Library Chic products in the Shop and Two Vintage Journaling Card Freebies

Assorted Set of 25 Library Cards - Curtsey Boutique

 I've been super busy adding fun items to the shop.  As a teenager I spent my Summers volunteering at the local library on my military base. One summer I transferred over 1000 books from the old card catalog system to the new bar code scanners we all take for granted these days. You might think, I'd never want to see a library card or stamp again, but just the opposite is the case. I love use library cards for gift wrap, journaling in my scrapbook and Project Life projects and making tags.

One of my favorite finds is these monthly periodical check out cards. They already have the day and month on them, so pop them in a typewriter, run them through your printer or hand write some journaling and voila you're finished. So fun!!

Cards can be purchased by color or in assortments in the shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/curtseyboutique?section_id=10783255

Library Calendar Journaling Cards - Curtsey Boutique

I've also been hard at play with digital images again, and have two 3x4 journaling cards below for you to use.  I really like the idea of the ledger paper inside the doily on the second one - what do you think?

Free Vintage Ballerina Journaling Card - Curtsey Boutique

Free Vintage Doily, Kraft Paper, and Graph sheet Journaling Card - Curtsey Boutique

Getting carded,

CarrieAnne

Miss Arts, Operation Write Home and a Deployment Digital Freebie

Curtsey Boutique Deployment Project Life sized Journaling Card

My husband and I were military sweethearts. We meet while we were both ROTC cadets at the University of Dayton. To my parents dismay we were engaged only after a few short months. After 12 years of marriage they've gotten used to him and we've pretty much proved that love at first sight can be a lasting thing. 

With both of us being active duty military our first years of marriage were mostly spent apart. September 11th, the War in Iraq and other domestic deployments had us passing like to ships in Battle Dress Uniforms that weren't even sailing on the same night. 

To say the least military charities are close to my heart. When Alyssa from Miss Art's approached me about doing a post on Operation Write Home and Miss Art's Papercrafting School's support of it I couldn't have been more excited.

Here is the Skinny:

Operation Write Home:

A charity that serves our armed forces by sending them blank handmade greeting cards they can use to write home on. It also provides the soldiers with cards of gratitude and encouragement.

Why this charity is so AMAZING:

In March 2011, they passed the 1 million card mark and crafters like us helped them do it!

How Miss Art's is Getting Involved:

Each Tuesday, visit the Miss Art's blog to view the tutorial. Then join designers Karen Hanson, Alyssa McGrew, Tina McDonald, and Jodi Baune in creating cards to donate to Operation Write Home. Cards will be collected at the Miss Art's office, then forwarded as a group to the Operation Write Home distribution center.

The first tutorial, giveaway rules, and instructions for creating and sending in cards can be found HERE

Miss Art's Paper Crafting School Operation Write Home Tutorial Project #1

How Helping Other's can Help You:

Besides that warm fuzzy feeling you'll get for doing something nice for a complete stranger, Miss Art's will be giving a free April Kit for every card you send them for Operation Write Home.

Where to get More Information:

Operation Write Home Link HERE

Miss Art's Paper Crafting School Link HERE

Miss Art's Papercrafting School Operation Write Home Giveaway

I have a shoebox full of letters in the bottom of my closet. Notes that we sent to each other over those first years of constant separation. Some of them have sprinkles of desert dust on them, a few are smeared with mud, but all of them are witnessses of a great romance.  They mean more to me than just about anything else I own.  Even years later, I don't like to discuss my feelings about being separated from my husband during deployments. So, I haven't yet used the journaling card at the top of this post, but it is free to all those who would like to use it. 

I am excited to help others build up their own shoeboxes and hope you too will be encouraged to give back to our soldiers.

Create with love,

CarrieAnne

Circus Birthday Party Theme & Digital Freebie

Curtsey Boutique Vintage Circus Balloon Lady Party Package

Remember the cowboy party I throw for my son's first birthday? Making the hobby horses, invites, wanted posters and all the other crafty Wild West projects was half the fun of the party itself. I like the idea of having a big shin dig at the end of the Summer every year as an excuse to get all the families in our life together.

This year I am thinking about doing a Vintage Circus theme. Can't you just see tulle tutus, a juggling center and all sorts of neat tight rope walking activities. I might even do some faux animal cages and old timey advertising posters for the photo booth.

That fun is still months away though, and its difficult to wait (enter child like pouting here). So yestereday when  I found these neat vintage inspired Circus products I had to snatch them up.

They go great with the cupcake rosette toppers and cupcake bow ties in the shop and they can all be found in the Curtsey Boutique for purchase individually or as a package here.

I'd love to hear any circus themed party ideas you might have, I'm going to keep track in a notebook and refine my party concept as we get closer.

I made up this vintage inspired Happy Birthday Digital tag using public doman images from old Barnum and Bailey Circus posters. It is free for you to play around with.

Free Circus Happy Birthday Tag Digital Download

Hope all is well in your big top,

CarrieAnne

Sprinklers Rain Liquid Sunshine Project Life Layout

I've always been an avid writer. Writing and editing articles for magazines opened my first "professional" doors in the papercrafting industry. I struggle sometimes between the art component and having enough space (and discipline) on layouts to capture the story in journaling.

Last week I made my first "Project Life" type layout with this page protector that divides into six 4x6 compartments. I already had the page protector and these remants of paper from another project. The layout was very easy to put together and I love that I had so much space for the story. I think you'll be seeing more of these types of layout from me in the future!

The layout captures our first "real summer" day a few years ago when our Nemo sprinkler was pulled out of Winter retirement.

I created the jouraling card with a vintage image of a girl in a 60's swimsuit in photoshop.

The card is here for your own use and enjoyment.

Thanks for stopping by,

CarrieAnne

Rainy Day Journaling Cards and a Vintage Freebie

Curtsey Boutique Rainy Day Journaling Cards

Here in Georgia the weather has been blissfully balmy over the last few days. I can't imagine we won't be getting a few Spring showers though and so I whipped up a few vintage inspired journaling cards for the puddle splashing opportunities to come. The images come from an early 1920s vintage catalog and show boys, girls and ladies rocking the waterproof fashions of their day.

They each measure 3 X 4 and these cards work with ATCs, Project Life or any scrapbooking project. My favorite is the bingo card with the rain boots in the free space - so fun!

They are available at the Curtsey Boutique in paper format or in digital format.

I've been working on some baby themed images and I thought I would share a bit of vintage digital love.   Isn't this the cutest little girl in an old bib below? Perfect for some many fun things!

Waiting for the puddles,

CarrieAnne

Vintage Sewing Flash Card Freebies

Curtsey Boutique Vintage Fashion Flash Cards

  Lately, I've been building quite the hoard of vintage publications, and because my inner historian has threatened my not so inner crafty self with an emotional melt down  I've come to the epiphany that I simply can't cut up a 1909 copy of McCalls. I just can't do it. But I HAVE to use these images!! They are amazing.

So I've been using trial and error (mostly error) to do more with Photoshop and miracle of all miracles I've come up with some Vintage Sewing Flash Cards. I'm planning on doing a whole set from A to Z (any ideas for X?) all about vintage fashion and sewing terms.  Feel free to download the two pictured here for free for personal use. I'll be offering the entire set in the Curtsey Boutique in digital and print in 4x6 and 3x4 for those who like unique Project Life embellishment cards.

Have a fantastic day,

CarrieAnne

Perfect Pies for One!

Curtsey Boutique Pie Plate Gift Packaging Set

 
Are you a baker and a crafter? Do you love to give home baked gifts that you've gussied up? I do!!

I can't cook worth a lick - but I can bake like a champ. My mom tells me these use the same skill set, following directions, patience, etc... But I strongly disagree, its way more fun to lick the cookie spoon than the beef roast tester and being an instant gratification type of girl - cooking just doesn't meet the taste test.

But I love to bake and to give most of it away so I don't eat to much of good things.

So look what I just came across - individual baking safe, food safe pie plates!! I am going to make a bunch of for the ladies I visit at my church this month. So sweet just in time for Valentine's Day. They are available in the Curtsey Boutique today.

Individual Pie Plates

Can't you just see all the crafty possiblities with these?

If you don't have time to embellish them yourself you can always pick up the Pie Plate Gift Set in the shop.

Sweet Baking my friends,

CarrieAnne