Big Brown Dog Primitives

Kate Greenaway Tags and Labels

2012-01-11T12:55:00.000-06:00

New in the Digital Antiques Etsy Shop this week, designs based on the delightful illustrations of Kate Greenaway.

This set includes 4 Post Card size tags, and label sized designs.

The Dog and I hope you'll like them.

New Year, New Freebie!

2012-01-04T13:03:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone has recovered from the Holidays, and you're ready to start crafting again. I've decided it's time for a big reorganization and clean up in my workroom, formerly known as the garage. It's a great space, but not perfect, and nowhere near any of the studios you see all over the web. It's a good thing I like Primitives so much, since it was put together with pretty much no budget, and the cupboards and tables have been scrounged. I got a heater for it last year, so now I can use it in the Winter, too, which is great!

Here's a bit of inspiration for your work. Use these cards for tags, enclosure cards, journaling, or whatever strikes your fancy. I plan to make some art using these as backgrounds and adding layers. I'd love to know what you come up with. Happy creating!

Have a wonderful week, from the Dog and me.

Welcome, 2012!

2011-12-31T12:30:00.000-06:00

To All of You......

2011-12-24T13:30:00.000-06:00

From the Dog and me.

Tis the Season to be Busy

2011-12-05T21:44:00.001-06:00

Things have been busier than ever, here on the Farm. I'm very grateful to everyone for keeping me engaged in creating, the support has been amazing. I just need a few more hours in each day and a bit more stamina.

If you are at all involved in stitching or quilting, I wanted to pass along this charming, free Redwork pattern.

It's a free download from Gail Pan Designs, and will be available until the end of December. Be sure to check out all the other helpful and inspiring designs and patterns offered there. This little beauty is just the right size to finish up by Christmas, if you don't have anything else to do. Yeah, right.

The Dog is rolling his eyes at me.

To Wish You All...

2011-11-23T21:42:00.001-06:00

Free Christmas Tags

2011-11-17T15:13:00.001-06:00

Time for some early Christmas cheer. Here are some free Christmas images for you to download. I hope you'll be able to use them for some of your Holiday creating, including Cards, Tags and scrapbooking.

Download a print ready, high quality copy of all three designs by clicking on the tab in the right sidebar.

The Dog and I hope you enjoy them, and hope you'll take a few moments to visit the other images I have available at Digital Antiques.

Playing Catch Up

2011-11-15T22:39:00.001-06:00

This time of year just seems to get busier and busier for everyone I know. I'm way behind in showing the new Christmas offerings on Digital Antiques.

Sepia Christmas Stocking Tags

I'm really pleased with these Sepia Stocking Tags. There are 6 designs in the set,and each design is provided in two sizes. Great fun for gift tags, journaling, or garland making. Find them here to download and print.

Christmas a la Francaise

How could I resist these antique photos of French children dressed for Christmas. There are 8 images, carefully layered and shaded and hand colored. Wonderful for gift tags, party invitations, or Christmas cards. Available here on Etsy.

I'll have new free Christmas tags for you to download a bit later this week. Happy creating, from the Dog and me.

New for Christmas

2011-11-06T11:54:00.002-06:00

Lots of new offerings in the shop for the upcoming Holiday Season!

New Winter Post Card designs - not just for Christmas. Fun with old advertising trade card images, and great to use for tags, note cards, journaling, and lots of other projects.

Here's a link to see them on Etsy.

Thanks for visiting from the Dog and me.

TDIPT Mercantile Open House

2011-11-02T09:59:00.000-05:00

Don't miss this! It's your chance to win one of thirteen giveaways from the artists of TDIPT!

Visit the TDIPT Blog here, for all the information on how to enter and to see photos of the prizes.

Good Luck from the Dog and me!

Magic Halloween Decor

2011-10-22T16:14:00.001-05:00

Last week, I got this note and these photos from one of my Etsy customers, who had purchased my Little Winged Witches download:

Here are some photos of the wall hangings and large magnet that I made. Thank you for the adorable images! My girls and I had a great time making them.
~Michele

I was thrilled, of course, and asked Michele for more information about her girls, and if it would be all right to share the photos with you all. Here’s her answer:

I am glad that you like them! My girls are 8 and 5, and love doing anything crafty. I do not have a store or blog, I just make crafts for fun and use in our home. Most times I have no idea what I am doing, I pretty much just wing it. Sometimes it works and others times I have to start over. I have never taken a class or read a book on crafting. I really am just a beginner who has learned by trial and error. ~Michele

I love their work, and I especially love that this Mom is so encouraging of her children’s creativity. Thanks again for sharing, Michelle! The Dog and I both love what you three have made!

October on TDIPT Mercantile

2011-10-14T16:35:00.000-05:00

Time just keeps flying, and it's update night on TDIPT Mercantile again. I have some new and fun offerings this time.

First, my version of the charming "Santa"s Magic Key" poem.

Then, there's that North Pole necessity, Reindeer Feed.

And, the Snowball Fight!

All this hand made folk art will be available tonight, starting at 8PM Central Time, on TDIPT Mercantile. Please feel free to Email me with any questions, and don't miss all the other wonderful Artists offerings on TDIPT. Thank you from the Dog and me.

New Old Labels

2011-10-06T12:31:00.002-05:00

If you’ve read much of this blog, you’ll remember my fascination with typography and especially, old time advertising typography. I have such admiration for the craftsmanship and artistry I see in the work from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. And they did it all without Photoshop!
Here are some new designs, based on that old advertising art.

There are eight different designs in this set, and you can see all of them in my Etsy Shop.
I think they would make a wonderful Pantry or Kitchen display, printed and pasted onto boxes or jars. It could also be fun to use them framed and hung as a group, or propped on a shelf or in a cabinet. I hope you like them.
Happy Thursday, from the Dog and me.

To Make your Monday Brighter

2011-10-03T13:12:00.001-05:00

It’s always tough getting another week going. Our weather is now definitely the Fall variety, with colder temps creeping along, especially at night. Makes me want to stay in my nice warm bed, but the farm chores and the Dogs have other plans for me.

Here’s something I hope will bring a smile for the start of your week.

You can download it HERE . I hope you have fun with this little gift from the Dog and me.

Here’s What’s New at the Shop

2011-10-01T16:30:00.001-05:00

Just finished these fun Thanksgiving Postcards. There are 6 different designs, and each card is 3.5” x 5.5”.

They're available for download at my Etsy shop. Please click HERE to visit.

Thanks from the Dog and Me.

Cock Robin and Jenny Wren

2011-09-29T14:09:00.001-05:00

I found this charming page in an old book of Children's Nursery Music. I thought it could be a wonderful background for collage or altered art projects, or even just for framing as it is. Click HERE to download and save a good quality copy.

Looking at it, it occurred to me that it might make a great frame for a photo, or it could be the basis for notepaper or a tag, so I’ve also made another version, with just the outer design, in case you might want to use it.

This is a png file, with a transparent background – you won’t see any black background when you use it, and the tablecloth will match the rest of the border. This means that you can add it to a background of your own choice, or use it to frame a photo, etc. Download the png version HERE

Have fun with these, and make lots of art! I’m working on a way for you to share your creations made with Digital Antiques freebies and graphics. Could be a nice little creative boost for all of us, and the Dog and I would love to see them! I’ll let you know when I have that figured out.

New on Etsy Today

2011-09-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

Wonderful Fashions from the Jane Austen Era,

the British Regency period.

Available at Digital Antiques on Etsy.

Happy Thursday, from the Dog and Me.

New Christmas, and New Free Tags!

2011-09-13T15:23:00.001-05:00

Things have been busy and chaotic around the Farm lately, and I was also involved in a Quilt Show, put on by the Quilting Group in our little town of Jamestown, Tennessee.

I did manage to steal a bit of late night designing time, and made some new oval Christmas tags, with sweet vintage photos.

This set is called Vintage Christmas Oval Tags, and is available here, in Digital Antiques on Etsy.

I've also created a new free download for you. I thought it was time for something "Fall", so here it is.

To download your copy, click on the tab in the right sidebar, and then click on "Download" at the top of the window. Happy Fall from the Dog and me.

Images and Inspiration

2011-08-26T10:11:00.000-05:00

Today I'd like to share some wonderful typograpy and illustrations from "Ackerman's Repository of Arts, literature, commerce, manufactures, fashions, and politics".

Ackerman's was a British magazine about style and taste, and was published between 1809 and 1829. Just looking at the frontispiece for the publication gives you a clue to the ambitious nature of the project.

Here's a simple Morning Dress from the period.

And then, just slip into this little number for the Ball. You have one just like this in your closet, I know. And we all have the tiny feet and ribboned slippers.

You can make some wonderful Art with these images, I'm sure. Click to enlarge, then save to your computer.

Happy Friday from the Dog and me.

Vintage Halloween Costumes and some words about Paper

2011-08-24T18:41:00.001-05:00

Another new set of Halloween Tags. This time it's based on Vintage photos of children dressed in their Halloween Costumes.

They are dressed in wonderful, one of a kind, home made Costumes, and there are 8different designs. Available to download and print at my Etsy shop, DigitalAntiques.

A Few Words About Printing and Paper

Lately, I've had a number of questions about printing and paper. There are so many variables, just like in any kind of art, but let me share the answer I gave to one of these questions:

The kind of paper you choose depends a lot on what you want to do with your print. My own favorite paper to print on is Matte Photo paper. It's a heavier weight than cardstock, and gives the very best color and image quality for these prints.

Staples has their own brand of Matte Photo Paper, and it's excellent, plus a lot less expensive. I like this heavy weight for making tags, notes, and cards. White cardstock will also work well, and is less costly. I suggest using white to keep colors closest to the ones you see in the digital image.

If you want to give a more aged look, try using stamp pad ink in brown or sepia, and a sponge or small stencil brush, to age your images. It gives a lot of control to the aging, and a lot of depth.It's also fun to try printing on some of the lighter colored or marbled papers, to get a different look. Kraft paper gives a muddied look, which is desirable sometimes.

Do some experimenting, since there are so many variations in printers and settings. Most likely, your printer has a setting for Matte Photo Paper, so check under "Preferences" or "Options", before you hit that "Print" button. If you'll be using your prints for collage, or other projects where they will be backed with something stiff, you could use lighter weight paper like copy paper, or even vellum.

One of the reasons I bring all this up is that Staples is having a great sale on their Matte Photo paper. Until August 27, you can get a 50 sheet package of this paper for only $.50! The regular price is $14.99, but you can buy 2 packs and get a rebate on each one for $14.49. This paper does go on sale now and then, but this the best price I've ever seen on it, and if you'd like to try it, now's your chance.

If I could convince the Dog to get some too, I would.

New Hand Made Folk Art Tonight

2011-08-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

I will have some new Hand Mades available on TDIPT Mercantile tonight, so you might want to pop over. Everything should be in place between 9 and 10pm, Eastern Time. Be sure to check out all the wonderful artists who have offerings on the site as well.

If you're not familiar with TDIPT Mercantile, it offers artwork from some of the best primitive and whimsical artists on the web. The group has been together for over 4 years, and keeps getting better. New items are offered on the 1st and the 15th of each Month.

You can read more about TDIPT on the group's blog, http://todwellinprimitivethymes.blogspot.com/

Thanks, from the Dog and me.

New! Vintage Halloween Garland

2011-08-10T22:23:00.002-05:00

I've been working on this one for quite a while.

Make your own Halloween Garland, and it's really quick and easy, honest! Keep it simple, just print, cut out, punch, add ribbon, and you're done! Or, you can add your own twist, with glitter, ink, tinsel, beads, whatever strikes your fancy. Available now at my Etsy Shop - DigitalAntiques. The Dog and I both hope you like it.

Here's what Else is Happening on the Farm

2011-08-07T22:26:00.002-05:00

The best part of Summer.

Happy Monday from the Dog and me.

Are you ready for......Vampires?

2011-08-05T11:15:00.000-05:00

Well, they're ready for you! Perhaps the heat is getting to me, but here are some spooky Vintage Vampires.

Ready to download at my Etsy Shop, and also at Artfire. A bit of Halloween amusement from the Dog and me.

It's Still Halloween Around Here!

2011-08-02T18:54:00.000-05:00

Although there's not a Pumpkin in sight, and it's over 90 degrees today, I'm firmly focused on Witches, Bats, Ghosts and Goblins. Apparently Halloween is a very big holiday for a lot of folks besides the Dog and me. My Halloween printable downloads are very good sellers, so there must be lots and lots of folks out there who craft and decorate for the Spooky Season.

Here's my very newest set of Halloween amusements - The Witch's Household Labels!

There are 9 different labels, for all the products a Good Witch's home could not be without:

Bat Stain Remover
Pointed Hat Straightener
Cauldron Cleanser
Beetle Burnishing Paste
Cobweb Restore
Clean Sweep Brooms
Black Cat Conditioner
Frog and Toad Bait
Stubborn Spell Scouring Powder

I think this turned out to be such a fun group, and you could make so many creative things with these in addition to labels. Tags, party invitations, note cards, and Halloween Decorations all come to mind. Please check out Digital Antiques on Etsy, or Digital Antiques on Artfire for this and other Spookiness.

No Trick, Just a Treat

I have special little free download for you today. Often when I'm working on a set of images, somewhere in the process I end up with an extra something that really doesn't fit well into the mix. An orphan, so to speak. Today's free download is one of those. After all, you never know when you might need Gargoyle Treats.

Please click HERE to download an excellent quality pdf file of this image. The Dog and I hope you will have great fun with it.

New Halloween Tags and Some Inspiring Images

2011-07-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

I'm in the mood for Halloween, which is lucky since I need to be adding to the Halloween Image collection at Digital Antiques. I'll admit it, I love the dark and spooky side as much as the fun, costumed side of the holiday. Just the idea of the possibility of actual magic gives me goosebumps - the good kind. What about you?

Here is a new set of tags based on Graveyard images and Grave Stones.

This printable, digital download is perfect for Halloween cards and invitations, or to make tags and collages. Available at my Etsy Shop, and my Artfire Studio.

I do have some great images for you to download today. I hope they'll be inspiring in your art work and your crafting.

I love this illustration - the quality of the pen work is wonderful! Think about adding your own touches of color! So sweet.

This is from a Vintage trade card, advertising soap. She has such a haunting expression. And a wonderful hat!

Finally, here's a great frame for you to use for note cards, journaling, photos, labels, and whatever you can come up with. I loved the graceful, delicate quality of this one.
Have a happy evening, and stay cool as best you can, from the Dog and Me.

New Halloween Designs and Free Tags!

2011-07-12T23:35:00.002-05:00

We are in the typical summer weather pattern here in Tennessee. Lots of heat, high humidity, and electrical storms, some pretty intense, and they are set to continue the rest of the week. Working on the computer can be a bit of a challenge, with lightning striking all around, but so far so good. I'm thoroughly into Halloween prep, and it is my favorite Holiday. Here's the most recent set.

This set includes both postcard size, 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" and 3" rounds in 4 designs, and I have included a full page file of the background paper as well. Pick them up in my Etsy shop or my Artfire Studio.

I've also had time to work on some new free tags for you to download. I made these from some beautiful old scientific illustrations of fish. I think they will be fun to use for all kinds of cards and tags, and probably lots of other things.

Click on the sidebar button and download your own pdf copy. I'd love to see what you make!

Have a happy week, from the Dog and me.

New Look, New Tags

2011-07-11T10:32:00.000-05:00

I've been busy behind the scenes, doing some redecorating. It was time for a change, I wanted to take advantage of some of the new features available in Blogger's Template Designer. I hope you'll like the new look, as I try to combine both sides of my slightly split personality, my Vintage graphics at Digital Antiques, and my Primitive Folk Art at Big Brown Dog Primitives.

One of the new features I hadn't counted on was that my Followers widget has now decided to be blank for me, at least some of the time. I'm working on solving that, since I really value my followers, and certainly want them displayed. I'll keep at it.

New Vintage Clock Tags

Here are the latest tags, ready to download and print, for your Art or craft projects. Pick them up at Etsy or Artfire.

I'm loving the Sepia, of course, and just very pleased with how these turned out.

I also have a new set of free tags almost finished, and should have them ready for you in a day or two, so stop in again later this week.

Have a wonderful day, from the Dog and me.

Weekly Inspiration.....Again

2011-06-29T10:16:00.001-05:00

One of my biggest inspirations lately is Pinterest. Have you discovered it yet? It's a brilliant idea for anyone who loves the visual world. Basically it's a Bulletin Board, where you can save images you find on the web, categorize them, follow other folks finds, and spend time wondering at all the visual riches available to us. For me, this is social media I can appreciate. Visit, and you'll probably be hooked too.

Here are some inspiring images for this week, to add to your collection.

This is a cover from some sheet music from the 1890's. Imagine wearing that outfit to your next outdoor party!

Appropriate for the upcoming weekend, this is a wonderful Patriotic image by Ellen Clapsaddle. GAR, by the way, stands for Grand Army of the Republic, a group formed for veterans of the Union Army who served in the Civil War.

Lastly, here's a great Uncle Sam image for the Fourth! I love the mischievous look he has.

The Dog and I wish you a wonderful weekend and a great 4th of July!

Traveling this Summer?

2011-06-22T14:35:00.001-05:00

Summer is blazing past this year, with lots of heat and lots of rain and thunderstorms here in Tennessee. Gardening has been a challenge to say the least, but we did get tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and cucumbers going. I'm hoping for a good tomato crop this year, to freeze for the winter. We eat tons of pasta, and making sauce from home grown tomatoes has spoiled me for commercial sauce.

Summer is the traditional time for vacations and travel, so here are some images along those lines. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge before saving to your computer.

Why don't I ever have time to read in the hammock?

I love these summer colors!

Isn't this a great border?

I couldn't resist including the inner cover of the last book, as shabby and worn as it is. Lots of possibilities in these images, so I hope you'll enjoy using them in your artwork.

The Dog and I would love to have you pop in to Digital Antiques Etsy, or Digital Antiques Artfire to see all the new downloadable designs to print and use. Thanks for stopping in.

Weekly Inspiration

2011-06-15T10:22:00.000-05:00

Here are your inspiring images for this week. Click on each image to enlarge before you save to your computer.

So endearing, ready for anything, in spite of the disapproving men on the porch.

Love this, including the message!

Elegant Regency lady, watering her garden. Perfect!

I hope you'll enjoy these, and use them in your art and projects.

Happy Wednesday, from the Dog and me.

TDIPT Mercantile Update Tonight

2011-06-14T18:11:00.000-05:00

I'll be offering some new Folk Art pieces tonight on TDIPT Mercantile.

Two Edwardian Girls, with a Garland of Patriotic Pennants.

Some wonderful Jessie Wilcox Smith illustrations, ready to hand and enjoy.

This sweet, sleepy child and her cat, ready to tuck into a gathering on a shelf or in a cupboard.

All will be for sale tonight, starting at 9 PM Eastern time. For prices and details, please see my

Big Brown Dog Primitives page on TDIPT Mercantile.

Also, be sure to visit all the other wonderful artists on the TDIPT website.

Weekly Inspirations will be back tomorrow.

Thanks from the Dog and me.

New Free Tag Set

2011-06-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

This is a day early for this week's Inspiration download, but I wanted to have these new tags available for you in time for the upcoming Father's Day festivities. I think these are great fun, and could be used for all kinds of other occasions as well. I'm thinking travel or vacation scrapbook pages, a journal, and cards of all kinds. Here are the four tags you'll find on the printable sheet you can download by clicking on the button in the sidebar.

I hope you have lots of fun with these, and that you'll have a chance to visit DigitalAntiques to see all the printable images I've made for you to download and use for your crafting.

Thanks for stopping by, from the Dog and me.

Weekly Inspiration

2011-05-31T09:21:00.000-05:00

Time for another poke in the imagination and creativity department. Click on the images to enlarge them, then save to your computer. I'd love to see what you're making, with the weekly images or with anything from Digital Antiques, so share a link if you can.

Wouldn't this make a terrific label for a journal, or imagine it as a gift tag. It's from a Vintage book of Persian Fairy Tales.

Isn't this absolutely precious? Maud Humphrey is one of my favorite illustrators, and the expression on Little Red's face is priceless! I've left the signature and the date in place, just because I find them charming. And the typography just makes me swoon.

This one has everything, including wonderful colors, amazing hats, and the smallest waists ever seen. Challenging fashions, to say the least.

I hope you enjoy these, and I encourage you to visit Digital Antiques if you're looking for more images.

Have a great week, from the Dog and me.

2011-05-30T12:44:00.000-05:00

On this Memorial Day, we remember all those who served to ensure our freedom.

Would you like Pixels and IceCream with that?

2011-05-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

Pixels and IceCream is a wonderful resource I want to share with all of you who love digital graphics. This very talented designer shares her work, and offers an amazing amount of free designs. Take a look at this latest gift, free to download:

You could use this selection of handwriting and printer's ornaments in all kinds of altered art, collage, or digital scrapbooking. If you work in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, this comes as a set of brushes, but a full file of images in .jpg or .png is also included in the download, along with a set of vector images as well. You can download it here - Pixels and IceCream. Be sure to take some time and check out all the other free downloads on the blog. Lots of fun is to be had there. Remember to leave a note of thanks too, I'm sure it would be appreciated.

Happy creating from the Dog and me.

Weekly Inspiration

2011-05-24T14:35:00.001-05:00

Inspiration can be something elusive, but one of the surest ways for me to find a spark of creativity is looking at images. Vintage, contemporary, black and white or full color, I can usually find something that gets my imagination moving. With that in mind, I thought I might begin offering a weekly series of images, from my collection, for you to use in your art. Just click on the image to enlarge, then save to your computer, and start creating. I'll be sharing images with you each Tuesday. I'd love to see what you create with these!

I have been busy creating new items for Digital Antiques, too. You can see all the new work at Etsy or ArtFire, but here are a few samples to pique your curiosity.

This tag is from a set of 8 designs, called "Sweet and Sentimental", and they come in 2 sizes, as a digital download. Lots of possibilities for using these, including birthdays, anniversaries and gifts. See the whole set here, "Sweet and Sentimental".

Here's a sample of the new "Elegant Equestrians" set. Could she be more regal? There are 8 designs, ready to download, see them all here, "Elegant Equestrians".

Have terrific, creative day, from the Dog and me.

Quilts and Butterflies

2011-04-19T13:03:00.000-05:00

I'm a reformed quilter. I had quilted a lot about 30 years ago, then I got busy with other parts of life and put it aside for a long time. When we moved from California to Tennessee, 6 years ago, we didn't know anyone, so I joined a small quilting group, hoping to meet folks with similar interests. It turned out to be a wonderful group, and I was so lucky to be able to become a part of it. If you'd like to see more about the activities of this group of 22 quilters, please click here. I was still a bit stalled with my own quilting, but with their encouragement, I'm back to making quilts, and here's the one I've just finished.

We had a time trying to find a place to photograph it, it's so big. After my husband finally got it all hung up, I realized it's sideways, but didn't have the heart to ask him to change it. So please just tilt your head to the right when you look at it, LOL. The center basket pattern came from a Blackbird Designs pattern, and I added my own twists. I'm tickled to have a quilt that I made to sleep under. Of course, now it'll soon be to warm to use it, so I'm starting on a light weight, Summer spread next.

It's also the time of the month when I offer new Folk Art on TDIPT Mercantile.

Here's one of my new pieces, which was inspired by the butterfly collections so treasured in Victorian times. Little known fact - I worked in a Natural History Museum during my college years, behind the scenes, writing thousands of tiny labels for bird and mammal specimens, by hand, with a Rapidograph pen. These butterflies are paper, not real specimens, with tiny wire antennae. Soft Spring neutrals, and great for display on wall or shelf.

Happy Tuesday, from the Dog and me.

New Free Tags for You

2011-04-08T14:57:00.000-05:00

There's been lots of designing going on around here this week, and one of the things I wanted to be sure and include was a new page of free tags for you to download.

These were made from some engravings I found in 18th Century children's books, and the line quality just takes my breath away. I hope you like them, and I can't wait to see what you'll do with them.

Have a happy weekend, from the Dog and me.

New Folk Art Work Tonight

2011-03-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

I will have some new Folk Art pieces on TDIPT Mercantile tonight.

The site updates between 9 - 10 PM Eastern Time. When you visit, don't forget to enter the Birthday Drawing, if you haven't done so yet. And treat yourself to a tour of some of the best Folk and Primitive Art available - great inspiration.

Thanks from the Dog and me!

Some Vintage Inspiration for You

2011-03-09T11:38:00.001-06:00

Here on the farm, we’re in that period that comes along every year, when it’s not quite Spring, and not quite Winter. To me, it’s the doldrums, creatively speaking. I have a hard time settling down to work, and no jolts of inspiration. I know it will pass, and sometimes I can help it along by browsing through old images, looking for ideas. Here are some I found, and thought you might like for your own art.

From a 19th century children’s book. What wonderful lettering!

Title page from another early children’s book. This could make a wonderful background for altered art.

The composition and type faces on this one make my heart skip.

This is just the outfit I wear when gardening here on the farm.

A page from an old book of Nursery Rhymes – part of “Old Mother Hubbard”.

If you’d like to use any of these,in your artwork, please help yourself.

Click on the image to enlarge, then right click and save to your computer.

I have managed to add some new digital image sets to my Digital Antiques shops at Etsy and Artfire. Here’s what’s new:

Vintage Owls

Vintage Bicycle Post Cards

That’s not all, but I’ll share the others in the next post. Have a happy week, from the Dog and me.

Some Odds and Ends

2011-03-01T18:34:00.000-06:00

First, let me direct your attention to a great giveaway!

TDIPT Mercantile is celebrating a Birthday!

To celebrate, the Artists of TDIPT are offering you the chance to win one of

10 wonderful, handmade gifts.

Get all the details on the TDIPT Blog, and enter for your chance at a gift.

New on Digital Antiques

Vintage Easter Postcards

Great for tags, cards, decor, whatever you'd like.

Available on Etsy or Artfire.

Vintage Easter Photo Fantasy

These are just fun, created from antique children's photos, and great old Easter Postcard art. Four images and 8 eggs, ready for your Easter craft projects.

Available on Etsy

There is actually some green grass poking it's way up in our pasture right now. I'm sure we'll have another blast of cold weather before we're done, but the Dog and I are enjoying it while it lasts. I hope there's some good weather at your house.

New on Digital Antiques

2011-02-18T13:23:00.000-06:00

I'm going to try and catch up a bit with the new digitally downloadable images and tags that are available from Digital Antiques. Click on the photos to enlarge for a detailed view.

One of my customers suggested this idea, and I thought it was genius. Birthday Postcards made from vintage photos, quick and easy to send. Print on cardstock weight paper, add your message, and use the reverse for the address and postage. It's a treat to get a mailed card these days, and this set makes it simple to do. Pick up this download in my Etsy shop, or from my Artfire shop.

Here's a new set of tags for Spring and Easter, in the soft sepia and pastel combination we all love. These could also be used for cards, and altered art, as well as for gift tags. I think it would be fun to use them framed, in groups, for an Easter display. Again, you can get these from my Etsy shop, or from my Artfire shop.

Thanks for stopping by, from the Dog and me.

New Primitive Folk Art on TDIPT Mercantile Tonight

2011-02-14T18:02:00.000-06:00

Kind of a new departure for me offered on TDIPT Mercantile tonight.

This Primitive Sewing Pouch would be wonderful to hang

on the wall or on a cupboard door.

It measures 18" long, from the top of the strap, and 8" wide.

I've reproduced a vintagead for sewing thread on muslin,

added a tiny pincushion and some old Mother of Pearl buttons,

and included some reproduced antique sewing card tags.

This Pocket is based on a pattern from Diane and Holly Knott.

Diane has a very creative and inspiring blog, Diane Knott's Musings

and her patterns are available in her Etsy Shop

Here's my favorite piece this month, featuring a wonderful, antique alphabet.

I think this would be great to hold notepad and pencil by the phone,

for grocery lists, or just filled with an arrangement of drieds.

It includes a selection of sepia toned tags, with hand inked edges.

Last but not least, this perfectly Primitive Shoe Pinkeep.

Made from painted, sanded and stained Osnaburg,

it would be such a fun piece to add to a shelf or cupboard,

or to include in one of your Primitive Gatherings or arrangements.

It measures 8"wide, and 6" tall.

All these items will be available for purchase tonight on TDIPT Mercantile.

When you visit, don't miss all the other wonderful Artists

who will have new work tonight as well.

Thanks for stopping in, from the Dog and me.

The Latest Buzz

2011-02-09T23:42:00.001-06:00

I have some really neat photos to share with you today!

Click to enlarge for details.

These wonderful cards were made by Dawne, fromthe Etsy shop

PinkChandelierStudio

She made them as a special order for a customer who wanted a gift for a Beekeeping friend.

She used the images from my "Vintage Bees", which are available in my Digital Antiques Etsy Shop. I love seeing what other artists do with my designs, and I'm so glad she shared these with me. I feel a bit like a proud parent.

Dawne doesn't have a blog yet, but maybe she'll consider it soon. You can see her work in her shop.

More snow here tonight. The Dog is not amused, nor am I. Stay warm.

100 is a Magic Number

2011-01-29T10:52:00.000-06:00

I can't believe this is the 100th post I've written for this blog, but it is! I really want to thank you all for reading along, and for leaving such kind comments. I means a lot to me. And to celebrate, kind of, I want to share a download and a tutorial with all of you. I showed you the cute Vintage Paper Doll Garland that I made for TDIPT Mercantile this month, remember?

I thought you might like to make one for yourself, or for your favorite little person, so let me tell you about how I made this. Lots of photos, so I apologize in advance for any slow loading problems.

Here's what you'll need:

Paper Doll graphics sheets
Glue Stick or paper adhesive of your choice
Designer Scrapbook paper
light weight cardboard, recycled cereal or cracker boxes are great
Scissors
Brown Stamp Pad and sponge
Paper Punch
Ribbon
Buttons
Craft glue

Here are the the Paper Doll Graphics that I used. These are vintage Paper Dolls that I have cleaned up a bit and arranged for you to use.

You can download the two sheets here - Free Paper Doll Sheets - You will need Adobe Reader to open these files, and if you don't already have it, you can download it free Here Save the files to your computer, then print them to get ready for this project. I like to use white Matte Photo paper or Presentation paper, for the crisp colors, but feel free to use whatever paper you'd like. Heavier weight paper, like card stock, will give a bit of dimension to the finished banner.

Your downloaded sheets will look sightly different, these were my original project sheets. Your doll is in her underwear, while this one is dressed. If you'd prefer not to show her bloomers, you can dress her in one of her outfits when we do the gluing.

Cut a rectangle of cardboard slightly larger than the doll. I used 4" wide by 9" tall. You also need a cardboard backing for each outfit you'd like to use. I made these a bit smaller, 4" x 7.5".

Prepare the background cards by using your glue stick to coat one side of the cardboard, and then applying your choice of patterned paper. I like to use handwriting, text, vintage book pages, something muted or soft. Use what pleases you. Repeat with the back side of your cards. Trim the paper as close to the edge of the cardboard as you can. You can also sand the edges if you wish.

Now, cut out the Doll and the outfits. I cut the dresses and the hats out separately, and I left the tabs on the outfits for another little touch.

Here's the Doll I used, cut out and just placed on top of the background. Those little, yellow, Cutter Bee Scissors are my favorites for cutting into small places. Sharp scissors make everything so much easier.

Use larger scissors to round the corners of the cardboard backing if you'd like that look. There are special punches for rounding corners, but I tend to use my scissors.

Next, I inked the edges of the Doll and the edges of the background, using my trusty Distress Ink pad and sponge. Dab sponge on the ink pad and brush along the edge. This gives an extra layer of dimension, and helps to hide any little cutting errors. It also blends the raw edges of the background paper and the cardboard, which I prefer. You can see that I've cut out the other outfits too, including the matching hats.

Here you can see the rounded corners and a bit of the inked edges. Place the Doll and the outfits on the backgrounds, and when you like the placement, use glue stick to attach them to the background.

I used a paper punch to make holes in the upper corners of each piece, and I decided to use some vintage buttons to embellish a bit. You could probably think of lots of other possibilities - lace, rick rack, glitter, stickers, rubber stamping, and things I haven't heard of yet.

I used some red ribbon with white stitching to string the garland pieces , and I sewed a button and loop at each end. You could add additional pieces to your garland, if you wanted it to be longer, cards with letters or numbers, animal figures, and for some reason, spools or big wooden kindergarten beads come to mind.

I hope you'll have fun with this, and make it your own, with your own touches.

Happy Weekend, from the Dog and me!

Fairy Tales Can Come True

2011-01-28T10:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks for dropping in! Lately, I've been rediscovering the Fairy stories I loved as a child through the illustrations in some wonderful, old, children's books. And of course, I couldn't resist putting together some designs for Digital Antiques, using those illustrations. So far, "The 3 Bears" and "Froggy Would a Wooing Go" tags are available, but I do have an idea that others can't be far behind.

The 3 Bears tags are available as a Digital download from my shop at Etsy or Artfire.

"Froggy would a Wooing Go" tags are also available as a Digital download from my shop at Etsy or Artfire.

Next, I hope to have a fun free download and Tutorial for you. That's if the Dog leaves me alone long enough to get it finished. Dog biscuits might be the answer.

Playing Catch Up

2011-01-26T15:03:00.002-06:00

Like everyone else, we’ve had lots of weather issues to deal with here on the farm. I believe we’ve had more snow this winter than any other since we moved to Tennessee. Everything takes longer in the cold, from dressing in many layers to dealing with frozen water for the livestock. Here’s a little slice of life on the farm, the view from my kitchen window.

I have spent more time at the computer, and the result has been more new printable designs for Digital Antiques.

First, for Valentine’s Day…

Vintage Valentine Postcards

There are 6 different Post Card designs, plus three heart shaped tags in this set. You can see them all in my DitgalAntiques shop at Etsy or Artfire. just look under “Valentines”.

Valentine Bookmarks

Six nice sized bookmarks that could also be used as tags. All feature wonderful vintage Cupid illustrations, on a layered and swirled background. All ready for you at Etsy or Artfire.

The Dog and I hope you are warm and snug this cold day. I’ll be back soon with more new things to show and share.

New Folk Art on TDIPT Mercantile

2011-01-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

Here's what's new tonight:

Vintage Valentine Cupboard Hearts

Cupboard Queen of Hearts

Nesting Birds Cupboard Tucks

Vintage Paper Doll Garland

Details are on my TDIPT Mercantile page

Back soon with new items from Digital Antiques.

Have a great weekend from the Dog and me!

Romance is in the Air

2011-01-06T12:43:00.002-06:00

Vintage romance, that is. I just love photos of couples from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so I’ve reinterpreted some of them as a wonderful set of tags that could be used for Valentines, Anniversaries, and every day.

They can’t quite bring themselves to hold hands, you see.

Which Anniversary would this be?

This set also includes some tags made from an old Valentine’s Day newspaper ad, along with some extra embellishments, all on two 8.5” x 11” sheets. It’s called “Vintage Romance”, and you can find it ready to download at my Etsy store, Digital Antiques. If you visit, please take a look at some of the new Valentine and Easter designs.
Thanks from the Dog and me!

Free Labels to Download and a Tutorial

2010-12-27T22:29:00.000-06:00

Now that Christmas is past, I have a new free download for you. This sheet of Labels was inspired by woodcuts from books published in the late 1700's. Add your own text, and use these for gift tags, journaling, labeling jars or boxes, or anything you can imagine.

Download them by clicking on the tab in the right sidebar. You can print them and add handwritten text to customize each label, which looks charming and adds a very personal touch. If you'd like to learn how to add printed text to the labels, or your other projects, here is a tutorial I've prepared on one possible way to do that.

Adding Text to your printed Labels - a Tutorial

If you’d like to be able to work with images or photos, but you don’t want to invest the time and money involved in a graphics program like Photoshop or Elements, let me tell you about an amazing free, online photo editor, Picnik.com. It’s a great resource for working with photos or images. There’s nothing to download, it’s free, and can do some pretty sophisticated editing and effects. I’m not trying to sound like a commercial here, but I am enthusiastic about the possibilities it opens up.

You can do lots of editing tasks using Picnik, including resizing, cropping, and adding special effects. I encourage you to play around with it and discover how neat the program really is.

Right now, I want to focus on how to add text to a photo or graphic image, so you can add words to these labels, if you would like to. I think you will find it simple to do.

Download the sheet of labels and save it where you can find it again.

To get the most out of these instructions, keep this page open, and add another tab so you can open http://www.picnik.com/ at the same time, and follow along on both pages. You won’t need to sign in or register to use the tools you need. Remember you can click on the screen shots to enlarge them.

On the Picnik home page, click on “Get Started Now”, then click on “Upload Photo”, and navigate to the sheet of blank tags you saved, and click on it. This opens the tag sheet in the editing window.

Next, click on the “Create” tab, and after that window opens – it might take a minute or two – click on the tab that says “Text”. Choose a font, there are lots in the left hand column, and type the text you’d like to use in the box at the top of the column.

Once your text has been typed, click on Add. The text will appear on the page of labels. Now, put your cursor on the text, click down and hold, and drag it to the correct position. By dragging one of the corner handles, you can make it larger or smaller.

See the Text Properties box that has appeared?

Use that to change the color of the text. Use your cursor to click on a color in the color picker to change color, click again if you don’t like the new color. If you should happen to click in the area outside the Text Properties box, it will disappear. To get it back, click on the text you’ve added. Don’t like what you’ve created? Click on Delete and start over.

Want to try a different font? Click on the new font and watch your text change to that font. Need to change the spacing of the words to fit the space? Use the window where you originally inserted your text. Click down at the spot where you need to make your change, and start typing. The text on your image will change also. Use the space bar and the return key to arrange your text.

Shortcut: to add the same text to a second label, just click on Add again, at the top of the left column. It will look like nothing has happened, because the second text box is added on top of the first, but just click down with your cursor in the center of the text, and drag it to the correct position.

You can also add different text to different areas of your sheet of labels. Just type your new text into the text box , top left, and follow the same steps.

When you are finished adding text, and ready to save and print your sheet of labels, click on the Save and Share tab at the top of the page.

First, fill in the file name with something new, like my-new-labels, or labels-1, or whatever you’d like. Just don’t save it with the original file name, or your new version will replace the original, and you won’t have it to work on again.

If you leave the dimensions alone, you will preserve the original image size. We’ll assume you want to print this page of labels, so leave the format as jpg, and set the jpg compression quality as high as it goes. This will make a big file, but that’s fine, print quality will be better.

Click Save Photo. Select the location you want to save to, and click on save.

Your edited page of labels should be ready to print!

Have fun with this little gift from the Dog and me. Now I need to go and make a label that says "Dog Biscuits".

2010-12-24T13:59:00.001-06:00

Snow is Falling All Around

2010-12-05T22:29:00.005-06:00

We have had snow falling all day, here at the farm. Big soft flakes that don’t last too long, but it is our first snowfall this Winter.

This wonderful Snowman, “Mr. Snowy Drifters”, is holding one of my Digital Antiques tags. He was sculpted in Paper Mache by the very talented Penny Streit , “Folk Art by Penny”, and I wanted to show you all the photo she shared with me. It always tickles me to see what others do with my graphics. You can read more about “Snowy” on Penny’s Blog, and you can bid on him at Penny’s eBay auction.
I’ll be back soon with a new tutorial or two to share with you.
Stay warm and cozy, that’s what the Dog and I will be trying to do.

Ready for Thanksgiving?

2010-11-22T23:25:00.001-06:00

"Note to housewives: your turkey-baking troubles will be over and the bird you serve for dinner this Thanksgiving will be tender, juicy and flavorsome if you follow the method used by the expert cooks at the Bureau of Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Continual testing and experimenting with various recipes has taught Uncle Sam's cooks that many a prize bird has become a 'ham' when improperly prepared. The turkeys on the table will go into the ovens at regular intervals, and be tasted and judged by a group of experts who are determining which diet and feeding program will produce the best flavored meat.“ USDA, 1937

Looks just like the scene in your kitchen, right? I know this is how we always get ready here at the farm. And you can only imagine the Pie baking!

Wishing you the best and happiest Thanksgiving! From the Dog and Me.

Santa's Vintage North Pole Stationery

2010-11-16T18:40:00.000-06:00

A Letter from Santa!

Written on Santa's own Letterhead! Wouldn't you be impressed to receive a note from the big guy himself?

I love the designs of business letterhead from long ago, and I couldn't resist creating these eight designs. I had such a lot of fun combining all the antique printer's ornaments and learning a lot more about

fonts and lettering.

Did you realize the Elves had their own stationery?

There's special stationery for the Reindeer Barn, and of course Santa gets two kinds, formal and notepaper.

There are Victorian Ice Skaters on one design.

Two more fun designs - sleds and stockings.

All these designs come in one Digital Download, that you can print as many times as you wish. Make a book or journal, use for Holiday party invitations, tuck a special note in with a gift, and just have fun with them all.

The set is available in my Etsy shop, Digital Antiques

Have fun this Holiday Season, from the Dog and me!

New Offerings on TDIPT Mercantile Tonight

2010-11-14T22:55:00.001-06:00

Details and prices at TDIPT Mercantile.

Be sure to browse the work of all the artists there, you won’t be sorry.

Thanks from the Dog and me.

It’s Still Fall, Right?

2010-11-07T13:19:00.001-06:00

I wanted to have this finished a while ago, but you all know how that goes.

I fell in love with the Pattern for this when I saw it on Diane Knott’s Charming Blog. She and her daughter Holly are offering patterns as well as finished items in their Etsy Shop, Cottage by the Pond. I can highly recommend the quality of their patterns and especially the pattern instructions, which are very easy to follow and very complete. My version differs quite a bit from the original, but I’m pleased with it, and it was a good size for me to practice my free motion machine quilting.

Here’s the original Version, as shown in the pattern:

The Dog is somewhat amazed that I finished this, and so am I! Happy Sunday to you all.

Christmas Past

2010-11-06T14:28:00.001-05:00

More delightful Christmas tags, this time taken from turn of the century photos. Such fun, especially all that fake snow, and the painted trees, but very sweet at the same time. Eight big tags, in the sepia tones we all love, with just a touch of color hand painted back in, and a few snowflake overlays stamped here and there. These would make wonderful tags, just punched and strung, but also think about using them as the front of a Christmas card or gift enclosure. These are available in my Etsy Shop, DigitalAntiques.

We had some real snow last night, though it didn’t last,and today is very cold, so far only up to 40.

The Dog and I hope you are all snug and warm, and thank you for visiting.

A Change of Seasons and a Little Gift

2010-11-04T12:00:00.003-05:00

Although it’s not yet Thanksgiving, plans for the Christmas season are well underway here at the farm. I’m sure that all of you who craft decorations or gifts are on the same track. I am continuing to add Holiday downloads to my Etsy shop, Digital Antiques. Here is one of the latest that I’m quite pleased with.
There are six different designs in this set of Vintage Christmas Postcards, and you can find them in my Etsy shop. They can be used as Postcards, or for tags, gift enclosures, and scrapbooking.

I enjoy offering a free download for you, and I do try to keep it seasonal. Here’s a new set of Christmas tags, based on an old volume of “A Visit from St. Nicholas”.
Click on the tab in the sidebar to download your own copy, full size and high resolution, and ready to print.
Have a great day, from the Dog and me.

Don’t Miss This!

2010-11-02T13:07:00.001-05:00

It’s the 3rd Annual Open House for TDIPT Mercantile!

What I don’t want you to miss is your chance to win one of the wonderful original, hand made pieces in the big Door Prize Drawing. All the details, along with photos of all the prizes are on the TDIPT Blog.

There are 18 prizes, and the drawing will be held on Nov. 21.

Here’s what I am offering:

A set of 5 big tags, ready to tie on a package, or use for an ornament. If you’d like a bit more information about how I made these, just in case you don’t win, leave me a comment.

Have a good day, from the Dog and me!

More New Digital Designs

2010-10-28T12:08:00.001-05:00

Cloud Backgrounds from the new Collageables Group.Great backgrounds for your Altered Art and Collage, or use as a background for your Stamping. Add words, cut outs, glitter, stickers, chipboard shapes – endless possibilities. Available as a Digital Download at Digital Antiques on Etsy.

Unbelievable, but it is time to start thinking about Christmas. I couldn’t resist making some tags with these wonderful Vintage Angels in white and cream. Lots of subtle layers and shading, to bring out the charm, too. Vintage Angels digital download, available at my Etsy shop, Digital Antiques.

The Dog and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Playing Catch Up

2010-10-26T23:10:00.001-05:00

I had some personal stuff come up, including a bit of surgery on my eye, so now I have new Digital Antiques to share with all of you.

Use these Enclosure Cards, made with wonderful old frames and printer’s ornaments, for tags, gift cards, journaling tags, and labels. Write your own message in the blank areas. Available in my Etsy Shop, Digital Antiques as a digital download you can print yourself, as many times as you like.

Here are my “Girls of Christmas” tags. Nine different designs, taken from Antique Christmas Cards, with a subtle, layered background. Also includes three extra labels, one blank and two with “To” and “From”. Make a set to use with your gifts, and another to give as a thoughtful gift. Offered at Digital Antiques on Etsy.

The Dog and I will be back soon, stay safe.

It's Crow Time!

2010-10-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

We're really into Fall here in Tennessee, with cooler days and cold nights, down into the low 30's. The trees are turning and dropping their leaves.

It's time to move on, past Halloween designs and into Christmas. I know this. But sometimes I seem to be "Stuck in a time warp again", to quote Rocky Horror. This set of tags with Crows and antique timepieces really isn't Halloween, but it sure isn't Christmas, either. It's just one of those designs that had to get done so I could move on, I suppose.

These are large tags, 3" wide x 5.2" tall. I love this size, since it really makes a statement, but still fits on cards, album pages, and can even be framed. These would also be fun to use in altered art or collage. These new Crow Time tags are available in my Etsy Shop, Digital Antiques, along with a nice selection of other designs for all seasons.

Thanks for dropping in, from the Dog and me.

A Very Special Halloween Giveaway!

2010-09-24T18:58:00.001-05:00

I wanted to let you all know you have a chance to win a very special, Halloween giveaway, from my friend Lynn at 2 Stitchin!

Lyn does wonderful Primitive stitching, and she’s offering this amazing stitched and stenciled “Witches~1692~Ball” . Go HERE and sign up for a chance at this great, original Halloween piece.

Good luck, from the Dog and Me!

Trick or Treat?

2010-09-22T11:23:00.000-05:00

I hope you will all consider these a Treat, not a Trick. Free to download, just click on the tab in the sidebar. As one of my favorite customers at Digital Antiques told me, "we are all Halloweeniacs". I love that!

Happy Halloweeniness from the Dog and me.

September Handmades on TDIPT Mercantile

2010-09-14T21:37:00.001-05:00

Tonight is my monthly update on the Mercantile, and I have two handmades offered for sale.

A new Cupboard piece, made with an illustration from a vintage school book. I love this style of illustration, and those outfits are so typical for the first decade of the 1900’s.

My fascination for words and letters pops up again here, with a nice display set for Fall, including a neat vintage pumpkin graphic, based on an old seed packet.

The Dog and I invite you to drop by my page on TDIPT Mercantile. While you’re there, be sure to check out all the other amazing artwork that’s available within the group.

A Little Witchy Fun

2010-09-12T23:42:00.001-05:00

I know I keep saying I will move on from Halloween designs, but I've also explained that this is my favorite Holiday of all, and things just keep popping into my brain.

I mean, are they cute or what? There are 6 designs with Little Winged Witches, and two backgrounds, so you can make you own special tags.

They come as a Digital Download, available in my Etsy Shop.

The Dog and I have decided that you really need them! LOL!
Happy week everyone!

Free is Good!

2010-09-09T18:55:00.001-05:00

Over the last few years, I have accumulated a lot of wonderful free stuff from the web. Images, tutorials, entertainment, friendships, it’s all there just waiting for me, because some kind and thoughtful person took the time to offer it. Today, I want to give back, just a little, sort of a tiny piece of pay it forward.

I often run into really wonderful images that don’t have anything to do with the project I am supposed to be working on. These are perfect to share with all of you. Look at the expression on the faces, of the dog and the children! I love the elephant riding a tricycle and waving a flag! And the little elephant is smiling. Click on the image and save to your computer.

It really was a different world when “Little Girls from 6 to 12” dressed like this. Wonderful illustration, even if it is an ad. Wouldn’t they make great card or tags? Click on the image and save to your computer.

Just too precious. Click on the image and save.

Finally,, a foot muff – you knew that, right? Remember the part about these being the images that didn’t fit? A beautiful etching any way, and good for a chuckle. Come to think of it, I could have used one of these last winter, especially when the power went off.

Enjoy the images, and make something wonderful. Many thanks for visiting, from the Dog and Me.

Just a Bit More Spookiness

2010-09-06T12:39:00.001-05:00

I can’t seem to tear myself away from all the great creepy, spooky stuff yet, so I have another new set of Images available in my Etsy Shop, Digital Antiques.

This time, a set of 12 Gothic Arch Backgrounds. It’s a set of 12 different designs, and each one measures 2.5” x 4.5”. Just a bit spooky, they remind me a bit of fairy tales, and I’ve included a few damsels in the mix as well.

These should be fun for all kinds of art projects, including collage and altered art, or could be used as is for note cards or tags.They’re based on the kind of antique engravings that speak to my heart, and I hope you’ll like them too. You can pick up a set here.

Happy crafting from the Dog and me.

More Halloweeniness

2010-08-27T18:08:00.002-05:00

Aren’t these wonderful? They just arrived from my friend Pam, at GoldieLoo Woodworks! She makes great Primitive looking signs and game boards. Spooky Town just makes me giggle every time I look at it. The Candy Corn blocks are so well aged and distressed, they look like they’ve been in the attic for decades. Pam has lots of other Halloween goodness here,http://goldieloowoodworks.com/harvest.html in case you’d like to have your very own directions to Spooky Town.

New, fun, Jack O’Lantern tags, are now available in my Etsy Shop, Digital Antiques. These come as a Digital Download, which means you can print them as many times as you like, and use them for all sorts of Halloween projects – cards, tags, treat bags, scrapbooking. Lots of other Halloween designs are in the shop, too.
Have a wonderful weekend, from the Dog and me.

More Spookiness Ensues

2010-08-24T12:11:00.001-05:00

In case you haven’t figured it out, I am nuts about Halloween. It’s always been my favorite Holiday, far and above Christmas. It’s the possibility of spooky and scary that gets me every time, especially with a bit of darkness and magic thrown in too.

So here are the latest Halloween designs from my digital graphics shop at Etsy.

The set contains 16 images on two 8.5” x 11” sheets, ready for you to download and print. These images, with their ghostly backgrounds and favorite Halloween words in a very spooky font, are just right for party invitations, treat bags, decorations, cards, and anything your imagination suggests. Click on the images above to go to Digital Antiques. Browse the Halloween category while you’re there, lots of other scary goodness awaits.

Thanks, from the Dog and me.

Images to Share

2010-08-17T22:58:00.002-05:00

I spend a lot of hours searching for images to use in my graphics work. It’s just part of what I do, and I’m always learning new ways and new places to look. One of the side benefits is that I get to see some amazing things, and some fantastic artists. Not all of what I find fits in with whatever my vision for my project might be, but they’re just too good to forget.

This amazing cat etching is the work of Wenceslaus Hollar, born in Poland in 1607. He lived in Germany, Netherlands, and England, and created 2700 etchings during his lifetime. Click on the picture to enlarge, and save for your art.

Another charming illustration from an antique children’s book. I love the dancing doll and the cat on the table! Click on the picture to enlarge, and save for your art.

I want to talk about the paper you use to print your projects soon. I’m doing some in depth research, and I’ll be back with my conclusions. I’ll bet you can hardly wait!

Have a wonderful day from the Dog and me.

New Items for Sale Tonight on TDIPT Mercantile

2010-08-14T13:29:00.001-05:00

I will have some new Halloween things for sale tonight on the Mercantile, including these Vintage looking hangers.. These were inspired by the great Halloween cutouts from the early1910’s and i920’s. I wanted to get that feel, and a kind of Primitive grungy touch. I was pleased with how they came out.

These little cuties will be there too. Such great faces on both the boy and the dog!

This Witch and her Black Cat companion will be available tonight, too.

From a 1923 children’s magazine cover, she’ll be for sale as well.

The Dog and I invite you to drop in to TDIPT Mercantile tonight, about 9PM Eastern. There’ll be lots of new work from the very talented TDIPT Artists for you to see. Thanks for letting us tell you about it!

A Chance Not to be Missed

2010-08-11T19:33:00.001-05:00

One of my friends, Susan Pilotto, is an amazing artist. Among other things, she makes the most wonderful wee creatures, tiny mice, rabbits, and birds that touch your heat. Her creations are highly sought after by many collectors.

For her own Sweet reasons, Susan will be giving away the wonderful mouse shown above. Click on the photo to visit her blog, Mouse Droppings, and sign up for a chance at this little blue Mouse. Good luck to you all, from the Dog and me.

An Old Pastime, and some new Images

2010-08-11T00:09:00.001-05:00

I just recently finished this quilt. It will have a place in our living room, across from those Barn doors. I had gotten away from quilting for quite a few years, but recently went to a little trunk show of just the kind of Folk Art quilts I love, and I’m inspired again. Although I can’t spend as much time quilting as I would like to, it makes a nice change from staring at the computer. I love creating digital graphics, but it’s very satisfying to me to manipulate fabrics as well. Having something you can touch at the end of the project is comforting to me, and gives me an excuse to collect fabrics and buttons, and all those endearing things.

I’ve also added another set of images to my Etsy shop, Digital Antiques. This time, it’s a set of Vintage Birthday Images.

Drop by the shop, if you have a chance. You might find something just right for you.

I hope you will have a terrific day. The Dog and I will be trying to keep cool, which might be impossible unless the weather changes here.

So What Did We Do With Those Barn Doors?

2010-08-07T23:17:00.001-05:00

I showed you the barn doors we picked up at the Highway 127 Yard Sale, remember?

Here’s one of them still on the trailer in the field. We’ve finally gotten past that”gotta have it” stage, and now we calmly discuss a piece, where it will go, if it will fit in any of the pitifully few spaces we have left, and whether it’s a wise purchase. Then we buy it anyway. Mr. Big Brown Dog suggested that these might make a nice headboard for the guest room. I really wanted them somewhere in the main part of the house, where we could enjoy them all the time. So they ended up in the living room. Here’s how they got there.

Here’s the first one, upside down on an old painter’s drop cloth. The piece of wood at left is part of Mr. Big Brown Dog’s clever hanging system. He cut two pieces of wood for each door.

One piece of wood is attached to the back of the door with drywall screws.

See how the wood is cut at an angle on one edge? This is part of the magic.

Here is the second piece of wood, attached to the wall. It’s been predrilled and we have been careful to locate the studs in the wall and screw into those for security. This is an awful photo, but you can almost see the angled cut at the top of the board. Then we lifted the door up and slid it down over this board, locking the angled edge of the board attached to it into the V groove made where this board is attached to the wall. Magic!

Here are the two doors, complete with rusty hinges, mounted in the corner, next to each other. Our mustard colored walls are looking greener than they are.

Another view. I love the wooden latches! Amazingly, there are no dogs in these photos. Rest assured that they did supervise the entire project.

Have a happy weekend, from the Dog and me.

New Free Tags and a Very Big Yard Sale

2010-08-06T12:47:00.001-05:00

The Dog and I live in Tennessee, about a mile off of Highway 127. Anyone who watches TV or reads magazines is probably aware by now that every August, a phenomenon occurs along that Highway known as “The World’s Longest Yard Sale”. The sale extends from Hudson, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama, 675 miles, which is a mind boggling amount of junk. We usually make a one day outing, and travel 80 to 100 miles along the Highway, and that’s what we did this year. We’ve learned that going south from home seems to be the best pickin’s for us, but I know everyone has their own opinion.

Old, rusty farm implements are a big favorite. None of these will fit on a John Deere, so now they’re Decorator items. These first two photos are from an area about 10 miles north of Pikeville, Tennessee. As you can see, groups of sellers set up together in many areas, and lots of them are dealers who have come from a long way away. Lots of antiques and primitives, but here are also lots of folks with all their unwanted baby stuff, tires, clothing, auto parts, etc. set up in front of their homes. And the typical swap meet folk with t shirts, socks, sunglasses, STP are out as well. It’s a real mixture, something for everyone, I guess.

It’s impossible for me to show the magnitude of the sale. Imagine driving for 80 miles with a yard sale every block or so. I think you might have to see it to grasp it, it’s really overwhelming.

This table of treasures was just a bit north of Dunlap, Tennessee.

This is where we made our big score of the day. See the barn door on this trailer?

It’s one of a pair, and they now live at my house! You might also notice that the trailer is wet. We had rain showers, thunderstorms, high winds, and blazing sun, all in one day. Not unusual for summer in Tennessee, but it made it very hard on the sellers.

Here’s Mr. Big Brown Dog and the former owner of the barn doors, carrying one to our vehicle. This man was from Kentucky, and sells “junk” year round at the Nashville Fairgrounds swap meet.

See those two brown lumps in the background? Those are cattle grazing next to the Lookout Mountain Volunteer Fire Department yard, where about 100 sellers were set up. A very large part of the Highway in Tennessee is very rural, and farm animals abound. This was our last stop. A huge rainstorm, with lightning and high winds came up, and we decided to head back north, driving through the storm for about 40 minute. We saw lots of tents blown around, tipped over and destroyed, unfortunately. It was a tough day to be a seller. We had a fun day, in spite of the weather.

New Free Tags!

It’s time for some new free tags, from DigitalAntiques this time something more toward Fall – Squirrels. Click on the tab in the sidebar to the right to download your copy, ready to print and use. The Dog and I hope you enjoy them.

Making an Accordion Fold Display

2010-08-03T23:37:00.000-05:00

Whenever I design a new set of images for Digital Antiques on Etsy, I try to make them as versatile as I can, so the same design can be used for tags, cards, altered art, etc. The new Witch's Daybook images are such a lot of fun, I wanted to have a way to display them on a shelf or in a cupboard. So after some thought, I came up with the accordion folded display below.

I also try to use materials that are easy to get and inexpensive if at all possible, so here's what you'll need to make your own display:

Prints of the images you want to use, lightweight cardboard like cereal or cracker boxes, black cardstock, glue stick, and scissors. Pretend the paper punch isn't there - OK?

Cut out your images. Measure the finished size of the image and then cut out a cardboard piece that measures approximately an inch larger on each side. Use your cardboard piece as a template, and cut two pieces of black cardstock the same size as the cardboard. Set one piece aside, and use your gluestick to glue cardstock to one side of the cardboard.

If you'd like to ink the edges of your image, using a sponge and a stamp pad, do that before you glue your image into place. Center the image on the black cardstock and glue in place with the gluestick. Repeat the above steps for each image you want to include in your display. Set aside to dry.

Using scraps of cardstock, cut out some pieces approx. 3" x 4", or a size that's appropriate for your image. These will be the hinges for your accordion. Fold in half lengthwise and crease, using a bone folder, or butter knife, or whatever you have.

Apply the hinge to the back side of your cardboard mounted images. Leave about a 1/16" gap between the two pieces so there will be room for the fold, and glue in place. If you like to use a tape runner or double sided tape, it works well here, but gluestick works well too. If you will be joining more than two images, continue hinging pieces together until everything is connected.

Glue a 2nd piece of cardstock to the back of each mounted image, over the top of the hinge. Set aside and let dry. Trim the edges if necessary, and ink the outer edges if you wish.

Here is a view of the back of two joined pieces, where I used black cardstock on one side and scrapbook paper on another. You have a ton of choices for your background paper, of course, and don't forget old book pages, wrapping paper, magazine pages, and on and on.

I kept the end result pretty simple, but you could find lots of ways to embellish if you wish. And, of course, you can do this kind of thing with any image you wish, and vary the paper you use for the background according to your taste.

Up next, some new free tags for Fall.

Try to stay cool if you can, from the Dog and me.

New Halloween Fun!

2010-08-02T12:45:00.001-05:00

Farm chores have kept us busier than usual lately, with crops and preserving. We’ll love having this harvest during the Winter, but it does take time and effort, even with all the modern conveniences we have. I hate to think of the serious canning that was done in days gone by, in the hottest part of the Summer. Those women were a tough bunch!

I have spent some time working on new designs for Digital Antiques, including this new set of Halloween images. Halloween is my absolute favorite Holiday, so this was a lot of fun to design.

It’s called the Witch’s Daybook, and includes all the information a well equipped Witch might need, from the School for Witches, to a new broom. Available in my Etsy shop, you can use it to make Decorations, Make a fun Halloween themed Journal, for Note Cards, altered art and collage or scrapbooking. I’ve included a form for making Party invitations, and some blank pages for whatever you wish.

I made an accordion style folder that stands up on a shelf or table, using the pages from the Witch’s Daybook. I’ll show you how I did it tomorrow, in a simple tutorial.

Have a happy day, from the Dog and me.

New for June on TDIPT Mercantile

2010-06-15T12:57:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe it’s the 15th of June already! This means that I have new offerings on TDIPT Mercantile . This month my work is all about Halloween, with witches, bats, and a special display piece “Jackdaws”.

Jackdaws is another name for crows, especially in Europe. This piece could be displayed year round.

Visit TDIPT Mercantile when you have a chance and see the wonderful work of all the member Artists. Also, don’t miss the special group listings by TDIPT Members on eBay right now. It’s the “Best in Show” launch. Click on the Banner below to take a look.

Happy Tuesday from the Dog and Me!

The Great American Pastime

2010-06-06T23:07:00.001-05:00

I wanted to make something that could be used for Father’s Day, and other “guy stuff” that comes up during the year. When I came across these old time baseball cards and photos, I knew I was on the right track.

This is an old photo from the early 1900’s, obviously taken in a studio. Some of the staged, studio photos of baseball players are really funny to look at now, though they were certainly cutting edge in their day.

And here’s my favorite!

So I’ve made up a set of Old Time Baseball Images, and they’re now available in my Etsy shop, DigitalAntiques. Download the set and make cards and tags for the men in your life.

The Dog is reminding me it’s been too long since he’s had a chance to play ball, so you know what we’ll be up to next. Have a great week!

Summer is Here

2010-06-04T14:08:00.001-05:00

We can always tell that Summer is ready to begin when we get a call from the family who grows the hay we feed in the Winter. They call to let us know when they will be cutting and baling the hay, and we drive over and pick it up from the field. This Spring has been difficult for hay growers here in Tennessee, because of the weather. Hay needs to be cut before it grows too tall, or sets seed, and it needs to lay in the field and dry for a couple of days before it’s baled, and all this time needs to be dry. Wet hay will mold and mildew, and is no good for horses. We haven’t had two days without rain since the middle of April, so when the weather cooperated, everyone in east Tennessee was busy getting in the hay. Although we are just pretend farmers, it does remind us of how everyone depends on nature.

Here is a free image for your artwork. Summer, from a 19th Century Kate Greenaway Almanac. Such a sweet image, click on it to enlarge, and save it to your computer.

Lastly, there is a new set of free tags to download, Birds this time. Click on the tab in the sidebar, snag them, and enjoy.

Happy Summer, from the Dog and Me!

New Vintage Ladybugs Design

2010-05-17T22:20:00.003-05:00

Here’s one of my newest digital download designs for my Etsy Shop, DigitalAntiques.

Eight different designs, in two sizes, on two 8.5”x11” printable sheets, so you can make tags, note cards, or use them in your artwork. Perfect to embellish, or keep it simple and just print on cardstock, cut out, punch, and add a hanging string.

Lots of fun, and just in time for summer! Thanks for looking, from the Dog and me.

New Offerings on TDIPT Mercantile

2010-05-14T21:55:00.002-05:00

I belong to a wonderful Primitive and Folk Art group called TDIPT Mercantile, and each month we offer a new selection of our work on the 15th. Here’s what I have for sale this month:

Old Glory Cupboard Display Set

Vintage Style Butterfly Magnets

Primitive Bees Cupboard Hangers

The bees are from one of my digital downloads, “Vintage Bees”, in my Etsy Shop, DigitalAntiques.

I hope you’ll have time to visit TDIPT Mercantile, and see the work of all the amazing artists. Thanks from the Dog and me.

Fabric Giveaway

2010-05-08T15:46:00.003-05:00

Scoot on over to Diane Knott's Musings for a chance to win 18 fat quarters from her beautiful fabric line for Clothworks, "Castle Beach". Sweet Diane will have a drawing for these on May 14. Wonderful colors, who wouldn't want this?

The Dog is muttering something about not ruining my chances, but I'm ignoring him. He has ignoring down to an art, when it suits him.

Thinking About Summer

2010-05-07T12:14:00.009-05:00

We live on the Cumberland Plateau, in the westernmost portion of eastern Tennessee, and we got the same really heavy rainstorms which caused so much damage to the Nashville area last weekend. We're very thankful that they only caused very minor flooding in our area.
Since the storm ended, we've had wonderful, warm, sunny, days, just like early Summer. Even though it's really still Spring, it has me thinking about Summer. With that in mind, I found the perfect image to share with all of you.

I think she's lovely, and how perfect that it mentions "Summer" and "Tennessee". Click on the image to enlarge, then save it to your computer.

I've also been working away on some new items for my Etsy shop, DigitalAntiques. My latest brainstorm is another set of labels. This time they're for Vintage Fireworks, and perfect for Americana decorating, or 4th of July. I really like this set, partly because I loved fireworks as a child, and partly because it gave me a chance to work with those wonderful, decorative, type styles beloved by Victorian advertisers. Here are a few samples:

These "Old Time Fireworks Labels" are available now at Etsy, for digital download, and you can print them as many times as you like. Make a great display with papier mache or gift boxes, or simply frame them for a seasonal display.

More new things are on the way in the coming days, including more free images. Thanks for visiting, from the Dog and me.

Let's Talk About Backgrounds

2010-04-30T14:30:00.007-05:00

When I'm putting a digital design together, I often start with the background. Even if I have a wonderful image I want to feature, the background has to be right, or I'm not happy. I love using words for the background, especially vintage printed or handwritten words. You can do so much with them, to alter or change their appearance.

If I'm working digitally, it's easy to do with blending and adding layers. But even if you're working with paper, there are lots of possibilities.

Consider using a sponge and a stamp pad to add color and texture. Ink the edges, or use an almost dry stencil brush to add a different look. Find a pattern stamp and use that to alter the background. Add a layer of tissue or velum to soften the look.

You get the idea, I'm sure - the more things you try, the more possibilities. Keep a little workbook or notebook and jot down the things you did to get an effect you like, so you can remember how you did it.

Here are a couple of background pages for you to play with. The first is from "The Test and Study Speller", 1921. Click on the image to enlarge it and save.

The second page is from "Le Premier Livre", 1915, and is of course, in French. Tres chic', n'est pas?

The Dog is astounded that I remember that much of my high school French. After all, that was 350 years ago in dog years.

Shaking out the Cobwebs

2010-04-28T17:46:00.009-05:00

Lots of cleaning is going on here, now that the Spring sunshine shows up all the dust and cobwebs. Don't live on a dirt road, on a farm, with lots of critters if you can't stand dust and dirt. Ask me how I know.

I have a free scan that includes a cobweb for you today. It's a wonderful Miss Muffett illustration by Hope Dunlap, from a 1908 children's book. You all know how much I love illustrations, I hope you all love this one. Click on the picture to enlarge, and save to your computer.

I've also been adding new things to my Etsy Shop, Digital Antiques One of my customers asked about something with a beach theme, and I had fun putting these tags together.
At the Seashore

More new things to come over the next few days, including some new, free, downloadable tags. The Dog and I are working on them right now.

Thanks for dropping in.

A wonderful Surprise...

2010-04-13T14:18:00.005-05:00

One of the blogs I visit regularly for inspiration is Diane Knott's Musings. She does wonderful things with papers and images, and often works in series, which I especially like to see. So you can understand my delight with her post "A Lazy Crafting Spring Day". She's made this wonderful pocket

It uses one of the beehive images from my Etsy Shop. She has the greatest color sense, I love the things she combines.

Thanks, Diane, from the Dog and me!

2010-03-31T22:16:00.007-05:00

I've been working on new things for the Etsy shop DigitalAntiques, and some custom graphics and blog designs.
I've made a new set of tags, based on Vintage Post Card backs. I love the typography from that era! I even made some "faux" postage stamps to go with these tags, which should be fun for backgrounds as well.

I've also made a new Digital Image Sheet, called "Adelaide", a nostalgic, little, Victorian girl, perfect for altered art, ACEO's, cards, collages, etc.

If you haven't found Diane Knott's Musings yet, you're missing some beautiful and inspiring work. Besides being an amazing watercolorist, she makes beautiful tags and cards, and is very generous about sharing techniques and tips. Look at this butterfly!

I'm hoping to have some little tutorials ready before too long. If I could just get the Dog to be a bit more help.

New Offerings on TDIPT Mercantile

2010-03-14T19:03:00.008-05:00

Although we still don't have real Spring here yet - no daffodils, no Forsythia, nothing blossoming - we do have something that looks suspiciously like grass, struggling up through the mud. I'll look at it as hope on the horizon, which I can't see because of the rain.

It's time to update on TDIPT Mercantile, and I have some fun new pieces up for grabs this month.
Primitive Pears Cupboard Tucks, made using Antique botanical illustrations.
Alice in Wonderland Primitive Tucks - This is a one of a kind set, so if you like them, don't hesitate.
A fun set of Antique Teapot Cupboard Tucks. I am loving anything with letters or numbers on it these days. How about you?

If you do stop by the TDIPT Mercantile Website, don't forget to enter the drawing for one of the wonderful birthday gifts, donated by the TDIPT artists.

Have a great week, and thanks for stopping by to visit, from the Dog and me.

2010-02-28T16:25:00.004-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TDIPT MERCANTILE!

TDIPT Mercantile is celebrating its 3rd birthday, and we invite you to join in the celebration!

As we have done in the past, we are once again celebrating our birthday with a fabulous giveaway. All of the prizes have been generously donated by our fabulous TDIPT artists. The celebration will begin on February 28th at 10:00 pm (ET). This is also when the 1st of the month artists will present their new offerings on the Mercantile for March. You will have until 9:00 pm (ET) time on March 21 to get your entry in for the drawing. The winners will be drawn at 10:00 pm on March 21!

There are 3 ways to enter the drawing:

1. Purchase an item from the Mercantile (either from the 1st of the month artists or the 15th of the month artists) and we will enter your name for each purchase you make.

2. If you are already on our mailing list to receive the TDIPT newsletter, you are automatically entered to win. If you are not signed up for the newsletter, please be sure to sign up on the Mercantile or on our TDIPT Blog.

3. If you are signed up as a follower on the TDIPT Blog, you are already entered to win. If not, please be sure to sign up to become a follower.

We hope you will join us for this festive occasion! We appreciate your loyal patronage and support of the artists of TDIPT Mercantile!

One of the Birthday Prizes is a piece that I've made, using a Vintage Children's book illustration. It's called "Blacky Crow", and I think he's a charming fellow.

Good Luck in the drawing, from the Dog and me!

Birds of a Feather

2010-02-23T16:11:00.005-06:00

This little Folk Art Bird on a Pincushion Tuffet is my offering on eBay right now. Along with the other members of TDIPT, I'm participating in a group launch. The theme is "Birds of a Feather Create Together", so there's lots of Birdie goodness to see - just type TDIPT in the search bar.
It's been a while since I made anything with fabric, and I enjoyed getting back to it for a change.

I've also added some new printables to my Etsy shop, and more are in the works as well. We're back to cold and snowy weather, so creating at the computer is cozy right now.

Here's a peek at one of the new Vintage Sheep, which come as tags and bookmarks, in six different designs.

Have a splendid rest of the week, from the Dog and me.

Spring? Not Here!

2010-02-16T12:56:00.010-06:00

Here's what the farm looks like today:

We have had snow storms for more than two weeks now, which is nothing to many of you in many other parts of the country, but is not normal Winter for this part of Tennessee. It just makes everything harder, and gives me great respect for those who settled here without all our modern conveniences. Our livestock is just a hobby, but if we were real farmers, we'd need to be out in this all the time, seeing to the herd or the flock. Our horse, donkeys and cats are tucked into barn stalls, with food and unfrozen water, and the dogs are always with us in the house, so we all have it pretty easy. We are still all tired of snow, and ready for a change.

I've been spending the indoor time working on new things for TDIPT Mercantile

One of the pieces, the Three little sisters with the fan and heart, is to raise funds to help Haiti, and all the proceeds for it's sale will go to the Red Cross.

And, I've been designing some new downloadable graphics for crafters, which are available atDigitalAntiques on Etsy, so drop by for a look.

I've also made some new free Spring Floral tags for all of you. The "Spring" in the title is wishful thinking on my part.

Download a copy of all three tags by clicking on the tab in the right sidebar.

Enjoy......from the Dog and Me.

Down on the Farm

2010-01-14T16:31:00.009-06:00

Here on the farm, we've been going through the same very cold and snowy, freezy weather that the rest of the South and Southeast has been going through. So, lots of time spent unfreezing pipes, and hauling buckets of water for the livestock.

The weather is improving now, back to 40's in the daytime, which makes the animals and the people here really happy.

I've been staying in, keeping warm, and working on new things for DigitalAntiques on Etsy. New Valentine Cupids, and a set of Valentine Labels. Think Love Potions, and some other fun labels for jars or boxes.

Make a fun, decorative display, or use for Valentines or Tags.

Valentiney wishes for you, from the Dog and me.

Valentines and New Free Tags

2010-01-03T18:14:00.008-06:00

Even though the Christmas decor is still in place here on the farm, the Dog and I are getting ready for Valentine's Day. I've been working on new downloadable tags and collage sheets for my Etsy shop, Digital Antiques

Here's a peek at the latest - French Valentines! It was fun working with these beautiful portraits, and trying to remember my high school French.

There are 6 different designs, and they come in two sizes. Available in my Etsy shop.

Hearts were flying all around today, so I couldn't resist making a new page of ephemera embellished hearts to share with you all. Here's a sample, and there are 6 designs.

Just click on the "Free Valentine Images" button in the sidebar, and download to your computer.

Happy Valentine's Day from the Dog and me.

Out with the Old

2009-12-31T14:43:00.004-06:00

And in with the new - New Year that is!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2010 for everyone, from the Dog and Me.

Big Brown Dog Primitives

Kate Greenaway Tags and Labels

New Year, New Freebie!

Welcome, 2012!

To All of You......

Tis the Season to be Busy

To Wish You All...

Free Christmas Tags

Playing Catch Up

New for Christmas

TDIPT Mercantile Open House

Magic Halloween Decor

October on TDIPT Mercantile

New Old Labels

To Make your Monday Brighter

Here’s What’s New at the Shop

Cock Robin and Jenny Wren

New on Etsy Today

New Christmas, and New Free Tags!

Images and Inspiration

Vintage Halloween Costumes and some words about Paper

New Hand Made Folk Art Tonight

New! Vintage Halloween Garland

Here's what Else is Happening on the Farm

Are you ready for......Vampires?

It's Still Halloween Around Here!

New Halloween Tags and Some Inspiring Images

New Halloween Designs and Free Tags!

New Look, New Tags

Weekly Inspiration.....Again

Traveling this Summer?

Weekly Inspiration

TDIPT Mercantile Update Tonight

New Free Tag Set

Weekly Inspiration

Would you like Pixels and IceCream with that?

Weekly Inspiration

Quilts and Butterflies

New Free Tags for You

More Vintage Post Cards

New Folk Art Work Tonight

Some Vintage Inspiration for You

Some Odds and Ends

New on Digital Antiques

New Primitive Folk Art on TDIPT Mercantile Tonight

The Latest Buzz

100 is a Magic Number

Fairy Tales Can Come True

Playing Catch Up

New Folk Art on TDIPT Mercantile

Romance is in the Air

Free Labels to Download and a Tutorial

** Snow is Falling All Around **

Ready for Thanksgiving?

Santa's Vintage North Pole Stationery

New Offerings on TDIPT Mercantile Tonight

It’s Still Fall, Right?

Christmas Past

A Change of Seasons and a Little Gift

Don’t Miss This!

More New Digital Designs

Playing Catch Up

It's Crow Time!

A Very Special Halloween Giveaway!

Trick or Treat?

September Handmades on TDIPT Mercantile

A Little Witchy Fun

Free is Good!

Just a Bit More Spookiness

More Halloweeniness

More Spookiness Ensues

Images to Share

New Items for Sale Tonight on TDIPT Mercantile

A Chance Not to be Missed

An Old Pastime, and some new Images

So What Did We Do With Those Barn Doors?

New Free Tags and a Very Big Yard Sale

Making an Accordion Fold Display

New Halloween Fun!

New for June on TDIPT Mercantile

Snow is Falling All Around