HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

I had so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, I even volunteered to cook!  The bird was a huge one and I had to get him in the oven by 6am to have him cook in time.  We had just 8 of the family over, but lots of boys, so ate heartly and always great to have leftovers today.
What am I most thankful for?  My hubby sitting at the table, my family there who supported us through sooooo much this year, my wonderful friends-and yes- that turkey on the table.  Blessings to you all. ~Lou

Edgar's ATCs

So, I couldn't resist making some Poe ATCs for a swap either (Kim- you must stop reading my mind.)  My first card has a miniature skull and is called, 'Vital Organs', next is 'Busy Bee' (wasn't he?) and lastly is 'Birds of a Feather' (...written in script on the ribbon, and he has a raven on his shoulder, and birdcage, etc.)
I like to make individual ATCs most of the time- more like little artworks, I think. ~Lou

POE is the Man

Seems to me Edgar is quite popular nowadays, with a big spread in Somerset and lots of swaps going on.  Personally I feel he was a tragic and brillant soul, lonely and misunderstood, and today would have had trouble finding a publisher for his gross subject matter.  I am in a journal swap featuring EAP and choose a diecut large album of 14 inches in length that I found at a scrapbook store on sale for 50c.  It spelled something else-can't remember what- I took the letters apart to make 'POE' (the 'p' had been an 'r' I remember.) I put an old image of him inside the opening of the 'P', added a real feather pen, wax 'bee' seal, letter written with 'Jane Austen' font about the 'Pit and the Pendulum' (don't you just love handwritten fonts on the Dafont.com?) 
There are plain ecru pages inside. ~Lou

Halloween Cabinets

I made two altered cabinet Halloween cards for a swap- the one on the left more artsy, with bat appendages added and green skin, with text, "Want to go hang out?"  The other has a piece of embroidery that looks like a web with black glitter and two spiders, the baby is 'trapped.'  I tend to lean towards the bizarre, so prefer my boys to 'hang'  with!~Lou

Cabinet Photograph Swap

I did it again.  I became attached to one of my swaps and had to make another one!  I made 'All the Rage' first, on the left, and just had to keep her for her bird-nest hat, so I made the 'Cherish' butterfly baby to mail instead. Hope you don't mind, Marsha!
I still love to alter and paint old photographs-it is so easy to add pieces of lace (apron on the baby), photo-copy wings, napkin images (bird nest!), and of course, glitter (buttons!). Photos are still a bargain at flea markets-pick them up for less than a dollar whenever you can.  I mean, look at all the money ya all spend at craft stores and ya can get the real deal for so much less at a junk store! Or search for a 'Lot' of photos on Ebay.~Lou

One of the Best Moments of My Life

Renewing of our vows after 50 years on the beach at the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  The kids and grandkids gave us a great party too, with a catered dinner.  Since Tom almost didn't make it with health problems this last year, we were especially thankful.  God is good. ~Lou

MID-SUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

I have started to get the creative juices going with a few swaps, such as a large matchbox swap using only vintage and antique items.  I am thankful that there are others out there that appreciate the uniqueness of the old items, that I feel, tell a story.  My 'Mid-Summer Night's Dream' is a fairy Queen's cradle for an old china Charlotte doll, peacock feather, old German text strips, moss and a jewel.  The 'queen' is an old tintype painted with Golden's acrylics and placed on a brooch, two screen brass numbers added, a tin corner adornment put on top, and all arranged on a velvet half of an old photograph case.  I made a similar one to keep. ~Lou