Vintage photos

As you know I really enjoy using my own vintage family photos in my crafting. There are lots of images available on the Internet or to buy but it makes things much more fun when you use you own family. Most recently I shared a photo of my Great Grandmother Florence here in my Art for Heart's sake post.

Today I would like to introduce my Great Great Grandmother Alice. Isn't this a great photo, it is so beautifully aged. Alice brought up her 2 young grandchildren (my Nan and her brother) when her own daughter and son-in-law died within 6 months of each other in their early 30s.

I don't know how old she was here but her outfit certainly looks very Victorian.

Last year I attended my friend Brenda's workshop and the project was to decorate a Tim Holtz collection folio.
It started off like this, just plain brown.

We were able to choose our papers and I chose these lovely spring themed ones.

We used inks, paints, stencils and gesso to alter the papers and create tags and pockets and made the folio our own.

This has sat, unfinished in my "to do" pile for a long time. There are some great challenges on at the moment so I finally dug it out and this week. The theme over at PaperArtsy is deconstruction and A Vintage Journey are celebrating all things Tim. I also think the spring weather and the papers inspired me to finish it. I also decided to add some other lovely family photos. It has beocome my family history photo album and on the front cover is none other than Alice.

Here are some inside shots, lots of pockets made from ordinary 12x12" paper sheets

  Lift the flaps and pockets to reveal more layers.

I hand stamped plain brown money/coin envelopes and altered them into little tag pockets.

The tags were tied with thick garden twine to add
some texture

Above is my Nan aged about 18.

Below is my own parents on 26th March 1955 on their wedding day and yes they are about to celebrate their Diamond wedding anniversary.

I also added in a tag I had made.

This little match box die below has been used to make another pocket to contain more photos.

The back cover

and one final arty shot

It's a lovely keepsake and when Daisy Jane is old enough I can show her this and tell her about her ancestors including Alice, her Great Great Great Great Grandmother!

I would like to enter my folio into the following challenges;

A Vintage Journey anything Tim
Country View Crafts anything goes
The Artistic stamper Spring is coming
Mixed Media challenge spring, birds of a feather  the spring like weather we are enjoying inspired my use of these gorgeous papers which feature nesting birds too. 5 challenges
Inspiration Journal Spring blooms
Simon Says Wednesday things that fly
Simon Says Work it Wednesday spring
Bunny Zoe Spring
That's Crafty wings and things
Paper Artsy deconstruction #5...I was inspired by Leandra's introductory video to look at altering or using products in a way they were not designed for....I have used coin envelopes and altered them into little tag pockets. Sheets of craft paper have been descontructed into flaps and pockets. I have also used ordinary garden twine for the ties for the tags and to attach the work band  My photos have also been deconstructed as they have been scanned and then inked....a very different process to the original Victorian photography! I wonder what my ancestors would think?

Have a lovely weekend and if you are in the UK happy Mother's Day to all you lovely Mum's out there.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x