From the Bookshelf

This is a charming and informative little volume that wanders its way through different neighbourhoods in the city by the bay.  We meet a divergent group of people, architecture, activities and a myriad way of getting words down on paper.  We see the city through Maisel's eyes and his writing.  Beautifully illustrated by Paul Madonna, it's the perfect size to slip into your journal bag and take with you, pull out and peruse while you're at the cafe or the park.  For journalers, writers and anyone who loves San Francisco.

Invoice Journal

My latest daily journal is a different format than I've ever tried.  When I saw this book  I knew It would be something wonderful to play around with.  The cut-out letters on the front,

and instead of regular paging inside - two folders to hold the book and a map (or in my case - to hold the vintage invoices that would become the journal entries.  I added the line of resin books  (which I picked up in a hardware store in Oxfordshire) on the cover over the original illustration.

I have a vast collection of  invoices from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  I've spent some time altering them
and using them in various artworks - but I thought "Hey - wouldn't they make great journal pages?"

 So that's what I've done, I add a few bits of old tariff stamps, 

rub-ons and rubber stampings to the front,

 And write my daily entry on the back of each invoice, if I need more room I just continue onto another invoice.   It's working out great and I love handling and using the marvelous old paper, seeing the beautiful Copperplate writing and seeing the century old prices!

Keep Calm and Perry On

Driving back from a chemo session in LA a few weeks ago - we saw this license plate - well, it only took me a moment to go from "Perry On" to "Keep Calm and Perry On", which seemed to me to be the perfect slogan for me while I'm receiving chemo.

I found this file, asked Destiny to photoshop it for me and

 Margot printed it out on an ink-jet cotton transfer.

She then sewed to the back of this hoodie, 

which I will wear when I go down for my sessions.

"Keep Calm and Perry On" - that's my plan!

A Small but Tasty Score

My friend Destiny gave me a gift certificate to our local Restore/Habitat shop for my birthday and the other day I finally got a chance to use it.  I love the pulleys in various sizes and already have a steampunk idea for them.  The blue drain strainers caught my eye for their interesting pattern and beautiful colour.  Margot found the cool industrial-looking toggle switch, and one can never have too many funky fuse boxes.  Not a lot - but plenty to get the inspiration and creativity flowing!

Well Scored!

Last weekend was not only the huge rummage sale

 at the Presbyterian Church in Cambria,

 but the All City -wide Garage Sale here in Morro Bay. 

 And I did score well indeed.

Two rubber stamps, that I've already put to use.

Two happy skulls for friend Destiny.

  A Beatrix Potter Taylor of Gloucestershire figure, 

a steampunk-y gauge and a charming little cup with a lovely engraving.

 Tubes of beads, and a truly retro "Safety Beanie"!

And, the best - cabinet cards and carte di visite!  

Can we say "Happy girl"?

Tag-a-mania!

A few last tags before I start on some new assemblages I have in mind. I used

 Tim Holtz  Distress Paints and Inks and Layering Stencils, and 

Mary Beth Shaw's Web and Gear stencil.  Stamps are from Invoke Arts 

and Our Lady of Rubber.  Time clock and rose stamp not accredited.

The technique was using painted stencils as a monoprint.

 Then layering with inks and misting, and  stamping focal points.

The amount of water you mist on the painted stencil

 gives a sharper or more loose background.

Interesting effect, as it gives a rather impressionist feel,

 as if the focal  stampings are showing 

through the back ground, instead of the other way around.

So, putting the tag techniques away for awhile - 

and now to rusty gears and old watch parts!

Tagged

And even more tags - I find these fun to do and with

 my current energy leve lthey work out great.

This technique is embossing through a layering stencil, flicking off some of the powder,

 then going in with a second colour of ink 

to give an distressed enamel look.

Finishing off with more ink and focal images.

Using Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Layering Stencils 

and stamps from Martha Stewart and Our Lady of Rubber.

Life on the Coast

Egrets and Angus share a spring green
 meadow just south of Cambria.

From the Bookshelf

My friend Leanne (whose studio we visited on the blog awhile back) sent me this book.  She is a fearless creator and will try anything, using anything, to feed her artistic soul.  This volume Paper, Metal and Stitch -Creating Surfaces with Color and Texture is full of fantastic projects that combine disparate materials to make gorgeous, over the top patinas and textures. Amazon says "Textile artists eagerly continue to explore new and exciting surfaces for their work, and paper and metal are among the most popular materials for adding color and texture to stitched pieces. Incorporating everything from cut, molded, and shaped handmade papers to glittering meshes, wires, and coils, this essential collection—created by two world-class artists and authors—offers great suggestions for producing books, panels, icons, frames, and more. Just bring your enthusiasm and a swing-needle sewing machine!"

We are planning to pick a few projects from the book and see what we come up with.  One thing I know for sure - if Leanne's involved - it will be a massive amount of creative fun!

Tag Along

Working my way through more of the techniques from 

Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry 102.

These two tags use a background of
 Distress Paint stamped images

that then provide a resist for layers of ink and stenciling.

These use a technique of stenciling,
then stamping through the stencil,

before adding more ink and a focal point stamp.

The last one uses a stencil to monoprint on the tag by

 inking the back of the stencil and spraying with water before

placing and rubbing the stencil on the tag.

Above, before adding focal stamps,

and here, after.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Paints and Inks
and Layering Stencils, and Mary Beth Shaw's Web stencil.

 Stamps are from Stampers Anonymous and Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers.