Vintage Memories

Oh where did I get off track with my day of the week plan? I don't know but that is okay. As I have said before, I do not function well with structure. These "pattern" women have become a staple in my photoshop playing. It all goes back to my paper doll days. When I was a girl, I played with paper dolls almost non-stop. I always had some paper doll set up going on that I would resume when the feeling hit me. I would build houses for them and fashion furniture. Mom would make me clean it up at least to a foot square from time to time so it would not get out of hand. Otherwise, I might be prone to take over the entire house with a big paper doll scenario. I had this one paper doll I was crazy about and played with more than the others. I had her out playing with her on the dining table but got tired and went to bed. After I was asleep, my sister and my baby niece came to visit my mom. I woke up the next morning to find my favorite paper doll had met with a sad demise. My baby niece had torn her head off! My sister and mom  had tried to tape her back together for me. I mean they really tried to take a good stab at it. I did not let my feelings show because my sister was very remorseful about it and after all, I loved my baby niece so much that I could not hold a grudge against her. She is grown now like me but I still love her except much, much more than I ever did before. In fact, this lady here is at our favorite hotel. Wish we were both there now....

In Dreams

My dreams are extremely vivid. They are technicolor! I have noticed the content of my dreams will affect my day following. If I have a fun, exciting dream, my next day will be easy. If I have a sad, somber or scary dream, my next day will take on that tone too. Often, I am being chased. These are very frightening dreams. I never used to dream this...not difficult to analyze, is it? I am being chased by time. Life is fleeting, isn't it? One day your life is all in front of you. The next day, it is all behind you and it happened in the wink of an eye.

Cell Phones and Trains

Today was one of those days when I really notice my pet peeves. Do you ever have days like that? One of my major peeves is the use of cell phones while driving. Often someone will nearly veer over into my lane and as I pass them, sure enough, they are either talking or texting on their cell phone. Arrrrghh!!! Okay, enough of what I do not like.
Things I like...trains. I love to hear a trains whistle. I especially love to hear a trains whistle at night probably because the air is cooler which makes the sound clearer. I wanted to use one of my vintage ladies boarding a train. Where is she going? Maybe nowhere.

Full Pink Moon

The past leaves its mark even the deep past. Our ancestry is in our DNA. This is the only way certain fascinations and fixations can be explained in this life when we have had no prior knowledge or experience with particular themes or topics that intrigue us. I have a fascination for the moon. I remember far into the past, riding in a car with my father. He had taken me with him to deliver a television that he had repaired back to the family it belonged. As we were returning home, I remember staring out the back glass of the car at the full moon admiring its beauty and being hypnotized by its mystery. I could not have been more than three or four years old. That memory is as vivid to me as if it happened yesterday. Last week, the moon was especially beautiful. I could have almost read a book by the light it reflected. I cast a long shadow as I stood staring, again soaking in its mystery, admiring its beauty and being deeply appreciative for the beautiful world that God has given us. Life is a wonderful mystery.

Don't Smoke In Bed

Time for a light diversion. I need one. My thoughts have been heavy. I have been pondering the origins of the universe as I am so prone to do. Sometimes I think in the eyes of the creator, our little eyes are so dramatically different and simple that we cannot even begin to comprehend anything that really matters.  Me trying to ponder the creator is like little Nigel here trying to figure out what I do after I drive off in the car. He cannot even begin to ponder it as he has no point of reference. How can I ponder anything when I have only seen creation from my side of it just as Nigel sees the world from his side of it and his side are the four walls of a house? Think of the universe. Think of my house. Nigel's universe is my house. He has no idea. Therefore, I know I have no idea.  Sometimes I think from the second we come into this world until our last second in it, our lives are only insignificant shadows of what is yet to come. What is yet to come is so much more. I try to remember this when I am all wrapped up in some worldly issue that will soon enough pass away like work dilemmas or any other temporal drama. I said my thoughts were heavy. I am a ponderer. That aspect of my personality has never changed. Many aspects of me have changed over time but that is one that has not.

So...I need to lighten up and here it is, folks. Look at these people. They are from the 1940's. Times change, do they not? In fact, have things changed so much that men used to wear their dress shoes with their pjs? Did ladies used to wear their dress shoes with their night gowns? Correction, the garment this lady is wearing is called a 'house wife wrap' according to the pattern. Now, what about this garment indicates a house wife? Are women called house wives anymore? That sounds like an archaic term to me. I do not know any women that are wives to their houses. They might love their houses, clean their houses, decorate their houses but be wives to them? Not so much. Yes, things change. Notice the lady again. What is that in her hand? A pack of cigs? Is she about to smoke in bed? Yes, things change.

Mother of Pearl?

Maybe this lady has a daughter named Pearl. I am crazy about pearls. Of all the gems, I find pearls to be the most fascinating. I can become almost hypnotized by the luminescent glow that pearls seem to cast. I love to admire their creaminess and lustre. I was attempting to create some pearls with photoshop. They looked prettier before I saved this as a gif. If I had to choose a favorite color of pearl, I might choose gray. I think this lady has a daughter named Pearl. At any rate, she is celebrating Easter with a new hat and it is still a wee bit chilly wherever she lives.

Knee High to a School Girl

This was one of those pieces where I started with a background, then, looked for something to go on it. I had no idea it would be about school when I began it. Something about my 70's looking girl caused me to think of school. It could have been the knee high socks. Something about orange makes me think of the 70's also, therefore, I had to punch some of it in there. She is doing some writing, geometry and some socializing. Are those not most of the necessary elements?

Tiny Dancer

No, it is not Song Lyrics Sunday but I just wanted to do something vintage looking. I was not sure what it would be when I began but as it turns out, it is about a tiny dancer.

Baby You Can Drive My Car

This woman is setting out somewhere in her car. I wonder where? She appears to be in another world already.

Easter Frock

Why do you suppose this lady has a picture of a bunny couple on her wall? Is this a wall in her own house or is she visiting the bunny couple? Perhaps they are her parents. What do you think? Whatever the case, they all seem to be snappy dressers.

Where does it all come from?

My days are all messed up now. I am not sticking to my plan very well. That is me, what can I say? I am just not a structured person. I am a willy nilly go with the flow, roll with the punches kind of woman. I would never have made it in the army or any thing regimented. I made this the other night when I was watching tv. I do not watch a lot of tv. I only have a couple of shows that I consistently 'try' to watch. If I miss them, I watch them on hulu. I do love the new program "Who Do You Think You Are?". As a librarian working in special collections, genealogy is always forefront in my mind. I think it is important to know who your ancestors are. It changes your entire outlook about yourself. When you realize how many people you have standing on your shoulders, you cannot help but feel differently. While seeking your genealogy, you will learn both good and bad things about your history. One fact will remain true. You cannot change what you are made of;" it is what it is" as they say. However, it may help to answer some questions you have about yourself. You will ultimately know yourself and your family better for it. What does all this have to do with this piece? Perhaps this...I found out while searching out my genealogy that my family name means "to dress". People who had my name in the old country were usually tailors or dressers. Maybe that accounts for my fascination with this topic. It could be the key to knowing myself better. I see myself in a new light.

Things with Wings- Cats, Sure

Cats do not have wings but have you ever seen one that wished he did? I have plenty of times. In fact, I am almost certain one of my cats (most likely Nigel) 'tried' to actually fly yesterday. When I came home, I found the valance over the window down. I am sure he was using it as a spring board for some flying type bug chasing. C'est la vie as I always say. When you have a cat, you cannot have anything but cats. They will see to it. I am okay with that.