I've Put Down my Glue Stick!

 Art by Molly Meng

Don't worry -- it is only temporary!
But I've discovered slow stitching thanks to the delightful Molly Meng, LA artist extraordinaire . I'm telling you, if you ever get a chance to take a workshop with Molly Meng, do not hesitate.
I had a wonderful time on Sunday slow stitching away and getting inspired......
check it out..

It was all about the slow stitching but I kinda felt like it was also collage using fabric. I am primarily a collage artist and I felt right at home with this.

Molly provided everything we needed including things like this -- beautiful, vintage tags from Basque Country for berets. 

All kinds of fabrics, included avocado dyed pink like this! Yes, you can use avocado pits to dye fabric and paper -- just google it.

Lace and trims and more dyed fabric, this time it was tea dyed.

Art by Molly Meng
She also brought some of her own work to inspire...

Art by Molly Meng

Art by Molly Meng

Art by Molly Meng
I think I liked this one the most....just lovely shades of whites and ivories with that red initial and a small patch of blue...

Fabric Book by Molly Meng
I am absolutely kicking myself for not taking the Fabric Book Workshop the day before the Slow Stitching. I was afraid it would be too advanced for me but I was wrong. I sure hope she comes back to San Francisco and does it again.
Are you listening, Molly?

Art Work by Molly Meng
I mean...just LOOK at this. This is the book unfolded with slow-stitched collages on six pages. It is really an inspiration.

Art work by Molly Meng

Art work by Molly Meng

Art Work by Molly Meng
One of my favorite pages...

Art work by Molly Meng
Another favorite
By now you are all ready to sign up, right? You can find Molly on Instagram at molly_c_meng.
She is on Facebook too and going to have her new website up and running soon. She gives workshops at French General (check the French General web site). If you're in Los Angeles, you're in luck. And, lucky SF, she is coming back to San Francisco in May to do a collage workshop at SF Center for the Book which is FULL.
BUT
here is her paper weaving SFCB workshop which is still open.
Better hurry....

I want to give a little shout out to San Francisco School of Needlework and Design where I took the slow stitching class. I just discovered it and I am so happy I did. Located downtown right between Saks and Tiffany -- can you have a more swank address? A delightful place to learn embroidery and all kinds of stitching.

Here is a link to the Fabric Book class where you can see what you -- and I -- missed. Get on their mailing list in case it is offered again.

SF School of NeedleWork and Design
Charming, oui? 
Ok, now are you in the mood to stitch? Or collage? Or both? Let's get busy!
I am totally inspired and have lots of ideas. A birthday trip to SCRAP SF helped too. I picked up some fabric to play with and some vintage sewing supplies. I even got my sewing machine working again and I can't wait to sew on paper. When I'm in I"m all in!
So, what do you think? You in too?

SEND GOOD MAIL --  GET GOOD MAIL

It's Going to be a Book Making Summer

I started looking at some old books I made.....and that me started thinking...
I WANT TO MAKE MORE BOOKS!
(I'm not yelling - I'm just excited)

Everyone has a style and I like things fat and happy, bursting the seams and tabs sticking out the sides and tops.....

I like re-purposing mail art I get into book pages. A fun way to keep mail and be able to sit and look at it.

This one is going to be my summer altered book -- looks very summery, don't you think? A lot more summery than it actually is here in San Francisco but I do get out of the city on weekends alot and actually see some sun.

Look at this marbled beauty - the covers and endpapers are all beautiful. I am cutting up some old file folders from Scrap SF for pages for this one. The colors are the same in both the marbling and folder (burgundy and brown).

This little cutie is much smaller than the others -- postcard size....

Look how much better the cover looks with a coat of Liquidex  Gel Medium and some roses.

Since this one is postcard size I decided to add some vintage postages to the pages....

Look at these two beauties! I am making twins for myself and one for  someone special, who I will be visiting for Thanksgiving....we are going to work on the pages inside together but I am prepping them now.

Pretty but plain...hum...I am going to have to add something to this cover.

I love finding different things for the pages....bingo card? Yes!  I have used blueprints and menu's and map pages .....and I cut up a lot of file folders (again, from Scrap) for pages because they are thin and strong. You can collage on top of them.

A very kind mail art pal turned me onto colored rings and she sent me these. I have got to find more,

Being an Aries and being me, I never do anything half way so now I am working on at least six different books all at the same time.
Keeps me out of trouble.
Thanks to Linda F for sending me some of these great RD covers and the blue marbled ones. 

I just love the way the books looks all fat and happy.
If I make enough maybe I will sell a few. Maybe.
So, what are you all doing for fun?
We don't have beaches or hot weather and it doesn't feel too much like summer in San Francisco so my fun is playing with paper.

Anybody else out there doing anything fun?
Do tell.I love to hear from you.

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Big Book Sale

The SFPL Library Big Book sale is one of my favorite events of the year....

And, it is set in an incredibly beautiful location right on the water...

So, when you are waiting in line to get in you have a great view.  I skipped the member's preview this year and went to Dollar Day on the last day instead.
It worked out perfectly.
This was the line at 10AM on the last day but everyone got in fast and I scored lots of great art supplies....er.....vintage books.

Vintage Rubber Stamp Catalog? $1? I think I will....

I loved this cover and considered it for a Paris altered book for my upcoming trip but it was so beat up I passed it up...
what was I thinking?

I scan the tables for the most tattered, old looking books....my favorites.

How could I resist this?

It was filled with cool old illustrations....I feel a collage coming upon me.

I cannot resist old, foreign language dictionaries. Especially ones in Farsi or Russia or an Asian language with a different alphabet.
I did get about six or seven vintage French dictionaries and language-learning books...

Can somebody tell me what language this is? Copyright1884!!! It amazes me I can get paper from 1884 for only $1.

Big book with gold edges and filled with old illustrations of London...

So, I have an endless supply of old paper to make things with. I have made a bunch of collage cards with the bits and pieces already....

And, I wrapped some tiny presents in book pages for a mail art pal in NYC.

I definitely find treasures just flipping through old books  -- like this! That Postage Due stamp is the icing on the cake.

After dragging 25 books to my car, I had 30 minutes left for parking so I did a last look through and found these!
It was meant to be.

I said I wouldn't get too many but old books are like catnip to me. Can you blame me?
I'll see you next September Big Book Sale!!
I think I have enough books to keep me busy until the next day.
But then they do have a $1 Steps Sale every week....hummmmm

I was considering to making up some paper packs to sell...
anybody interested in those?

Ok, back to tearing and pasting....

GET GOOD MAIL --  GET GOOD MAIL