Altered Art Book Part 2 | Family Memories

Today's post is to show the remaining pages in an altered art book I made to memorialize my father's family history.  Part 1 was posted yesterday if you want to see the first photos.



So, that is my little handmade book.  I hope you liked it!

If you want to study your own family's history the sources available today are vast. 

Two places to start are:

The National Genealogical Society

and

Ancestors. com

Bye for now.  Cynthia

Be sure to read Part 1 with more story content.

Altered Art Book | Family Memories

Hello...

I am going to share an altered art book I created as a tribute to my father and the work he did to uncover and preserve the history of his (father's) family.







I made this book as a follow-up to Family Memories 1 that was published in Somerset but I haven't submit this one yet...that is on my list of things to do...





My father and mother did a lot of traveling, right after he retired, to various spots in Pennsylvania, so he could uncover birth certificates, marriage and death certificates.  This was in the late 70's and the use of computers, for research, was not available like it is today.

No, that picture is not of my father and mother...its my cousin and father!

The price to make this book was minimal because I used odds and ends from my scrap booking collection, along with found objects and old ribbon.  The time it took to make this is another story...I made and remade almost every page and some pages I tore up several times before I was pleased with the results.

Of course, no altered art book is complete without an altered cabinet card.  The cab card above is not of family members but one from the era of my great, great grandfather.

A very cool thing is that I am only three generations (depending on how you count generations) from someone who served in the Civil War.  The above picture is of that person, my grandfather's father.  This, I suppose, has increased my fascination with the CW.

Tomorrow I'll post the remaining pages in my little family memories book.  Hope I've inspired you to start your own project!

Be sure to read Part 2 of this story for some good pics.

Artist Ellis Wilson at Tulane University

Hi there!

Today I am going to talk about an artist who you may not know much about even though you probably have seen his printed posters.  The artist's name is Ellis Wilson (1899-1977).

I am choosing to feature his works because they are pure, somewhat primitive, and go well in rooms that are decorated primarily with antiques and recycled elements. 

ellis wilson | funeral procession

 We own two of his prints and one sits in our studio, facing me as I type this post.  The title of this painting is Funeral Procession (for years I thought it was a wedding procession because the women are wearing white dresses).  It was painted circa 1950 and the original is an oil on composite board, measuring 30.5x29.25.  In my research I found that this painting became popular when The Cosby Show, in 1985, did an episode where Mrs. Huxtable acquires the painting from her uncle Ellis.  After that episode, the "painting" hung over the Huxtable mantel for the duration of the series.

ellis wilson | field workers

The second poster (sitting in our garage waiting for new glass)  is from an original oil on fiberboard: Masonite titled Field Workers.  Its original was 29.75x34 7/8 and is owned by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  I can see this in a room with blue denim slipcovers, painted country furniture and yellow daisies in ironstone pitchers.  Both works look like they are from the '30s or earlier which is another reason they lend themselves well to vintage style rooms.

In 1941 this artist was quoted as saying, " My project or plan doesn't take much telling.  I want to paint...there is so much to paint and so little time."  His works have been cited for paving the way for other black artists and even though he gained national acclaim he died in obscurity in 1977 as a pauper.



cynthia and co. | ellis wilson print



So, how to use Ellis Wilson art in your junk inspired rooms? 

We have used Funeral Procession in a room that was painted a dreamy white with  an original oil of unknown origin, an African print and orange and green throw pillows (to balance the enormous amount of color in the print)...very beautiful! 

cynthia and co. | african print

I bought the Wilson to go with this original oil painting I got at auction.  The orange isn't totally versatile but everything looks nice together (with my sweet little painting).



cynthia and co. | original oil painting



cynthia and co. | oil painting artist unknown



cynthia and co. | signature unknown artist

Side note:  I've done a lot of research on this little oil painting and I can't find the artists signature anywhere.  Anyone recognize this artist and work?

Below you can see this print sitting on our desk in a dark green room.  Its more subtle, more toned down than against a white background but still very beautiful. In this environment the orange and green together are almost calming and I like the way it casually sits on the desk in front of an old panel door.  The equal amounts of black and white allow the image to work with white painted furniture, black furniture or natural woods with hints of orange in the stain.

So, if you want a series of prints that lend themselves to your flea market style, maybe Ellis Wilson prints will work for you!



cynthia and co.



When I first started researching this man's paintings I wasn't aware that one of his original works, Funeral Procession,  was at Tulane University, just a hop, skip and jump from our house.  Tomorrow I am going to investigate more and see if this is a permanent display or only showing for a limited time.  Hopefully I'll be able to do a postscript with some details about the art display in NOLA.

Aaron Douglas Collection

Amistad Research Center

Tilton Hall, Tulane University

6823 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70118

Bye for now...Cynthia

Your Own Style of Dreamy White

Decorating our homes in dreamy whites is in vogue right now and for good reason!

White rooms are easy to live in and they're tranquil...
With very subtle changes in color your mind can float through the space...

Two wildy popular stylists I have mentioned before, Rachel Ashwell and Fifi O'Neill, both design using a predominantly white background with white fabrics and white elements.  Their styles are rich with accents and full of charm and both designers create rooms that look effortless.  A little white paint and a lot of white fabric and voila - dreamy white.

But, if you have ever tried to build your own room, styled after either of these designers, you know it isn't effortless and recreating this look, with your own personal touch, is a process of trial and error.  Bring in a vase, take out a bowl...add a pillow, take out another pillow.

'Aaarg...this doesn't look right...'

cynthia and co. | white ironstone and pottery

First of all finding the right white paint for a room is tricky.  It becomes even trickier when you start to paint all of your junk furniture in whites, too.  If the paint color has too much gray the room becomes cold, too much yellow in the formula and the room can seem jaundiced.  Too much of one shade (only) and the room becomes flat.

Second, what if you want the feel of a tranquil white room but don't want to paint over all of mother's antiques?  Or maybe white slipcovers aren't in the budget?  Room modifications might be easier than you think.

Through my decorating journey here are some tips I can share:

• When we moved into our current house it was dingy.  The living room walls were beige and the hardwood trim was stained dark.  It was oppressive.  One of the first things, before installing the new tile, was to repaint the whole living area including the wood trim.  I selected Ultra Pure White for all the wood.  Ultra Pure is actually not cold and lends itself well to whatever wall color you select.  For the walls I picked a Martha Stewart paint called Talc.  This was the best choice of white - ever.  In the daytime, when the sunlight hits the walls, the room feels dreamy (sorry but it does).  At night, with just artificial light, the color changes a little and you can see both hints of gray and hints of yellow - still lovely at night.  (It will take awhile for me to tire of  the paint on my walls.)



cynthia and co. | Martha Stewart "Talc" paint color



• We all know about the tiny paint samples available now - a great idea so you can try a color before investing in a gallon or two.  But, you can also ask your paint specialist to print the formula before they mix.  More ochre in the formula the more yellow the finished color will look in your room.  More black in the formula the more gray your walls will feel.
• White mats on all of your artwork will bring in more light to your room.  For a formal feeling use the same color mat throughout.  For a more informal look mix up the mats with various shades of white.



cynthia and co. | ultra pure white painted frame



• White ironstone, porcelain, ceramics scattered throughout.  Do whole vignettes in white and balance three vignettes throughout your area - visualize a triangle when selecting spots for your vignettes. 

cynthia and co. | use white in vignettes

• White background in your accent fabrics.  If you don't have white upholstered furniture find a fabric with white background that picks up the colors in your sofa and chairs.  Then throw in more pillows, throws, etc. in just creams and whites.
• White sheers on windows.  These balance with your white background fabrics and when the wind blows into the room they have a ethereal feeling.



country living photograph of sheer curtains



• White candles - in generous amounts and only in whites and creams.  Do whole vignettes with candles.

As for painted white furniture, I have tried two or three times to repaint my pieces from black to white and it doesn't work for me right now.  My sofa is taupe leather and the white feels too harsh against the leather...however, once I get my Ikea Ektorp sofa (in white of course) I'll be painting over the black wood as quickly as I can.

ikea sofa in white | ektorp style

Now, if you are lucky enough to already have your lovely linen, cotton or denim slipcovers in place and your next step is to paint some furniture and wood accents my suggestions are: 

• Don't paint everything the same white - have similar paint colors but mix things up so your room doesn't feel sterile.
• Don't use a flat paint unless you plan to put a protective top coat over the paint.  With no sheen in the paint, again, the room becomes sterile.
• Do plan to do some sanding and distressing of the wood for a gently used  (or hugely used) look depending on your preference.
• Don't paint every single junk picture frame the same white...and don't paint every frame - mix things up a little with a hint of stain, silver or gold.  Use natural elements such as grapevine baskets.



cynthia and co. | use white and natural baskets



I hope I've shared something you might be able to use for your own junk inspired decorating.  Junk is good!  Bye for now.  Cynthia

You  might also like:
http://myjunkinspiredlife.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-is-your-junk-design-style.html

The Bargain Center | Bywater Neighborhood | New Orleans

Hello Everyone!

Today we're going to take a little e-trip to one of my favorite stores in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans...what to call this shop?  Hmmmm...its part thrift, part antiques, part Mexican wares...and a whole lot of fun.

The first time I visited I was drawn to the goody bags they sell at the front of the store - each bag is chock full of junk jewelry, miscellaneous pawns, watch parts, doll parts, etc.  I didn't purchase my own bag of stuff on that first visit and kept wishing I had.  So on this excursion that was the first table I went to - the owner advised that the bags are very popular and supplies were a little low.  No matter, I found one that fit my needs for $5.00!



my goody bag | those lil' angels will be for future inspiration story



This store is approximately 10,000 square feet in size.  It houses five dealers who have different collections and different styles, yet, the merchandise is similar enough to not have that disjointed feeling you get in some thrift stores.  There are no walls separating each dealer, no stiff prefab displays, NO PARTICLE board...just a rambling of vintage, antique, collectible junk!

Whew.  I am in Heaven when I visit.

the bargain center | new orleans

the bargain center | new orleans

You will find the usual thrift store merchandise - things you hope to find when you visit - tons of old frames, baskets of post cards, vintage photographs, crystal door knobs...

the bargain center | new orleans

But the Mexican wares are very nice, too.  Oil cloth for $9.00 a yard, Milagros, clothing, etc.

the bargain center | new orleans

When you go be sure to shop the thrift store next door.  They are just as much fun.

the bargain center | new orleans

So, in closing, if you haven't been to this very cool antique place in Bywater head on over and take a tour.  I think you'll have a good time and probably find a little junk you can't live without.  

The Bargain Center

3200 Dauphine St.

New Orleans, LA  70117

Hours of operation: 7 days a week, 11:00-6

Dear New Orleans

Oh, New Orleans, you are the little city that I hate to love...and yet I do (love you).

You have your issues - there is this little thing with water and hurricanes...

and we hear about your crime all the time...

the hurricane katrina X

But, what we may not hear about is your unwillingness to give up no matter what the odds.

My husband and I traveled into NOLA this Saturday so I could get some photos for a series I am doing on local antique stores.  The store I am going to feature this week is in the Bywater District which is down the Mississippi River from the French Quarter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bywater,_New_Orleans

Even though Bywater wasn't the hardest hit neighborhood (in regard to flooding after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on Labor Day weekend of 2005) it still received damage and you don't have to drive far to see the haunting reminder of the storm...

the Hurricane Katrina X.

(Keep in mind that after the Levy's breached, 85% of New Orleans was flooded...many buildings had water as high as their roofs and were submerged for weeks.)

The graffiti- like symbols were spray painted on the fronts of flooded buildings as a code among search and rescue teams to advise that the building had been searched and to identify what was found inside...specifically had a person or pet perished.

And now, six years later...

Many, many buildings in the city still wear these symbols proudly as a badge of honor, as a memorial to the people lost after the storm, as a way of telling the world that

New Orleans will never give up..rebuilding, renewing, recreating itself.

So,  New Orleans, I'll keep coming back for more.

More spirit.  More diversity.  More ENERGY.  More beauty.

More you.

Just keep doing what you're doing...recovering!

If you're from this area you've heard all of this...been there, done that...

but if you are curious about the events before the storm, the predictions of the eminent danger of the flood walls breaching long before the hurricane hit NOLA, the recovery process,  a good source of information is PBS

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3214/06.html

The more affluential neighborhoods have made significant progress in rebuilding, but there is still alot of work to be done in Treme, Gentilly, 9th Ward (just to name a few)...

and if you are interested in learning more about a very famous (and handsome) movie star's contributions to the city and specifically the 9th Ward you might like to read this:

http://www.makeitrightnola.org/

Habitat for Humanity, as you might expect, is very involved in providing quality shelter for the city.  Their website is:

http://www.habitat-nola.org/

Last I have to mention Anderson Cooper from CNN who brought the events of the storm into our livingrooms...(we were living in Houston, watching CNN around the clock...) and who tirelessly begged for help on behalf of the residents of New Orleans...

ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/.../hurricane-katrina-then-and-now/ -

The above mentioned may be a lending a hand, or a voice for New Orleans but it is the drive of the residents that gives this city its spunk and determination to keep on goin'!

You might also like to read:

http://myjunkinspiredlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/bargain-center-bywater-neighborhood-new.html

Altered Art with Vintage Typing Stand

I've done two projects in the past using
vintage typing stands...

I love them and would do more but quite frankly

these little vintage stands are impossible to find anymore...

cynthia and co | altered art | junk inspired

cynthia and co. | edwardian girl postcard | junk inspired

cynthia and co. | altered art | junk inspired

cynthia and co.| altered art | junk inspired

If you want to try your hand at creating one, here is a rundown of what I used:

• Vintage Metal Typing Stand
• Sturdy cardboard - cover from an old book will work just fine
• Scraps of scrapbook paper and vintage lace
• Scraps of ribbon - the printed one is Le Bebe from Midori
• Misc. flowers and tags
• E 6000 glue - to glue heart shape to heart shape, and to add both to the board
• Glue stick -  for both paper to board, and lace to paper application
• Sweet Edwardian Images - original cards from Ebay, made copies for this work

cynthia and co. | altered art | junk inspired



Something like this would be sweet in a little girls room...

but I am a big girl and I like it too!

Bye for now...Cynthia

Junk is Good!