touches to the charming place. Tom had to travel again for his work, so the two have been having an entirely feminine time of it together. The two cousins have been preparing their favorite selection of sandwiches, salad, soup and desserts. Victoria is ready to finish some of the tidying up, while Mercy has already taken a moment to change into her lovely, comfy teagown. It is Victoria's turn to change into her own cute teagown next, as soon as they move everything from the kitchen into the parlor. Both young women are very hungry after their day's exertions of decorating and tidying up after themselves. A cook is to be hired in time for the arrival of Mercy and Tom's new baby, along with a general maid of all work to do the extra cleaning. Maids of all work were some of the hardest working women in England during Victorian times. Some middle class households did employ them to do most of the work. If Tom advances quickly enough in his career, then further staff might have to be acquired and a bigger house purchased. For now, we can admire how family members have given Mercy the lovely new range with its bright tile border along with the necessary furniture for this kitchen. The kitchen has been equipped to keep the household running smoothly. The stove will heat every bit of hot kitchen water that's to be used by the young family. Notice the big brass tank located on the wall between the stove and the old fashioned scullery sink. (Please don't ask me how such a set up would have worked, for I've no idea) Tom and Mercy have been blessed with their very own hot water plumbing for an upstairs bath, too. Though a rarity for many (particularly among more struggling populations), by the time of the story, a number of moderately well off families had just such a modern convenience. Having to lug a tin tub around would not do for a first time mother - at least, that is the general feeling among the three grandparents-to-be. Mercy's cat looks quite content to sit atop Tom's mother's step stool, doesn't she? She's admirably sleek and healthy looking, a cute kitty. But don't let her sweet face fool you. No adventuresome mouse would ever dare to step foot inside of her kitchen! My favorite little detail in this room is one that might get overlooked. It is the bright and shiny copper pot located on top of the range. Such pretty pots were often used for warming the milk necessary for hot chocolate and cocoa. The two cousins plan on having some warming cups of cocoa just before bedtime.
By the middle of March we should see a little bundle of joy with them in this loving home. More rooms will hopefully be ready to be revealed between now and then, as well as some new clothing for the papa-to-be. ;) Happy Playtime Creativity!
Display of Before and After (I really did try to fit a window into my final room. It just wouldn't fit well enough to scale with the dolls and their furniture.)
What a change a new hat and some different buttons can make to a young lady's wardrobe! This particular coat came with its own antique paper doll hat, a hat that nobody could like. I wasn't sure that I'd ever be able to find a more versatile model that would give this pretty coat a better look till now. Please respect my copyrights (highlighted in red below), as this outfit has taken many hours of careful handling and work to complete. Thank you. With her fashionable and pretty new hat pinned to her hairdo and her mind full of excitement, Victoria is on her way to a new adventure, this time with Mercy. Mercy's first child is due to arrive sometime around the middle of March in the New Year, so there is much to be done.
Mercy and her husband, Tom have finally managed to find just the right modest house in a quiet suburb of London in which to start their young family. Mercy has never had so many decisions to make where home decor and arranging are concerned. This is a fun process, and she'd like to share it with her best friend and cousin. Tom will have to be away in Scotland on business for ten days. On the one hand, this will mean time apart for the two love birds who are finally now able to nestle into their charming home. On the other hand, though, this will offer two young women time for the messy adult play of decorating and setting up Mercy's new household. Victoria's schooling is to very soon resume, although this won't happen just yet. There should be just about enough time for Victoria to assist with the business of setting up Mercy and Tom's new abode. The two plan on adding the finishing touches to the house, as well as redoing the old upstairs nursery. I will hopefully soon be able to post some more details surrounding their shared adventure. :) Happy Playtime Creativity!
And in two colors, too. The first one shown below is in shell pink with soft green and taupe accents. The second of the two is in blue with blue violet and light aqua accents.
This has taken a great deal of work to complete. In fact, I needed to set it aside more than once, as the details were making my head swim. Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines listed at the foot of this post. Thank you.
The original image of the room was a genuine mess when I first found it. For one thing, it has much lower resolution than I generally prefer to use. Despite that problem, the way in which it would fit the doll in terms of inches really made this a worthwhile project.
The next thing that it required was a major overhaul. The original color (ochre goldish greenish) was neither pretty nor feminine. I experimented with several different options, finally settling on the two you see here.
Then there were problems with the view from the windows. That was very poor quality, indeed, and offered the wrong kind of view. This is meant to be Victoria's real room when at home at her grandmother's house in an upscale (although not aristocratic) neighborhood in London. I saw that she needed her very own room early on, of course, but I had never been able to find anything close to what might fit the story. Therefore, I removed the original view and replaced it with the one you see here. The house is on a square near a park, and has its own fine view overlooking a nice walled back garden.
The room's decor and furnishings are all in keeping with the era. If some of it appears to have a touch of an Arts and Crafts or Art Nouveau Movement look to it, that's to be expected. In the latter half of the 1890's there had already been more than one revolution in home decor and overall architectural design. Grandmother Lacey's parlor may be more traditional in stye, but her lovely young granddaughter has more modern taste. Notice the decorative wallpaper meant to mimic draped fabric, and how this matches the ceiling. The wallpaper border underneath the wood trim at the tops of the walls has a hint of a Victorian William Morris style to it, hasn't it?
:)
Below, each color choice will be offered with its Display version first, followed then by the 4 separate downloads comprising each one. For the Pink one, I have posed the doll wearing her Garnet colored Dressing Gown. for the Blue one, I have posed her wearing her Violet Dressing Gown. Instructions for first time Paper Doll Room assemblers may be found by following the following link HERE.
Any one of these would make a fun coloring project. I especially like the first of the three, the one of a stable scene. The dog has chased a cat up onto a window ledge. The cat is pretty feisty. The horses are wondering what all the fuss is about. I think it's fun. Next up is a lady riding sidesaddle over a fence. She sits so confidently. I have to wonder about her posture in the picture and that jump she's taking atop her very pretty, bright eyed horse. I'm accustomed to seeing riders that are at least a little bit bent at the waist. Maybe it's about her corset? :) Lastly, there is a plainer picture that is an illustration from an old magazine. This one gives a brief look into the various ways that some horses are trained to move. The gait being shown is called a "canter." I will include a short video (8 minutes long) that offers three strides for a horse. The first, of course, is a simple walk. The second is a trot, and the third is a real canter. A canter is a gentle, flowing style of running gait, kind of halfway between a trot and a full blown gallop. Sometimes, it is called a "lope" or "loping gait." It looks really comfortable if done well enough. I see it as beautiful. It takes a strong canter in order for most horses to be able to take most jumps safely. A second video is about the importance of balance in maintaining your seat during a canter. Have fun "horsing around" with today's coloring fun!
PPSColorMe™ Horse Trio
Download #1 HERE
Display version
(lower quality than the download)
Download #2 HERE
Display version
(lower quality than the download)
Download #3 HERE
Display version
(lower quality than the download)
Video about the Canter
(I like the way he says, "Apply your calves.")
Balance is very important when riding into a canter.
The International observance, known in the U.S. as Veterans Day, began in 1918 with a different name. Back then, it was known as Armistice Day. According to Wikipedia, "Armistice Day is commemorated every year on November 11 to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the 'eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month' of 1918. The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations, and coincides with Remembrance Day and Veterans Day, public holidays." (To read more about Armistice Day, please follow the link HERE) In the U.S. the same holiday was given a new name in 1954, that being our Veterans Day (see more HERE), but this is still an International day of observance, regardless of our nation's name change for the same date and time. A number of my family members fought for the Allies in WWII. Some barely made it out alive. I like to honor all of our service members, both men and women, along with all medics, nurses, and doctors etc. who've either supported troops or who've been in the thick of combat, whether still living or now lost to us. No matter where in the world this day is being observed, let it be a sign to us as to war's cost in human lives. Let's likewise give some thought to the numerous conscientious objectors who drove ambulances and worked as medics or support staff. Even they risked their lives so that as many people as possible could return home to their families. They, too, even though they didn't choose to do battle, were an essential part of the world's times of war. " The World War I draft law recognized the peace churches [the Quakers, Mennonites, Church of the Brethren and Seventh Day Adventists] but prosecuted anyone else who objected on the basis of their own beliefs. Five hundred objectors were court-martialed – 17 received death sentences for refusing to fight. Although none of the death sentences was carried out, almost 150 objectors were jailed for life, and others were harassed and beaten. Finally, in World War II, the draft law exempted from military service those who "by reason of religious training and belief" opposed war. The objectors still served. They were assigned to "work of national importance." This service fell into two types: First, about 25,000 objectors served in the military in "noncombatant" roles. They were medics who were in the Army but didn't carry a gun. Second, those who objected to being in the military served on the home front. About 20,000 objectors fought forest fires, built conservation projects in rural areas, or took care of the mentally ill in hospitals. There were objectors who refused to even register for the draft, believing that the draft itself was supporting the killing. About 6,000 of these men went to jail." From an online article at http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/life_05.html Let's take the time to honor our veterans of all ages this coming Friday, November 11th. Additionally, in the UK or for those of us elsewhere who are religious, this coming Sunday is known as Remembrance Sunday. (the Sunday closest to the 11th) The old song title says, "Are We Downhearted? No! No! No!" This was a fairly popular song for some of the troops of WWI. According to a Wikipedia article, "Before entering the war, the U.S. had remained neutral, though it had been an important supplier to Great Britain and the other Allied powers. During the war, the U.S. mobilized over 4 million military personnel and suffered 110,000 deaths, including 43,000 due to the influenza pandemic.[1] The war saw a dramatic expansion of the United States government in an effort to harness the war effort and a significant increase in the size of the U.S. Armed Forces. After a relatively slow start in mobilising the economy and labour force, by spring 1918 the nation was poised to play a role in the conflict."
IN FLANDERS FIELDS POEM
The World’s Most Famous WAR MEMORIAL POEM
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915
during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium
(found at http://www.flandersfieldsmusic.com/thepoem.html)
Below the Display version, I will add 3 YouTube videos of antique recordings plus one of a very short overview of the history of this very important day. Let's Honor all our Veterans, including those among our allies this November 11th!
