How do I begin...

I was recently asked by a friend about how I begin a collage...do I have an idea and then go looking for the materials to pull it together...or do I start with a piece of ephemera that inspires me and go from there...

I thought for a minute...it really had me stop for a moment and consider...
"How do I begin?"

More often than not, its a piece of paper, a scrap of material, a torn page, a faded photograph that sets my mind wheeling...thus begins the process...

My most recent collage series started with a trio of vintage seed packets...ones that I picked up many years ago...the vivid colored vegetables along with their European monikers motivated me to action...I started collecting materials...















I painted three wooden boards coordinating pastel colors...and glued down the first layer of papers...since I wanted these three collages to relate to one another, I used similar (though not identical) papers with each collage...

The names of each of the vegetables included reference to three European cities so that guided my choices...London, Paris and Florence...old atlas maps, historical timelines and garden/botanical pages were all gleaned for inclusion...I wanted to include a piece of silverware on each collage for the crowning touch...auditioning forks for the Florence collage was a challenge...which one would fit the best...

Eventually all fell into place...the trio now complete...

You can see this trio for yourself...I'll be one of the artists participating in the Fresh Paint art show this coming weekend, August 15-16 at the Everett Marina...
please, stop by, say hi and chat with me a bit...I'd love to see you...

Floral inspiration

It's about this time of year...when the holidays are long over...
that winter just seems so ...so...unwelcome to say the least...

I really shouldn't be complaining...we've had little snow here...its just so...un-green!

Looking ahead to the Vintage Market in late March where I'll be a vendor, finds me seeking floral inspiration...


Recently discovering a stash of vintage seed package labels that I had misplaced fueled my inspiration...
let me walk you through it...

Step one: rejoice in the fact that after searching for longer than I can remember, I found these vintage French seed package labels...

Step two: find a few old painted boards...the crackled pink paint on this one was perfect...I sawed it in half...

Step three: unearth rain gauges bought last fall on clearance...swap out glass gauge for test tube...

don't know yet what I'm going to do with the calibrated gauges...any ideas?
















After gluing each seed label onto a board and sealing the entire board with a coating of wax, I nailed the metal tube holder at the bottom of the board.  The test tube was a hair wider than the original glass gauge but gentle persuasion opened up the metal clamp just a little bit more...enabling the test tube to be held snug in place.  
Two more nails and a length of wire at the top of the board comprise the hanger...

Add the stem of your choice and its ready to hang...

I just used whatever painted boards I had on hand...but you could color coordinate as you like, using new boards painted your color choice...sanding the board and the edges before you glue on the seed label helps to give it that distressed look...

I like them grouped together but a single board could brighten up a sliver of dark space...






















I checked online and the company I bought these labels from years ago still has them available for sale...and they swear that they are not reproductions but the real deal...find them online at www.simplyfrenchvintage.com

A simple stem in a simple vase...the hope of spring when we need it most...

Joining the Vintage Inspiration Party over at Knick of Time...
because doesn't everyone need a little more inspiration...

summer daze...

In my recent memory, this has been the best summer in years...

the weather in the Pacific NW has been stellar...its the kind of enticement that lures tourists to visit...and to consider moving here...little do they know of the grayness that January can bring...

But it is July and the skies have been blue and sunny...and the weather warm but not hot...






I've not been very motivated to blog this summer...its hard to stay indoors...I want to soak up enough sun to last through those winter grays...taking our month long trip reminded me of summers long ago...freed from the shackles of school, summer days never seemed long enough to fill with all the adventure of the outdoors...its been hard to get back into a regular routine...

and when the breeze blows through the open windows, it beckons me to do nothing more than enjoy the whisper of wind...

I'm not much of a gardener but I always plant the flower box outside my kitchen window...back in May, as I prepared to plant I discovered that perhaps the recycled metal trough had served its purpose...and it was time for a new window box. Pumped by my prowess of remodeling my workshop studio, I figured that I would build a new box...

A trio of plants filled the box with color and texture...

As the weeks passed, the blooms have faded and shriveled (being left alone for a month with little attention will do that!) but I've been tending to it...and new life is re-emerging from the refreshed greens...ready to give one last push...stretching out the warmth of summer just a bit longer...

Joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...
all of my flower photos were edited with kk texture elevate...

Even the garden gets in the act

I have a view of my backyard garden from my kitchen window...and thought I would add a little holiday cheer in the garden for my viewing pleasure...

First I found an old leather dog collar...and tied on some jingle bells...my version of horse sleigh bells...

Greens were free for the taking from the Christmas tree lot at Lowe's
where they trim off the bottom branches for customers...

The vintage silver tray added that extra layer to tie it all together...

A little wire, a little ribbon...and a few more bells...ready to hang on my junk trellis...


Joining the Christmas Junk Party...still time to get inspired...

From the heart, part 3

Its Monday...
its the holidays...
its time for another simple gift idea...
my weekly holiday installment of 6 easy projects you can make with your hands and give from your heart...












Sometimes you just need a little something to share with someone...might be a small gift exchange with girlfriends...or a simple thank you for a special favor...these easy sachets are the answer...

Start with a handkerchief...might be a pretty vintage one with embroidery...might be a fun floral pattern...or even something lacy...

Gather up the sachet makings...here are lavender buds that I collected at the end of summer from the lavender plants in my garden...

I made a mixture of lavender with a few rosemary leaves and a bit of buckwheat hulls...the buckwheat hulls add a little more heft to the mixture without detracting from the lavender and rosemary scent.  Don't have buckwheat hulls...throw in a few lentils...

I used about 1/2 cup of mixture for this sachet...

Gather up the four corners of the handkerchief and wrap it up tight, bound with a pretty ribbon...

For an added bonus...I put the sachet into an orphaned tea cup...I use single tea cups all the time to organize stray bits on my desk top and my bedroom dresser top...there never seems to be any shortage of single tea cups at Goodwill...usually for less than $1.00...

Looking for a more rustic, junker look...use a stray napkin...this one is quite festive with its red strip...how about a mixture of cedar chips with dried orange peel and a few cloves or a cinnamon stick...tied up with jute twine and a rusted jingle bell...















We're definitely into the low key Christmas this year...simple gifts are on the list...
want some other ideas for easy, simple gifts to make with items you most likely have right at hand...
click here to check out art journals made from composition notebooks
and click here to get the lowdown on making great candles from old socks and recycled jars...

what else can you do with vintage finds...linking up to Knick of Time Vintage Inspiration Party...

Shades of gray

Yes...change is in the air...two weeks ago it was still summer...warm, sunny days, clear nights...but in the blink of an eye...the temperature is cooler...there is fog and dew in the morning...and the rain is returning...tomorrow is the first day of autumn...

Suddenly the summer décor of the house was out of place...time to change it up...

Seems like most creative types decorate their mantel according to the season...I have no mantel but rather a trio of bookcases/shelves in my dining room that I change out the display according to whim...my current whim is shades of gray...and not just any gray...but the aged patina of galvanized metal gray...

I love galvanized metal...the patina is so textured... hardworking and sturdy.  With the change of seasons, I always think of the fading blooms of a summer garden...and the striking colors of leaves as they turn... preparations for the winter ahead...all of these thoughts spurred my creative spin...

Though the galvanized gray takes center stage, hues of rust and ochre play a role...dried poppy stems from my garden and pressed tree leaves add a touch of color...balls of twine and a roll of vintage woven wallpaper liner add texture...and old metal type communicates the overall vibe...

Weathered texture, vintage tones, well-loved metal...my favorite shades of gray...

Linking up to Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Party...always a favorite...

and to Knick of Time Tuesday Party...another favorite...