Marinating's over - time to create!

Back in November I started hunting and gathering for a new project, a travel journal of  two young women on a holiday to St Ives, Cornwall in May of 1910.

I've amassed quite a bit of ephemera, embellishments and written the journal entries.  And it's all been sitting on the studio table "marinating" and today I began the process of turning it all into a Cornwall Travel Journal, 1910.

Getting the journal entries ready to attach

 to the backs of the cabinet cards.

Sifting through ephemera to decorate the pages and the covers.

Fun little crocheted flowers, skeleton leaves and 

a penny-farthing bicycle charm, all will find their place.

Will keep you posted on the progress.

Art Swap

I was asked by Bobbie Howder of Cottleston Pie to 

join an art swap and here's the bundle of delightful 

goodies that came in the mail.

And some lovely bits of ephemera to use in my journals!

Thanks for including me Bobbie - this was fun!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Vintage Valentine's Day!

Birthday Score!

Birthday score!  Several Tim Holtz items,

 including, portfolios-big and small- letterpress blocks,

 "found relatives", and a rubber stamp. 

And Rare Bird of Fashion -

the story of Iris Appel's amazing fashion and jewelry collections.

Wonderful black cat from Marylinn Kelly!

The new Joni Mitchell CD and a coffee card!

A vintage punch card and retro Christmas price tags.

A very vintage suitcase made of leather with a wood frame,

decorated with Oregon State labels,

and fascinating old hardware and straps.

Happy Birthday Girl!!

Fun in the Mail Box

A few yummy goodies from eBay and Etsy.

Vintage Master combination lock - check out the graphic 

in the center and the word "Champ".

Very vintage Cracker Jack harmonica.

And 4 retro locker tags with numbers and mysterious writing.

All waiting for assemblages to come.

Crow's Apothecary

Crow's Apothecary 10 x13"

Several months ago my friend Destiny
 found this old spice rack at Goodwill, 

bought it and challenged me to "do something
steampunky and cool" with it.

And Crow's Apothecary was born.

 It was so much fun filling all the little bottles 

with skulls, badger toe bones, wish bones,

rusty nails, and blueberry syrup!

I backed them all with tea-dyed cheese
cloth and added small number labels.

A vintage key, Mr Crow and his sign and a handful of 

vintage receipts with stamps finish it off.

Destiny says I met the challenge, and I agree!

It's my Birthday Too!

My first birthday party at the age of six, 57 years ago.  My big sis Becky Anne organized the party as part of a girl scout badge she was working towards.I remember having a lot of fun and being happily amazed that people brought me presents. Somethings never change - I still like chocolate cake and still am always happily amazed when people give me presents!

Santa Barbara Score!

  

And here's the lovely score from the Santa Barbara Trip.

From Art from Scrap - Appliques - flowers and nautical, 

and vintage Oriental wall paper,

vintage postcards,

old envelopes and a time stained pair of child's socks,

and prize ribbons from long ago horse shows.

From Antique Alley - a small tin Easter egg that opens to hold a tiny treasure.

From The Random Store - Pink and white cameos

 and a faux Bakelite jewelry finding.

And from Paper Source - a retro-looking Periodic Table, 

a constellation chart and colourfully painted clothes pins.

Can't wait to start using everything in future art projects!

Birthday Road Trip

When Margot asked what I wanted for my birthday this year - I said "A road trip to Santa Barbara!"
So last week we went.  Our friend Dawn from Port Townsend was down visiting and volunteered to do the driving which was a big treat.  We started with breakfast at Tupolo Junction.  Cheese/Jalepeno grits in a shrimp and lobster gumbo along with a creamy latte and fresh squeezed orange juice.  My-my!

Then a look around Anhropologie, no big fancy displays

 this time around, but always fun to peruse

A view up State Street towards the Granada Theatre.

Then the shopping began -  Tienda Ho,

Paper Source,

The Random Store and boy is it ever!

The truly amazing Art From Scrap.

A stop by the beach to rest, where we saw a Peregrine Falcon having lunch.

The ever fascinating Antique Alley,

And a late lunch at El Bajio (La Super Rica was closed, but found this to be a great substitute).  In the next blog I'll  show you my scores from the various shops!

Life on a Different Coast

Provincetown at the end of Cape Cod,
lobster buoys drying in the sun.