Found Photo

I love finding things. I especially love to find something that tells a story. A great find could be an object that is worn down from being handled too often, or a photo that gives a momentary peek into someone else's life. This photo I bought this at an antique sale. I love the shy pride that a child exhibits when their photo is taken, the bottled up excitement of a birthday visible on their blushing cheeks. This little girl in her conical birthday hat, her perfectly starched dress and shiny patent leather shoes, looks down in a moment of internal joy at the thought of the approaching party... at least that is a possible story...

Steamboat Interiors

So this might seem like a random topic, but I came across these images of steam boat interiors of the late 1800's while searching for images for yesterday's post. I had to share them because I think they are so surreal. I also thought Miss Essential Monsters might enjoy them. And perhaps you will too...

Home Away from Home

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I've been dreaming lately about a little home away from home, a place that is small and magical where one can sip tea, read a book and curl up under a hundred year old quilt made of pink and red silks. My friend Shannon sent me a few of these pics and some others are from this pretty cool UK publication called Shedworking. I hope to build something like this for myself someday!

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Image Transfer Class at Folio Studio

Come take a class this Saturday on Image Transfers. Learn the best techniques for applying found text and images to paper, canvas, fabric, wood and more. Great for beginners and seasoned artists alike! Add depth and dimension to your paintings, collages, book and paper art projects!

Shadow Boxing at Saffron & Genevieve

Last night's Shadow Boxing class at Saffron & Genevieve was wonderful!!!! The shop was the perfect setting to inspire and the women had incredible energy, creativity and courage!

I am always impressed by what people make in a workshop. In a meagre 3 hours of collecting ephemera, composing objects and sipping wine, at the end each woman had created a one of a kind piece of art that is truly exquisite.

This Alice inspired box sat upside down while drying which makes perfect sense in Wonderland.

There are more pictures on Saffron & Genenvieve's Facebook page. Some of which are really great and show these women and their work in better detail! Thank you all for a wonderful class!

Sketchbook Project

I just signed up for the Sketchbook Project after hearing about it from several friends. Maybe this will make be faithful to one book!

The Little Grey Bird

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Once upon a time there was a bird with a broken wing. He was a small bird, grey and quiet and alone. The bird sat shyly, looking out at each passerby with an impossibly blue eye full of sadness and longing. His sweet face wore an expression of heartbreaking hope and desperation, and you came to the bird with your heart open, offering him everything you had. The bird spoke to you in sweet notes and soft whispers and he told you a story that made you cry melancholy tears and your already open heart cracked wide apart so that it was pulsing and exposed and raw.

You sat there on the road keeping the little grey bird company while the weeds grew tall around you and the berries sprang forth on their thorned boughs. You told him your secrets and your desires and he chirped in agreeance and enthusiasm at your words. Little by little the bird grew strong while you fed him your thoughts, dreams and future.

After many days of golden afternoon light and stories told under indigo skies sprinkled with stars, you asked the bird if he was better, if he could fly. But the bird grew sad and he blinked his impossibly blue eye and told you he was damaged and needed you to stay. And so you remained by his side and you gave him more of yourself so that he would one day be able to fly. And the weeds tangled and went to seed and the autumn leaves fell all around and you sat by the little grey bird and kept him company until you were old and weak and all you had was the warmth the little bird offered.

And many days and nights later, I came along the road and I saw the little grey bird with the impossibly blue eye looking out at me with a face full of sweet sadness and he was all alone. So I sat down and told him my secrets while he healed by the side of the road...

and so the little grey bird sits, waiting for another person to fill him with their hopes and dreams while he tucks his impossibly blue eye underneath a perfect wing, on the side of a dusty and winding road.