One Inch Button Alphabet in Sepia

Get out that 1 inch circle shaped paper punch! This Antique Button Alphabet is a Plush Possum Studio (or PPS™) exclusive.

I've been a collector of buttons of all sorts since my mother was first teaching me to sew. This later grew into my collecting antique needlework notions in adulthood, too. In other words (and in case you had never noticed lolz) - I am a lover of fasteners, buttons in particular.

This is a Plush Possum (or PPS™) Exclusive. Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines listed at the foot of this post. Thank you!

I began by making 2 color coordinated Antique Button Alphabets for my Rainy Day Spring Book Arts Set, HERE. 

That was last month's biggest project. I'm going to take it easy this week by playing with changing a few colors instead of being ambitious. The first result is this one. I have to say, I think that it might do well for antique style designs using old photos, etc. - or perhaps even for Steampunk themed artistry.

This pretty, clear color way sort of reminds me of a nice, soothing cup of tea, too, or perhaps of a "clearie" antique toy gaming marble (but without any bubbles from being handblown). 

I'd love to see what some of my guests are making using the supplies I've been offering. Please let me know if you'd like to share something here. I'll be more than happy to feature any work in a new post along with any links you may provide to where you blog, etc. and then post about it at G+ for us both.

There are soon to be more color ways and even patterns using this button design, so please do keep watching for the next designs. I am playing and having more fun than a barrel full of monkeys using this button idea!
:)

Happy Creativity!

PPS™Antique button Alphabet: Sepia

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

Use my Button Alphabet

in artwork that may be either

given or traded (as in

ATCs, etc.).

You are not free to:

ever sell anything made using

any of these letters

even if you alter them first.

(You may alter them otherwise, just not for sale)

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Victoria's Autumn Sunday Best

Her style has become more grownup as she has gained a little more maturity, hasn't it?
:)

Today's outfit is to be worn mainly for church services but also for special occasions. Victoria's grandmother has had this pretty fall dress tailor made for her granddaughter. To complete this new ensemble, Grandmother Lacey has ordered a very fashionable and grownup style of hat. This gift of new clothes has been presented to Victoria on a Saturday, so that she might wear it the very next day.

Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines at the foot of this post. Thank you.

Now back at home following a few weeks at her very first tutoring position, Victoria's mind is turning towards her home life once again. She won't have to attend classes until after the turn of the new year. Despite this, she will practice her conversational French daily with her Grandmother as her teacher and also continue her reading schedule.

Soon, she will be able once again to enjoy the company of her cousin, Mercy, who (unbeknownst to Victoria) has a few surprises waiting for her. The two are due to have what we might call a "sleepover" or a "slumber party," just the two of them, as best friends often like to. But there has also been proposed a small tea party of a quieter sort. To this Mercy plans to invite only a few guests, mainly family members and a few very close friends. But we'll save that for another day.

Happy Autumn Playtime!

PPSPlaytime™: Victoria's Autumn 

Sunday Best

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

play with or share or trade

this paper  doll outfit.

You are not free to:

ever sell it in any form 

and for any reason.

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Playtime Accessory: Horseback Riding Action Figure

Victoria is enjoying her autumn times off from her new tutoring job!

This is a card stock project.

With her newest adventure in growing up has come this wonderful surprise of being allowed to wake up nearly every morning and go out riding. The name of the horse she has been leant is Star, for the pretty white marking on his forehead. The family who have leant her this sweet horse are friends of her family's, and whose daughter needs to be helped with her studies for a while until a new governess can do the job. This will supply Victoria with some fine references to go along with both her excellent test cores and her experiences of foreign languages abroad over the summer.

Please respect all copyrights, including the ones in red that are listed at the foot of this post. Thank you.

Riding out freely in the fresh country air is a special privilege, as it is an expensive venture to keep a horse, especially if one is living in a large town or city in Victoria's era. She intends to spend every precious moment out galloping over the green grass and fallen leaves of the family's estate. On her arrival home again, she is generally greeted by a healthy breakfast with some warming tea in her friends' Breakfast Room - a cheerful room which faces east in order to catch the morning sun.

Her evenings may be spent with her own studies.these must be kept up with, for her next term will require more of her than ever before. The head of her academy is quite confidant in allowing Victoria to skip one term in favor of finishing her sojourn abroad along with this rare opportunity to teach before graduating. Come springtime, she will be preparing to take a number of tests, as well as for life as a newly graduated young scholar.

The Action Figure has its own custom standard. Simply follow the instructions printed clearly on its middle, and you should have complete success with this project. The one tricky part would have to be the cutting out of the Figure itself. I recommend smaller scissors, used with care, for the trickier parts. As already mentioned, this is a card stock project. To use paper would only lead to disappointment almost immediately.

This Figure has had to be redone several different ways. After all, the paper doll itself is much too short to accommodate the height of a horse to match in scale, and so I had to decide for the Figure rather than an outfit with a horse involved. Please see the separate Paper Doll Riding Costume by following this link HERE. 

This Action Figure could not be a very high quality image - certainly not as high in quality as most of the Paper Doll collection here at PPS. All the same, I think that it will be a fun addition for anybody's paper doll set!

In any case, Happy Playtime Creativity!

PPSPlaytime™: Victoria as Horseback Action Figure

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

play with, trade or give away

this new Action Figure and Standard.

You are not free to:

ever sell either for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Forest Coloring Page No. 2

From an old engraving or print of a peaceful scene of two gracefully shaped trees.

Suitable for framing, this could either be tinted or else completely colored in using colored pencils, etc. and made to look either summery or autumnal. Actually, spring's lighter greens might work well for this printable too. A further option might be to leave it just as it already looks.

As this was a very simple printable to make, and required very little alteration at my end of things, I have chosen to leave this one in the wide open world of the Public Domain.

FREE 

Use this one anyway you wish.

Happy Autumn Creativity!

PPSColorMe™: Two Graceful Trees

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Free Forest Coloring Page

From an old engraving or print of a peaceful scene among some trees with a herd of wild deer.

Suitable for framing, this could either be tinted or else completely colored in using colored pencils, etc. and made to look either summery or autumnal. Actually, spring's lighter greens might work well for this printable too. A further option might be to leave it just as it already looks.

As this was a very simple printable to make, and required very little alteration at my end of things, I have chosen to leave this one in the wide open world of the Public Domain.

Happy Autumn Creativity!

PPSColorMe™: Deer forest

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

Do what you will

with this printable.

This particular one is totally free

and remains in the Public Domain.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

:)

Japanese Style Autumn Set for Book Artists, etc.

Based on some lovely creative artwork from Japan, where the leaves in autumn can be spectacular.

When I first laid eyes on this decorated screen, I couldn't help admiring the graceful design that had been applied to its surface. The gold leaf was looking older than my own design concept for it, so it had to be refreshed a little bit. However, the beauty of it even without any updating has been obvious from the start. The details in this screen made this creative process a real joy.

Please see the red letter Guidelines at the foot of this post and always respect the copyrights of artists. Thank you.

A happy thought occurred to me as I gazed in delight upon the screen's beauty: what if (I enjoy that kind of question) I were to turn it into a set doors for Book Artists and other creative people?

The results shown below are the answer to that question. In addition, I've added an antique postage stamp from my own collection along with some hardware (hinges and a locking hasp), all Japanese.

The Display offers a few ideas as to how this Set might get used. For one thing, a photograph of some rice paper is not really as nice as the real thing, is it? Japanese papers are among some of my very favorite craft supplies, due to their beauty and versatility.

Many art and hobby stores sell Japanese papers. Both rice and mulberry papers would be, I think, very nice to use as backgrounds or as added components for your chosen design. But this is not just due to the fact that they tend to be created either in Japan or using Japanese techniques, but because they are also thin, fine, soft papers which layer well over other types of paper, especially between the pages of some books. (Book artists will understand immediately what I mean) One source for pretty Japanese paper may be found by following this link HERE. And at the link HERE, the patterned origami papers are luscious! They remind me of kimono fabrics! Additionally, there are both Japanese and other Asian style papers at this link HERE.

Adhesives for rice papers can be either just right or could cause buckling and rippling. It is best not to overwork delicate rice paper surfaces. Heavy Matte Gel Medium that is not overly moist might be OK, if your project is left to dry under some flattening weight. I personally enjoy keeping one older jar of my Liquitex Heavy Matte Gel Medium for projects requiring less moisture but fast adhesion, and using my newest jar for damper work. But you are, of course, free to use whatever would work best for you.

Happy Autumn Creativity!

PPS™Book Arts Set: Autumn in Japan

Download Set HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Display of possibilities

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

use the elements included 

in this Set

for fun or for profit.

But

You are not free to:

ever sell the elements 

included in this Set in sets 

which you have assembled yourself.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Autumn Checkers - Canadian Style!

This fun game was invented a long time ago, yet it is still enjoyed by millions today!

This new board and game piece set is specially designed to be a part of the Autumn Garden Collection, begun last week here at PPS.

Please observe and respect all copyrights and red letter Guidelines here, especially for this particular copyrighted design of mine. Thank you.

"The most popular forms are English draughts, also called American checkers, played on an 8×8 checkerboard; Russian draughts, also played on an 8×8; and international draughts, played on a 10×10 board. There are many other variants played on an 8×8, and Canadian checkers is played on a 12×12 board." 
This is from Wikipedia's article about the game of "Draughts" or "Checkers" as we call it here in the States.

"Checkers dates back to the 12th century, in France.[2][1] There are two main types of checkers played: the Anglo-American version (which originally came from France) and the Polish or continental version. The Anglo-American version is played on an 8x8 checkerboard with 12 pieces. The continental version (so-called because it is played on the continent of Europe) is played on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces each. There are also a number of variations in various countries."
The writer of that article skipped the Canadian version, didn't they?
:)

For my own game board, I've chosen to use the same size that our Canadian friends like to play on, which is 12 squares by 12 squares in size. 18" x 18" is what my big board will be, once completed. This will allow for each square to be slightly larger than one inch on all four sides.

Some online sources left me puzzling about the varying size discrepancies for both boards and squares. For example, one source said that each space on the board should be 1.5" by 1.5" square. But this made no sense in terms of math for some board sizes. I was quite frankly puzzled at first! After all, 12 squares border all sides of the Checkerboards used in Canadian style draughts (pronounced "drafts.") or checkers. 12 squares x 1.5" = 18".

Other sources later claimed that every square should be exactly one inch square. Some even claimed that the board must be 8" x 8" (such as the article above), yet that would make the board smaller than an average sheet of printer paper, wouldn't it?

Anyway, as soon as I saw all of the varying sizes, etc., I decided to decide for myself instead of following all of that varying advice. In fact, I went with the Canadian style (probably because of an old movie I was watching at about the same time which took place in Canada).

Below, the first thing to be shown is a Display model of the completed board with a pretend game in its first steps. Directly following that Display will be a list of the 4 downloads, each one labeled as per usual.

For complete instructions on how to put together the 18" x 18" board, I'd like to suggest the Instructions and Hints at one of my Paper Doll Room posts HERE. The techniques for both projects should be very much the same. 

This game does have pieces or tokens. I'd like to suggest the use of small wooden discs, such as craft and hobby stores often carry for these. The size should be no smaller than 1.25" or one inch plus one quarter across. That is the exact size of each of the circular pieces I've created for the set. Another option might be for chip board circles of the same size, 1.25". I imagine there are various tabletop die cutters that might be useful for such a project, as would a 1.25" circle crafting punch. Cork or felt padding  on the underside of every piece will help to ensure the life of the board.

Each free printable download comes with 6 game pieces, 3 pieces per design, so that once all 4 sections have been printed, so will all 12 game tokens have been.

As most home printers have ink which runs when wet, some wide enough clear packing tape could be very useful for putting together your tokens (or checkers). Glue stick is an old favorite of mine for paper projects, however, perhaps double sided tape (the strong kind often used by crafters today) would work best, as it is applied without dampening anything and is sturdy. 

Remember that you can always save the 4 downloads as files and reprint them if you need to.

Below the Downloads and the Guidelines, I will offer a video of the game's basics for beginning players.

Happy Autumn Playtime!

PPSGames™: Autumn Checkers (or Draughts)

Canadian Style!

Display model:

Download Upper Left HERE

Download Upper Right HERE

Download Lower Right HERE

Download Lower Left HERE

You are free to:

play with this game

and/or the tokens.

You are not free to:

ever sell any part of this game set

for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to 

keep free things free!

Checkers basics:

The next one shows a little more skill.

Autumn Label Set No. 2

In the same colors as have been used for the other Autumn sets from earlier in the week.

The first set of labels for this Autumn Garden Collection was more for the Faith crowd while this set is entirely secular in tone.

Please observe and respect all copyrights and red letter Guidelines listed at the foot of this post. Thank you.

I've chosen a number of quotes from various famous authors and poets, among them some of my favorites. We can put Elizabeth Gaskell at the top of that list. Her quote is from the 1855 serial novel, North and South (edited originally by Charles Dickens), a book written to highlight the struggles of the mill workers and owners of the north of England during that era. On top of her novel being very aware and enlightening and exciting, it is also romantic in more than one way. I highly recommend it. The BBC series by the same name is also very good.

So here is to another "golden Autumn," with all of its colors glowing in the trees and at our feet.

Happy Autumn Creativity!

PPS™ Autumn Garden Collection:

Label Set No. 2

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

use the above Labels for 

crafting, book arts, gifts, etc.

You are not free to:

ever sell them,

either separately or in a set,

for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Autumn Garden Set: Croquet, Anyone?

For anyone who's ever enjoyed the out of doors in the early fall, this new set might be for you.

The two main colors I've chosen to use for this new part of the Autumn Garden Collection here at PPS are bittersweet and blue.
Bittersweet, the plant, may be highly poisonous, but the colors it displays certainly aren't. The blue of this set has many different tonal attitudes. I think of it as "blue with a mellow attitude."
:)

Please respect all copyrights and red letter Guidelines at the foot of this post. Thank you.

The bittersweet colors of autumn are some of my favorites. These are shown in the lady's bustle dress adorning the pockets. It is a late afternoon croquet game that she is playing. I have added leaves upon the grass, for that is what you will find in many places on a sunny and warm autumn afternoon.

There are 2 styles of badges for this particular set, Sunflower and Croquet. I have included two lace backgrounds, both made using a Digital pattern by artist, babypink (name is a link) over at Brusheezy. The copyright for the Digital Lace Pattern (entitled, "Spetts") is as follows: "This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You may redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon this work even for commercial reasons, as long as you credit this artist by linking back."

Displayed first below are two optional idea images for you, one in Bittersweet and the other in Blue. After that will come the Downloads and the rest of the Displays.

Happy Autumn outdoor Creativity!

PPS™ Autumn Garden Croquet Set

Display of Ideas for Bittersweet

Display Ideas for Blue

Display version of Set

(lower quality than the download)

Download Set HERE

Download Bittersweet Lace Background HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Download Blue Lace Background HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

use the above set

in art that is made for fun.

You are not free to:

ever sell this set for any reason.

Please see the Lace Background 

copyrights listed in the post above.

Thank you

for helping me to 

keep free things free!

Autumn Garden Label Set No. 1

These will match and blend in with the bunting/banner as well as with everything in yesterday's post.

This collection is growing! Soon there will be two label sets with quotes included, as well as one with no quotes included. I hope to shortly also provide some other fresh fall colors in sets for book arts, collage, scrapbooking and general crafting.

For the original post that started it all, the Harvest Bunting/Banner, you can follow this link HERE.

Please respect all copyrights listed at this post and all others here at this blog. Most often you will see them written at the foot of a post as red letter Guidelines and/or Credits. Thank you.

Happy Harvest Creativity!

PPSFaithGraphics™: Matching Harvest Label Set

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

use this label set for crafting, etc. that is 

personal and meant to be kept,

or for gift giving and sharing.

You are not free to:

ever sell this set for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

A Leafy New Autumn Collection

Autumn leaves! What could be better?

The sky seems to deepen in tone just enough to be noticeable this time of year, as the cooler temperatures paint every leaf a shining new color.

Please see the special new copyrights and Guidelines below this post's downloads. Thank you.

I have some thanking to do now. You see, I had lost some of my edge on creativity, and was really bored with everything that I'd just completed. I didn't realize just how in the doldrums I'd been until I happened across a new video by creative crafter par excellence, Shemi Dixon. (name is a link) That playful, lighthearted attitude of hers was just what I needed in order for me to snap out of my dull mood and into some more creative playfulness! This led me to playing around with a few favorite fall colors and using my Photoshop playfulness for a change. The result: an entirely new collage made from leafy patterns along with a contented me. 
THANKS Shemi!
:)

Included in this set will be a number of new items from which you may choose. Please be aware that certain copyrights had to apply in this case due to the materials and brushes used. (which see below)

Shown first is the new Pocket Set that is for book artists and crafters of all sorts. You'll notice the new badge style is made using an image of some antique leather along with a copyright free leaf. That particular item, along with the gemstone and antique glass buckle, are copyright free, with no strings attached. The same would apply towards the photo corners (4 in all to this set).

It's the collage which makes up the main body of each pocket and the trim at the top of the page that have certain copyright rules added. I am sorry for any confusion this could cause,and so will try to make things as clear as possible for everybody. Basically, it's OK to use everything here just for fun in your own personal world. It is NOT OK to sell the copyrighted things without permissions or licensing or attributing, depending upon the item. (Whew! -seems complicated! Please don't let it bother you, though. I promise it does get easier!)

The second, the simple Frames and cutouts Set, has copyrighted digital brush images throughout. A digital brush is not exactly easy to explain to the uninitiated. Each one is an image that is created for use with Photoshop programs. Some images look a lot like a natural brush stroke, while others have unique shapes, such as leaves or flowers or even buildings! 

The list is simply endless of the types of images to be had on the digital brush market anymore! I've collected and used only free brushes that do oftentimes have copyrights. I then follow the instructions as to crediting or attributing, and so on, so that I still get to give everything away free for you here at Plush Possum. Since this blog is all about Free images for creative use, this works well as long as the guests here will follow the example that I try to maintain for us all.

The third Set in this collection is just like the second, in that it is based upon that leafy collage design I mentioned above.

For the post that started this Collection, you can follow this link HERE.

Once you've read my list, you will quickly see how simple it really can be to get the gist of copyrights and sharing where digital brushes are concerned.
:)

Happy Autumn Creativity!

PPS™ Leafy Autumn Collection Part One

Download Pocket Set HERE (1/4 inch margins)

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Download Frame Set HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Download Leaf Decorations Set HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Credits, Copyright Information

and Guidelines

Digital Brush Credits:

www.obsidiandawn.com

(where you can find their Terms of Use)

http://www.dynamicbrushes.com/product/

grunge-2/braque-prime/

jsperry

(please click on the word "copyright" at that page)

Trim at top of Pocket Set:

http://www.melsbrushes.co.uk/free-fancy-edge-brushes/

Please visit each linked page

where you'll find each person's rules.

My Rules for This Particular Collection

You are free to:

use any of the above shown

downloads for fun and for gift giving.

You are not free to:

sell anything that you've made

using this collection's images other than the 

following:

The striped gem and glass buckle, 

the photo corners,

the leather and leaf badges.

Everything is free.

Let's keep it that way!

Thank you!

Harvest Party Decor: Bunting or Banner

This time of year is one of my favorites.

There are a number of others' copyrights to consider in this design, so please really do read the Guidelines below this post. Thank you.

There is only one each of the letters, "A," and "H" to the downloads below, so it is best to remember that printing 2 copies of each will be necessary in order for your banner(s) to look complete. 

There are, however, 2 different versions of the letter, "P." This is because the two have to sit alongside one another in the word, "Happy." They are listed below as "P1" and "P2" summarily.

10 downloads in all to this post, with 1/4" (or .25") margins. Please check your printer's settings prior to proceeding with this project.

Included is a flap to fit. Both flap and bunting triangle should never be cut apart unless you would like to tape the letters on the wall rather than stringing them.

As for stringing, I'd like to suggest flat, smooth and perhaps fairly narrow ribbon. Gluing each letter to the ribbon prior to folding over the flap and then gluing it down is best for this project. Positioning of the ribbon should be done with care. I'd create a measurement template for this process first.

Happy Harvest Time Creativity!

PPS™ Harvest Bunting or Banner

Display version

Download "H" HERE 

Download "A" HERE 

Download "P1" HERE

Download "P2" HERE

Download "Y" HERE

Download "R" HERE

Download "V" HERE

Download "E" HERE

Download "S" HERE

Download "T" HERE

CREDITS:

(Note: please follow the links provided

for each of the credits in order to see 

each artist's sharing and/or copyright rules.

Thank you)

www.obsidiandawn.com

http://www.dynamicbrushes.com/product/

grunge-2/braque-prime/

jsperry

(please click on the word "copyright" at that page)

You are free to:

use the various parts for this Harvest Banner

for fun, not profit.

I am the sole copyright holder

of the final product.

The digital brushes I chose to use

for its leafy design

are not mine.

I am forbidden to sell all but one

of those brushes in my artwork.

The same rule applies to

the guests who choose to download

any part of this set.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Autumn View on Old Philadelphia

I'd never read anything about this tree during my school days. I mainly chose this picture for its autumnal beauty.

Any landscape painting needs to be interesting to our minds even after it has been looked at several different times, wouldn't you agree? I found this one in a file while searching for something else recently. I've decided to give it a bit of a "face lift," so to speak, as well as giving it  a new format to fit 8.5" by 11" sheets of paper. I think that it might be nice to use in a collage or perhaps on a greeting card (reduced in size, of course).

To learn more about the city of Philadelphia, you may click on the following link HERE. At the same webpage, if you scroll down for a bit, you will see the very same tree in a different painting.

Half inch margins on this one. Please check your printer's settings before printing.

Happy Autumn Creativity!

Historic Landscape with Famous Tree

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Another free

Public Domain image

for your use.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

A New Version of My Matthew 11:29-30 Faith Graphic

Sometimes, all it takes is a different font.

A blessed good Sunday to one and all! 
I was feeling called to make a former graphic a little easier on the eyes. I tried the font known as "Chalkboard" this morning using Photoshop, and found it to be the best choice for me.

I hope that you will agree.

As I may have already mentioned in a previous post, this particular graphic is built upon my own photographic work along with some Photoshop processes.

These graphics were made to be shared. They are entirely free and are meant to be kept free. Please feel free to share, give or to keep any one of my Faith Graphics, but never to sell any of them. Most have no copyrighted materials used in the making of them. However, it really is best to check all of my red letter Guidelines and copyrights so as to be certain of the proper and legal handling for each one. 
Thank you!

PPSFaithGraphic™: Matthew 11:29-30 (new font)

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

keep, share or give

this faith graphic.

Your credit to me (at this blog post)

is appreciated.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of the Faith Graphics 

I've created for this blog

for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!