Freeform Friday: Antique Ephemera

Read about my previous Texas inspiration from January 2013... 

This past week I was in Austin, Tx visiting family. I adore travel, and I love the heightened awareness that I get when traveling. The DE-TX route is one I do a few times a year; even though my sister's and my parents' houses feel like home - the travel awakens me. I am more alert, tuned in to my surroundings as they are familiar but different. I am almost guaranteed to be inspired, and rejuvenated to return to the studio. This trip it was a day trip to Georgetown, TX and a few fabulous antique stores...

The loot from Gatherings. 

Rosary cases for mixed media necklaces? 

We were having a bit of show and tell over a glass of wine - and my Dad was incredulous that I was SO excited over this little pile of ephemera. But I have big plans:

This leather rosary case joins a leather coin purse in my tray of treasures. I see them with grommets to allow for a secure attachment that won't damage the leather. I imagine personal treasures inside: pictures, notes to one's self, a small object to wear close to your heart...

The Optometrist lenses are a classic component of mixed media pieces, and I admit I find them lovely to use. I like to collage on antique paper, worn thin and translucent. The resin does the rest. I think the layers reveal and conceal words and images in a way that engages the viewer. The resin lens shown was one half of a pair of spectacles. As the the buckles - I DO have a stock pile of these. I like to use them as frames, enshrining a word or image. The piece below was created in tandem with my artist friend Betsy Mortenson, the shapes and words play off the images in a giclee print of hers.

Optometrist lenses and an antique Mother-of-pearl buckle. 

This one may look familiar? Another buckle on the top right... and a look back at the mixed media COM's from January 2014! I'm pretty excited - I'll be teaching this mold making/polymer/mixed media class at Bead Fest in April! 

Buckles destined for Mixed media; like  I am teaching at Beadfest! 

And last but not least, a flock of feathered friends in the form of cigarette cards. Popular from the 1870's until the early 1900's these advertising cards decorated and stiffened soft packs of cigarettes. They are quite collectible, but at $1 each I don't think these corvids and owls are in high demand.

Cigarette cards - a company of corvids. 

The sales woman asked me what I was going to do - I think the phrase mixed media artist piqued her interest. I had been sketching shrine pendants in the airport already - so here are a few excerpts from my pages:

From my sketchbook... 

The cards are a bit large and I may have to trim them. My basic idea is to create a copper and mica sandwich, or alternately a copper and plexiglass sandwich. The piece would be attached with rivets, microvolts, etc. I could even do a peyote stitch ribbon around the piece, ( sketch on bottom left) to circle the poleax and sit flush between the copper pieces. Hmm. SO many ideas!

What will these be? Time will tell... 

And last but not least:
Antique watch crystals, some tiny and some medium. I am going to keep these a secret for now... but I am SO excited about these! They were in a Mason jar! So many, I was sorting through them, tempted to buy more!

I have a studio day planned today! Mixed media, metal, polymer, and perhaps a few hares... it IS March. Until next time... 

Jenny

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Little Finds and Studio Cleanup

When we have time, my boyfriend and I like to peruse antique stores and outdoor markets.  I don't always have an idea in mind for what I want, but I always look at the old jewelry.  Most of it is junk, but sometimes I find something that I wish I would have purchased! 

Here are some little finds that I did purchase recently.

 These little pendants are made from what I am assuming are antique or very old cards.  At least they look that way?  They could be reproductions, but whatever, I like them!

 These are some buttons I picked up at the Hannahstown antique market.  I'm sure they aren't old, either, but I really liked them.  I thought of using them for polymer clay stamps, but not sure if they would work well or not.  We shall see!

I also promised you some photos of my studio cleanup!  Here's a photo of my work bench, before I started making beads after cleanup!   Very clean!  Doesn't look like that now!

What little things have you found in antique stores or markets that you use to make jewelry?  If you want, send me some photos and I'll show them off in my next AJE post!  Send your photos to sue(at)suebeads(dot)com.