Wednesday 9 September 2009

Queen of Spade - Wizard of Oz

Journal reads: "I probably saw the Wizard of Oz (dubbed in German) many times as a child, as it was on regularly as part of the Christmas-time children’s programmes. I can vaguely remember the characters and even less defined the storyline, but my all-time favourite of the film was the song “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I would hum the melody for days, and I still like it even today!
It is anybody’s guess what I expected there to be on the other side of that rainbow – I truly can’t remember, but maybe it was the world of the fairies with whom I was quite taken at that time. I certainly envied my friend her fairy carnival outfit!
Photo Carnival 1969"

Background paper from CS "DIY"; strips and labels from Colobok Flavia block; Prima mini flower and Making Memories brad.

King of Hearts - Family

My own chosen theme because this was something I couldn't have missing from my childhood memories...
Journal reads: "I cannot think about my childhood without also thinking about how I missed having a “true family”. I was only 9 months old when my parents split up, and this photo is one of only a handful that show me together with Mum and Dad. After that, we lived with my Nan, and I had a cherished and well looked after childhood there – but I could never help feeling left out when it came to the “family things”…
Photo November 1965"

HOTP Heritage paper snippet; alphas from Caroles Creations Adorn Its; hearts with roses from Jolee's Boutique.

Four of Hearts - Patriotic

The theme was of course chosen by an American lady - it was July 4th week... Unsuitable for a childhood in Germany - the journal tells why: "As a child of the Sixties in Germany I was brought up with the idea that patriotism is altogether despicable. Folklore and folk culture had been brought into disrepute due to Hitler’s connection with them and use of them in propaganda. Our folk tales, dialects, festivals and dances all were in bad flavour and even the great Nordic epics were taken off the curriculums. There were certainly no national holidays or parades. It was rare to even see women wearing our national dress, the Dirndl, as my Mum and I do in the photo. I’ve still got one of those and love wearing it for formal occasions.
Photo Summer 1968"

Finally got some use for this "German Collage" paper I bought ages ago; blue scrap from CS "Stepping Out"; peel-off alphas from Craft Creations; and a pretzl button from Dress It Up. Ribbon from my haberdashery box...

Ten of Clubs - Eyes

The topic here was "eyes" and what came to mind for me was this slightly odd theme...
Journal reads: "When I was little, and even a good time into my grown-up life, I was afraid of the dark. Always, I could feel “things” present in the room, and eyes staring at me from the dark. My mother told me that this started after I’d been to the local funfair with my Dad and he had taken me on a Haunted House ride. Whether that’s true or whether the two things were connected I do not know, but I could often be seen late at night sitting up in my pyjamas, tired and bleary-eyed, or falling asleep in my favourite red “cocktail chair” with Mum and Nan watching telly. Photo Oct 1966"

Paper from an old Halloween kit; peel-offs from Craft Creations; and an assortment of wiggly eyes saved from old greeting cards.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Five of Clubs - Children say the darndest things

Back journal reads: "I cannot come up with any Petra-isms as my mother can’t remember any, other than my being unable to pronounce an “r”, therefore calling myself “Peta”! What I heard most in terms of my early vocalisation was that I didn’t want to speak at all, not even mama, papa or dada. I hardly made any noise apart from laughing or crying, and tried to communicate with expressions and gestures (I’m still fond of silences!), until I was fully two years old, when I would suddenly say whole sentences. My Mum has always proudly told me that the first thing I ever said was “Peta want dada” (well, the German equivalent). She also admitted that she was rather anxious because all other babies my age were saying words! Photo Oct 1966"

Piece of paper marbled in a class long ago; peel-offs from Craft Creations; duck button from Dress It Up; Provocraft Etcetera Jemz sticker; and paper clip from a Scrapmuse kit.

Nine of Diamonds - Home

Home...where your feet may leave, but not your heart. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Back journal reads: "Unfortunately, I have never felt like this about my home! This may have been due to the fact that our family was split apart when my parents separated. Mother and I then lived with my gran but I considered both our place and my father’s my home. Maybe because of that neither was quite “it”. It may also have to do with the fact that we lived on an estate, which was neither nice nor pretty – you can see it in the background of the photo. Photo 1968"

Paper was a leftover from the Wiggly Woods "Celebrations" kit and the ephemerals are cut out from a K&Co ephemerals page; plus mini key from 7Gypsies, and I seem to remember the lock being part of a Club Scrap kit...
The crest is that of my hometown Worms - it used to be one of many dangling from my favourite bracelet when I was a child - I would collect the little crests wherever we went for a holiday or day trip...
The quote was part of the weekly challenge and had to appear on the front of the card!

Wednesday 1 July 2009

Three of Hearts - Your Desk


The official theme was "What's on your desk right now?" but obviously that didn't fit for a childhood book, so I adapted it. Journal reads: "As a child, I was very proud to have my very own little chair and desk. I remember the desk had a blue melamine top with a latch that would release it to slide back and open to the big belly of the desk which was full of my toys, paints, pencils and books. Normally, I wasn’t allowed to have much on top – just whatever I was using, and when I was finished it had to go back into the “belly”. But on special days – like Christmas, Easter and my birthday - I was allowed to have all my presents and sweets sitting there, arranged for the day!
Photo: birthday 1966 (2 years old)"

Very simple card - pink paper, peeloffs from Craft Creations and Metal-Rimmed Stickers from Canada Inc.