Weigh It!

“All the beautiful sentiments in the world

weigh less than a single lovely action.”

-James Russell Lowell

LISTED!

Just another funky little piece of art!

Sing Your Best!

"Use what talents you possess:

the woods would be very silent

if no birds sang there

except those that sang best. "
-Henry Van Dyke

Fantastic Find!

The latest fantastic find in treasure hunting on Saturday! Yes, in my town is this awesome store, titled, "Estate of Confusion". The name alone should give you a little glimpse of what it is. I went there about 10 years ago....and was in the phase of home decor where everything must match...look somewhat new...or as I now call it, "cookie cutter decorated". This store was certainly not my cup of tea. It reeked of rust...dirt...chipped...piled up debris...remains of former most anythings...and many discarded yard sale leftovers. It was not really calling my name.

But, now....10 years later....I felt the need to give the old place a visit with renewed eyes. Yes, it is still all the above...with more rust, dirt, debris and yard sale leftovers...but, my vintage form of likes, saw all this stuff in a whole new light. I thoroughly enjoyed finding goodies buried beneath years of collecting.

One of my favorite finds were these rolls of label tape for men's pants. Currently, I have no idea where they will surface in my future....but, I feel certain that label tape will find a home in my home. Face it, I now have about 100 yards of it.

Label tape....who would of thought that was a fantastic find?

The Workbasket!

The stack of "The Workbasket" magazines were very interesting to me. The majority of them were published in my birth year, so looking at what was popular in crafting at the time of personal world entry proved to be quite fascinating. Oddly enough, it was not that much different than what we currently do...certainly techniques, colors, supplies have advanced and broadened...but, the simple basics of enhancing our clothes...the pre-existing decor in our homes and the art of aesthetically making things more pleasing is somewhat the same. We all just want to put our own 'two cents' into our surroundings...and hopefully provide a loving and beautiful self and home.


The printing process has been updated...no color photos below...but, sometimes nothing is better than a black and white image to make us more daring to stretch our own color palettes to create.

"The philosophy behind much advertising

is based on the old observation

that every man is really two men ,

the man he is and the man he wants to be."

-William Feather

No more brilliant words have been spoken than that of Mr. Feather. The advertising was fabulous. Clearly the product lines of 1963 and 64 have come a long way. After reading just a few ads, I felt like a living dinosaur. But, it did provide oodles of entertainment and laughs.

The "Compresso Belt" is something I might look into now...but, it does look a little confining to wear with a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops for the summer. Hmmmm.

The "Hard of Hearing" 45 RPM was frightening to see! Imagine giving yourself a hearing test by listening to sounds played on a turntable. Sounds like the definition of irony to me.

But, the old embroidery patterns were great! Every magazine contained a three page fold out. Can't wait to apply them to something...once I learn how to embroidery.

Just had a great time thumbing through my era of crafting. It's just nice to know some things do not change..... too much!

Smack in the Bull's Eye!

"What I bring to the table is a

huge enthusiasm and love for this stuff. "

-Ted Allen

This is one of my favorite pieces of furniture...a friend's husband made it for me. They are in the business of building and refurbishing houses, and this ornamental storm door aluminum trim was replaced with a fresh new door. Remember this from the 50's and early 60's? Since my initial graced its middle they created a wonderful frame of wood, added four legs and a sheet of glass. Some of my favorite collections (dice, floaty pens, paperweights) look all to eclectic and unpredictable displayed on top. This of course, is my favorite form of decorating.

Some times people get your idiosyncrasies...this one hit smack in the bull's eye! Love it!

Change It!

New art for today! If you think this is a metal tray...you are half correct. I think it was the lid to a cookie/candy tin in its former life. I loved the color of the outside rim...somewhere between blue...green...aqua...teal....but, it had this very typical picture of a boat dock with ships and sailboats anchored to a long and dilapidated wooden dock....yuck! A complete under-use of the beautiful shade of blue/green/aqua/teal. So...I changed it by painting over the top of the boat scene, and started layering the old, dated ephemera I like...added a cage and a bird and....there she is!

"Things do not change, we change."

-Henry David Thoreau

Jars of Joy!

" I wish we could put up some of the

Christmas spirit in jars, and open a jar of it every month."

-Harlan Miller

This weekend I made a little pit stop during my travels to one of my favorite junking haunts....only to find two jars of what I would deem "Christmas Spirit"! It is always interesting to ask yourself..."Does this little purchase make me happy?....Is it good or bad that canned dirty objects bring bliss to my day?...At what point does making a purchase fall into the "Christmas Spirit" category?"

One was a jar of old thread laced with mucho dirt, wadded up string and a zipper...and the other was a jar of button cards! Both of these jugs of junk were $5 each...and just so happened to be on the 50% off table! (it is at this moment you see the familiar grin of shopping glee cover my face) I quickly snapped up my jars of joy and off to the check out counter!

As you stand in the check out line....wait your turn...observe some of the other junk being purchased...have a slight moustache of sweat beads forming over your lip, due to the 98 degree heat outside and the fact that old warehouses are difficult to cool....you can faintly hear Jingle Bells in your head on this June day...yes, these were two jars of Christmas Spirit sitting in my hands. Yummy old thread and cards of buttons...what more could bring Christmas Spirit to me?

It's Because Your Seven!

Finally....something with my name on it. Since I was a little girl, all my friends could find cool key chains, pencils, note pads, charms...with their name on it. My personalized items all came from a "Sharpie". My name became a bit of a resentment for a little while...I wanted something cool, and on a spinner rack you could find at any Stuckey's found on the highways of America. Little did I know at the ripe age of seven, this would soon pass. Names were not given for key chain purposes...they only become a marketing widget for children at age seven. But, just like any self-absorbed child...wanting to dangle their name emblazoned thing-a-ma-bob...I wanted a name that could be found easily. It soon became a joke in my family...do you know how many key chains I've been given with "Alex" on it...and an "a" sharpied there after. Thank goodness age...maturity...and time...develop confidence, and the need to be just who you are. Name or not. It does not become necessary to put your name on anything to retain your identity.

My Dad found this novel. He said the name of it was the strong buying factor. The artwork is not really me...but, I find it interesting...quite Art Deco meets Victorian.

The novel is written by this lovely lady, Anne Melville. She lives in England with her family, and writes beautiful novels about Alexa Lorimer and her family.

This may not be a key chain...but, it's even better...a book! I don't think it made the best sellers list in 1979, but it made my favorite's list in 2007! Why does your name have to be on a spinner rack? It's because your seven.

Surfaces of Nature!

Nature is all around us...stop and notice the many layers!

No Place Like Home...

Everyone is in the mode of vacationing and visiting family....I usually am one of those people as well. Can't wait to get out of my house, and within 72 hours, can't wait to get back. No matter how wonderful the destination and accommodations...there is none better than my own. Saw this quote and it screamed, "make something with me"...thus this piece of art.

Enjoy your summer retreats...but, always know...there is no place like home!

Cityscape....

"When you look at a city, it's like reading the hopes,

aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.”

-Hugh Newell Jacobsen

I had fun yesterday...it was about art...finally! My summer schedule has had me a little scattered, but several hours after swim practice was dedicated to creation. Yippee!

This little cityscape came out of my efforts. See if you can figure out what makes up each building/tower. Little clue: same item...different colors and sizes...and is usually exchanged. Can you figure it out?

________________________________________________

Quilt 'til You Wilt!

"Asking a quilter to mend, is like

asking Picasso to paint your garage."

-Unknown

I have tried quilting....run into the problem of "instant gratification". When I create something....I need to see results quickly...this is not the idea behind quilting. I've known ladies to work on a quilt for months...or even a year. Holy cow, I would be crazy!! I personally need completion on a much more timely basis.

Quilting is a respected craft in my household. I love quilts and honor the time and talent each one requires. When I see a handmade quilt in a yard sale...my heart sinks for the maker...and sings for me! Many of my favorite quilts were the table spread on the ground for someone to lay their stuff on at a yard sale. I can snap a quilt out from under a ten year old, stained Mr. Coffee Maker, fourteen green and milk glass colored single stem vases, ump-teen stacks of books and broken 'Home Interior' plastic frames... and not knock over one item. Quilts can bring out my magician skills in minimal time!

Enjoy the beauty of color in quilts...even my paper versions! I just heard this the other day.....quilt 'til you wilt! Not a bad philosophy!

Life's Little Mysteries...

"Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life.

Don't let them scare you unduly,

for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity."

-R.I. Fitzhenry

This past weekend I found these two beautiful scrapbooks at a local antique store buried beneath a stack of National Geographic magazines.

The "Cut Outs" book was a child's notebook for written genius. This particular book had no evidence of any documented history...but, had a few scribbles of a toddler throughout. It was in pretty good condition, with the exception of the mice that obviously found it worthy of a snack at some point. The colors were stunning and created a thrilled image of a child who had initially received it many years ago in my brain.

The "Spiral Scrap Book" was my favorite. Don't you love the landscape on the cover? It reminds me of a paint by number kit. Once again this was once some one's way of preserving all things important. But, disappointingly...it had nothing in it. The book was completely empty. I loved the cover and purchased it any way.

But....to my SURPRISE! When I sat down to write this blog about how beautiful I found the covers to each of my new scrapbooks....these two little slivers of newspaper fell out. I was so excited!

The first advertisement was for a car. It sold the reader on how important it was to have transportation and to go places, and do and see things. It was possible for $25 you could have a down payment on your very own car...the key to experiencing life. Hmmmm.

The next sliver of newspaper was a cutout of this handsome gentleman smoking a pipe set in front of a picturesque landscape. I can't tell what he was telling us...but, the person that cut this out, heard something worthy of saving. Maybe it was his warm smile...cute outfit...or great striped director's chair? Or maybe the "cutter outter" envisioned someone just like this taking her for a ride in a new car out to see and experience the world?

The paper was dated December 31, 1939, Omaha, NE. Who knows why these two pieces of newspaper were so important...who knows why they found their way into this scrapbook...who knows who the "cutter outter" was? But....life is full of little mysteries...they tend to keep boredom at bay... and no doubt spark creativity!

Fruit With Panache!

Do you ever wonder what in the world was

going on in your head when you create something?

_______________________________________________________

This particular piece of art certainly begged the question at the end of the day. Obviously, someone...(a unique somewhat pear shaped, flamboyant and charming woman) had crossed my path. This lady was someone only a mother could love....and also me. She had style from the top of her head to the tip of her toes...not necessarily the style one might want to emulate...but, certainly style one would forever etch in their mind.


This lady gently asked me the time of day while I was cruising down the sidewalk. This tiny question opened my eyes to an individual I will forever remember. This odd shaped damsel was a vision. Her architectural style hair adorned with a huge 1980's fluffy scarf was only the tip of the ice burg. She thrust her buxom bosom into all those approximately 5 feet tall or less, and accented her short but shapely legs with a too revealing flouncy skirt. This all was garnished with a round purse, somewhat like a ball, and grey spike heel pumps. She reeked of "vintage 'what not to wear', but I'm going to anyway" flavor. She was polite, had a grateful attitude and stuck out like a soar thumb on the sidewalks of my city. I loved her!

May I have as much panache with confidence in my later years. I created this art to honor her being, and to remind me that I too can be so unique!

___________________________________________________

My esty store has all kinds of new goodies...give it a peak!

_______________________________________________

Still have not heard from Recycled Rita (Karen B), Julie B and Katy for the 100th Post Giveaway. You won some of the loot and I need your mailing address. Look at the last post to see what you have won!