Altered Book Journal Pages

No junk luck this weekend so I spent some time playing with the altered book project. Since there was no junk to be had I stopped in at Borders and treated myself to the Winter issue of ART Journaling. As I read through the magazine I realized that my collection of quotes really is like a journal. I didn't compose them but the words are still meaningful to me. I never thought of myself as a "journaler" but hey, maybe. I hope Oregon Public Broadcasting doesn't track me down and sue me for using this picture I tore out of their recent broadcast listing. I thought it conveyed the mood of the words perfectly. My complements to the photographer and, trust me, no profit will be derived from my use of it! Ditto to the person who spoke the words on the left page. Sadly, I did not record who it was and have not been able to find out by Googling. Geeze, maybe I should just hit delete right now. You know I enjoy genealogy so I am always on the look-out for great quotes relating to that topic. In case you can't double-click and make it big enough to read it says: The story changes somewhat over the years as older generations of the family tell it to newer ones. But somehow no one ever gets too tired to tell it, or too bored to listen. In the end, it isn't so much that we're in the story but that the story is in us. Ah yes. My handwriting on the left side leaves much to be desired, okay let's just say it looks pathetic, and hopefully showing these pages will get me to practice. I had lovely cursive handwriting once upon a time. I could tell a tale of repetitive-motion injury and a tendon release but instead I will just say I need to stop being lazy and practice. I have picked up a couple books on the topic and there are some beautiful examples in this new magazine. I need to spend some quality time with a Pitt pen and some lined paper! Let's see if I can make that one of my goals for this year.

Glass Half Full

I was rearranging some things on the art room walls today and realized I don't think I ever posted this. Maybe letting my odd out of the closet with those little cans in the last post started something - LOL! People who me know will say I am an optimist {or maybe a happy fool} but I really do look for the positive in situations, even if it is just the lesson learned. I love this quote.

Fun With Tin Cans

In my last post I mentioned I have been playing around with something in the art room. I struggled with putting them out in the world since that lets my weird sense of humor out of the closet but my friend, Carol, reminded me that everybody already knows I'm weird so [big gulp] here goes. Click the photo larger for a closer look.
These are all made from salvaged Altoids tins that I patinaed then Mod Podged with photocopies of old photos. Using original photos would be cool but they need to be sized to fit the lid. I did use distressing ink to give them a little age and might try color copying next time to capture the original patina.
I made the captions using text boxes in Word making the text white and the fill black. I was going for the look of old-school photo albums with black pages and handwritten captions in white pencil.
The inside of the lids are covered in black scrapbook paper with white dots and the inside bottom is covered with black felt. I like the look of the patina so I left the sides and bottoms plain.
I had a LOT of fun making these so now I'm on the hunt for more tins. The Altoids company started embossing the tops so the newer ones don't lent themselves to altering. I cannot think WHY they thought that was a good idea. Sheesh!

Sunday Bling Pick

It was a busy weekend so I only found time for a quick dash through the VofA but I am glad I stopped in because I am thrilled with these great finds.
Not one, not two, but a whole dish full of vintage rhinestone bling PLUS some of the sweetest playing cards I have seen. They are Congress Cards in the lovely old flocked boxes that have little pull-out drawers. I love the way the corners look like turned-up satin. Love.
I have also been working on a little project in the art room that I hope to have ready to show soon......

The Altered Book of Quotes - Janis Joplin

There hasn't been much recreational time in the art room this week so I thought I'd show you a couple more pages from the altered book project.
I am (was??) a huge Janis Joplin fan - a shooting star burned out way too soon!

The aqua flowers are done with a stencil and Golden Fiber Paste then outlined with a Pentalic Graphite 8B pencil - both supplies I would like to spend a whole lot more time experimenting with.
Hope you're all having a good week. I am SO ready for Spring!!!

Looking for Relaxation in All the Right Places

I had been burning my candle at both ends for several weeks and ended up not feeling well so I was SO excited to get to spend the day last Saturday with a good friend enjoying one of my favorite pastimes - junking! I can't think of a better way to relax than just visiting and snacking and treasure hunting.
We stopped first an an estate sale but I didn't find much there. Most of my loot came from a thrift store called Deseret. It has been around for a long time but I never stopped in until recently. My friend had never been there so it was brand new for her.

This is just a wonderful store. I can't believe it took me so long to discover it and oh, my, I can imagine all the things I have missed out on. It is marvelous to shop in this store. They keep everything neat and clean and it feels almost like shopping in a department store except the prices are FAR below what Goodwill charges. And their bags are even cute for crying out loud.

Plus they "get it" and put their Christmas and other holiday goods out year-around.

Right around the corner from Deseret there is a practically new Salvation Army store. A "Super Store" they call it. It occupies the footprint of the defunct Linens and Things so it is very large and modern. I am not particularly fond of the way they sort things. The have a special section at the front where they put the items they deem to be vintage or collectible. And then they wait for what I think will be a very long time. Now I think those old tall black typewriters are neat and I wouldn't mind owning one if I could think where to put it but $500?? Get real. I think they are going to wiping the dust off that until the cows come home. Not to totally diss the Salvation Super Store, I have to tell you the very best part. Right smack in the middle they have a little bistro. It is clean and adorable and sells fancy coffee and juice and fresh sandwiches and the like. A thrift store where you can go out for lunch. No kidding! If they served cocktails it would be perfect and they might have a better chance selling that $500 typewriter!

More jewelry boxes - I know, I know. At some point I'm going to have to think of what to store in them so they can earn their keep for the space they are taking up. The roses in this picture are really interesting. They seem to be made from petal shaped shavings of wood.

On Sunday I headed out on my own to the old, reliable VofA. They rarely disappoint!

That glass apothecary jar is not vintage, it has a sticker on the bottom from Bath and Body Works and says hand wash, not dishwasher safe. Huh? How could a glass jar not be dishwasher safe. Don't get that.

So others can have their spa days but I'll take a weekend of junking R&R to get MY mojo back in order!

Sweet Surprise from a Dear Blogger

I just have to show off this Christmas Morning I found in my mailbox. My sweet blog friend, Annette, at SewManyMemories makes the most heavenly scented sachets. I ordered one that is embellished with a vintage hankie {imagine that!} from her Etsy store. Much to my delight, it arrived snuggled up with all these other goodies!
I am so blown away and grateful for her generosity! Every single item is that "good stuff" Karla challenged us to use. I think Annette used the good stuff to make someones day. How sweet is that?

As I unwrapped each little beautifully wrapped packaged the sachet perfumed my whole art room. It was so lovely I kept it right there for a whole day before I tucked it away in its intended home.

My favorite piece is the "Token of Friendship" heart. This will stay with me forever to remind me of Annette's generosity.

Don't hate me because I'm so lucky!

"The Good Stuff" Challenge

The very talented Karla Nathan at Karla's Cottage threw down a challenge for her readers to use some of "the good stuff" in their projects. The GOOD stuff. The treasures we accumulate but for whatever reason, hold so near and dear that we don't ever commit them to a project because then we won't "have" them anymore.

Yes, it sounds a little like hoarding, doesn't it! Maybe Karla is trying to save us from ourselves - LOL! These special treasures are different things for different people. I can tear a vintage book to pieces without batting an eye - just get out the smelling salts and ask my DIL. Ask me to cut up my vintage hankies or part with a glass rhinestone button, well good gawd, somebody bring me the crying towel.

It took me so long to muster up the courage that I barely finished in time for the deadline. I used a gorgeous sheer rose patterned hankie and I used two (two!) glass rhinestone buttons and THE UNIVERSE DID NOT CRACK OPEN, although I did feel some quaking in my heart.

I have to confess that I did not cut the hankie. Couldn't do it. Just could not close the scissors. Even though it is irreversibly committed to this little collage it is just folded and held in place with stitching, glue and seed beads. I did however {GASP} cut the shank off one of the buttons.

Okay, been there, proved I could do it, now I am going back to hoarding. Thank you, Karla, for trying! I am linking up with the challenge over at Karla's and heading over there now to see how everyone else fared. There are bound to be some beautiful creations so be sure and check it out!