Put your Stamp on it

The other day while exploring an antique shop, I found a romantic treasure, vintage stamps, used postcards and envelopes - the stripy kind! They were all sprawled throughout a village of glass ashtrays.

A mountain of vintage stamps from all over the globe, for $4.

I am going to start tucking a few in as gifts with purchase :)

The person who collected all these stamps and envelopes had such a reverence for mail they even used a letter opener (see above), I am sure their letter opener was made of fine smooth silver, heavy in the palm, with a monogrammed handle.

I also found a collection of Postcards sent by a daughter to her mother while traveling through Europe. These Postcards are from her time in Rome, The Netherlands and Berlin. Is it wired that I haven't read them? Perhaps I feel I would be violating their privacy - if you can consider a Postcard private in anyway. Or maybe I haven't read them because I think they will be too boring, after all it is a postcard (to her mother no less) and anyone can read it. All said I must now send a scandalous postcard to someone- I am almost certain it would go unread by anyone but the recipient.

I love this handwriting! Handwriting was once considered an art form. I have never seen a single person from my grandparents generation ( born in the 1930s ) - man or woman, who doesn't have the most impeccable handwriting! I wish nothing would get pushed aside for the sake of the new. I wish we could simply make upgrades while still hording all the beautiful things from the generations prior. But alas, the days are short, and I don't know about you but I was learning "Home Keys" not Calligraphy with school hours. *weep *

Oh yes and...

Speaking of stamps and cards - I got a new both!

A new custom stamp for shipping envelopes!

And new Postcards! Yay!

Oh the Horror

Yesterday I hung many small works for "the Horror Show" at the R.A.T. Gallery in Gardenville, PA. I hope you can make it, it is Saturday night, the eve of Halloween, doors open at 7' o clock

"Dear Edgar" Drawings

"The Veils are Thin"

4" x 6"

"Tell my Heart a Tale"

2.5" x 3"

"The Rat"

2"x 3"

"Short and Sweet"

2.5"x 3"

"Raven's Claw"

4" x 4"

there is also a piece titled "the Raven" I have yet to photograph

"They'll Break your Heart"

"The Sweethearts"

"Sweetheart One"

5"x7"

face detail

"Sweetheart Two"

5"x7"

face detail

Dear Edgar,

I am currently working on a series of small drawings for the Hallween show inspired by the great Mr. Allen Poe. Last night while I was looking for a coffee table book on Moths, for a upcoming project I found this!

Eeeek! So stunning!

Click on images for larger view

I am sure you can see that I am a bit obsessed with etching right now! Learning to etch is my next endeavor, I cannot leave this earth without knowing how to create these alluring textures.

Here is a sneek peek at my latest, I am planning on completing 10 more in the next few days so I have my work cut out.

Annabell Lee

3 1/2" x 3"

"Lenor"

3"x3"

face detail

I will update the others when the series is complete!

Show at the R.A.T. Gallery

I am very excited for an upcoming show, it will be held on the eve of Halloween begining at 7 o'clock called the "Horror Show" at the R.A.T. Gallery in Gardenville, PA . If you are in the area I hope you can make it there will be costumes, music and fun! I am so excited because I recently have gotten frames for: "The Removal" (above) I couldn't believe my luck while frame hunting, I feel all my little pieces found their perfect mate Y

"It's All Right There" I was so excited when I found this frame, it is perfect! I love Italian style frames, there are so heavy and ornate but not in a way that is overpowering.

"She always Does This" This frame is my favorite! I was so stoked when I found it, it reminds me of animal print which is perfect for this little one because despite being a bit messy she is very sexy in her little Barbie suit ;), I think it gives her a refined but playful look.

a Little More Fun, a Lot More Soul

I just spent a few hrs on Revolt and I am very pleased with the progress. I think somewhere along the way I forgot how fun painting is and how joyful it is to just explore and create! I worked today intentionally without any music or talk radio and I found it much easier to sink into the moment. I really like the push pull going on between refinery and grit, I am excited to see what else unfolds as I continue my journey with this piece.

Sneek Peeks

"Revolt" face detail

I always have a few paintings going at once, this helps me not over work a painting but also gives me something to always work on while paint is drying between layers.

Here you can see 4 of the 5 pieces I am working on" Techno Eve" (working title)" I Couldn't Tell if I was Dreaming"," Blackbird Cry" ,"Revolt" and not pictured but also currently being worked on is "It's You"

"I Couldn't tell if I was Dreaming" is coming along Y

New! "Revolt" 10"x 8" on oval wood panel

I just recently started "Revolt" and I am very pleased with how it has turned out so far. I promise I will not start anymore paintings so I can finish this crop, I will soon be filling my shop with new originals and prints! Yay!

100 Sales! New Cards!

New cards! 3"x 1.5"

I love how they turned out! I ordered these from 1800 postcards and I was thrilled with their customer service and speedy delivery. They are so sweet and vibrant!

Handmade stationary! While they last you will receive a handmade book mark and card with any purchase from my shop

Bunny detail. I had so much fun making these little drawings, they are all different! The picture above is actually the yellow card but my camera distorted the colors so much it looks pink :/

Bookmarks! When you receive yours it will be customized a stamp of your first initial.

Lydia Approves Y

In Honor of my 100 sales on Etsy I made new bookmarks and stationary as gifts, I also ordered new buisness cards which I adore!

Bozeek!

I recently completed creating this cloth baby doll for a little girl I used to take care of, she is very precious to me, so I wanted to make something special for her. She named the doll Bozeek which I think is the perfect name!

"Bozeek"

cloth doll about 14" from head to toe

face detail

The pattern for this doll was inspired by a doll my grandmother made in the 50s,

I did a post featuring my Grandmothers doll a few weeks ago. I had so much fun making this doll! I plan on creating more and sending them out into the world through my shop! I think there is something so romantic about the simplicity and sincerity of a handmade doll. The magic found in plastic toys pales in comparison to a hug-able, hand stitched doll. After searching the internet high and low I found a vintage pattern much like the one my grandmother used here

It's You

"It's you"

3".2.75"

with frame 9".5"

I found this simple and adorable butterfly at the jewelry shop and epoxy-ed it onto the frame, I love all the dimension it adds

face detail

This is yet another piece that is on the easel at the moment, working with oils I have definitely learned the value of always having multiple pieces going. This painting is not fully finished but almost, she was born out of a sketch I did while sitting in my favorite breakfast spot in Park Slope, Brooklyn

I Couldn't Tell if I was Dreaming

"I Couldn't Tell if I was Dreaming"

14".11"

bear detail

face detail

This is a new piece I have just recently started. This has been a very transformative year for me and I think this piece really embodies a lot of that. I didn't realize it at the time of it's creation, but now when I look at this drawing the bear she is holding is representative of a childhood teddy bear and the broken handcuff symbolizes breaking free from the past. If your childhood toy that you took everywhere with you, that you told all of your secrets too and that watched you grow up, could talk, what would it say?