Good Morning, Friends! I am still fighting this cantankerous cold. I feel pretty decent other than the fact that I get tired after doing like 25% less than I normally do. I have also been *perish the super-mom thought", napping on the couch in the, get this...middle of the afternoon. So, I digress......since I haven't been able to do as much art as usual, I've been using the "down time" to do my "hunting and gathering". Now, if you are a collage, crafty person, quilter, etc., you know that there is a great amount of hunting and gathering involved in making what we do. We....erm...kinda, sorta, have an issue with hoarding stuff (well, some of us, not me, not you, just some of us). But anyhoo, I have learned over time to keep only what I like and pass other things along. Now, since being part of the art community here I've been able to swap fun things with other art friends. I recently swapped with an artist I really admire,
Nicola. She sent me this beautiful ephemera pack. She was so nice to include little cards with the letter's spelling ARTJUNKGIRL (see above)! I just looooove all the goodies she sent me, exactly the things I like! I hope she likes what I sent her as well. It's so much fun putting these little packs together. Sometimes I like doing that almost as much as collaging! Anyhow, as I was saying, I've been hunting and gathering as of late. I put in a few orders for new images for my little squares (in which I am running very, very low!), and I also bid on a few vintage magazines on ebay. Hopefully by the time this comes in I will be raring to go! I also wanted to share what I got on a recent trip to the used book store inside a local library. How can you beat buying wonderful vintage books and helping "friends of the library!" The volunteers that work there are also so pleasant, wonderful, helpful and fellow book lovers! I was just explaining "altered books" to a friend the other day and explained that it is "legal" to alter a book and that I know so being that I am a self-professed book-lover, I checked it out first! I even found that there is a "society" of Altered Book
Artists. A wonderful, non-profit site, check it out
here. So, where was I? Oh, yeah,
I went in search of a poetry book for a class I am taking at
Art and Soul. I know it is going to be here before I know it so I am starting to get my supply list together now. I hunted and hunted for the "right" book. I couldn't find one. Finally, after purchasing a few other craft books (for a grand total of 6 dollars), I found the "one" as I was leaving. I opened up this book to find dried roses inside! How lovely is that!
The book seemed loved and special so this is the one I will use for my class. I also found this cool pattern there (they had a whole box but mostly newer stuff and I way like 50's-60's).
I also found this fab 3 volumes called "Needlecraft". They have sewing, crochet, and many other projects inside with great pictures~) I was excited to find these and I will surely refer to them this year as I delve into some other projects on my new years creative goal list. Speaking of new year's resolutions...remember the "un-resolutions" I made? I may have to "eat my words" on the weigh-in one. I may be driving myself to the "weigh-in place" after my cold is over. I like gathering, but not in my mid section, and that has got to go!!! Ok, well, enough ramblings for today. Hope to get myself back together soon and share more art with you. In the meantime, I'll be storing up some inspiration to share. xo Lia
Don't you love this square-tastic page! Hmmm...a square quilt collage with fabric, or even a purse.......I must be feeling better now...
