My new hobby.

Recently I've discovered a new hobby!

Digital scrap-booking. It was always a mystery to me, until a friend introduced me to a free program online called "Picmonkey.com". It's a strange name, but a marvelous program. Last month they advertised a special, so I bought a year's membership which works out to $3.00 per month.
I've also discovered free scrap book images to work with online. I simply type "free images" in Google search engine, and voila, magic happens. For the above image I used a square shape to begin with, then I added a lace image, a poem by Emily Dickinson, a rose border and the sweet old-fashioned little girl.

The above image was one of the first ones I created for a doll group I'm in.

I love "png" images as they can be layered on top of other things, without any white; they have clear borders. 

A few weeks ago I participated in a contest in one of my online doll groups for Chatty Cathy, and I created a series of collages which I'll share here. I had great fun making these! All the photos are taken by me, using my Chatty Cathy doll collection and their cute props.
The above Chatty is a soft face glassine eye pig tail brunette, which I sold in 2014 to a friend.

The little washing machine is vintage, re-painted by a friend, Patricia Jean Floyd, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 58. She was very talented. 

This is my childhood Chatty Cathy. I got her in 1964 so we've been together a while!

She is wearing a dress I bought, with an apron by "Gloria's Goodies", a mother daughter sewing team on eBay. The hutch and chair were purchased in Fife WA last month. The little vintage iron was purchased in Vancouver for only $2.00! The background is a scene from American Girl's Molly character, no longer made. I love to iron, too!

Here is my childhood doll again, wearing a dress made by me. The child's sewing machine was made in the USA zone of Germany, after WWII. I paid $30 for it years ago, and bought it here in Vancouver. 

I had fun creating this one, as I LOVE to shop! Especially for fabric!

Or dolls and their props! I bought this buggy (that's what we call them in Canada) a long time ago. They used to be popular for holding fresh fruit on your kitchen counter.

I'm afraid that's never happened! The "Picmonkey" program has the darling typewriter style font.

This is a prototype Chatty Cathy; she is the first one produced by Mattel in 1960.

Here is my childhood Chatty at work again.

The vintage toy fridge was also painted by Patricia. I'm glad I bought her cute items when I had the chance. 

I had fun creating this collage too! There are a few talented artists who share their cute designs for FREE online! Here is my childhood doll on the right, with a visiting Chatty doll. I made their hair ties and aprons.

Ah...the day of rest. It seems not many people stop and relax from all work on Sunday these days, but in our home we sure do! We still attend church in the morning, have a quiet lunch, and read or nap in the afternoon. We also go for long walks with our dog. This Chatty is a pigtail glassine eyed Canadian doll. She is one of my favourites. My husband bought her cute violin as a surprise for me a few years ago. I gave the piano to Jackie, a friend in Bellingham, WA.

I hope you enjoyed viewing my collages.

By Loretta Houben