Hunting and Gathering

Had a good time over the weekend hunting and gathering through my extensive stash. I love doing this, because even with my organizing skills, I always find things I forgot I had or in some cases, things I don't remember how or when they showed up.

I have several ideas for this piece, so will let things sit for a spell and see what they tell me to do.  My daughter Bronwyn, who is an excellent writer, often says that her characters take on a life of their own and tell her what to write next! And sometimes that's the case with my art work, the various components let me know how they should be arranged and the different colours and textures to use in the piece.

At the moment I'm leaning towards orange and blue,

 but we'll see what happens in the end.

Stick around for the excitement and 

we'll see what the ephemera tells me!

Vermont Treasure Box

Now this piece took just a bit of hunting and gathering, not much "marinating" time and went together in less than half and hour!  Just a bit different from the Cornwall Journal, LOL!

I found the tiny (4 x 2.25") wooden box at a huge estate sale in Cambria a few years ago. There was a very large wood-working shed full of old tools.  Including this vintage "bit" box with the company name, Vermont Tool and Die Company, Newport, Vt., on the sliding lid.

I had the idea that opposites would attract in this case, hence the porcelain "frozen charlottes", the cameo, the dainty crocheted flowers.  I love the way all that looked against the rustic, vintage wood.

I found the blue flower trim in my stash and affixed it with heavy gel medium (as I did everything else) around the edge of the box.

It seems like the sort of "treasure" box a 10 year old would have carried in a pocket a hundred years ago and pulled out now and then to show good friends.  I have to admit, it was sorta fun to finish a piece so quickly!

Lovely Trip!

Amazing! My first trip to the Getty Museum -

 simply beautiful grounds and buildings.

We spend the afternoon and barely touched the 

surface of what's on offer.

I'm already looking forward to going back sometime 

and perusing the illuminated manuscript section.

Burial at Sea

But this time was for J M W Turner and
what marvelous works they were.

  I had seen one or two of his pieces at various museums, 

but to see so much of it, covering all periods of his life's work

was truly a delight.

 Long Ship's Lighthouse, Land's End

These were two of my favourites, the way he captured

 water and wind, smoke - such ephemeral moments

 caught forever by his brushwork.

And we started the day with a lovely

 visit with artist Marylinn Kelly.

When Margot, Marylinn and I get together,

 the chat never stops - 

art, mysteries, wearable art, 

the glory days of newspaper reporting,

 what we're currently working on, 

and the exact location

 of Phillip Marlowe's office.  

A truly magical day filled with joy and wonder!

Going to the Getty!

We haven't been to an exhibition in awhile but today's the day!  The JMW Turner exhibition at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. 

Traveling can be a bit dicey, because I'm never sure how I'll feel, but when this came up and I'm actually feeling pretty good we decided to go for it.

Haven't seen a lot of Turner in person so am really looking forward to it. And insterestingly enough I've never been to the Getty! After a mid-morning visit with mixed media artist extraordinaire Marylinn Kelly (mail art, rubber stamp designer and True Color  artist) we'll head to the museum and then have a leisurely drive home after rush hour.  I'll report in on Thursday!

Life on the Coast

It's definitely spring!!

Frrewell Cornwall, Hello London!

May 24, 1910

It is hard to believe we’ve been here for over a week

already!  Our train back to London leaves on Friday

afternoon.  It will be difficult to say good-bye – St. Ives

 is so lovely and everyone we’ve met has been friendly

and welcoming.  After our adventures yesterday, we plan to

stick close to home today, maybe a foray into town after

luncheon for some window shopping and a stop at Mrs.

Curddle’s Tea Shop.  The Trevethins have invited us on an

excursion to the moors tomorrow.  We will take the train 

and then a carriage to Bodmin and the surrounding area.

They say there is a circle of standing stones and King

Arthur’s pool nearby!

May 25, 1910

What a time we had today!  First a tiny train along the

 north coast.  Then a carriage across Bodmin Moor.  We did

see King Arthur’s pool, where legend has it that he threw

Excalibar  in and the lady of the lake raised her arm and

and caught it as it hit the water.  And the standing stones

had a magic all their own.  Touching them, knowing they were

raised thousands of years ago felt truly mystical.

We had lunch at Jamaica Inn, and then took a closer look at

Brown Willy and Rough Tor.  The carriage almost missed

the train back, but we all leapt on safely and steamed our

way to St. Ives.  Very tired, but so pleased with our sight-

seeing today.  One more whole day here and then Friday we

board the express back to London.

May 26, 1910

We decided to spend the day walking around St. Ives, after

luncheon we spent time on the beach seeking shells and

 watching the waves.  We had a lovely dinner out with the

Trevethins.  We can’t thank them enough for all the treats

and trips.  What lovely people.  Will pack in the morning

and be ready to take the local train down to Penzance

and then the express to London – back home to real life.

May 27, 1910

Writing this last entry in my journal on the train as we steam

through the Devon countryside.  Victoria is already planning

A return trip next year!  We did have a brilliant time

and  have memories to fill our hearts for many a month to

come.  I plan to nap a bit now and dream of my magic springtime

in Cornwall.

And so ends Rose's journal of a Cornwall holiday in the spring of 1910. I had so much fun working on this, gathering the ephemera, writing the journal entries and putting the whole thing together.
Hope you enjoyed it also!

Cornwall 1910, Part II

Back in St. Ives with Rose and Victoria - 

a picture from a local photography shop,

 Rose on the left and Victoria on the right.

May 20, 1910

Today we spent time in St. Ives, visiting the shops along

the High Street and several of the art galleries.  Both

Victoria and I had a brilliant time picking out lovely

little things to bring home for our families and friends.

In one of the galleries, there were beautiful small

paintings featuring local vistas of the sea shore and

white washed cottages. I picked out several as presents

and am saving a rather smashing one of the west beach

at sunset for myself as a lasting remembrance of this

time.  We also found a photography studio and had our

portrait taken.   Rose and Victoria in Cornwall!

May 21,  1910

Today we packed a picnic and took the little shuttle

train to a beautiful cove that was filled with seals! 

Such a treat to see them up close and in the sea, very

different from their cement pond at Regent’s Park Zoo.

The sun was warm, but there was a delicious cool breeze

blowing in off the water.  We dined on ham and cheese

sandwiches, scones with strawberry jam and clotted

cream, and a light Victoria sponge.  We made our tea over

a fire of driftwood and then napped in the sun. Tomorrow,

after church, we have been invited to a local sculptress’s

house for luncheon and to see her work. I know I will

sleep well tonight after our day in the open air and

sunshine.

May 22, 1910

A lovely church service – the vicar gave a good

 sermon and was very welcoming to Victoria and

me afterwards.  He spent several years in a parish

 in Chelsea and was eager to hear of news from

the “big smoke”.

Our luncheon was a real treat – freshly caught

 crab with lashing of Cornish butter,  a delicious rice

 and vegetable dish and a sherry-laced trifle for afters.

 The sculptress, Regina Worthing, is a brilliant artist and

so much fun to talk to. She’s lived in St. Ives for about 10

years now and is becoming much recognized in artistic

circles.  She studied at the Slade in London and several

times a year invites artists from different parts of

the country (and France as well) to salons at her home

here in Cornwall. 

Tomorrow we plan to find the sea marsh and have a day

 of sketching the various birdlife.  This holiday has been

such fun so far, we are both so glad we decided to come.

May 23, 1910

We splurged on a full English breakfast this morning

since we knew we have a long hike to the marsh and back

 and then lots of sketching in between.  So many different

types of sea and marsh fowl, it’s nesting time and we

were privileged to see a few nests.  Both Victoria and

I filled page after page of our sketchbooks, making

colour notes and descriptions of the marsh and sea shore.

It was a long trek back, but Mrs. Trelawney had a scrumptious

tea all prepared.  She made all the right comments about our

pictures.  An early bed tonight!

Tomorrow, the last of the holiday and the train home to London.

Cornwall 1910 - Finished at Last!

Started in late October, now done in mid March, The story of Rose and Victoria's springtime holiday to St. Ives in Cornwall in May of 1910 - the waning years of the Edwardian Era. Each spread in accompanied by a journal entry written by Rose that tells of their adventures of that particular day.

May 17, 1910                 

St. Ives, Cornwall

Arrived this morning after taking a night express down

from London to Penzance and then boarding a small train

up to St. Ives.  We are staying at Gull Cottage, just a short

walk from the High Street and the shore is nearby also. 

The morning’s early chill has turned into a warm mid-day

with a delightful sea breeze. Spring blooms are everywhere,

 carpets of bluebells visible from the train windows as we sped

through the countryside, and it seems every house and shop has

hanging baskets of beautiful flowers in bright colours.

After luncheon, will stroll down to the sea to spend a

lazy afternoon reading and maybe some watercolours.

May 18, 1910

Rode on a very tiny train to Porth Kerris today. A fishing

 village clinging to the sea cliffs, with very steep lanes

leading down to the sea front.  We watched the fishermen

 bringing in their catch of pilchards.  Wandered through

 some intriguing tide pools full of small crabs and bright

 seaurchins.  A well respected potter has his shop here and

 we spent some time perusing the pieces on display.

I decided on a lovely sea blue vase, and, Victoria  a set of

delicate candlesticks in a soft ivory.  We dined on fresh

 caught crabs and a fresh baguette from a bakery next to

the restaurant,  surprisingly with a real French baker! 

Following an afternoon of exploring the surrounding woods

 and countryside, we caught the last train back to St. Ives.

I am writing this just before supper.  We are going to the home

 of Mr. and Mrs. Trevethin, friends of Victoria’s parents who

insisted we look them up while in St. Ives.

May 18, 1910 (late evening)

Mr. and Mrs. Trevethin were delightful!  They welcomed

Victoria and I so warmly and we felt “at home” in a trice.

The supper was rather topping – a creamy clam chowder,

Followed by fish in a lemon dill sauce that was light

and piquant, accompanied by new potatoes and fresh

baby peas (from Mrs. Trevethin’s kitchen garden.  We

Londoners tend to forget that Cornwall is blessed by

the Gulf Stream and Spring comes much earlier here at

Land’s End.  We have even seen palm trees!  Over coffee

the Trevethins talked to us about things to do during

our time here in St. Ives.  More tomorrow, dear journal,

but fresh sea air and good food have rendered me

exceedingly sleepy. And so to bed!

May 19, 1910

I am lingering over tea here in the breakfast room at

Gull Cottage. Our hostess, Mrs. Trelawney, is an excellent

Cook and her scones are light as air.  Victoria has stepped

out to the High Street to find some beach shoes – nothing

she brought along is doing the job.  I took the chance to

stay and write.  Soon I will go out to the garden and

paint awhile, the flowers are brilliant and several

birds come to the feeders that are scattered around.

Mrs. Trevethin told us of a marshy area a little ways

out of town that is teeming with herons, egrets and

all sorts of water fowl.  We plan to ferret it sometime soon.

More tomorrow as Rose and Victoria continue their joyous holiday!

More Michael's

 The second half of the Michael's buying frenzy!

Very cool ceramic embellishments,

Blue mesh with tan twine woven in...

... these small denim panels in blue and tan. 

Both of which are perfect for an upcoming

Civil War project I have in mind.

And I discovered a new, to me, magazine -

  Just Steampunk!  Will have fun pursing this one I'm sure!

Gotta Love Michael's!

At my retirement party last May my oh-so- yes-we-get-you friends

 gifted me with an incredible amount of Michael's gift cards.  And of course, since daughter

Jenny is a Michael's manager in Santa Maria, every gift card was actually worth more

because I get her friends and family discount.  So here it is March, 10 months later

and I still had one card left with a goodly amount on it.

Older daughter Bronwyn had some extra time to get to the airport for her

trip back home, so since Michael's is about three blocks away, I said let's

go use up my last gift card.

So we did!  She got a few cool things to take back with her - that would

fit in the carry-on, and I got the cool stuff you see here.

Love it all, but my faves are the denim ribbon and denim tags!

The possibilities - stamping on them, stenciling on them - you get the idea!

Also cool retro labels in a size and colour I didn't have,

and gears - this steampunk gal can't pass up a new pack of gears!

Exciting use of the last of the gift cards - thanks everyone.

More Goodies in the Mailbox!

Love these cards from Lynne Perrella -
based on the art of Romare Beaden, 

and using photos taken by Lynne's husband
 John on a hospice visit to South Africa.

As always Lynne's use of design and 

colour shine through

 and make these very special little pieces of art.

In the same mail run, I also received this gorgeous vintage

 wall paper sample roll from 

a wonderful friend up in Los Gatos.

Here's the pattern up-close.

And she topped it off with these ever 

delightful retro sewing thread spools.

Life on the Coast

Spring's on it's way here on the Central Coast of California -

 fields of wild mustard along the Cambria shoreline.. 

Early poppies (our state flower) along Hwy 1.

And beautiful Scotch Broom on the hills above Morro Bay.