Woolly Dog, No Pigglet

Woolly Dog, No Pigglet

I am in Canada right now heading to the land of Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island, I thought this ATC perfect for showing.  Woolly Dog now resides in the UK as it was part of the international ATC exchange I am in.  What fun to have pieces of art flying around the world!

July 1911, A Cat

July 1911, A Cat

This ATC went out this week to one of the international folks that are in an exchange with me.  I love how only five pieces of ephemera made an effective collage.  It is only 2.5 inches by 35 inches. Working small is difficult for many but provides a great challenge.

June 2016 ATC

June 2016 ATC

The June task for the international ATC group that I belong to was to create a collage in five minutes from previously selected ephemera.  I used just what I had on my desk.  Simple but I think effective.

Envelope Round Robin - June 2016 - Part II

Cover 

$15.00

Buzz, Mice!

Scottie

Now you have seen all six collages that will be sent off tomorrow.  I am pleased to have it all done and ready to go. I actually want to keep this little book but off it goes.  Is that like raising a child? You do not want her to go off but you know you have to let him go?  Probably not, but one can't keep everything, right?

Envelope Round Robin - June 2016 - Part I

Envelope

Cover for Book

Crying Pigeon

Emily

Peep, Peep!

I actually am anxious to get this in the mail.  It is going to Canada and is suppose to be there by June 1.  Sometimes the mail is slow between our two countries.  The three collages actually fit in three "secret" compartments within the book behind the cover that you can see above.  It does not take too long to discover the secret of this book.  Tomorrow I will show the other sides of the above three collages.  The recipient gets the envelope, the cover (the book) and six collages.  Such a deal! :-)

They Could Not Go to Sleep

They Could Not Go to Sleep

In one of the CO, CA, WA RR journals I created a spread honoring dolls.  When I was teaching fourth grade my students frequently read the book The Doll People.  Dolls rule a house when their "owners" are out of site. When I found the image of a doll on the left side of the spread an idea popped into my old noggin bringing back memories of that book.  The rest of the spread quickly was added because I recently found a children's reader at a flea market with many doll illustrations.  As usual I started this spread not knowing where it was going.  It took on a life of its own and that is what I like so much about art journaling, you can just start and eventually it will end with something creative.

31

31

When I was very young my family lived a farm, well a sort of farm.  We had chickens, geese, and a cow.  Then we had rabbits.  The geese did not care much for me and I was scared of them.  They would chase me and attempt to peck at me.  You can image how terrified I was of them, maybe as much as the gentleman in this postcard! :-)

Tom Helps Father

Tom Helps Father

This week I have not made many postcards because I have been making books.  I have been adapting ideas of what I find on Pinterest.  Many of the samples there do not have directions.  So I figure out how to make the book.  The one I finished this morning took two tries and now I think I have it figured out. Tomorrow I will show you some of what I have been up to.  Happy day!

The Sphinx

The Sphinx

Too much fun was had yesterday at a luncheon that was given by my friend, Amy.  Amy invited the Puget Sound RR group that I have been working with for the past seven months.  It was just terrific to see all the journals completed and in one location.  Funny how I had forgotten that I even did some of the spreads that were in the journals!

9 p

9 p

When I took the Crystal Neubaurer workshop in March I met a wonderful group of artists.  I mentioned that I was in several RRs and that sparked an interest in wanting to do one with members of the class.  So I am in my fifth RR right now.  This is a piece I did for one of the participants for May.

Padre Bird

Padre Bird

I taught a workshop yesterday in snail mail art.  There were 15 energetic participants.  Total excitement and high energy making for lots of enjoyment.  I love seeing how others attack the idea presented. Each postcard turned out so different from the others.  Just a grand day!

Recently I sent  snail mail to someone in Canada.  The recipient's husband, who usually does not care much for this type of collage went crazy describing symbolism and the narrative in the art.  I love it! Isn't that what it is all about?.....making up the narrative for what we are looking at.  I know I do.  In fact, even when I people watch I make up stories about the people that catch my eye.  It is just fun!

Fishbone Fold Journal 2

Fishbone Fold (open)

Fishbone (top view)

Fishbone (partially closed)

Fishbone No. 2.......I love the letters that complete the design.  To me, opening the journal is magical. It was sticky for awhile until the paint totally dried.  It opens just fine now.

Fishbone Fold Journal 1

Fishbone Fold Journal

Fishbone Fold Journal (top view)

Fishbone Fold Journal (closed view)

A few weeks ago at the Belltown Bookies meeting I was introduced to the fishbone fold.  OMG!  I loved it so much that I made three journals within that many days.  The first was a mock up to see how it all worked and this one above is the my second attempt with added collage and paint.  I will show you the third one in my next blog entry.  It takes a bit of measuring to get it right but it is well worth the effort.

Two Birds and a Horse

Two Birds and a Horse

Well, I am over-the-top crazy at finding ephemera.  My latest find is a notebook that a waitress used at a restaurant that I frequent.  I asked her what she did with her old notebooks when they were filled (She writes down customer orders in it). She keeps them and has an idea that she will somehow use them to write poetry.  I asked if I bought her a new notebook could I have the one she was presently using as it was nearly filled.  She said, "Yes!"  Since the restaurant is in a bookstore I immediately left the table and bought her one.  I came home with the best little written in notebook!  You can see some of an entry for chicken, green olive and what not in this piece Two Birds and a Horse.

Two Birds, a Dog, and a Baby

Two Birds, a Dog, and a Baby

The photo is of my grandfather holding my father.  The dog is Rags.  I never knew my grandfather as he died when my father was three years old.  Basically my father never knew him either as least had any memory of him.  I have done a bit of research through my father's papers and found out that my grandfather owned a confectionery store in southern California for awhile.  I found a photo of the inside of the store online.  Amazing what is out there in cyberspace!

Recently I had a discussion about using the actual photo versus photocopying what I have and using that.  I have decided to use the originals because what am I going to do with them anyway at the ripe old age of 65?  I think it is a preference whether you copy them or use them.  Do what you like.

Many of T

Many of T

A little bit of checkered deli paper, an old book or two, and some stamps and one is set for creating a postcard for snail mail.  This is about the twelfth one I have made in the last ten days.  Having a blast of a time I might add.  Things might slow down a bit though as I have many deadlines this week and a long list of places to be.  Some weeks are like that.

The Rock

The Rock 

Can't you just image if you personified the blackbirds and they were having a conversation?  Just what would they say?

Steep in 5 Minutes

Steep in 5 Minutes

I scored big time last night at the Enumclaw flea market.  It was one of the best markets of its kind in the area.  Although there was mostly antiques that I was not interested in, tucked away in between things were treasures to be found.

After an hour I was done and ready for food which we found in a great little restaurant in town.  I had an excellent apple and roasted chicken salad with goat cheese.  Yum!

Steep in 5 Minutes is a continuation of my postcard series.  I found more books at the flea market with excellent fodder for more works for examples for my workshop next Friday.  Happy weekend!

Just What Do Goldfish Dream?

Just What Do Goldfish Dream?

Off today to a flea market in Enumclaw, WA.  We have to pay $20.00 to get in tonight.  I hope it is well worth it.  No matter, it is an adventure.  Do I need more ephemera?  No, but I seem to keep collecting it.

The Goldfish piece above is in my friend, Jan's journal.  She has not seen it yet but will this afternoon.  It completes her journal and what a great day to get a finished journal returned.  Many of the artists who worked in this journal are getting together in a week to share our completed journals. I have not had a RR celebration like this before and am looking forward to seeing all the journals.

Crash

Crash

Going through old family photos I found several of my mother bowling.  I actually have memories of spending a great deal of time in a bowling alley each week.  Eventually I was on a team myself.  The two women in the photo are members of my mother's team.  This postcard is another in the series that I am presently doing.

Douze Nuits d'Amour

Douze Nuits d'Amour

I am having way too much fun creating lately.  Some weeks are like that, pushing out more and work works.  Other weeks are less productive.  Personally I much prefer being prolific.

Peter Rabbit

Peter Rabbit

If you have not experienced Crystal Neubaurer's work make a journey to Pinterest to search her out. Since taking her class in March, I have continued to come back to creating using vintage materials in a different way.  About a month ago I got a free box of old Life magazines.  They smell terrible and I have to take a day to sort through them, outside of course.  I am thinking that I will put the saved images into a plastic bag with a dryer sheet to see if I can reduce the smell.  I know I have this treasure in the garage and I do need to "dig" to find gold!

PAL

PAL

Next week I am teaching another workshop at Edmonds CC and we are going to make snail mail again.  Faculty and students sign up for the workshop which is one hour shorter than the two ten days ago.  So I had to come up with an shortened idea for the postcards.  We are going to do vintage scrap postcards. In the class each student will make two cards, one of which they keep and the second one they send to a class member.  After all snail mail has to be sent doesn't it.

I am making samples galore which you will see here over the next few days.

May 2016 RR Envelope and Two Collage Inserts

RR Envelope May 2016

Sticks

Secret Weapon

The envelope with the two back-to-back collages goes out in the mail tomorrow to Ontario, Canada.  I worked on these three pieces off and on throughout April.  They all finally came together this morning and are sealed and ready for the post office in the morning.