Lost that lovin' feeling.....

The air became bitter cold, snow fell and covered the ground, the Christmas music has begun to pipe through the stores and the wish lists are forming in hearts according to the latest advertisements.  As I do each year, as if pre-programmed to do so, I began to pull out the bins filled with my seasonal decorations and ornaments.  I didn't get very far.  Garland and wreaths covered my living room floor and a small anxious sinking feeling filled my chest.  That desire to completely transform the main floor of the house into glittery, seasonal, eye candy seemed to choke me this year.   Then I did something that surprised even myself.  I packed the stuff back into the large bags and shoved it all into the corner of the room for another day.  That was days ago and still, I have no desire to string the garland up the stairwell nor to hang the vintage kissing ball above the hallway entrance. 

Just prior to Halloween, my pinterest board began filling up with exciting Christmas inspiration.  I pinned projects that I wanted to take on this season like a mad hoarding woman.  I wasn't alone either.  My friends and followers were doing the same thing.  We were all one big spastic group of Christmas pinning Mommas and we were having a wonderful time!  One day I visited my boards to find that the holiday pins were beginning to churn my tummy.  Like a kid in a candy store with free reign, I found myself saying "no more."  I had completely over indulged.

It occurred to me, I have already spent my holiday spirit.  The allotted emotional Christmas spirit budget has already been depleted.  I had my holiday and didn't even include my family! 

Now what?

They are expecting something of a Christmas here regardless of my over indulgence. 

I took a trip over to my pinterest board and deleted every single board associated with holiday decorating.   They are gone.  In doing so, I lost quite a few followers and I look like a newbie pinner but there was something liberating in all of it.  I am starting over.  I am re-deciding what this season means to me and how to represent it to my family.  When did it become about being a cool pinterest pinning momma?  This alone has robbed me of my Christmas spirit and kept me from the very person I wish to be for my family. 

Declaration of Love Seal and Gift

Good Morning to All.  I sat on the back patio this morning watching the world wake up slowly while pondering God's beauty.  As you get older, you learn to take this time with Him. Feeling a bit sheepish since I didn't have an idea of what I wanted to share for this Rednesday, I gave my morning to the Lord and was prepared to go and make more Banana Bread.   I decided though, to push through with an idea I had but I honestly do not know how to go about making it happen. 

 

I have been working on a family seal and I would like to share it with you in two different ways.  First, the one that I made for us here at home and second, I would like to edit this for a few of my new friends if you would enjoy it.    

I had been searching that Pinterest site and seeing so many numbers and stamps being transferred to burlap and papers.  I don't quite understand the "number thing" but I loved the look so I made one for our family that made sense to me.  I am quite please with the idea of a pillow or invitation carrying our family seal.  The numbers are quite simple: "The Established" is the year of my beloved and myself and "The Foundation" is based on John 3:16, which is our favorite bible verse for many reasons.

I made it with and without the ornamental in the center.  I am leaning on the going without them for our family.  Besides, they don't always print the way they should.  I had to create three different file types for this seal to work in any way I wanted.

So, I am sure I can handle remaking this 5 times for others. If I am feeling spunky I might go a bit further but I make no promises.  If you would like one, just leave a comment here with your year and your foundation number based upon your favorite bible verse. 

 

Oh and I know nothing of how to communicate outside of this blog so I would be ever so thankful if someone would be willing to give me a little lesson to make this happen.  I know, it is silly that I can create CAD graphics but yet do not have the knowledge on how to converse with you outside of blogger.  Still, it is the truth of my life.

 

Feeling Blessed and unwilling to proof read,

Jane Valentine

I am linking up with Rednesday over at:
 

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Old Fashioned Banana Nut Bread

We vintage mom's don't wake up and decide to make banana bread because we want to impress our families.  We make banana bread because we want to bless the finances of our family and we don't enjoy waste.  We are such sticklers on waste that we will throw those brown bananas into the freezer if we can't get to them, knowing that this will buy us more time for when the schedule allows for baking.

We are the masters of getting you to eat things that you don't want!

We disguise ingredients in ways that you would never suspect.

We set to work blending, chopping and mixing.

It is about this time that you all venture towards the aroma that is beginning to fill the home.  We know just what we are doing to you.  We absolutely love the moment that you appear. 

This tells us we have done well.

Now that you are here, could you please tend to a few chores. The bread will take just about as long as those chores will.  (Ah, we are so wise.) If you don't complete your tasks, we will have no problem letting you know that you will not be having some wonderful bread. You see, we grew up on such stories as "The Little Red Hen."

I printed out the recipe for each one of my dear children. 

Someday my young ones will inherit my recipes.
 





Dear children of mine,

 When you use this recipe to make your own bread,

 please clean up your mess immediately 

and

be sure sure to wipe off the mixer. 

In the Pink,

Jane Valentine

I'm linking up with Beverly for Pink Saturday:



Vintage Paper Bag School Book Covers with a Fresh Twist!

Pack your lunch pails, it is time to head back to school!

When I first told the kids that we covered our school books with paper shopping bags, they laughed at the idea.  Mmmhhhmmm...looks who is laughing now children.  This vintage Momma makes pretty book covers.  Of course waaaay back when, we didn't have printers.  We had ditto's and printers that we cranked by hand so we had to rely on our own artistic abilities to decorate them...oh so long ago.

Now, we have printers and tons of free graphics. Free coloring pages work the best!

This is much more UNIQUE than those generic stretch covers.

 It doesn't matter that they aren't perfectly aligned. 

They still look wonderful.

If you would like to make some for your own children, here is what to do:

 Create a book cover out of an old paper grocery bag.  If you do not know how, give it a google. The instructions are everywhere so I won't be redundant here.  This was a common practice back in "the day" and can be completed in about four minutes or less.

I had one youngster ask me where to get large paper bags.  I suggested that the next time the parents are purchasing groceries and are given the option of "Paper or Plastic" they opt for paper. 

It's free.

 So you made a book cover! 

Now, crumple it up.

Un-crumple it.

 Crumple it again.

Iron it out.  Use steam or spray...make it flat.
 Now your paper has a great texture on it.

MAKE A TEST PRINT OF YOUR IMAGE ON WHITE PAPER.  PRETEND THERE IS AN IMAGE ON MY WHITE PAPER SHOWN BELOW.

If there is print on the grocery bag it should be up.  Using your TEST IMAGE on 8.5' x 11" piece of paper as a guide, fold the sides in to be slightly smaller than the paper. This will give you a very long piece of paper that is just a bit less than 8.5" high.

See where we are going?

 Find the best position for your art on the paper bag.  How your art prints onto the white paper is how it will print onto the paper bag.  I suggest wrapping the bag around the book so that you can see where your print will go.  Once positioned, fold the bag where the paper ends.   The closed folded end will go into the printer.  It will make more sense once you are in the process. It is easier to do than to read.

Iron those creases with steam so they are as flat as possible.
See how the bottom fold is thicker that the top fold?  This is why my prints are off.  You could do better.  Let your bag dry after steaming so that the ink will take well.

The end I am pinching will go into the printer.

Ready to print? 

AGAIN:

Make sure all of the flaps and folds are on the inside of the folding.

Make sure that the closed folded edge is inserted into the printer. 

If you don't check these and insert it the wrong way, your printer will eat your book cover for lunch! 

Place your properly folded paper bag into the printer,print, and recover your book.

Done.

Signing off with satisfaction!

Jane Valentine

I'm hooking up with Colorado Lady for:



Lord have mercy, I've got Jabba the Hutt Jowl!

The first time I noticed it, I was sitting on the couch.  My daughter had gotten a new computer for her graduation and she plopped it into my lap, ready to show me all of its wonderful features.  We hit the "on" button and waited for the computer to come to life.  THAT is when I saw it! The dark screen gave a reflection of myself using a computer and it resembled something similar to Jabba the Hutt. Rolls of soft flesh masked the existence of what used to be a neck.  Lord have mercy!

I pondered that neck revelation for quite a few days, then a childhood memory came flooding back.  Me as a child at my Grandmother's house, her sitting on the side of the bed and me quizzically trying to understand why she was kissing up towards the ceiling.  "Are you telling Jesus you love Him, Grandma?" I asked.  Grandma got such a kick out of that and giggled about it all day long.  I have to admit that the memory made me laugh at my younger self also.

So here is how the Jabba Jowl comes upon the vintage Mom.  One day we notice that our eyes don't focus quite the way that they used to but... if we move the object away from us just a bit OR pull our neck back just a tad...everything is still focused just fine.  No need for glasses here!  Over time though, this actually shortens the muscles in the neck, especially if you read the bible or use the computer quite often.  Hmm.

What's the solution?  Tell Jesus you love Him ladies...every morning and every night!  Look straight up and tell Him "Thank you for another day", then lay a ton of kisses on Him...at least 30 total.  Ten straight up, ten to the left and ten to the right!   Make sure you are really getting your lips into it and give Him a "MUAH" sound.   Go ahead and try to do this now without thinking about His wonders and Glory.  Ha!
  

(My most favorite Red Argyle glasses and my Handpainted Red Poppy Java Cup)

If you listen closely you just might hear Him tell you to go to the dollar store and buy some reading glasses...LOTS O' THEM!  (Those cute, funky, vintage patterned kind.)

One pair for the vanity

One pair for the living room

One pair for the kitchen

One pair for the night stand

and one pair for the kitchen table for reading the newspaper.

That last one was a joke.  We vintage moms don't REALLY read the newspaper too often anymore.  We google MSN like most others, read the comments left by the general public, and then wonder "What on God's green earth is happening to this world?"

Signing off with a smile.

Jane Valentine

I'm linking to Rednesday over at: