Sunday, January 9, 2011
creating artwork collages - part 1- collecting
Another thing I collect is vintage ephemera. Again, like the chandeliers, I collected and collected but had no means of displaying the wonderful things I had found in my treasure hunting. So I started creating artwork collages as a way to display all the things I love.
I started with an obsession of old handwriting. This is a beautiful art form that has been lost in this day and age of technology. People used to practice over and over their handwriting skills. I would find old spencerian handwriting tablets and study the handwriting. I then got into old french handwriting. I have boxes and boxes of that (soon to be selling on my etsy store!)
I also love old letters. I once found a box of old love letters. The woman had kept them all in order by date from her love that was serving in the armed forces. I bundled them up into 5 or 6 per pack tied with a pretty ribbon and put them out at one of my sales thinking no one would buy them. I had ladies coming back all weekend looking for more and certain dates wanting to know what happened next in this woman's love story!
They were so beautiful and such a wonderful piece of history. I saved a few bundles for myself, so no one will ever know how the story ended!
Another piece that I absolutely love is this piece. I know you can't tell what this is, so I will tell you. What this says, in the tiniest of pencil writing is :
"I, Dora Jean Platel, am the most discourteous girl in the whole Aurora School district" Written over and over again, hundreds of times. This was a teachers punishment of a little school girl. But Dora Jean was quite the ornery one - she wrote it all on one piece of paper- as tiny as possible and even up the side of the paper and gave it back to the teacher! I wonder what that teacher thought when she got this back!
I researched to try to find Dora Jean or a family member because I thought they would love to have this back, but I came up with nothing.
I laugh and think this is something my young daughter would do! lol!
Other things I collect is children's artwork, beautiful stamps, flash cards, vintage packaging and advertising. I love handwritten music, old photographs, state fair ribbons, old movie tickets, pressed flowers, button cards, bits of lace...the list goes on and on. These are things I find in the bottom of a box lot at an auction, that others would throw away. I keep.
(husbands translation :pack rat!)
What is the most fun is pulling a collection of things that mean something to you. I know everyone is always organizing their homes in January so as you find these bits a pieces, set them aside in a box.
Pictures, a letter, a child's drawing, a grandfathers state fair ribbon, a grandmothers dance card.
This collage can be your family's collage - or it can just be some cool things you collected. I have a few of each. It can be vintage or new, or a combination of both.
On my next post I will show you how to put together your collections!
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OHMIGOSH, Dora Jean!!! That is priceless! I would have bought that too!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know I'm not the only one who keeps all sorts of "littles"! I always figure I'll be able to use these little treasures for something!!
Polly
P.S. And Etsy shop?!?!?! Yay for you!! I will look forward to shopping with you!! We're thinking about starting one too, but I'm not just not ready yet!!
Did I not see some of these in your cute potty room at your sale. While I stood in line, I went in there. When I came out I suggested that others go in just to see it all. Hah, I got some weird looks. It looks so sweet in the potty room.
ReplyDeleteLove those!
ReplyDelete