GOD'S BOUNTY - in unexpected places...

Sometimes God's blessings are right in our own backyard, or in my case, in the park across the street. Last fall, with two of my grandchildren's help, we picked loads of acorn caps. I listed them on my Etsy shop, not knowing if anybody would want them, but not only have I sold over 400 acorn caps, they were mailed in my Michael's boxes (see below). How cool is that.
TIP: HOW TO USE ACORN CAPS: Mine have small calico fabric circles, gathered and stuffed with fibre fill, then glued into the caps. Use to decorate. They are adorable just sitting in a glass bowl or basket. Decorate the base of a candle or a small wreath. If you are not a do-it-your-selfer, you can purchase some ready made from All Things Homey.

Most of the mailing I do for my Etsy Shops are small and fit in a mailing envelope but I hoped the day would come when I would need to mail larger items in BOXES. That would add expense for my buyers that I did not want to add.

One day, a few weeks or so ago, I was shopping at Michaels when I spied a buggy full of empty boxes! I had come on a day when they were stocking merchandise. I filled my buggy with their buggy full of small and medium boxes. Yeh, thank you Lord. The timing was perfect because within a week I had orders for my acorn caps and they were mailed in my 'Michael's' boxes. How cool is that.
Thanks for taking a look and Happy Fall to you all, Sally

Free ' To Do List' revised

The holidays are rapidly approching. It seems like there is so much to do that I can't remember what I was going to work on today.
Oh yes, I was going to post a free To Do List on All Things Homey.

Click on image-save to computer-print
Make a List and check it twice. Be sure you ADD a day to shop at my Etsy shops:
sssStudio
AllThingsHomey
Treasures4Ewe
Happy Listing, Sally

God Bless America

I was in my car when I first heard the news on the radio. I immediately turned around, went home and turned on the TV in time to watch the second plane hit the second tower. It was SO hard to believe this was actually happening.
The images of 9-11 are burned, forever, in my mind and heart. Shock. Disbelief. Shock again. Praying. Praying. Praying. God help those people. Lord have mercy. Shock after Shock.
Truly 9-11 was another turning point for America. We ALL came together. We turned to God - but didn't stay there. Good Lord, deliver us.

This is a scrapbook page I did for my daughter who lived in Texas on 9-11. Her boys, then 3 and 5 held up the days newspaper...which I still have along with Magazines and 1st anniversary publications.

Share your 9/11 rememberances in the 'comments'.

FREE Candy Corn Paper Piecing Pattern

Candy Corn speaks of Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. I have designed a paper pieced Candy Corn for you to use on your Scrapbook pages, Cards or Tags.
The top piece (white) slightly overlaps the middle piece (yellow). The bottom piece (orange) slightly overlaps the middle piece.
The center oval can be cut out of the middle piece or you can use it as a pattern to cut out your photo, then glue to the middle secion.
I have brushed the edges of each piece with Distress Ink but it could be highlighted with chalk.
I used the smaller Candy Corn for the Card and the Tag.

Right Click on Pattern and save to your computer. Open and print.
This post was featured on www.thestuffofsuccess.com

Please check out my new Etsy Shop for additional Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving designs.
'Follow' this blog for creative, inspiring and fun ideas.

ENJOY,
Sally Swift

Free Set of 6 School Tags OFFER EXPIRED

Set of 6 custom designed Back to School Tags for all your school scrapbook pages, greeting cards or gift tags. (Offer Expired)

Each tag is 2 1/2" x 3 3/4". The sample on the left is to show the black
board background on the tags.

These images are the copyright property of Sally Swift. They may not be reproduced for resale, file sharing or adding to another collection for resale. Printed sheets may not be sold.

Check out my other Custom Designed Digital Download Tags at www.sssstudio.etsy.com.

1929 Paper Doll Dressed Up in 3-D

Vintage Image Craft hosted a Paper Doll Party Creative Challenge in July.
They posted several vintage paper dolls on their Facebook page that could be downloaded and used in their contest. I choose Dolly Dingle from the June 27th posting.

Techniques: I printed three images of the paper doll and cut them so I would have a finished 3-D doll. Her legs are cut apart and layered. The left side of her hair is also layered and her arm is layered.

I used one of the arms as a second arm holding a bouquet of roses. I cut a pink cardstock skirt and layered it with wired sheer ribbon. The bodice is vintage lace, gathered. The belt is crushed vintage velvet ribbon. The bouquet is a gathered piece of vintage lace as the background, then gluing tiny ribbon flowers. A ribbon flower is on her hair. A pink ribbon hangs from her dress and from the bouquet.

TIP:If using wired ribbon for the skirt, make small pleats in the ribbon instead of gathering it and it will lay flatter. I used Tacky glue to glue the pleats down as I folded them.

The completed doll is then adhered to the frame background with pop dots. I painted the 3-D picture frame white. The doll is 7 inches tall and is in a frame 8x10.

My entry won 2nd prize which is a E Book: Ten Vintage Christmas Greetings to Make.

There are many sites that offer free downloadable paper dolls. Just enter Paper Dolls into Google search.

I have loved and collected paper dolls since childhood. The oldest paper doll is from 1944 and is from the funny papers. I have over 200 saved from the funny papers. I also have over 50 regular paper dolls from the 1940s, including a child Margaret Obrien and Rita Hayworth. (Anybody remember those?) I cut out all of these paper dolls and have saved them through these 60+ years. Still fun to get out and look at.

Happy Independence Day

God Bless America