CappuccinoandArtJournal

Mostly postal but art and other things of interest too.
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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Books, Stacks, Tearing and Pasting

Studio Time

I've been slightly AOL in posting because I find it hard to get out of my studio to do other things.
I am on a collage binge (among other things).
I have always loved this painting of San Francisco's hills and cable car.

STACK of Books from the SF Library Book Sale

I did leave yesterday to head on over to the Big Book Sale.
Oh yes. I scored a bunch of great stuff to tear up and collage with. IF I can
bring myself to tear the books.
First I have to examine them carefully...(and why yes, that is all washi tape in those drawers in the background..)

French-Spanish Vintage dictionary from France....OohLaLa
The fact that my French is horrible and I can't speak Spanish doesn't stop me at all..
Look at this page -- examples of cursive writing. 

Handy Atlas
Love that red cover and the maps inside are a perfect size for postcard collages.

Turkey....yes, I will be needing to use this one very soon....

I found a few handwritten notebooks by school kids -- two were in Russian (why didn't I buy those Russian flash cards?) and one in English.
They were working these kids...
This one made his very own set of tabs -- clever!

...and he wrote in lovely cursive writing....did you know they aren't even teaching kids cursive in US schools anymore...that is just sad.
And on the back cover the kid handmade this cool chart of various time zones.
La Lettre

Oui, J'ai mis la lettre a la post.

A reproduction of a very old Sears catalog - printing in 1969 so it is kind of old
itself...and there is page after page of wonderful drawings..

TIME is running out...
I can't even fit all the photos on the post so I will post some over on the
Cappuccino and Art
Facebook page if you are interested.

Chinatown Score
Vintage booklets printed in Hong Kong for school kids --
ALL about writing letters and the post office.
So cool. A friend read it to me and it explains about the various ways you can send mail,
etc
Can you see the postman on the cover?

Collaged Postcard Series
I tore those babies up and have been collaging ever since...

Inspiration

I have been collaging for years but recently heard about this book
The Collage Workshop
by Randel Plowman who blogs at
A Collage A Day

I am really enjoying the book. I like his style of collage and he has lots of interesting tips and ideas.


That about wraps it up from here, folks. Gotta get back to tearing paper and glueing...
What are you all up to these days?

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

34 comments:

  1. Ooh, that is a seriously cool wall clock! And I'm always partial to anything Russian ;)

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    Replies
    1. Cindy -- thanks! Too bad I didn't know you like things that are Russian. I would have picked up the Russian language cards for you. I'll tell you what -- if i manage to bring myself to tear up the kid's Russian homework notebook, I will send you some of the pages. Deal?

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    2. Hi Cindy - I have some Russian cards I can share, if my guy will let me :D (he was studying it, but isn't using the cards haha!). let me know if you'd like me to send you some (contact via Flickr mail please- Thanks!)

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    3. Well, isn't that fun? You two are communicating! At least I hope so -- hope Cindy checks the comments again...

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  2. Oh great collages and what goodies to choose from, I am surprised you are not buried under a mound of collage. Shall we send in the search party? xox

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha Corrine -- so far I haven't been buried BUT many of my things get buried under stacks of stuff and I can't find them...just this morning I started trying to organize....wish me luck...

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  3. oops! I think the author of that fantastic book you referenced is a "he"...Randel Plowman. Thanks bunches for your recommendation for the book...I will definitely purchase it. I'd seen it before on Amazon, but was hesitant in ordering it online without being able to thumb through it. Always LOVE your posts...I'll check out the other pictures on Facebook. Ta for now ~~~

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    Replies
    1. Yikes! I stand corrected -- I fixed it and indeed Randel it is. I got mine from Amazon and really like it a lot if that's any incentive to get it.
      Thanks for the nice comment.

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  4. What a great book sale!!! You really scored big time!!!

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  5. Karenann -- The book sale is great but you do have to pay your dues. We arrived two hours early and stood in line for over an hour and once we were in got elbowed by all the many re-sellers with scanners trying to snap up books to sell online. Luckily the odd stuff I am looking for isn't what they are looking for!

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  6. When we took stuff to the dump last year, we saw piles of books that had been dumped. Some looked interesting, but I'm not bold enough to peruse books at the dump. A number of the books that you purchased might have ended up there too, so it's great to see you giving them a new artistic life.

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  7. I love this blogpost! I like your books , cool!

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  8. I love those postcards you made. And I can't wait to see what you make from those books you bought.
    Denise C

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    Replies
    1. Thank you -- I will keep everyone posted (!) on what I do with the books.

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  9. Fabulous photos in this post, Pamela! I can't get over your washi tape collection...amazing! I love the circular time zone chart in the one boy's book...what a treasure! And I really like your Chinatown score...cool drawings! The postcards you made with them look amazing, as well. I am very interested in that Collage Workbook.

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    Replies
    1. Andria -- I bet you will be seeing one of those collaged postcards in your mailbox one day soon!

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  10. total book envy. that's an amazing load. two hours in line???? worth it. And yes - my 11 year old is not being taught cursive. he even has trouble reading it. I just found some of my old school work from the sixth grade and have been scanning it and using in collage.

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    Replies
    1. Karen -- I rest my case!
      And I love cursive writing. And speaking of not being able to read it -- I was told by a USPS employee NOT to address letters in cursive writing "because they can't read it"....oh the pain....

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  11. Oh you are so good, and patient to make it to those sales. I like the quieter/less crazy ones they have on occasion outdoors :D. Those kid-cursive books are a treasure! I miss getting fabulous Pamela mail... since June. Hope we can start up again! XO Gina

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    Replies
    1. Gina Bella -- have I been neglecting you? since June? bad! I will get some mail out to you asap!

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  12. Love it all! How are you? (silly question...you must be wonderful surrounded by all that lovely old paper!) Jane

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  13. Jane -- yup, surrounded by paper I am happy! Something went out to you too...

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  14. I love how you can find gems amongst the old paper. A woman after my own heart.

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  15. O-M-G ...I LOVE the cursive book and maps book - what scores! Ms. Pamela - never under-appreciate the fact that you have such a lovely studio space in which to work. I am inviting myself over sometime just to share your space. :)

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    Replies
    1. Steph -- you are officially invited over to play in my studio! Now all you have to do is fly to San Francisco!

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  16. Wow! You really scored at the SF Library Book sale. Mom goes to the local Chandler Library Book sales and usually comes home with Spanish books for me but I will show her this post so she can look for the old schoolbooks and writing books!

    I also liked the photos of your studio with the postal collectibles and international goodies, too.

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    Replies
    1. hey--nice to hear from you. Yeah--tell your mom what to look for at her library sale. They have the most wonderful stuff.

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  17. Those British mailbox banks (are they banks?) are the BOMB. Where on earth did you find them?

    Cool site--just "liked" your FB page.

    I'm in LWA too!

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    Replies
    1. Sandra L -- they are banks indeed. I bought them in our SF Chinatown. They are actually old and apparently were sitting around the shop for quite a few years. Thanks for commenting -- and "liking" the FB page for the blog too.

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