Green Paper

Inspiration...

Have you seen video of the recent Louis Vuitton fashion show? It begins with an actual train pulling into the room, between the 2 sides of the runway! I think there's some fun vintage inspiration here. The theme seems very steampunk to me, especially the sunglasses some of the models are wearing. And I love the baggage handlers!

So, if you haven't seen the video yet, take about 5 minutes to enjoy it HERE.

Holiday Gifts and Decorations, Part 2:

I'm bringing you another great handmade-gift tutorial, this time from my crafting buddy, Karla Nathan. And this one is only $6.00!!! 

Karla's Cuff Bracelet Tutorial walks you though everything you need to know to decorate a cuff bracelet. Karla uses fabrics and lace bits, broken jewelry and velvet ribbon to decorate hers, and she'll show the easiest ways to do it. She has stunning results. I have seen her cuffs in person and seen the tutorial, both are fabulous.

She's also offering a few supply kits in her Boutique, if you'd like to grab everything at once - the cost of the kit includes the tutorial.

If you pick one up, tell her I said Hi!

Making Holiday Gifts and Decorations?

I've been seeing a lot of great hand-made gift ideas out there this year and I thought I would share in case you're looking for inspiration. You can get really amazing results in a few easy steps when you know how, and some of the tutorials I've seen lately have really impressed me. 

Today, these adorable Altered Ballet Slippers from Lisa at Tarnished and Tattered. These are so cool displayed on their own, but also wonderful as ornaments and included in assemblages and shadowboxes. What a great way to showcase a little ballerina's first dancing shoes.

Those of you trying to use up some treasures (like I am!) will have a field day decorating these - fabrics, lace, bits of old jewelry... I have Lisa's tutorial and it's really great. Clear photos, step by step instuctions and simple techniques. This is a very do-able project with impressive results, so you might want to check it out.

If you don't have any of the raw materials or you'd like to pick up some great embellishments for these, Lisa has been trying to keep her Etsy store stocked with kits. I think there's only one in there today, but I'm sure she'll have more in there soon.

I know that Lisa's kits are always filled with beautiful vintage goodness, you will be so impressed. 

My Post on Gingersnap Creations

My last Muse post is on the Gingersnap Creations blog - I hope you can stop by and take a look, HERE.

It's a little tutorial about the blended paper technique I use, especially on ATCs. I originally covered the technique in my Collage Coterie online class, which was held last year.

If you've never tried this easy technique, I hope you give it a shot!

Wall Art Inspiration

I spotted this picture on the Restoration Hardware site. Notice the wall art?

Those appear to be framed pages of sheet music - not the decorated covers, but the pages of music itself. They look beautifully graphical.

I love this idea - do you?

And Now for Something Completely Different...

About a year ago I learned a little about art therapy and was actually tempted to use modern materials for the first time. I started to play with magazines quite a bit and began creating modern gluebook pages just for myself. I chose images I particularly liked, and words or phrases that spoke to me.  

I find this really relaxing (like my vintage gluebooks) and cheerful. I started calling my book a feel-good gluebook. I use a bit of marker now and then, otherwise I'm still just using paper.

I decided to share a few pages with you, so I hope you'll let me know what you think...

Here's the cover:

 and a few random pages...

 
 So what do you think? Have you played with magazine imagery too?

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.

Marvelous New Project Tutorial from Karla

My buddy Karla from Karla's Cottage is presenting her Mini Dress Form Workshop at Paper Cowgirl in a little over a week. She's had so much interest in the live class (and it filled up so quickly) that she's created an online project tutorial for those who didn't get into the class or can't attend the event.

I've been through the tutorial and highly recommend it. You get all of the  instructions with loads of pictures, some quick videos to demonstrate the steps, and even images you can use.  There are lots of examples, ideas and pictures for personalizing the dress forms -I especially like the fun trim ideas you can use for loads of other projects.

The cost is just $15, and the tutorial is well worth it. I hope you try it out!

If you'd like to learn more, all the info is right here.

My Friend, Marion

Did you wonder who won drawing for the April Collage Challenge?

It was one of my first art friends, Marion Bockelmann.  Marion is the second person I ever traded ATCs with, all the way to Germany no less!  I still have those ATCs, and others she's sent me over the years.  We spent loads of time in the same Yahoo groups back before I had a blog...and that's her art illustrating the Your Art Using My Images folder in the right hand sidebar.

 
Marion and I once had an (email) conversation about how hard it is to explain to family and friends that there are people you consider some of your finest friends... yet you've never met in person. The friends we make in the art community understand us in ways (that for many of us) few others do.

So I hope Marion enjoys the images she's won, and if you haven't visited her blog, you'll do so today. Her work is consistently beautiful...and she still trades!   

Curiouser and Curiouser....

There's been a sad announcement in Kansas City recently. The Curious Sofa store is closing. Deb will be focusing her attention on the online store and a variety of other projects she has in the works.  Everything evolves: style, design, buying, selling. If anybody will be the cutting edge, it will be Deb, so I'm anxious to see what she has up her sleeve.

 
CS is already marking down their merchandise and getting ready for their last sales...photograph from Curious Sofa's sale blog post.

I took my buddy, Marilee to Curious Sofa over a year ago when she visited before Silver Bella 2009. She quietly walked through the store and we each purchased a couple things. When we got to the car she said, 'Do you know when you've built something up in your mind and expect it to be amazing?" and I said yes....and she said, 'that was even better than I expected'.

 
Everything must go - sad words! This photograph also from the Curious Sofa sale blog post.

What an amazing thing - to have incredible word of mouth and still be able to meet and exceed it. I was lucky enough to display some of my art and ephemera books at Curious Sofa a couple years ago. The staff is amazingly kind and supportive - they made me feel so welcome and appreciated.

 
I think they made everyone feel that way, and I for one will surely miss the beautiful store.