Collage Materials and the Library Sale

Ok, could you resist?

I did it again. Went to the library book sale at beautiful Fort Mason, right on the water. I missed the member's preview but there was still some great stuff to be found.
Oh yes.
After looking for several years, I found a College Typing Manual. And who can resist an old anatomy book? A better person than I. Creepy but cool. Some good images for collage. Or Halloween.
And the yellowed pages in books in other languages? I think not.
And in a falling apart old book covered in marbled paper were yellowing old newspaper clippings that someone painstakingly cut out and pasted in from a bygone era.
And a beautiful letter in calligraphy (Chinese?) tumbled out of one book.
And then there was I LOVE LUCY on the cover of an old Life magazine.
And perhaps a message from God?

Now it's time to cut and paste.

My rule is, if I bring it home, I've got to use it. Life around the home front is still nerve-wracking but I have been doing a lot of art.
San Francisco weather is gorgeous and tomorrow I'm going to make a big pot of Fall soup and cut and paste all day while it simmers.

And you? What are all of you planning on doing?
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What $5 Will Buy You

$5

Today was an odd day here in SF. First all all, we had heavy rain and thunder. It  is never rains in San Francisco in September and rarely thunders. September is when we get "summer" -- sunshine and warm weather. Loads of outdoor events are planned. Uh Oh.

So....what should I do when it is oddly pouring rain on a Saturday? Grab a pal and got to SCRAP -- that's what.
That Rolodex was free! I'm going to use the cards for some project.

$5 takes you a long way there....I got some odd rubber stamps (bottom left) and old stencils...

And, you know, I could swear these are artistamps?  First Dog in Space?
Ok, I'll take some...

A big old box of postcards to browse through...Got a few for me and some for friends...

Got a big stack of this paper -- I see it for a whole lot of $$$ in the downtown stationery store...
looks good for writing letters, don't you think?

Mail art Fodder

These envelopes have gone by the wayside these days...but I love them...you can mail things in them or cut them up for collage...they just look cool with all those crossed out names.

I am slightly confused about the USA map -- I think they cut out the wrong sections...
but I know I will think of something to do with it anyway..
I just like it..

LETTERPRESS cards....swoon....

And, yes, these were free but it's a good thing they were since now I can't think of anything to do with them.
I thought they are the right size to hold ATC's but they are too small and they are open
on two sides...hum...
Any ideas anyone??

$25
OK, then I went to the art supply store and this was $25. I think it was a lot more fun to shop at SCRAP.
But I did get a free cupcake.

Came home and puttered in my studio. Unearthed an old basket of postcards from my past travels.
They were fun to look through...

...and some fun stuff inside like this little French postcard bag...
Demandez LYNA cartes postales
oui oui

I found some Air Mail Stickers that I got free on JAL..
Can you believe airlines used to give away air mail stickers?
And postcards?

Nice

INCOMING
Something cool from Stephanie Blake....love her mail..

INSIDE
She makes what she calls "collage packs" and they are great...I got a whole lot more good mail
this past week but it was raining so hard I couldn't get any good light to photograph it.

SAD SACK

The day was fun and cheered me up but I feel just a little like this sad sack. Someone I love is in the hospital and my sweetie is away and with him so I am worrying and rattling around here all alone.
Sometimes life is just like that.

BTW, if you want to comment, you can do so with a Google, Wordpress, OpenID or Typepad account, just not anonymously
I got too much spam with anonymous comments.
But I LOVE to hear from you. Especially right now.

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One Too Many

Noooooooo I don't mean too many of these.....I know my limit......one martini and I'm done.

I just have too many ideas, projects and things going on. But that's the Aries way....we do like to be busy.
Birthday boxes and cards to send, mail to respond to, blog posts to photograph and write, trips to plan, mail art kits to pack, travel journals to prepare, zines to make, ATC's to design....

So one idea I had was to make a Typewriter zine....working on that....
and BTW if you are a typewriter nerd like I am you have GOT too see
Populaire
This is a riot--a French film with a speed typing contest and typewriters galore.
Even my husband thought it was charming.

Ok, and how about making little booklets to write letters in? that's a good idea, non?

I thought so....so I made a few of these....

The insides are all a bit different..and so are the covers....

Then I figured I might as well make some more Postal ATC's trade.
My friend Connie Rose
just made some and inspired me to make more too -- even though it's possible I should be doing other things..

Postal ATC's

Postal ATC's

Oh yes--and in between all of the above I am still trying to clean and organize my studio. I came across a big box of my vintage greeting cards. Looking through them, I was happy to see many cards featured mail boxes and letters.

That got me thinking....instead of leaving these cuties sitting in a box, why not cut them up and make a zine out of them -- then a lot of people can see them.

So now I'm working on a mailbox/letter zine....got the images cut down to size and now I've got to write...er...type...captions...

And, of course, there is always outgoing mail....

Whew!!! I am busy. But, you know what? It's mostly pretty fun. I do get a little crazy when I think of everything I have to do but too many ideas and are better than not enough.
Don't you agree?

Go see that typing movie -- and have a martini afterwards -- that's what I do!

So, what are you all working on these days?
Inquiring minds want to know.