Marsbarn Designs...

Spring break Collage, part 2

This is another collage by Sweet G. I really appreciate
the way she used the textures of the papers she used.

This is a collage I made.  I was really slow in creating
anything this time.  But really, it's been AGES since I've
done any collages beyond valentines.  Obviously,
I need to this more often.

This collage, I was really pleased with. The background
is a page from the Cyclopedia, and I loved the page
heading at the top.  The word puzzle card is another
piece of ephemera I've picked up this month.  It's a 
vocabulary card that is part of thousand+ card set, 
in its original box, no less.

Collage with family

Another fabulous deal that followed us home from
the Expo Antique show was a giant (GIANT) bag of
postage stamps.  It was a bargain. 

During Spring Break we had a collage day with Grand M,
Auntie O, Sweetheart G, and myself.

Grand M made these wonderful collages with some of 
the stamps.  I love the textures created in the repetitions.

This is a collage Auntie O made. I loved the way she
cut the stamps to fit the contours of the map.

This is a collage Sweetheart G made. The fern
is an illustration from the Cyclopedia, and sushi grass;
I'm such a sucker for sushi grass.

This is another collage by Sweet G. I love her uses of
color here. That bluegreen stamp with the orange 
just sings in the original. 

It was a great day.  So relaxing.  So fun.

Universal knowledge in cyclopedic form

At the beginning of March, we (a gaggle of 7) went
to the big Expo Antique show.  Auntie H and Cousin M
flew across country to attend with us.
It was a grand show. 

 

My purchase of the show was a set of cyclopedias.
Cyclopedias of Universal Knowledge, no less.

The best part of my set of 4 books?
Beyond the $25 price tag,
was the condition.  The spines are shot, but the pages
are lovely, high quality, non-musty, non-mildewed paper.
In other words, perfect for art.
With the spines beyond repair, I had no qualms about
buying the books with dissection in mind.  
The illustrations are wonderful,and the subjects divine.  
Most of the entries were written in the 1880's
and early 1890's,  so there is a flavor of science and
research driven knowledge, but still a whim of datedness.
Phrenology is still hot, and the Eiffel Tower is still
temporary, octopi have a single eye, but we know
that muscle is made up of fibers. Oh, and if you 
were unsure of how to use a fork, we've got you covered.

Need? No. Desire? Yes!

I've been lusting (yes, lusting) after antique
typewriters for some time now.
I'd started bookmarking typewriters for sale on Etsy,
and eyeing ones in local shops.
And, I couldn't tell you exactly why I wanted one.
I just did.

Oh, sure I  have ideas about how I'd use one.
They are all artsy, undefined reasons,
like I'd use it to write things to use in stuff, like collage.

There is also the aesthetic of a typewriter.
The little chrome coated arm that pushes the carriage back
and advances the paper, and the sound that makes.
The black carrying case. The keys. The font.

And then, about a week and half ago, while with my mom,
in the midst of my lingering cold, I found one.

Oh happy dance!  Isn't it LOVELY?!

Even the Tank is smitten.

playing a bit of catch up

So, while the computer was getting its star spa treatment,
in between the seaweed wrap and herbal detox,
we did a little thing called Valentine's Day.

There were hugs and kisses.

(I had fun renewing my relationship with embossing powder.
Happily, I discovered that embossing powder will keep for at least twenty years.
Ya, what does that say about my craft hoarding habits?)

 

And there were sweet sentiments in felt.

Of the valentines I made this year, this was my favorite.
It's made from felt.  The heart shaped words are interchangeable, and live (when not in use) in that little pocket.

The hearts have little slits cut in them to slip over the buttons.  

I used this valentine from JCasa *handmade as my inspiration, but I stamped my words on instead of embroidering them. 

The bird cutouts are from FIX Designs in New Zealand. 
They sell wonderful, wonderful things, with the fastest international shipping EVER! 

 

And there was just a bit of snarkiness to keep things from getting sappy.

(This is one of Big E's valentines. The illustration is recycled from a calendar by Linnea Designs.)

All of the valentines above were made at the group valentine making sessions I had this year.  I definitely want to do it again next year!

 

Monthly art, would it be so difficult?

One of my goals for this school year is to have a monthly art day.  Production isn't so much my goal, but I want designated time to explore and play with different mediums, and I want to share this with friends.

This is another of the collages I made on Labor Day.

This collage was made by my sister, the Lovely O.

I really liked the play on tones and the cut out circle she created in the chocolate packaging.

For the first time ever, my sister, the Artful I, joined us in our art making.  This is one of her pieces. She brought her collection of watch parts (see the metal circle in the upper left hand corner?).  It was a real treat to have her here with us.

Little e spent hours creating with us.  She as focused, and remarkably non-wiggly.  She created several paper collages as well as a couple of paintings.

Whenever I see Little e paint, I think "This is something I should encourage more."

This is one of a series of Elf cards Sweet G made. I love the texture of the wings.

More of our collages can be seen here.

End of Summer Collages

To mark the end of Summer Vacation,  we had an all day art event.  Fueled by homemade cinnamon rolls, and inspired by the presence of Auntie I and Auntie O we collaged the day away!  The whole event was Sweetheart G's idea.

Here are three of my finished collages:

These collages are all postcard sized, and are backed by watercolor paper.

 

Most of the elements are sewn on, but I also used my sticker machine and some acrylic medium.

 

What a fabulous way to spend the last day before school!

Thanks to Sweetheart G, little e, Auntie I, and Auntie O!

Giving and more Valentine daring

Before I get into the frivolity of Valentine's Day, I wanted to mention the efforts by Serendipity to raise money for the Australian Red Cross on behalf of the Victorian Bush Fires.  Giving to the Australian Red Cross is easy (it took me under two minutes) and entering the drawings at Serendipity just adds to the feeling of goodwill!

Okay.

Valentine's Day.

I think it is fairly obvious to anyone who has seen my craft area, been in my house, or passed within a mile of me on the street... I collect things. Bits. Bobs. Shiny, dull, sharp. I hoard. I gather.  And occasionally, I try to use.  I have reams of paper remains I have collected to use in collage.  Books, calendars, letters, photos, adverts, chopstick wrappers.. But there is this... problem I encounter when it comes to cutting into my treasures.  I hesitate, I wait, I gather but never use.

Enter the 2008 Nikki McClure calendar.  Now, I bought this calendar last year with the specific plan to enjoy and then destroy reuse it, and to my surprise that is exactly what I have done.  In a fit of bravado I applied my scissors to not just the calendar but to one of the maps given to me last year.  A lovely European tour map from the late 60s.  Madness, I tell you! Madness.

And this is the Valentine I came up with. 

Happy Day After Valentine's everyone!

Ghosts

My day: Valentines delivered, flowers remembered (after a week of procrastination), strawberries to be picked up, two class parties to go, three more valentines to make, some kitchen cleaning while listening to Taylor Mali (thanks Bunny and Claude!) then feeling vaguely underachieving (which isn't necessarily bad), being glad that my sore throat is feeling better but really hating that metallic taste at the back of my throat which climbs up my sinuses making the whole world seem faintly vile. 

It is not a bad day.  It is just a day with reservations; a day in transition between work-a-day and weekend.  There are all of these ghosts around me... ideas unfulfilled, thoughts lost and found, projects untouched, people missed.. it is one of the rarest of days where I truly miss having a dog to pull my day forward.

(The valentine garland reads "Even miles apart our love is with you".)

Play with words collage

This is the last of the collages I made with the Wonderous O. It is my entry in Cloth Paper Scissors "Play On Words" challenge. 

 

I included a three dimensional element with these doors that open onto the "other side", and of course I had to use some sushi grass.  (After all, I now have more than 200 pieces after my shopping adventures with Chrysanthemum in November!)  

I'm happy with how it came out.  I don't normally associate much "content" in my collages, preferring to play with color over message, so this was a bit of a stretch for me.  I don't know that anyone not familiar with my life will "get" the imagery, but it talks to me, so I guess that's all that matters.