Vintage papers and how I use them in my work….plus some great new finds at Home Depot!

Hello to you and happy Super Bowl Day!!

Yes it’s a holiday around our house!!

I finished a piece last night with some amazing vintage papers that I found at a toy train show of all places!  My husband is a huge toy train fan and I love to go and enjoy with him. Fortunate for me, always looking for vintage items, I lucked upon a vendor that was selling all kinds of maps, records and various train memorabilia for very inexpensive prices!  I found an entire accounting ledger full of handwriting dated in the 1950’s…..it’s amazing and to most people it’s just an old book that’s been written in, but the writing is my favorite part.  Imagine over 60 years ago an accountant and engineer for a train company diligently wrote down expenses and income, thinking it was a mere form of record for himself and his business…..I wonder what he would think now knowing it has become part of my art?  Would he think I’m crazy?  Would he be thrilled?  Wherever he or she is now, they are now a part of me and I find that so moving and the connection so powerful that I have a difficult time putting it into words…..Their energy is now a part of my work and find it a fascinating aspect of my job…if you can call it a job!!

Here’s the book and an example of a page….

                                Below is the piece I worked on using the first pages of this book, the earthy tones really give it that vintage feel that I wanted.  EVERY SINGLE Paint used in this piece is from my favorite place, let’s say it together…HOME DEPOT!  They are all textured or metallic samples of Martha Stewarts line of paints.  The metallics are amazing and the textures range from crackle paints to the dark brown which you would swear is gritty mud smeared on the canvas with a knife….I also used some texture tools I got at the train show as well, a metal bristled “toothbrush” meant to clean track, but makes great texture in molding paint etc.  So for around five dollars a piece you get some great new textures and colors in good sized bottles that last a long while.  So here is the piece with a close up of the pages out of the Train Log along with an image that reminded me of my grandmother…..

           

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First Tip for Multi-tasking Multi-media

Number 1…We all know that when organizing things…the way that

looks the prettiest is not always the way it works the best.  It might look

lovely to have your carving tools in a nice little bowl you made yourself

 looking all Martha Stewart, until you reach for one and cut yourself on the

plethora of upstanding blades!  So the pretty bowl must go or we

must find a way to display them for our own creative purposes (and safety)

and not for the “magazine look”…Yes I found this out the hard way! 🙂

Now DOWN facing blades for block carving! Not as pretty but safer...

However despite this mistake I did manage to carve another hummingbird

Purchase on http://www.etsy.com/shop/AmrtaGoods

last night…

As a last note you never know when those little organizing tips will

jump out at you…I desperately needed to keep about six rolls of

different types of tape together and easy to get to with no

drawer or basket space…then I ran across an extra-large stitch holder

used for knitting (looks like a HUGE safety-pin) so I put them all

on there….voila!  Simple but made my hour!

So today we started with one organizing tip, 1. Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it’s practical… And Practical is a NECESSITY for Multi-Tasking, so this week we’ll start with my first book project Collage Lab.  I’ve already made my own book with this one’s projects…and I’m only a few chapters in.  See you all soon!  Windy