Vacation -

Enjoy vacation -
If you'd like to see more vintage postcards, check out my other blog - Postcards, etc.
Have a great week!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the sun shine, all day long,

everything go right, and nothing wrong.

May those you love bring love back to you,

and may all the wishes you wish come true!

~Irish Blessing

Happy Rally Day - and trivia ad nauseum....

I found this sweet postcard invitation for Rally Day

What is Rally Day?  I asked myself. A quick check of Google and Wikipedia, found many possible answers. One source says Rally Day is a "warm-hearted homecoming when friends greet one another again," after Labor Day. There are girl scout rally days, church rally days and legislative rally days. Many car clubs use Rally Day to signify a car show - Rally Day in Wiltsire, England brings 10,000 people together to celebrate rally cars. 
The real Rally Day began at Smith College in 1876 as a celebration of George Washington's birthday. Over the years the celebration has included speeches, awards, performances, music from the glee club, square dancing, carnivals, formal teas, and dinners. This year's Rally Day is today, February 23.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. You probably know all the good stuff he did from your American History courses, but did you know he was a high school drop out and never went to college. He never learned Latin, Greek or any foreign language, like his contemporaries. He married late in life, at the ripe old age of 27 and was the happy step-father to Martha's two children.

While Martha was devoted to George, she was a less willing first-lady and is quoted as saying "I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else, there is certain bounds set for me which I must not depart from..."

Two year's after his departure from office, George fell ill with pneumonia. The pneumonia probably isn't what killed him, though. Most likely, the doctor's prescribed treatment of blood-letting and doses of Mercury Chloride did him in.

But his legacy as the Father of our Country is what we celebrate on Rally Day. Don't forget to put on your Rally Day hats, and send out your Rally Day cards. Be sure to bake yourself a Martha Washington cake (see recipe below) and celebrate Rally Day!

And certainly, don't forget what Martha said:

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
                                                                                             -Martha Washington

Happy Rally Day!

*****
Martha Washington's Great Cake
(One of Mrs. Washington's favorite recipes- I love how this is written, what about bake times and temps and how big of a pan do you need to accommodate 40 eggs and 4 pounds of butter and sugar?!?!)

Take 40 eggs and divide the whites from the yolks and beat them to a froth. Then work 4 pounds of butter to a cream and put the whites of eggs to it a Spoon full at a time till it is well work'd. Then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manner then put in the Yolks of eggs and 5 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of fruit. 2 hours will bake it. Add to it half an ounce of mace and nutmeg half a pint of wine and some fresh brandy.
********

(Although Postcardy pointed out on Postcards, Etc. that my postcard is most likely for a children's Sunday School Rally, I still like all the interesting stuff I dug up. Check out Postcardy for some more George Washington facts.)

President's Day

Art is not a treasure in the past or an importation from another land,

but part of the present life of all living and creating peoples.

-Franklin D. Roosevelt



Vintage photo on an antique postcard.  No notation of the location.



Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

I often look for just the right words for a collage or art piece.  I found these two comments about art by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Somehow they seem appropriate on this Presidents' Day.  The photo - I was just struck by the beauty of the arches, the contrast of light and dark, and the mystery of the door at the end.  Maybe this card and one of these quotations will end up on one of my collages.

Project - Collage Freebie

Are you making Valentine's Cards this year?  I wish I was, but what a busy week... and my studio is too cold with our temperatures below freezing again.  I always have the best intentions to make cards and mail them out.  Another year, perhaps. 
This is one of my fun, quirky images - from a vintage postcard.  They look a little awkward, don't they?

It would be a cute one to use in a collage or on a card, the postmark on the front reduces its collectible value, but makes it more interesting in a piece of art.  This one is vintage, but was mailed to me in the 80's. To borrow this image for your own art or craft usage, right click and save to your computer. Personal use only, please. Feel free to use it for your collages and Valentine's cards. 
For more post cards, check out my other blog: Postcards, etc.

Eerie Resemblance

I spent part of today scanning old postcards and photo cards for my Postcards, etc. Blog.  I came across this interesting photo card.

It's just another vintage photo card - a bit blurry because the dog moved.  It has no distinguishing markings on the back, but it was sent from my uncle to my parents in 1960's. 

What is interesting about this card, is that the woman looks remarkably like my mom, although she wasn't the woman in the photo.  

What do you think?

Happy New Year!

So, I've been a little slow to keep up with the blogging during the holidays (and also the laundry).  The hustle and bustle of the busy season has been so fun this year.  We had lots of family to visit, celebrations with friends and family, dinners and parties.  I am exhausted.
When the routine sets in next week, I am looking forward to a slower pace.  A little more predictable time.  Perhaps, back to exercising and making art.  A little less baking and eating.
I hope the holidays treated you and yours well this year. 
Happy New Year!

Best Wishes for Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Elves

I love this vintage Christmas postcard.  I think it would make a great accent for a holiday project.  Feel free to right click the image and to save it for your own personal, artistic use.


"A Very Merry Xmas"

 

The card is a color illustration postcard.  There is no date of publication, but it was postmarked in Fonda, New York on December 22, 1911, with a 1 cent stamp.

For more vintage images, and holiday postcards, visit my other blog: Postcards, etc.