Green Paper

Your August Calendar...

Here's the August page from the 1898 Lucile calendar, perfect for August 2011 as well. Don't forget to click twice to get the largest size before saving to your computer.

I've really enjoyed this calendar. It matchs this year, and the illustrations have been so beautiful in my gluebook. I've really had fun with this one.

Unfortunately, next year is a leap year which is making it doubly hard to find a great calendar to match the months. I'll keep working on it!

Vintage Gluebook Pages...

The latest pages in my vintage gluebook...

 
  
 
 What have you been up to?

I thought you might like these...

I thought you might get a kick out of these 2 trade cards. They're a little shabby but the images are terrific. Be sure to click each image twice to get the largest size before saving.

  

They're the weight of an average piece of card stock, so I recommend copying these onto medium weight paper, to better duplicate the originals.

Please send me a picture of what you make with the images - I would love to see!

Patterned Papers...

I was asked a while back about some of the patterned papers I use in my gluebook. Were they scrapbook paper that could be purchased somewhere? I keep meaning to do a blog post to respond, so here goes!

I use papers I've created with patterns from a variety of sources. Here are a few examples:

The following paper was copied from an end paper in an antique book. This is one of the papers included in my Collage Basics class.

 
This next one is created from a portion of one of my Antique Holy Cards, that's the original card on the right. I don't think this one is available anywhere yet, but the Holy Card it came from is HERE.

 
The one below was created from a portion of a page in an antique French Zoology book. See the strip of bees at the top of the page?   This is also available in the Collage Basics class (even though it says Collage Club for some reason...)In case you think creating your own papers is hard, the 2nd and 3rd patterns were created using the software Microsoft Paint. It comes with Microsoft Windows, so if you have Windows you already have Paint.  I demonstrate how I make these papers in the Your Vintage Gluebook class - it's so quick that students were showing their patterns in the Flickr group on the day I posted the lesson!

Creating your own patterned paper is a wonderful way to truly personalize your art. There's nothing like using your own papers and images to make your work really individual!

If you don't already do this, I hope you give it a try because you WILL become addicted, I promise!

By the way, if you're ever curious about where I got a pattern or image I am using, I'm happy to share the info. Just email me or leave a comment and I'll get back to you with the source.

Artful Gathering is Open!

Yay! The Artful Gathering video classes have started and I'm having so much fun with the artists in my Deconstructing Books class. 

If you'd like to hear my thoughts on buying books, see my methods for taking apart books and learn some quick, easy & fun things to do with your old books, this is your chance.

There's still plenty of time to register and get in on the action, I would love to see you there!

Sometimes I worry about myself...

I keep forgetting things...LOTS of things.  I might forget to do something...or I will do something and forget I did it... I don't seem to be forgetting any more than other people I know who are my age. But it's so frustrating when it's you.

So, what's it this time? The collage challenge paper package winner. Remember that I pick a winner on the 9th? Well, I did pick a winner. (#4 - one of my my crafting buddies, Beth from Gathering Dust) Then I realized my camera battery was dead and I needed to recharge it so I could take a picture of the winning number. Because you can't post about it without a picture, right? By the time the battery was recharged, I was already distracted by something else and forgot all about taking the picture.

 
Did I email Beth to tell her she won? Nope, forgot that too...Did I actually tell Beth WHEN I SAW HER TODAY? No, but I did have a feeling there was something I needed to tell her...

So when I got home from crafting today, and I saw the tea cup with the numbers in it, still sitting pretty waiting to have its picture taken...well I feel pretty silly.

So, congratulations Beth, I have a cool pack of dictionary paper for you. I can mail it, or give it to you the next time I see you - I promise not to forget. (stop laughing)

On a happier note, I did some gluebook spreads today, here they are:

I like this one:

 
These 2 are ok:

 
 
Don't like this one much at all:

 
That's it for me...unless I forgot something.

July Collage Challenge!

Happy July! I have some pretty pictures for our July Collage Challenge, so I hope you're ready to play along! 

In the sheet this month is a lovely lady, Miss Helen Pitkin. She's accompanied by an old shoe store trade card and a torn 10 cent ticket.  

 Capture the jpeg version of the sheet above, or download the easy-print PDF:  Download July 2011 collage sheet

Do you remember how this works?

1. Create any piece of art using at least part of each of the 3 images
2. Post your work on your blog or Flickr album
3. Link to it with the linky below so we can all visit you and see your creation

You'll need to post your art by Friday, July 8th. On Saturday the 9th I'll draw one entry to win a fabulous paper prize package of 25 assorted antique French Dictionary pages - one of my favorite collage staples:

  Good luck to everybody!

 

I can't wait to see what you create!