Mail Love and Free Image Monday...

Look at the lovely art canvas Sweet Tami Roth created for me!!!! She is participating in the Random Acts of Kindness for 2009 and boy was this a wonderful surprise! I love the vibrant colors and the sweet message. I haven't forgotten about my RAK girl!! We have until Dec. 31st, right? LOL!!!!! Run over to her blog and see all her wonderful creations:)

Inspire by Tami Roth

Ok. On to business.


1. Old house sold. We were on pins and needles towards the end, but it all worked out:)


2. New house almost unpacked. (You will be hearing this for the next year or two! LOL!!)


3. I am blessed. I have the most wonderful blog friends. Thank you each and every one of you. I know my time here has been limited of late, but your comments and emails mean so very much to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!


So how about Free Image Monday today and Free Image Tuesday tomorrow? How does that sound? You won't know what to do with yourselves! LOL!! I have some really sweet photos for you. (Don't forget you can access all past FIT images by clicking on the button on my sidebar.)

This is a RPPC (Real Photo Post Card) and I am really in love with the border framing thisLittle Miss. It would make a great Photoshop frame.





Ok. This little Guy is just screaming for a party hat!!! Don't you think? Even though he is wearing a big bow and a dress, he is still all boy! LOL!!

Look at this Sweetie all ready for the cold weather in his peacoat! I cleaned him up a bit, but left the frame shabby for you.

FIW!!!! (Wipes Brow)...I'm Exhausted!...

It's Free Image Wednesday. Yes. I know. I am totally late. Again. Thank you so much for being so patient and sticking with me. Someday soon I will get my stuff together. But, not this week. LOL!!! Oh, the boxes!!! Why don't you all come over and help me unpack? We could get it all banged out in a couple of hours and then we could have a great big 'ole art party. We'd laugh and art and have a wonderful time. We'd stay up late and take a midnight walk to the grave yard and scare the beejebus out of each other:) I wish! How fun would that be?! Here are some pics of the inside of the new house. The old house closes next Tuesday and then we are DONE!!!!!!! Yeah!!!



This week's FIT photos have the theme of affection. All these photos show such great love and affection. Even the beautiful sweetie more interested in loving her stuffed toy than getting a boring picture taken:)

This is Master Karl H. Madison and his Mother. Oh, the baby love and the beautiful pride in Momma's Eyes! This photo was taken on March 26, 1906 in Leetonia, Ohio.

I picked this young couple because they seem very much in love. I love how their head's are leaned in and touching. I bet they are newly married and ready to start their lives together.

Look at this Angel!!! Those pudgy cheeks are begging for kisses! Now she can pat the bunny:)The very ornate wicker chair was a very common studio prop in the early 1900's.

On the back of her photo is this ghostly image. I love finding these because they are like an extra treat:) This image transfer happens when photos are stored stacked on top of each other for long periods of time. I wonder if this was her Mother?


Here are some more gravestone photos. These are from a Church that is only 5 minutes drive from our neighborhood. I spent a cloudy morning there last week and took some photographs.

Nettie J.


Gracy

Rosebud

Sarah A.

Eliza A.

Fannie and Evie

Feel free to use any of the gravestone images in your art also:)

Daily Quotes:

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
~Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.

“The best way to hold a man is in your arms.”
~Mae West

We're Home!!!!...Creepy Folks FIT for Halloween!...

New Front Door

The Miller Family is home and getting settled in just fine! The neighbors are awesome, the new school is awesome, the house is awesome and there is a circa. 1845 graveyard within walking distance. Who could ask for anything more? LOL!! The boys and I and some of their friends took a walk up there last week. It was so cool and spooky!!!!

The move was CRAZY. Fast and furious!! We found the house, bought the house and moved in little under three weeks time. Things slowed down after the move, but there was still that little other thing. What was it? Hummm. Oh! I know. We had to get the old house ready to be sold. It FINALLY went on the market Saturday. I have been running back and forth between both homes. Cleaning at one and unpacking at the other. I'm tired. Happy, but tired.

Edited to add:We got an offer on the house today!! (Wednesday) Can you believe we got one so fast?!!!!! We have countered and are waiting to hear back from her realtor.

Edited to add again:) Old house is sold!!! It was on the market less than a week. We are so relieved:) Closing is on November 3rd!

Here are my extra creepy FITs for the week. I know I owe you guys some extra FITS, but my studio stuff is still packed. Luckily, I had these set aside before the move. I have done nothing to them. This is just how they turned out. The man and woman must be husband and wife. The CDV photographer is the same for both and they are posed the same. Their eyes just look spooky to me. The baby ambrotype is the creepiest EVER!!!! Those eyes!!!! AAHHH!!!! Poor baby. I am sure she was lovely in real life:)

My favorite new thing with the boys is to walkaround the neighborhood. There are 8 ponds and 11 common areas with walking trails. It is so nice to just explore and see what we can see. Most of the back part of the neighborhood is undeveloped, but they have already built the streets and put in lamp posts so it is a wonderful safe place to walk and ride scooters. The photo below is some of the treasures from one of our adventures. It was so nice being showered with flowers from sweet boys.

I am making the rounds slowly but surely! You guys have been BUSY too!! I am loving all the wonderful art you are posting:) Love, Jamie

Quotes for the Day:

"Every house where love abides

And friendship is a guest,

Is surely home, and home sweet home

For there the heart can rest."

~Henry Van Dyke

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. "

~Marcel Proust

FIS...Somehow That Does Not Work As Well As FIT, LOL!...

"Jackson" Original Digital Collage by Jamie Miller
image used from my personal collection

Oh My!!!!! What a whirlwind everything has been!!! What were we thinking?!! LOL!!! In less than two weeks we found a house, made an offer, got approval for the loan, got it inspected, got issues fixed, started the boys at their new school, called in contractors to paint and touch up the old house after we move, changed over to the new address for all the bills, had utilities and what not set up for the new house, got movers ready to go and have been packing every day. We close next Wednesday and move on the 12th, next Saturday. All in all, it is kind of like ripping off a band-aid. The faster the better:)

The new school for the boys is AWESOME!!!! They are really wonderful and have welcomed us with open arms. That means so much to us. They only attended their old school for two days before they switched so it was not too bad changing. They were sad at first, but the new school is so great and they love it.

Unfortunately, while they were still at the old school a little boy ran into David and hit his left ear. The one he had surgery on in July. The one we have had to be so careful about all summer. Ear drum grafts are very fragile and you really have to baby them. I took him to the ENT surgeon and sure enough his ear graft has been torn. We are hoping/praying that it closes back up on it's own, but that's rare and we are most likely looking at another surgery in the Fall. In the mean time, poor David can not have PE or recess. He can't even go outside in case someone else runs into him. He is being very good about the whole mess. I, on the other hand, am a total wreck. I know that the new surgery will be more involved this time. I know it will be more painful and have a longer recovery time. It makes me so sad for him. He was so brave for the last surgery. He spent the whole summer with no swimming and no running/playing to ensure the graft took and it was all for nothing. Now he can not play baseball this year. He can not do anything active. It feels really frustrating and really unfair. I am like a petulant child with this one. I want to throw a temper tantrum and get my way. Silly. I know. It will be ok and he will be ok and we will do the best that we can do.


Thank you everyone for your well wishes and sweet new house thoughts. I have not even sat down at the computer until yesterday when I made "Jackson". I can't tell you what a relief it was to just be and create and not think of anything but the work before me. It was a much needed reprieve from all the crazy:) So, here is the original image for you to play with also. He is such a sweet Boy. I have left him as I found him. Scratches and all. When I have some time I will clean him up for you:) Sometimes imperfection is just perfect.


To all my Sweet Art-e-ologists (Followers and Lurkers),

You all add joy to my day and knowing you are there is such a wonderful feeling. Thank you for your support and friendship. Love, Jamie

FITS For Everyone!!!..Thank You to Everyone Too:)...

You guys are so awesome!!!! Thank you so so much for all your congratulations and sweet words yesterday. Now. Get over here and start packing!! LOL!!! I packed all day yesterday. My husband said it will take about a thousand boxes for all my "dodads" and 10 for everything else. Ha. Ha. It won't be over 995 I am sure. Men exaggerate so much;)

Here are the FITS for today and last week. Thank you for being so patient! Love you guys! Jamie
I love this little cutie. The thing that drew me to this photo was the female photographer that took it. I have researched her, but haven't found any information yet. They were very rare in the late 1800's. A real modern lady!

She is so proud of her dress!!! I love this candid backyard photo. She is too precious.
These are two of the first Seeborn egg plates in my collection. I wish that they had not been trimmed so badly. They are still lovely.

Now these cuties are too sweet for words! I believe that they are Fraternal Boy (left) and Girl (right) twins. I love their matching outfits and their hair.

Have a wonderful day everyone!!!!!! Love, Jamie

We Bought A House!!!!!...

"Sarah" original digital piece by Jamie Miller

I am so so so sorry for the delay in posting and commenting!! We found the PERFECT house for us last week and we bought it and we move into it in two weeks!!! I am so excited!!!! Can you tell? LOL!

"John Edwards" Original digital piece by Jamie Miller

Once we move out then we will put the house we are in now on the market. Which is extra cool because I won't have to worried about keeping it clean for showings. Cause it will be empty. See. I am thinking all time;)

So I am packing and dreaming where all the furniture is going to go:) I will have an Extra Super Dupper FIT tomorrow to make up for the missing week and please forgive me for my quietness. I will make blog rounds too. Promise!!:)

Quotes for Today:

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest."
~Robert Montgomery

"Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserved; it is life's undress rehearsal, it's backroom, it's dressing room, from which we go forth to more careful and guarded intercourse, leaving behind...cast-off and everyday clothing."
~Harriet Beecher Stowe

"Home is where you can scratch where it itches."
~Author Unknown

I'm Too Hot To Think of a Fun Title FIT...

This is Jane. Jane does not look very happy about having her photo taken. I am not sure how I would feel about that hat either. I might have frowned too:)

The inscription on the back of the cabinet card just says, "My Jane 1892" I LOVE IT!!!



Look at these cheeky Victorian kids!! Here is my theory on what is going on. The two gals are sisters. The fella is sweet on the gal on the right in the first photo. She takes three photos for him.

Then it is his turn to take three photos for her. I really love how he puts on her hat!!!!

I found the strips together because the Gal and the Fella eventually got hitched. Or something like that;)

These next two are from my collection of antique bird prints. One day I will get around to framing all of them! Until then, enjoy:)

Below is my practice piece for the week. I am not getting too much computer time lately so not too much arting going on!
Quote for Today: This is for you Theresa!!!!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the things you did do. So throw off the bow lines.Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
~Mark Twain