Seaside Twins

Yes it has been miserably cold of late...so thinking about a trip to somewhere warm and on a shoreline seems quite natural LOL. But the best I can do is "art" the whole thing....This was a last minute request from Beth to Leslie and I to create a Stamp People for her 2014 Sketchbook - check out the pieces both have been making.

I wasn't really sure where to start when I was sorting through the stamp box. I found a number of stamps from Japan that looked promising and started to play with a vintage photo....

That happened to have not one but TWO individuals enjoying themselves on holiday...blue water and sunny skies...

So Twins they became on a background I made using my gelli plate (experimenting still).

There was some empty space at the top that I had to add some words to - and those images of fish, hearts and stars are my first attempt (EVER) at creating my own stamps (in this case with a potato :>)...

Here is the full piece - acrylic and watercolour paint, stamping and some little extra doodling here and there. Not a composition I would usually do but I have been having fun trying new things - you can be as whacky as you like when making Stamp People. Putting in the post shortly! Enjoy. Jewels

Stamp People

Another wonderful Mail Art challenge with Lenna and Jo! I was inspired by Beth’s postage stamp people (THANKS B) and I Googled to see what others had done – what fun (and imagination). So I floated the idea with my peeps and they agreed to try it out. I have not received theirs yet but they both got mine so I can share. I have a stash of old stamps that took some time to go through to find the two I wanted to use. It was not as easy as I thought it would be! 

And finding a “body” to fit was just as challenging….but it was all good. This was one I definitely wanted to use...

 

First up is Lenna’s – while the text came later it just seemed so perfect for her…Lenna DOES have an inner warrior and I was so happy to do this one for her. The background was a scrap from a less than successful attempt with my Gelli Plate. I thrifted a wonderful book old book, International Library of Technology: Brick, Stone and Poster, which is where the architecture graphic came from.

I got rather silly with Jo’s  - I found this great graphic at Artefacts...

The background was left over (shush) from our last swap and the colours matched! I explained to Jo that my Mum’s maiden name is Halsey (seriously) and I immediately thought of the Paul McCartney lyrics while doing this one for her. Such fun!

Will post theirs when they arrive. Next theme is Renaissance hmmmm. Enjoy. Jewels

Filler

Oh my goodness - has it been really that long since I posted!

Harbour First Day

Well filling a little bit with photos from my time in Canada during the Thanksgiving break here in the States.

Ice at the Public Dock

Went to my cottage to make sure it was shut down properly for the winter. It was COLD for the first few days (-7 C one night)...

Early Morning Hoarfrost

Hard to tell from the photos as there really was not that much snow - just frosty in the morning. Lots of shades of "brown" which can actually be quite beautiful...

Old Wooden Ladder

Lots of coyotes around this time - even found some scat around the cottage (need to be sure they don't see lunch aka Mr. Darcy)...

 Ice House

Any who hoping to get some serious arting done the next little while and posting again! Enjoy, Jewels

Team Work

Some days I surprise myself...things just come together and I wonder how I did it...

I had tucked this image away knowing what I wanted to do for some time now (I'll give you one guess what it is an ad for LOL). 

Loved the energy of these three women walking together - even if it was staged.

It made me think of working women back in the 1950's - what a different world it was then. I remember cringing during the first few episodes of Mad Men seeing what women put up with.

I used pages from an old Emily Post book - the section on Etiquette in Business (this particular version also had chapters on Telephoning  Smoking, and Out-In-Company Manners and The Vanished Chaperone and Other Lost Conventions). Oh my some of the notions (there was a section on what to do when travelling with the boss and "should a stenographer rise?" when visitors approach her desk)....There was also pages from an old short hand book. 

And a lovely old napkin my friend Lenna sent me ages ago. Gesso, acrylic paint, stamps, washi tape...

 
I wanted it to be colourful...

and it sure is LOL....it took me forever to "commit" to writing the quote on it - the last embellishment. 

It's not a Picasso but heh I think it turned out pretty darn good....AND it's my first piece on canvas!..Enjoy. Jewels

Awesome Early Presents

In a couple of days I will officially pass by another year - where did 365 days go I ask! I have to say it was a roller coaster - another hand surgery, a divorce after 20 years, having to rethink my whole life including what to do with my home, retirement....you quickly get to know who your friends (and thank you all of my lovely peeps for all your support). There have been good things too - coming to realize I CAN do this, trying new things and, of course Mister Darcy (how DID I get so lucky).

So I felt like a birthday present was a good idea. Since I started fixing up the house I have had things on my list to find. The first being a bed frame.

No ordinary bed frame but a special one to go into the Rose Room (remember, the one with the chandelier). 

Which has made such a difference - and now look at my fancy schmancy room - now I can finish the decorating

But wait - that was not all - I have been wanting for some time to find a good way to store my artsy stuff - there sure is enough of it. I know, I know - I could easily down size it all.

But then I would have never found this. How AWESOME. Sturdy and big enough to store all kinds of things.

Love, love, love - my head is spinning with all the ways to decorate the top LOL. If you are local go check out Prism Antiques owned by Ryan & Nicole Kramer - you can find them on Facebook too. A really lovely couple who have only been here a few months but are doing gangbusters with their business. Enjoy. Jewels

Calendar Collage: October

Well it is easy to get into Halloween or Autumn themes this time of the year - but I decided to do something a little different for the month of October.

I love this book I thrifted at SA a few years back - it was published in 1948...

...I particularly like the drawings - this one is a lot of fun.

It inspired me to think about the Fall garden and planting bulbs...

Which I have done a lot in the past - but it will be a few months before the Tulips and Daffodils bloom here!

I have been free styling the last few month with my entries which I've quite enjoyed - will be interesting to see how it works on this spread! Enjoy. Jewels. 

"Gluebook" Mail Art

Well I'm back from a wonderful week of vacation at my cottage...weather had strange extremes - highs in the mid 80's AND in the high 40's!

Mr.D and I did a lot of this LOL...but we both needed it after all the walking and eating we did.

My neighbour has opened an art studio - Arend does sculpting, drawing and painting. He and his wife are the sweetest couples and I am so happy to call them cottage friends. 

Before I left I managed to get some Mail Art out the door to Lenna and Jo. The challenge was to do something based on our Glue Book classes from Mary Green way back in 2010 (can you believe it!). 

I started with some collaging of old papers - one card had different images and text related to sailing.

Lenna and her wonderful Hubby Steven live in Florida (lucky ones!) and he builds boats - so I thought this was very appropriate. The graphic is from a 1930's book on how to build boats...how apropos don't you think? 

The other had adverts from some old British magazines I had thrifted awhile back.

I was inspired by a postcard I had picked up while in London back in 1998 from Selfridges - man if I knew then what I know now - I would have scooped a pile of these. I just love the image and the vibrant yellow.

This is my card for Jo - I jokingly thought of her and I at a car boot sale in our old age trading jibes (I, being the older one, would be the one seated with my goods that she is sussing out in great envy).
For both cards I used acrylic paints and stamps - nothing too fancy because I wanted the background to show through. Love them both. Enjoy. Jewels

Calendar Collage: September

What the mashed potatoes????(I'm being polite).  What happened to August I ask. Even my garden caught me by surprise when I realized the Shasta Daisies were spent and the Cone Flowers were definitely past their prime. I just don't remember seeing it all happen. Oh well, Fall is after all my favorite time of year - just hope I get to enjoy it before its suddenly the big C (ugh, there are decorations in the store already)!

September, of course, means back to school for many. I always remember my first day of my first year of high school (grade nine and no, that was NOT 1953, snork). I was pretty nervous. Principal looks very no nonsense, administrative type don't you think?

I had made clothes for the year (or at least embellished a few things as I recall) that summer to be ready. I am sure the Lunch Ladies were prepared for us too - obviously resting up before all the young hooligans descend on them.

Our cheerleaders were not quite as prim and proper as these ones - but I remember driving by the high school and seeing them practice out front in late August. Even remember one of their chants "Let's go rocka rocka and a cha cha cha" how funny.

And just like this high school, we a had a very young and quite nice music teacher....and a plethora of science, math and geography teachers I never understood (ESPECIALLY math).

I don't remember a safety patrol - I'm a little concerned there are no boys on this one! But I am sure these young ladies are well prepared.

Then there were the clubs - I think I would have liked to join this one - very progressive I would say! Though no one is wearing safety glasses...and I can't see being in the workshop with my frock on can you?

And certainly this one - do you think it was some kind of early precursor to the computer club - the description reads.... the main purpose is to learn how to operate and take care of the visual aids machines...oh my, how far we have come! And the one young lady grinning who is looking directly at the camera - I think she would be my best friend LOL.... 

My retro calendar spread for this month is ready to be filled. Enjoy. Jewels

Define Vintage

I have been looking for a piece of furniture for my office for some time now for storing supplies but I want it to be second hand so I have been regularly visiting my favorite places hoping I will get lucky...

This would fit the bill but sadly it is not the right size ...

Still I had to bring it home thinking it was very vintage - and just think of all the things I could tuck in those drawers! Old buttons, embellishments for artsy stuff, maybe even jewelry which it was originally intended for...

It does need a little tender loving care to clean it up (without hurting the patina of course)...

On the back I found a wind up for music! Surely this would help me date it - maybe some nice classical music like Beethoven or Chopin...

In anticipation I turned the crank and.....Yesterday by the Beatles started playing LOL...well I guess some would consider that vintage! I don't mind but I still need to find my big piece. Wish me luck...Enjoy Jewels