~~Having Fun Painting Backgrounds~~

I've been doing up some more collages, starting with hand painted backgrounds, layered with old ledger and novel pages.   I discoverd that doing up several canvases at once saves tons of time... then when I am in the mood to start collageing the images and words,  half the work is already done  and I'm ready to go.  Assembly line creating does have it's advantages! 

~~More From my Haul~~Free Images~~

Again I have to thank my friend Pam for gifting me these outstanding old items,  this time a whole stack of pages from an 1856 Godey's Lady's Book.  Remarkable condition,  crisp, clear  detail... I coudn't pass up the chance to share.  Feel free to use any of these images.....and remember to click on each image for a larger size.

New Old Things to Show... Free Photos

My wonderful friend Pam came over the other evening, with a bag full of old family items she has no use for, and knew how obsessed I am with old photos, old musty books and anything aged to that wonderful timeworn patina.  Scores of photos, piles of books, an old Valentine in remarkable condition for it's age, pages from an old Godey's Lady's Book (which I will share at another post sometime soon) and more.  One old speller dates back to 1848, most of the other books are anywhere from 1880 to before 1920.  Photos of babies, wheelchairs, a woman out in the snow, and someone reading.  One book is titled "Practical Child Training" (1917) and is full of advice on child punishment, rearing, and forced obedience.  From the photos (which I will also share at a later post) , it's apparent how feared parents were from their children!  And no wonder, considering  the "training methods"  written about in this old book!  Feel  free to use any of the photos....

Further,  I have been on the hunt for old wire spectacles/granny glasses for a Halloween project I  have going in my mind.  I scored some on Ebay, with more on the way in the mail as I write this.  After recieving them in the mail, I put them on briefly but got such  an eerie feeling about it that I quickly took them off.  Wondering what  the original owner viewed through the lens perhaps a hundred or more years ago.... kind of gave me goosebumps.  But nonetheless, they are fascinating things to see and hold, and hopefully they will be the finishing touch on my "witchery" Halloween assemblage. 

Whimsical Girls for Spring

I don't know what it is about this piece, but it really gets me in the mood for Spring. It feels like ages since we have seen anything of color around here, unless you consider white snow and bare brown trees something of color. Until we feel some warmth of the sun and the brightness of flowers, I will just imagine it in my mind and create it with my hands. Hurry up Spring!

Tragedy in the Etsy Community

The Etsy forum community can be a wonderful place to learn tips and techniques,  vent about site issues, make art friends, and just talk about life in general.  Sadly someone who has been very helpful and active in the community of the Etsy world has suffered a loss that most of us can only imagine, but hate to even think of.  A house fire has claimed not only the lives of numerous pets, but it took the life of her young 11 year old son as well.   Also, an art friend of mine at Etsy has a real life friend who experienced a home fire which also took the life of her teenaged daughter, just this past week. My 20 yr old son recently graduated from firefighting academy, and just 2 nights ago  fought a large house blaze that also claimed the life of many animals,  but fortunately, no people. Stories like that make one wonder how someone can even pick up and carry on after a tragedy of that magnitude.    Please keep thoughts of those who are going through times that must feel like a bottomless pit of sadness, such as those mentioned above.

More Collages with Special Backgrounds

I've been on a roll experimenting with backgrounds for collages, courtesy of Nancy Lefko and her online class over at Creative Workshops,  Loving the colors, textures, prints and the unending combination of all.  This latest one beckoned me to get out my paints and paintbrush and paint a bird,  wow am I rusty.  I used to do alot of painting but put it aside for a multitude of other hobbies and real life in general.  This one was fun to create, and is now in my Etsy shop. 

~~More Textile Collages~~

I can't sit still lately.  My mind is going a hundred miles an hour, dreaming up new ideas, trying to remember old ideas, jumping from one project to the next and feeling frustrated that I never feel "finished".  I've been keeping a journal full of thoughts and ramblings,  filling it with ideas that come to me in the middle of the night, or while washing dishes.  If I don't write the ideas down, they will be gone momentarily, making room for the next lightbulb going off in my head!

One thing I have been picturing in my mind lately is more fabric collages.  I finally dragged out my sewing machine and threw these together....while coming up with my most recent idea of jewelry, paper collages, assemblages,  on and on, it never seems to end.  How do you deal with the frustration when ideas seem to spark and then scatter?  I need advice!

Some New Old Transferware in My Collection

I've been busy adding more antique transferware to my collection recently, and thanks to Nancy over at her EnglishTransferware Etsy shop  I have been getting exactly what I was looking for.  I've never been one to look for perfection.  Nothing new looking will do, so I asked Nancy if she had any yellowed, aged looking pieces complete with crazing and an occasional crack for me in her huge collection to sell.  She came up with some beauties, and now my collection is worth showing off!  Nancy's blog is amazing.... she has thousands of pieces in her home and her knowledge makes me realize that the more I learn about transferware, the less I realize I know!  I'm attracted to browns and purples, mainly from the Aesthetic movement.  But an occasional romantic or historical piece just makes me want to walk into that plate and live there.  Thank you for letting me show off for a minute! 

                           
                           Love the shades of rich purples in these plates against the wallpaper...

                          Of course anything old with animals of any kind are an addiction for me

This Shakespeare plate below has the birthplace of not only Shakespeare, but of his wife, Anne Hathaway.  I was shocked to see that the manufacturer (W.H. Grindley & Tunstall) spelled her name incorrectly .... it says "Ann" rather than "Anne".  Nowhere can I find anything about this flaw online, I'd love to know more about it.

                                                            I want to live in this plate~~





                                                       

It's Never Too Early For Birdhouses!

Especially when you can take a class on Bird House Shrine Assemblages.  Lorraine Reynolds over at http://glimmeringprize.blogspot.com// will be teaching what sounds like the most amazing workshop titled "Soul Houses" both this coming March, and October on the east coast.  Please take a look at these wonderful old assemblages that have so much character and depth and find more out about this workshop here.  Lorraine, please know that if I were within 200 miles of this class, I would be there in a heartbeat!!

~~ I Stepped, No, LEAPED Outside of The Box~~

I've always admired the work of Nancy Lefko.... the color cominations, use of words and images, and her backgrounds!  Her backgrounds are fascinating, so much depth, detail and texture.  Recently I decided to take her workshop over at Creative Workshops and I plunged right in and completed my project all in one day.  I cannot wait to get started on another canvas. Nancy, Thank you, from a long time admirer~!  Please anyone if you are looking to improve on collage techniques, learn something new, or want to add some interest to your backgrounds, I urge you to follow the links above, treat yourself to Nancy's class, and ENJOY~~!