Saturday Showcase: September 7, 2013

IT'S BACK!!!!!!!!! 

I know it has been awhile but I am finally back with a new Saturday Showcase.  I decided that I didn't want anyone to miss out on the fabulous people I showcase; so, I figured that I'd just have it go on hiatus while people came and went during the summer months.  Well, I'm hoping that people are starting to get back into their regular routines and trusting that now would be the perfect opportunity to bring the showcase back.

If you are new to my blog, it is time for the Saturday Showcase where I highlight other artists' work (whether it be stamps, cards or otherwise), a blog post offering a great technique, or I might even just pick a whole blog to showcase. The criteria I use is that it has to move me in some way (it makes me laugh or cry; awes, inspires or astounds me; etc). I believe that it is extremely important to support other artists within our creative community and this is one of the ways I am able to.  If you are new and would like to find out why I created the showcase, you can go HERE.

Now the blog I am showcasing today is SO BIG and offers SO MANY DIFFERENT FEATURES, that it is impossible to cover it all in just one post.  So, for the entire month of September, I am pleased to be featuring the blog stylings of...

 Create with TLC

My focus for this week points to some... 

Awesome Vintage Digital Images
The wonderful images displayed below were found and refurbished by

Paulette 

 Her store can be found HERE.

Now, I am pretty darn sure that 99% of you are familiar with this incredibly generous lady.  If you aren't, then boy, are you in for a treat over the next four weeks.  

Create with TLC is one of the first blogs that I started following long before I knew what following meant.  Each day I would have another lovely blog post delivered to my mailbox.  I'd snag the various freebies offered, and ooh and aah over the fabulous inspirational cards that appeared in each post.  I kept trying to say thank you but at the time I was 'anonymous' and didn't really understand how the whole process worked and I think my comments would often get lost.  I also thought that I was a 'follower' just because I subscribed by email.  So, I learned a number of important lessons just through my discovery of this particular blog.  Well, now I am a full fledged follower and proudly so.  I still get my posts delivered to my inbox so I don't miss any and I try my absolute best to say thank you for every single freebie that I download.

One of the wonderful aspects that Paulette offers up to us is her line of vintage digital images.  She collects these old images published before 1923 (believed to be in the public domain) and then painstakingly cleans them up and offers them either as freebies or for sale in her store. 

Right now, I'd have to say that the following five images are my favourites from the vast array of vintage digis available in the store.
 

  Not only is the background scene in this image beautiful, with its array of flowers, swirls and dragonfly, but the sentiment is beautiful as well and right up my inspirational alley.

 

I have always loved the look of sheet music as part of card design and with this digi, not only do you get the sheet music but you also get a whole collage of awesome images including this incredible old Victrola.   Top it off with a precious bird, some pretty flowers and an empowering sentiment and you can't go wrong.

I've also always been drawn to beautiful old capital letters that have been transformed into wordart.  These ones are really unique.  I'm especially drawn to the A.  In this particular set you get four different letters that you can use for four different types of cards all for one low price.  It makes for an incredible deal.

Another great deal is this set of four different edges or as I often refer to them, flourishes.  The scroll work in these four are beautiful and once again, these images are extremely versatile in their use.  I can see the third and fourth ones in particular used as a repeated pattern for the backdrop of a card or as a paper (created for your own personal use of course).

It is very difficult for me to pick just one, but if I had to choose my ultimate favourite of the bunch, I believe it is this one.  This set offers up another great deal with five individual images.  Each of them is extremely unique and would be great for many different occasions.  I'm often drawn to landscapes and buildings.  I always imagine myself peeking in the windows to see how the inhabitants lived.  I believe that the inhabitants of these buildings in particular would have a very interesting story to tell.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the above images, they are linked to take you straight to their location in the Create with TLC store.


Now, while Paulette offers up the above vintage images and so many more for sale in her store, she also offers up many images, very generously on her blog for free.  She has recently added a new page to the store that strictly offers up vintage graphics free for personal use.  Every now and again, Paulette will switch out one of the old ones with a new one so you need to make sure that you visit this page often.  

Right now Paulette has 19 up for grabs.  Extremely generous, right?!  I have chosen my favourite ones of the current bunch to show you.

 Isn't this bird gorgeous?  I love how it is surrounded by butterflies and flowers.  I also really like the cool shield that makes for the backdrop of this beautiful image.

If you know anything at all about me, you know I have a streak for fantasy.  Fairies of course fall right into this theme and this fairy in particular is a special little one.  I love how he is front and centre and how his wings encompass almost the entire width of the image.  One other thing you should know about me is that I often prefer symmetry over asymmetry.  So, the layout of the botannical elements of this digi fall right into my wheel house. 

 

Next up is this cute, whimsical image.  The surroundings are simple but the focus is on this young lady, her antics and expression.  What is she dreaming off?  Her coronation or her Royal wedding?  That is the wonderful thing about digital images--the interpretations are only limited by a person's imagination.

 A beautiful rural village.  Is it set in the past or is there someplace in this incomprehensible world of ours that has remained untouched by time?  Wherever it is, the setting of this image definitely exudes a serenity that draws me in.

I love the contemplative nature of this particular image.  Once again we are caught up in what might be happening in this young lady's mind.  Is she longingly waiting for a loved one to return?  Is she contemplating her future?  Is she envisioning the enormity of the world around her?  While we are thinking of her, what is she thinking of?

Each of these five images, along with fourteen others, are currently available for free on Paulette's blog but remember, their time on this page is limited so make sure to pick them up while you can.  Clicking HERE will open up the page where they are located.

I am so grateful that Paulette has agreed to let me showcase her blog and store over the next few weeks.  I hope that you have enjoyed your trip down vintage lane and will join me again next week as we explore another facet of the world that is Create with TLC.  The artists that I showcase work very hard to provide the inspiration that I bring to you.  Please go and check out some more of Paulette's awesome vintage designs and while you are there, leave her a little bloggy love if you can.

Until next time,

Note:   *Thanks to Nikki from Limited Runs Stamps for creating my Saturday Showcase badge.