Monthly Archives: March 2008

promising poppy lockets

and here it is, a silvery locket adorned with poppy-themed paintings:

its here while it lasts! and theres another one too (with a green bow).

poppies

A locket work-in-progress that will go up in my store tomorrow night and will be adorned with a silver chain and a ribbon bow. Poppy Locket …and there will be two this time!

I was reminded of the poppies when I uncovered by this very old postcard from Switzerland, purchased in an antique store. Followed by the newest 20’s girl in my collection, bought on Etsy. Theres something about her eyes and the printed blouse ruffle around her neck.

closing my eyes and breathing in spring

It’s been soooo long-awaited. The warm sunshine and the crocuses sprouting up signal it’s arrival. Been spending most of my free time outside in the semi-warm sunshine and making sepia washes in my sketchbooks, looking inward and not too worried about outcomes. I dug up some very old fountain pens and it feels so much nicer dipping the pen in and out of the ink for my little sketchy notes and things, slowly. Mmmmm…

And this was before the lace was glued into my tiny inspiration-filled watercolor moleskine, a mistake as now it does not close properly!

I found the above little treasures in an old box (the magnifying glass) and out in the garden bed (the rose shard).The locket is a recyled (but not truely vintage, I think) one that will be in shop soon, along with two others (poppy themed!). The sketches, well those are for me!

Another lovely vintage locket, seashores and ships and all those summery things

Despite the fact that it feels like early spring (I’m not complaining!) I ventured outside in the cold rain to take a few pictures in the moss. I must say, this locket was the best find ever! It’s a rare round shape and has three places for pictures. When I saw the rope-shaped links in the long, chunky golden chain I knew it was absolutely perfect…I am just so smitten by this locket! Take a little look-see…

I absolutely LOVE the golden-roped chain!

It can be found here before it sets out to sea!

Lets see…what else have I been up too…sketching! Lots to share. I just opened my new paints (they sat in their box untouched for 1/2 week due to the fact that I am so, so busy with other things, good things.) But I can’t even express how excited about them and their luscious pigments. How good does it feel to get new paints, open them up and squeeze their little tubes onto the palette?

The Very Curious Locket…

Clearly I am exhausting my stash of jumbo vintage lockets but I just had to offer this one. Opened, with mini prints from The Very Curious Fox and tied with a vintage gingham bow!

This one-of-a-kind locket and additional photos can be found here while it lasts!

Just another Wednesday

Midweek blahs. But I do have this wonderful find to share, an old print! I have no clue who the artist is but I just love this image. It was sitting in the back of the Salvation Army and something about it caught my eye. Must be the magic.

A boy (clothed in a poet blouse, what attire!) and his pet rabbit…

Posing after a magic show performance in the back yard? Must be.

A big old post because I’ve been away so long…tangled hair teacups and sketches

Where did the week go? And someone tells me its March already… spring will soon be here! I am so awaiting the sweet colors of spring and sitting out in the grass. Anywho, lots of inspiration and sketching here. I have been collecting pictures of flapper-ish women, muses and models for paint and sketching maybe. This one I had for years. I found her in a cigar box in an antique shop (I have another photo of here too, in a differernt pose!) She had a very, very sad life the past couple of years though. You see, she went missing, but the good news is that she was found last week. I was cleaning out my wooden box with drawers, and she was wedged between the underside of the bottom of the drawer and the dresser. She was all folded up, like an accordian, which damaged the photo and made me very, very sad.

To make me feel better I bought this gem of a little photo on Etsy, just look at these sisters! The photo came in a set which included a boy but I threw him into my scrap box, as I really don’t care about photos of boys that much. But these two sisters..I am definitely going to use them in my painted imagery.

They fulfilled my criteria for the photos I collect.. post victorian (preferable 20’s and 30’s)…soft waves in short, shiny hair, slightly out of place and frizzy…a certain facial expression that I can’t quite put my finger on, and oh the sepia…

A very cold windowsill this morning, strange little bird family, icy outside

Oh my and I bought the most pretty golden teacup earrings, at the thrift shop of all places!

They have these little saucers and even little golden spoons! And my hair always tangles all around them.

My friend bought me this pretty mug yesterday during out treasure hunt.

and the other side, sewing machines!

hehe for pure fun and whimsy… a love of tangled hair in strange places…

Which leads me to share a new love for wooden hair sticks! I bought these from Etsy and they are in need of beaded ends, which I will add. I looooove hairsticks (and my hair loves them too, they are really gentle on the strands!)

Been filling the pages of my journals with sepia tones watercolor sketches, which helps so much with underpainting and its a good reference source too. Creating a visual log of my own personal imagery for more narrative pieces in the future.

I am SO inspired by this painting by John Everett Millais:

Isn’t she a dream? She’s been a springboard for some new ideas. More sketches and other things to come!