Alice in Wonderland Card Banner

 On my Mad Hatter's tea party blog post, I had a a request for a tutorial on the cute Alice Card Banner, but since it was a gift, and I am against copying the designs of others, I went out on the Internet and gathered some public domain images of  basic playing cards, and very old Alice illustrations that have fallen out of copy right.  If you saw that post you may recognize them as uncolored versions of some of the same. So here they are copyright free, just for you!

 I am including my photo shopped version of the cards.  If you liked the colored ones on the other banner, feel free to color these yourself, after printing them off, of course.

This 'Alice' putting on a crown seemed like the perfect selection for the Alice Queen Card.

Of course, who else would be the Queen of Hearts, but the old girl herself!? "Off with their heads!"

 The rabbit in his court crier outfit demanded he be of the hearts suite, and since I was doing Kings and Queens, he received a promotion.  Though really, it seems to me that the Queen of Hearts would have a smaller and fidgety sort of person for a spouse, so Mr. Rabbit fills the bill!

 Then last of our four card suite is the star of the Tea Party!!  We all love the Mad Hatter, so it seems only fitting he be made King!

Have fun making your own version of the Alice Banner!

Red and White and Love Week

 Just thought I would share my Valentines this past week.

My hubby and husbands of friends we trip with, all got together and surprised us with an attendance at our local movie theater's, 'Evening of Love' event.

We had a lovely prime rib dinner, games, chocolate, roses and a movie with the necessary accoutrements.

Such adorable men.

 Then ...

... on Sunday we served a Valentines dinner to our family .... sans sick and traveling kids and grands. With just nine at table, it meant I got to use my beloved pearl handled silverware, so I guess every cloud has a silver(ware) lining, right?

The menu was pink and red foods: pinkish creamed corn, roasted red potatoes, pink rolls, Grandma Connie's famous pink cloud with fruit salad and a lovely' falling apart' pot roast ... and my son Davin, the funniest of my children, said the meal was perfect, as he just happened to be on a special diet, eating only foods in shades of pink ...

It was a lovely meal, despite the lack of grandchildren there. And ....

...handling and washing my collection of pearl handles is nothing short of a delight, I saved it until the rest of the dishes were washed so I could savor ... OK, I have been told I was a weirdo before, so this proves it!

 This is my Instagram Valentines greeting (join me, I'm Pollyareinvents on there too! Please mention in a comment that you are a blog follower and I will follow you back!)

And last of all, I am embarrassed to admit that it wasn't until this past week that I put away my beloved Christmas Angel collection that had been inhabiting the kitchen window shelf and made it valentinesy ...

Love showing off my heart shaped cookie cutter collection by hot gluing them onto the mullioned window I keep on the shelf ... now to think of other good things to display that way.

Thanks for coming along for the red and white tour, I hope your Valentines was lovely as well!!

Downton Abbey Tea Party and Pennant Banner

 Welcome to my Downton Abbey Tea Party in honor of my friend Jenn who was visiting from Virginia ...

This is the 'help', my 'parlor maid' Becca, and my 'butler', Perkins.

The Menu

Crumpets with Clotted Cream, Marmalade and Lemon Curd

Chicken Salad Puffs

Ribbon Sandwiches

Various herb and fruit teas

Assorted 'biscuits'

 

Jenn, Ann and Robin got into the mood by dressing the part.

 

 

 I tried to get everyone in the mood with a few English touches.  I made the Downton Abbey banner in about an hour.  Since I often spend hours and hours doing them, I was very happy with this quickie effort.

 

Instead of carefully taping antique book pages to sheets of printer paper, and sending them through my printer, one at a time to receive either a medallion, a letter or both ...  I just found this great handwriting sample on Graphics Fairy, and printed off a trimmed version 2 to a page on card stock, cut them out, then punched the borders, and stamped a letter on each before gluing them onto a length of black garland and voila!

 Michelle was also, luckily, in town from Arizona, and is shown here with Jenn and her mother Doreen to the right.

 

Here are Robin, Barb and Ann, all longtime friends.

 Other decorating touches were to add a Lady Grantham plaque to an antique portrait, as well as printing off a picture of Lady Mary in her wedding dress and hanging it.

I already have a few tributes to our friends across the pond, like this lamp.  I also have Busts of British Royalty, a few crowns and a lovely antique book with Queen Elizabeth's portrait on the cover.

Now we just have to wait for the new season to arrive so I can watch it on my 'big' screen TV ... although I must admit that I have already cheated and watched the first episode on line ... thanks Stacy!

Come Along to Wendy's House!

Wonderful Wednesday Wanderings

This is my first blog entry in the Wednesday Wanderings series.  And what better place to wander than Wendy's?

Wendy seems to have been bitten by the same bug that bit me.  I counted three different pennant banners, all adorable and two made by Wendy.  Above is a banner made from a lovely, soft old quilt. 

I was excited to see how Wendy's curled paper flower wreath turned out.  She put glitter on the edges of her flowers, and I love it!

I just thought this sweet little Victorian scrap looked adorable in the tiny spiked flower frog.  Nice touch Wendy.

... and to finish, we will step away from Wendy's craftiness and take a look at one of the cool features of her late 1800's house.  This door once opened onto a side yard, but when Wendy and her dh bought the house they added a nice large master sweet which is now accessed by this door.  So, yes, the cool brick wall is inside her bedroom.  Her house has some really amazing features, so I guess we will just have to visit again sometime.

P.S. In conjunction with my new 'flavor of the day' blog posts, I will be giving away either something I have crafted, or a cool vintage or antique item on 'Freebie Fridays for Followers', so be sure to come back and join the fun!!

Thanks Wendy!