"Oh, I remember this fabric!", I exclaimed as we sifted through the scraps bag. It was just a fragment of browns, beiges and rusts in an abstract pattern. "What's it from? Where did we use it?" Mum looked up. "I really can't remember", she said. "Curtains? A cushion cover? We often made one of out of the other. The nineteen fifties, that I do know. I think it was from our first flat." The decade of my birth ...
Scraps of memory as small as the cloth: linoleum beneath my feet, a TV in a wooden surround with thin metal legs, and a Ladybird book on the table... It set me off on a hunt for designs and scraps from that decade: a mixture of organic and natural shapes alongside those suggested by discoveries and inventions in science and technology: molecules, space-flight, television sets, aerials, and pylons. At the same time, Himself and I have been working in visiting our bit of the allotment (another great 1950s stalwart of family life). Looking at the shapes of the potatoes, the curving lines of the poly tunnel and the watering can, the ladder propped up against the shed, shadowy ideas began to form in my head, wisps of thought coalesced and, eventually, were translated into my first foray into digital scrapbooking paper. And a layout, of course. :)
Although the papers have had to be designed and put together in little pockets of time, as and when, it has been great fun. Here's how they are looking so far ...
I'm hoping to put them together into a zipped file with a couple of plain ones too. I know that they won't be everyone's cup of tea and not all of you are into digital, but if you'd like a free download, do pop back on Wednesday.
Now, if only the allotment bugs could be as much fun to work with!
Wow Alexa what a talented lady you are. I loved your story as it brought back memories of my childhood and those papers are just devine. I especially love the spotty one.
Posted by: karen | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 06:15 AM
Fabulous papers. Those colours are just gorgeous.
Posted by: karen cass | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 07:19 AM
Love the papers! Love the way you've used 1950s design and bought it up to date with colour! Fabby!! (Our local curtain shop has those sort of fabrics in the window - bought back memories for me and my Mum too!) Love the journaling on your LO, made me laugh as that's me exactly with my vegetable growing!
Posted by: Linda | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 08:21 AM
Wow what a fantastic post! Beautiful fresh paper designs, a lovely piece of journaling and as always a layout to drool over and amaze in, at its gorgeous design. Worth coming home for, to catch up with such loveliness online :) Pxx
Posted by: Paul B | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 08:37 AM
Alexa you are clever - I love the layout and the papers - any chance you could reproduce them in actual fabric - they would work well with some ideas I have for revamping our family room!
Posted by: Lynn | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 09:56 AM
Gosh Alexa, yes, you are extremely talented indeed! Well done on your first foray into paper making - of the digital kind!
Thanks for your visit over on the SAG blog too, we all really appreciate your support, I had a feeling it would be something that would appeal to you :-)
Posted by: Amy | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 11:29 AM
You are amazing. Those patterned papers are wonderful - and so is the layout. I am impressed.
Posted by: Susanne | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 12:24 PM
These are gorgeous! Have you seen the new Festival of Britain fabric? I have pinned it on Pinterest - I think you'd like it
Posted by: Sian | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 01:16 PM
Great design Alexa. If you could knock me up some fabric like that too it would be wonderful.
Posted by: Amanda | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 01:18 PM
I love the designs and colors, Alexa. You are amazing!
Posted by: Karen W | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 01:36 PM
I do like the colours in these papers :) And thanks for stopping by SAGS today. We are very excited :)
Posted by: Diane Herman | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 02:09 PM
I love the papers,Alexa.....and even the non-digi amongst us.....can print them out to use!!
I also love how you've used the papers on your page.
Posted by: Jacky S | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 02:27 PM
gorgeous colours in your gorgeous papers I have never tried doind digi but would print them out for papercrafting xxx
Posted by: furrypig | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 04:30 PM
The papers are wonderful! I love the colors. Well done!
Posted by: PaulaSG | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 04:31 PM
Super post Alexa, I will definitely pop back, especially now you have given me a taste for this digi-lark!
Posted by: Jennie Hart | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 09:06 PM
Nice papers...I especially like the one on the far left.
I'm from the U.S., so I'm not familiar with the term "allotment," though I gather it's maybe your piece of a community garden?
Posted by: Wanda Jorgensen | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 10:51 PM
Just gorgeous Alexa and the LO is fabulous. Can I lift it?
Posted by: Miriam | Tuesday, 14 June 2011 at 07:00 AM
Hi Miriam, and thank-you - glad you like it. Yes, of course you can lift it. On Friday I'll be providing a digital template and a few other bits and pieces which can be printed out, too. :)
Posted by: Alexa | Tuesday, 14 June 2011 at 07:29 AM
Beautiful papers and layout. Love how looking at something can spark not only memories but inspiration!
Posted by: scrapchick | Tuesday, 14 June 2011 at 08:51 PM
Oh these papers are great - I'll definitely be popping back by.
Posted by: Melissa | Tuesday, 14 June 2011 at 10:58 PM