New Feature on my blog! Thrift Store Treasures

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Thrift stores are becoming more and more popular these days. It's not just about saving money, which is always a good thing; it's about the thrill of the hunt and finding ways to re-use goods. It's about being creative with things you find. I blogged about repurposing a skirt here. So I'm going to start this new feature to share my treasures. Today I found this basket in a Houston Heights shop. I paid less than $2 for it. Now you know if you went to Marshall's, it would cost about $20 easy. What am I gonna do with it you ask? Fabric scraps!

2nd Bling Thing

I deconstructed a pair of earings for smalll rhinestones that I attached to the fabric. My choice of fabric came from another thrift store purchase - a bold graphic printed blouse. A portion of the pattern repeated and I began with that detail for a border. Once I arranged the four edges and sewed the collage, I used the junky jewelry pieces on the repetitious shapes. Notice I have another grid composition forming ~ seems like I rely on that motif alot to keep my compositions from being chaotic. I wanted more elements besides rhinestones and fabric and looked to nature to provide accents to the border with sticks. I coated the sticks with varnish before I sewed them on. The last thing I needed for this Junky Jewelry collage was a focal point. Using nature as my inspiration, I experimented with various leaf elements until I found a pattern on another thrift store garment that seemed to fit perfectly and finish off my piece.

I've also been scanning these and editing them in Photoshop™, but that's another story!

Sewing Project

When I'm not drawing or doing collage work in the studio, I'm hunting through forgotten treasures in thrift stores and flea markets. Lately I've been finding discarded fashions with some vibrant patterns and colors. I left the price tag on this skirt to prove that it truly was just $2.10. (you can click on the picture to see more details.) I transformed it into a patchwork handbag. I'll have more to share here very soon. Comments appreciated!

Shabby Chic in Texas

photo taken at The Prairie by ArtL8dY on Oct 3, 2012

Before HGTV, Rachel Ashwell hosted her own design show on E! (from 1999 to 2003).  I would watch the show and follow along with her as she found treasures in flea markets to demonstrate the appeal of time worn objects and the beauty of imperfections. She was the one who started it all with her shabby chic style.

I didn't know this until recently, but in 2009 her company went bankrupt, but she re-organized and has made a come back. (Good for her!) In 2011, The Prairie opened and recently I made a visit there to check it out. It is a wonderful retreat in one of my favorite areas of this great state of Texas. I enjoyed visiting the shop and wandering around the grounds snapping some photos.

There's something about the cozy familiarity of salvaged furniture mixed with vintage fabric. They help me recall the nostalgic mix of memories of my youth sewing on Aunt Pearl's sewing machine when I spent days enjoying just simple practical living. 

The line between trash and treasure can be a fine one. As I wander flea markets and thrift stores these days, I am drawn to the fabric. I've been inspired to stitch on linens, handkerchiefs, and vintage cloths making these banners.


I will be updating my Etsy shop before the holidays.

Coming up in my next blog posts: 2012 Houston Quilt Festival (getting ready!)

Toys!!!

The holiday season brings out the child in all of us and rightly so! I buy toys that have been abandoned on shelves of despair at the thrift shop. I capture them on the pages of my sketchbook and they become famous artifacts for my future fortune!

Here's a link to see another "toy" drawing
http://e14studio.blogspot.com/2011/12/still-life-drawing-with-doll.html

Summer Reading List

Thought I'd share my summer reading list with you.

 I just finished Twyla Tharp's "The Creative Habit". For some unknown reason this book had eluded me and I've been meaning to read it and finally found a copy. I liked it; in fact I liked it enough to do some underlining and highlighting. There's a chapter about "spine" which is something that helps clarify creative goals and I underlined the sentence reminding me that figuring out what I'm trying to say with my art before I go off and create randomly makes it easier to finish a piece. I'm all about the process, so I got some good tips from her book.

Then I picked up "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan only because of the cover and the illustrations by Maira Kalman. The author gives some healthy advice about foods we should eat and her drawings are amazing. One of my favorites is the one that goes with the title, "Make Water You're Beverage of Choice". There's an image of a figure below Niagara Falls and since I was born and raised there, I resonate with the image.  It shows a tiny person at the bottom of the waterfall that is painted with simple, bold, energetic splashes of white, grays and greens. After looking at her artwork, it makes me want to get out my sketchbook and paints. 

Another inspiring book, "A Very Modest Cottage" by Tereasa Surratt documents how she restored her grandmother's cottage. I think when I retire, I'm going to be a "picker" and uncover all kinds of treasures.  This book showed some of the  antiques she found and put in her cottage.

It occurred to me that after reading all three of these books, I've clarified my "creative spine" to render artwork inspired by the things I find in antique stores and thrift shops. Twyla gave me the instructions, Maira showed me a style and Tereasa reinforced my interest in objects from my childhood.

So that brings me to the 4rth book on my table. As I was checking out at the library I saw it on the shelf of new releases and it's a memoir by John Kennedy Jr.'s loyal assistant and friend, Rosemarie Terenzio. I can't put the book down and will have to finish it tonight. Such a sad tragedy, what a cool guy he was. (and so was his young wife). The title is "Fairy Tale Interrupted".

So that's my summer reading list so far. 

Here are the links:

The Creative Habit

Food Rules

A Very Modest Cottage

Fairy Tale Interrupted

If you'd care to comment and share what you're reading, I'd be interested!

Inspired by Vera Neumann

If you are into painterly florals or images inspired by exotic travel locations, then you must have seen a Vera creation. She is most remembered for her scarves. (If you find one in a thrift store, grab it!) From 1942 to 1993 she designed everything from fabric, wallpaper, bedding, and kitchen items. I remember my mom having a set of her kitchen place mats.
I blogged about this book already. Lots of eye candy for those of us into color and that painterly look.

Here what Design Sponge had to say about her

Herb Goddess - a story

She stood tall and dignified on the shelf of the thrift store despite her raggedy attire. The chipped porcelain angels looked up to her for support as they waited for purchase. She assured them there were homes waiting for all of them. To boost their confidence, she folded her hands over her heart and whispered these words, "give us a new beginning and chance to delight others again."

Then one Saturday when the store was busy, she was up and down all over the place. Just when she thought she had a chance to escape her dismal life on the shelf, she was put back in an unfamiliar nook. From her new vantage point she could see the chipped angels were riding in a basket on their way to a new home. For that she was glad.

Hidden on a bookshelf, she kept her hands folded and prayed. There came a gentle touch upon her that moved her to a basket. She rolled around with some fabric, books and tea cups. She was taken to the desk, wrapped in paper and carried far far from the place of second chances.

Once in a new place, she was released from her paper bondage and immediately sniffed the aroma of vegetable broth simmering on the stove. To her delight her prayers were answered.

The gentle touch reached for her and carried her through the screen door. "You belong here," she was told. "You are my Herb Goddess."

The joy! The sound of lively birds! The newly named Herb Goddess is in her garden to keep vigil over the fragrant plants. Her only prayer is that the squirrels leave her alone.

All is well.

French Theme

ff_artquilt, originally uploaded by e14studio.

Here are two art quilts that are inspired by a visit to a french flea market. I began with fabric designed by Michael Miller and I added fragments that compliment this theme. As if I didn't have enough fabric, I couldn't resist a trip to the thrift store. I was able to buy vintage looking clothes that I tore apart and used here. For additional information about my art quilts and to inquire how you can have one of these yourself, please email me at e14studio-at-yahoo-dot-com. It's not too soon to be thinking about holiday gift ideas.