July 4th

For the July 4th holiday weekend, I took a road trip and drove to Oregon to visit family. They live in a small town with a BIG Fourth of July parade. Lots to see. Here are some of the characters that come out on Independence Day.

Aaargh! Late again. I had the collage done, but no time to scan it. I know, excuses, excuses. My collage for week 26 (half the year has gone by already!) uses vintage ledger paper with vintage wall paper, a Russian rubber stamp, a vintage ad from John Wanamaker & Co , and a piece of an envelope with 3 stamps from India.

For those of you who may not know, Wanamaker's was a Philadelphia based department store (the first) founded in 1869 by John Wanamaker. He later had stores in New York, London and Paris. Wanamaker was also a US Postmaster General under President Benjamin Harrison. The department store no longer exists but is now part of the Macy's chain. You can read more about John Wanamaker here.

Collage week 26

Numbers Game

Numbers are the inspiration for week 25 collage. I started with a background of vintage ledger paper and a lotto ticket (sadly, not a winner). On top is collaged the numbers from one to ten. Some are from type specimen books from House Industries, two are stamps and one is a vintage ticket.

Collage week 25

Red and Yellow (catch a fellow)

Been sick so the collage for week 24 is a tad late. I actually had it done on time but food poisoning makes one not want to work on the computer. This week's collage theme, if I had to pick something, would be red and yellow. Vintage wallpaper, a variety of tickets and rubber stamps made from erasers. It started to get a little out of hand so I had to just stop, and say "done".

Collage week 24

3 Georges

Here is another collage on paper. Week 23 incorporates lots of vintage type, tickets, postage stamps, money and washi tape. All came out of my box (boxes!) of goodies. I seem to have a lot of ephemera in red and cream...I wonder why. My collage is named 3 Georges for the 3 George Washington images on the postage.

Collage week 23

Patterns in Pink

This week, my collage is a little different. I used a selection of hand made papers from my scrap box and combined them with rubber stamping, pen and ink, and a bird cut from letterpress makeready (makeready is the process that gets an image ready to print. I use paper over and over again to get the color and position of the letterpress plates in the correct spot and the patterns and textures that occur can be very interesting). I'm offering this collage as a print in my Etsy shop.

Collage week 22

New Cards

New in my Etsy shop is this letterpress note card. It's one of the illustrations from my 2014 calendar and was printed from my hand cut linoleum block. The image was inspired by the succulents and cacti that I have on the windowsill in my office. The white pot in the back was the inspiration for the middle pot on the card.

New Note Card

Nothing but Trouble

For some reason, the collage for this week gave me a lot of trouble. The first layer I put down was really ugly so I covered it up. I tried a rubber stamp and it smeared so I covered it up. Nothing was coming together. The result is a simple collage. Not a lot of layers or techniques. Just vintage wallpaper, 2 Japanese washi papers, a vintage Japanese match box label, a postage stamp and a Chinese character.

Collage week 21

Yellow Stamps

I just purchased several packs of vintage stamps. There were over 1000 of them and it took  some time to organize by color. Some of my favorites are the yellow and orange ones. My collage for week 20 is done on a 4" x 4" canvas. The background is made up of vintage papers with a bit of white acrylic paint. On top is a piece of marbled paper, a Russian rubber stamps, and 3 of my new vintage postage stamps - the yellow one is from Germany and the other two are from the Netherlands.

Collage week 20

Flea Market Finds

Last Sunday, I went to the flea market and I found some money. Vintage money. One of the vendors had a whole box full and each bill was $1. The detail and colors caught my eye. Of course I, the ephemera junkie, had to have some. Keep an eye out - they will soon be used in my collages.

Vintage Money

Tiny Butterfly Collage

For week 19, I've done another tiny collage on canvas. It measures just 2.5" x 3.5".  I started with a dark, chocolate brown acrylic paint, layered 3 different hand made papers and rubber stamped in gold ink. I then added a butterfly, some vintage music and my chop in Japanese characters. You would think a tiny collage would be easier than a large one, but they actually can take longer to get the layout just right.

Collage Week 19

Week 18

My collage for week 18 is a few days late but here it is. It started with a print of my ink bottle on a vintage postcard. I then mounted the card on a book cover from my stash of mid century Reader's Digest books. Add some hand made paper, a bit of music and a butterfly and the collage is done. I did a collage using the same ink bottle last year. You can see it here.

Collage week 18

I normally don't like to cut up perfectly good books, but many of the older Reader's Digest books that I have are cracked along the spine and starting to fall apart so I don't feel quite so badly. The cover's on the older books have wonderful patterns - I keep some for collaging and the rest just to keep.

In the Pink

My collage for week 17 started off with the urn of flowers - a scrap of my letterpress that is hand colored with watercolors. I found a piece of ikat patterned handmade paper in shades of pink and combined it with a piece of vintage wallpaper also done in shades of pink with gray and gold. Some rubber stamping in gold and another scrap of pink paper complete the collage. This one is done on a 5" square canvas.

Collage week 17

Wild Dagga

While on a hike, I saw this pretty orange flower and snapped a picture. When I got home, I did an internet search and found out that it is a "wild dagga" or "lion's tail", latin name "Leonotis leonurus". It's in the mint family and a native of Africa where it is used as an herbal medicine. You can read more about it here.

Wild Dagga

Art Exchange

I follow a blog - Four Corners Design - full of cool vintage ideas and inspiring art. Today I read about an art exchange that blogger Amy has started. So, I've decided to participate. If you want to join in, read on...

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Art is all about sharing as far as I'm concerned...sharing thoughts, ideas, viewpoints...and in this case, the actual art...check out this idea...
Pay It Forward Art-making Project for 2014
I'm participating in this art share project - I promise to make a small work of art for the first five people who comment on this post and say "YES, I want in". A 'like' alone is not enough of a commitment, nor is a comment about thinking this is a great idea...you need to sign on completely to participate...and in the end, increase your stash of original art five-fold!

You must in turn post the rules and make something for the first five who comment on your post...

The rules are simple:
– It has to be your work, made by you, and the recipient must receive it before 2014 ends.
– It can be anything art-based: a drawing/illustration or a conceptual work of art, a photograph, a knitted item, cross-stitch, paper maché – or anything in-between.

I'm paying this forward thanks to John Arbuckle. I've admired John's collage work and now I'm excited that I'll be getting a piece of original art from him...

PS. It doesn't matter if you aren't an artist, just want to try something out, google/ YouTube how to make stuff, step out of those boundaries...the sky's the limit...

Step 1 
 Copy & Paste this as your latest entry on your favorite social website (in my case, it’s this blog).
Step 2
For the first five people who comment on this blog post saying they want to participate, you will do an art trade with them that must be completed by December 31, 2014. I would count as the first person so technically you only need another four. If you find your friends are keen you can do as many as you want.
Step 3 All forms of art count including creative writing, photography, digital -- anything goes!

so the First Five...GO!
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If YOU decide to participate, you'll receive an original collage by moi (that french for me!)

Russian Roulette

My collage for week 16 started with the orange square at the bottom. I saw it in my paper drawer and thought I'd pull out all my orangy papers and see what came together. I am a hoarder of ephemera and all sorts of bits of paper. So out came a font catalog from House Industries (always really cool stuff in there) and on the back was a sample of Neutraface Slab Cyrillic (basically, Russian) in the perfect color scheme. Next I found a wrapper from a chocolate bar that a Russian co-worker had given me. And finally, I used a vintage rubber stamp in cyrillic (no idea what it says) that I purchased from an Etsy seller in Latvia. Rounding it off is a scrap of handmade orange paper, a decorative rubber stamp and the inside of a business envelope (have you ever noticed that business envelopes have a variety of patterns on the inside, some in blue and some in gray, in funny little patterns to thwart thieves?). My Russian Roulette collage is complete!

Collage Week 16

A note about the Russian chocolate bar...the bar is from the Krupskaya chocolate company which was named in honor of Lenin's wife, Nadya Krupskaya. She married Vladimir Lenin in 1898 and from 1929 to 1939 was the deputy minister of education. She died in 1939 and a Leningrad chocolate factory was renamed in her honor. You can read more about her here.

New Cards

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11 and I've got three new cards for Mother's Day in the shop.

Letterpress printed from a hand cut linoleum block

Letterpress printed from vintage wood type

Letterpress printed from a hand cut linoleum block

Bird Song

This week, my collage features vintage wallpaper, vintage music, some letterpress scraps and a bird. The type is part of the title from a piece of vintage music. I couldn't decide if it needed a pop of color but in the end, I left it with the more subdued sage green, brown and gold.

Collage Week 15

Recent Acquisition

Sometimes I find something I want on Ebay and bid my max knowing I probably won't be the winning bid. And sometimes I get surprised! I was the lucky high bidder (there were only 2 bids) on this fabulous mid century tile by Swedish designer Lisa Larson.

I had admired this bird tile for ages - I believe it dates to the 1960's and each one is glazed a little differently. It is now hanging on the wall in my office where I can admire it every day.

Lisa Larson was born in 1931 and worked at the Gustavsberg (Sweden) porcelain factory from 1953 to 1980. While some of her designs are still being produced (you can buy them here), I like the older pieces such as the Lilla Zoo series from 1955 (I'm hoping to acquire a fox someday...).

One thing I have found about shopping on Ebay-if you get outbid, the item will usually turn up again. And if it's too high priced the first time (or second, or third...) be patient because eventually someone will post the item at a price you can afford. Happy bidding!

Collage in Blue and Black

I have boxes of all kinds of scraps that I use for my collages. Sold papers, patterned papers, vintage wall paper, vintage ads, type, stamps...When I cut or tear a piece of paper, the remainder goes in the box for next time. My collage for week 14 was made from scraps that needed no altering - everything came out of my boxes as is in shape and size. I used some Japanese papers, Japanese newspaper and a Japanese postage stamp of a woman in traditional dress. The collage was done on a heavy weight textured paper (which doesn't show in the scan) and is approximately 5" x 5.5".

Collage Week 14

Collage Week 13

I love combining different kinds of type for my collages. My collage for week 13 is done on canvas. The background is made up of an old book page, part of a letter in Japanese, a piece of a vintage ledger and an old British ticket. I've then layered some blue and gold patterned Japanese washi paper, old sheet music and a tiny round label with the number 7.

I had actually done a different collage on this canvas, didn't like it, so collaged right on top. Sometimes, it just doesn't come out the first time.

Collage Week 13

What's Inside

Well, I finally opened my package. Very carefully, I slit one side. Curses, the inside package won't slide out. I carefully slit the inside package and ease out...a fabulous 18th century French document with the most beautiful handwriting. For your very own antique document, visit the shop Oscar Naylor on Etsy.

Lovely antique document

Beautiful Package

It's no secret that I purchase lots of hand crafted and vintage items online. Some have come in very nice, creative packaging. But I was absolutely floored today when I opened my mailbox and found the most beautiful package I have ever received. So beautiful, in fact, that I haven't even opened it yet. The seller said my package would be "well wrapped" and "packed with greatest care".  I expected some tissue in a cardboard mailer. What I received is an an envelope created from an antique document, collaged with washi tape, a vintage illustration in a paper hat and hand made labels. Stunning. Too pretty to open just now...maybe in a few days. All this from the Etsy shop Oscar Naylor, a purveyor of antique documents and other "French treasures". (You can also visit the artists' blog  La Belle Brocante to see beautiful photos and musings).
 

A package too pretty to open!

I do know what's inside...at least I have seen a picture. But you'll have to wait until I can bring myself to, very carefully, open a corner and slide my purchase out.

Collage Week 12

I don't know why but I've always liked doing artwork in a square format. My collage for week 12 is done on a 6" x 6" canvas. The background is stamping and acrylic paint. On top is collaged 2 different antique French documents, vintage music, 2 old postage stamps and a tiny bit of a Japanese letter.

Collage Week 12

Collage Week 11

Last week , my collage was done on a tiny 2.5" x 3.5" canvas. My collage for week 11 is done on a larger 5" x 7" canvas. It incorporates a page from a 19th century French ledger, vintage music, a piece of hand made paper from India, a vintage postcard, postage stamps, rubber stamps and last but not least, a a vintage Chinese ticket. I like using type as pattern and it doesn't really matter what is written or if it's in a different language.

Collage Week 11

Collage Week 10

My collage for week 10 is done on a tiny canvas. The back ground is acrylic paint with rubber stamped type. I then combined pieces of vintage French chocolate and perfume labels, and the border from an old book plate.

Collage Week 10

Around the Office

Sitting on my windowsill is this beautiful lucite bird made by the Brazilian artist Abraham Palatnik. It dates from the 1960's- 1970's. The sunlight comes through the bird, highlighting the pattern and color. You can see more of Palatnik's pieces here on Pinterest. The small red glass bird was a flea market find for $1.

Collage Week 9

Here's another collage done on a paint sample chip - this time a single color. I used hand carved rubber stamps in the background in different shades of blue. I then used some scraps of decorative paper, another hand stamped piece cut with a scallop circle die, a vintage ticket and parts of a type sample book.

Collage Week 9

Collage Week 8

Here in sunny California, unlike most of the country, we're having warm spring weather. Of course, this does have it's drawbacks. Namely, drought conditions since it's our rainy season and not a cloud in the sky. This in turn means my yard is dead and brown and not springy green. So in response, my collage for week 8 is what my yard should look like - green and leafy.

I started with a paint chip sample card in 4 shades of green. It's combined with rubber stamps, handmade and decorative papers, some vintage music and a piece of an old bookplate. The cut paper vase is embellished with pen and ink and the paint chip is backed with vintage wallpaper and mounted on a heavy weight textured paper.

Collage Week 8

Vintage Matchbook Covers

In honor of the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, I'm posting some vintage matchbook covers from my collection. These are from Russia and depict winter scenes in great graphic style. I think they date from the 1960's and they measure approximately 2" tall x 1.25 " wide. I got mine on Ebay - there's always lots of fun ones to choose from and they're not terribly expensive.

Valentine's Day Collage

My collage for week 7 is Valentine's Day inspired, of course. The collage is done on an antique red book cover. It combines handmade and vintage papers with rubber stamps. I never want to cut up an old book to use it for collaging, but if the book is already falling apart I do take advantage.

Collage Week 7
 

Collage Week Six

I love to collage on vintage bingo cards - they make a great graphic canvas. Like week 5, my collage for week six is another done on a bingo card. I've combined it with a piece of a round playing card, some vintage wallpaper, rubber stamps, type from an antique book cover and piece of an old postcard.

Collage Week 6

Collage - Week 5

My collage for week 5 was inspired by quilt designs. Decorative hand made papers are collaged on a bingo card along with some rubber stamping. The bingo card is mounted on a heavy weight rag paper. I think I may get out my sewing machine and do some stitching on top.

Collage Week 5

New Valentine Cards

I created two new Valentine cards this year. The first one is letterpress printed from calligraphy I did a few years ago. It's printed on a nice pearlescent paper.

The second card is printed from vintage wood letterpress type. I was trying to get away from having every Valentine's card red and pink so I printed this one in red and aqua. I've always liked this color combination. It's blank inside so could be used for other occasions.

Both cards are available in my Etsy shop.

Collages - Weeks 3 and 4

Here is the collage for week 3. It was done on a cover from an old Reader's digest and incorporates an antique postcard from Hungary, vintage wall paper, a butterfly print and rubber stamps.

Collage Week 3

Next is the collage for this week - week 4. It was also done on an old Reader's Digest book cover. Other elements include a vintage business card with a Japanese-looking fan, handmade paper and stamp from India, rubber stamps and vintage paper scraps.

Collage Week 4

I think I'm caught up in my weeks. Next week will be week 5 and collage no.5!