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My name is Melody M. Nuñez, and I’m an artist and a writer. Please look around my website and make yourself at home. I post new blog entries weekly, and hope you’ll subscribe to my blog and come back often! To learn more about me, please view the “About” page…SUBSCRIBE
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Category Archives: antiques
A Rite of Passage
My book, An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past, is just over a month old now. Self-publishing has been a wonderful adventure so far, and I thought I’d share a happy “new author” rite of passage I recently experienced. Until a week or so ago, all my book sales had been done through Amazon and Etsy. I hadn’t seen my book for sale in a bookstore, but that was about to change.
While on a road trip I stopped into a bookstore near my destination, and ended up selling them a copy of my book. Yes, one copy. They very nicely explained that because they’re a small store they could only start with one book, but I was so excited you’d think I’d made a best seller list. I was even more excited when one of the two ladies I was doing business with walked over and put my book on their New Fiction section in the front of the store.
OMG – there it was! My book – for sale – in a store! It was a first for me, and naturally I had to take pictures to mark the occasion. I was grinning ear to ear as I left the store and drove on down the road. It was a small victory, but I was elated anyway. Woo hoo! Later on in my trip I went to sell another 7 books, including five that were purchased by an antique store, and it was a wonderful feeling. I wish I’d brought more books with me. :]
It’s unlikely my little book will make a big splash in the literary world, and I probably won’t sell tens of thousands of copies. This is a project that came from the heart, and seeing it through to being published – and beyond – is food for my soul. I strive to be mindful and grateful in daily life, so you can be sure I’m going to appreciate all the firsts and unexpected joys this literary journey brings my way.
Like the pleasure of seeing MY book on a shelf in a bookstore…
Warm regards,
Melody
New Assemblage Series: Then & Now
I recently created a two-part assemblage series, and thought I’d share it with you. These pieces are particularly significant to me for a few reasons. One: they’re more personal than my previous assemblages. Two: measuring 12″ x 15″, they’re the largest assemblages I’ve made thus far and incorporated heavier objects. I even used epoxy for the first time, so now I feel all official. :]
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I really enjoyed creating this series, and look forward to creating many more assemblages in the future. This mental shift towards more significant assemblage work is evident when I shop at thrift stores, estate sales, and antique stores – I’m now looking out for more dimensional pieces than ever before!
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I really enjoyed creating this series, and look forward to creating many more assemblages in the future. This mental shift towards more significant assemblage work is evident when I shop at thrift stores, estate sales, and antique stores – I’m now looking out for more dimensional pieces than ever before!
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Rather than take you through the assembly of these two pieces step-by-step, I’ll give you some of the highlights :
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THEN – first in the series
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This assemblage includes the following items: a vintage photo of a young girl, a traditional wooden ruler, a square wooden ruler, a doily, a pair of scissors, a heart-shaped tart tin, vintage graph paper, red fibers, 3 large beads, 2 vintage rhinestones, gold joss paper, and a small silver frame.
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The picture above was taken with the glass lid up, to reduce glare. The image below shows the lid down…
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NOW – second in the series
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This assemblage includes the following items: a vintage photo of a woman, a small glass container, a vintage bunny figurine, a small doily, three vintage pen nibs, a nasturtium seed packet, a projector light bulb, lace, ribbon, a vintage measuring spoon, a vintage book, a paintbrush, a foreign postage stamp, a clear lens, and a piece of vintage cloth measuring tape.
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Again, the picture above was taken with the glass lid up. The image below shows the lid down…
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- Both assemblages made use of pre-made wooden boxes with glass tops. The boxes were purchased at Michaels, and the wood was left its natural color but was sealed with a clear varnish.
- The inside of each box was collaged with vintage sewing patterns before the other elements were added.
- Though each assemblage stands on its own the two were meant to work together, so some elements are used in both pieces – like photos, doilies, measuring elements (ruler and tape), the deep red color, and metallics.
I hope you enjoyed this peek at my newest assemblages. What do you think? Please post a comment with any questions or feedback.
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Warm regards,
Melody
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Also posted in art, art supplies, vintage
Tagged assemblage, assemblage series, ephemera, epoxy
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Books & Bunnies!
Greetings from Book Central!
I received my first big shipment of books on Monday, which will be used to help promote the book, and I’m so excited! Feedback on my book has been very positive thus far, and I’m a happy camper. I’m looking forward to sharing my “baby” with more people in the coming months, so I also ordered some bookmarks and postcards to help with that. They arrived last weekend and I think they look fab. Hubby did such a great job on them!
In other book-related news, some (very) informal market research has been done, and two out of two bunnies surveyed find my new book delicious! ;]
So, have you entered my giveaway yet? I’m giving away 3 signed copies of An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past, and will announce the winners this Tuesday, March 5, 2013. Please enter now by commenting on this link’s post, if you haven’t already! :]
I hope you have a great weekend, dear readers…
Warm regards,
Melody
Estate Sales: The Thrill of the Hunt
Do any of you frequent Estate Sales, or is it just me? I’ve been to a handful or so in the last year, and I have to confess that I can’t get enough of them. In fact, this may be a new addiction – uh oh!
For me part of the fun of an Estate Sale is the hunt. Not knowing what I might find – peeking and peering around in search of things that I consider treasure. Treasure, for me, includes vintage photos, buttons & notions, and linens. I look for inexpensive crafting supplies for my at-risk art journaling students. I’m now looking for more jewelry and findings that I can make necklaces with, and have also been known to pick up a vintage mini tart mold or two.
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Do I need any of this stuff? No – these items are purely recreational, and are intended to appear in some of my creative projects. That said, collecting and creating keep me out of trouble, and it’s a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment all things considered.*
Example: on a recent Saturday morning I visited two Estate Sales, and had a few hours of fun looking around. My purchases for the day totaled $10, and I ended up getting four vintage photos (including one in a frame), one handkerchief, a knitted baby sock, two doilies, a thread spool holder, metallic thread, a vintage star cookie cutter, and two clipboards. The next bit of fun is figuring out what I’ll make some of these items into. :]
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Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to shopping Estate Sales? I’m curious about whether or not folks like to go on Friday when the sale first opens (for the best selection), or if they prefer to go on Saturday when prices are often half off. I’d love to hear about your Estate Sale tips and tricks, and what you like to look for when shopping, so please post a comment if you can.
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Happy Hunting!
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Warm regards,
Melody
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Also posted in art supplies, crafts, inspiration, life in general, vintage
Tagged doilies, vintage handkerchief, vintage photos
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The Launch of My Book! And a Giveaway!
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00069]](http://melodynunez.com/wp-content/gallery/aae-book/aae_bookcover4web.jpg)
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my book, which is now available on Amazon.com!
The title of my book is An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past. It’s a combination of both my writing and altered art, and I’m so happy to see the project come to fruition!
About the Book (from the back cover)
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An Altered Existence is a collection of short stories, each illustrated with a vintage photo. These photos, also known as cabinet cards, were “orphans” collected from flea markets and antique stores. They sparked the author’s imagination, and resulted in 14 short stories illustrated with photos “altered” by the author.
- A photo of a bearded man with haunted eyes is paired with a silver key, and a story of a family with hoarding tendencies emerges.
- A wedding portrait of a young couple, combined with a gold wedding band and the words “false” and “true”, yields a tale about a gentle schoolteacher who sets her small town’s rumor mill on fire when she poses for a photo with a local scoundrel, though they’re not engaged or married.
- A young girl’s portrait, when paired with vintage buttons, births a story that many can relate to: loss, and the subsequent struggle to feel whole again.
Look into these 14 portraits from long ago, and venture into the “altered existences” they inspired. This collection includes stories about life, love, birth, death, self-acceptance, salvation, and taking chances. Their stories just may be our stories, too…*
GIVEAWAY!
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In honor of the launch/release of my book, I’m going to give away THREE signed copies! In order to enter, simply leave a comment here on this post. The winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, so please enter by Monday, March 4th. Good luck!
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Please spread the word!
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I’d really appreciate it if you’d share the news about my new book with family, friends, fiction readers, book clubs, and artists – anyone that might enjoy my illustrated collection of short stories. Thank you in advance!
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I hope you all have a wonderful week…*
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Warm regards,
Melody
TweetIt’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!
I really enjoy decorating for the holidays, and was excited to change things up a bit this year. We usually decorate with the same items and theme, and I decided this year would be different. Why? I guess it feels like I missed out on celebrating some things this year since I didn’t dress up for Halloween and was sick on Thanksgiving Day with a nasty headache. So, when it came to Christmas I decided to go big. I’m feeling particularly festive since I’ve been cleared by the doctor for full use of both my hands. Hurray! It was a real pleasure to decorate our home for the holidays, and I hope you enjoy what I came up with.
Doilies Everywhere!
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As I mentioned in my Doily-Inspired Mandalas post, I’ve collected a number of doilies over the past few months. One of the lots of doilies included several identical white doilies, and I decided to make a garland with them – to hang over a doorway. I also decided to use some of the larger doilies for wall decor. But first I had to stiffen them. Armed with a mixture I made by cooking cornstarch and water, I did just that.
The eight white doilies are linked together with old-school brass brads. I added some ribbon bows and vintage silver candy molds to add some “pop”.
These three large doilies look nice alongside the window, and the silver floral trim that I glued in the center really added some sparkle to otherwise flat pieces.
This view is from the bedroom, showing the backside of the garland – looking towards the tree.
Our tree has to be elevated up off the ground because of our pet rabbits, and I decided to use a table cloth that my mother-in-law cross-stitched years ago for our “tree skirt”. I love the look of it, and it has a lot of sentimental value.
Our main tree, lit. I left our typical hand-painted tin Mexican ornaments off the tree this year, and used lights, glass bulbs and snowflakes instead. I already had all those things though – the only things I purchased were the doilies used elsewhere in the room.
I found this vintage tinsel star at a thrift store in Kansas in 2009. Cost? A mere 75 cents!
This smaller green tree sits atop our bookshelf. If those star ornaments look familiar, it’s because I shared how to make them in a DIY post last year: Aluminum Star Ornaments! The star atop the tree is – yep, you guessed it – another stiffened doily. I glued an old rhinestone earring into the center of the star to add some oomph. The tree’s base and the the top of the bookshelf were “doilied”, too. :]
Here are the little tree and wreath that I put out in the studio, in the corner next to (and above) my desk. Tinsel rules in the studio this year, but I still have doilies under the tree and under the tiny baby Jesus.
And of course, here’s the Vintage Crocheted Wreath I shared on Tuesday – which is hanging on the inside of our front door.
I wasn’t kidding when I said there are doilies every where! The look I was going for is Modern Vintage, which is how I often describe my artwork – particularly my collages. I love vintage, but want to keep it “clean” and interesting – and I don’t want it to look too saccharine. Pretty, unique, and a bit unexpected – those are words I’d like used to describe this year’s decor. Do you think I succeeded in keeping a bit of an edge?
Do you have a theme that you work with when it comes to your holiday decor, dear readers? I hope you’ll comment and share. Oh, and if you’re interested in the recipe/process for stiffening the doilies with cornstarch, just let me know. I’d be happy to post a link in the comments to the page I referenced when I worked on the doilies.
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in DIY, holidays, inspiration, life in general, vintage
Tagged decorating for the holidays, doilies, doily, holiday decor, using doilies to decorate for Christmas
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Vintage Beauty
There’s something about antique, vintage and otherwise imperfect surfaces that I just love. Worn, distressed, rusted, aged – these are all wonderful adjectives in my world. I suppose part of the allure is the instant sense of history that’s conveyed when you see a piece that’s somehow distressed. And though many artists and crafters regularly use techniques intended to mimic the aged and distressed look (myself included), there’s nothing like the real thing. That’s why I nearly swoon when I visit antique stores like the ones over in Old Towne Orange, and I was smitten with so many pieces when I stopped by for a little browsing a few weekends ago. If I didn’t have a finite amount of space and a limited budget I would’ve been buying things left and right!
I only purchased a few things, but really enjoyed all the eye candy. (The last two photos, below, show what I bought) I snapped a few iPhone photos of things that made my eyes happy, and hope you enjoy seeing these items as well. The first of the two photos is a detail shot of the item in question, and the second is a wider shot.
While in the first store I saw a Penny Rug for the first time. Made up of hundreds of hand-cut circles of felt and thousands of stitches, I was blown away by how much time and effort must’ve gone into this piece. Penny Rugs aren’t actually used as rugs – they’re more like table runners or decorative coverings for other home furnishings. I was intrigued by what I learned about Penny Rugs on Wikipedia, but probably won’t get around to making my own – and this $79 version was definitely out of my price range!
This yearbook from the 1930’s had a beautifully embossed cover and spine. So lovely!
I love the floral motif on this silver platter, and even think the tarnish is pretty!
I’m not a girly-girl, and am generally not drawn to this shade of pink, but this feathered hat was such a delightful ball of fluff that I couldn’t resist trying it on!
Ooh, yum. The rust-colored, mottled surface of this mirror is fantastic.
This set of rusted drawers is so incredibly cool, I was barely able to make myself walk away! If only I had more space and $200 to spend on one piece of art supply storage!!
What’s with the bronzed baby shoe? The last time I visited the shops in Old Towne Orange I was with my friends A.T. and A.C., and we saw bronzed baby shoes. I knew they’d been popular back in the day, but we wondered aloud – what possessed folks to bronze baby shoes anyway? I’ve seen a few pairs since then, and they’ve kind of been growing on me. So, when I saw this one shoe – and it was marked down – I indulged my weird bronzed baby shoe interest. The shoe is engraved across the top, and says Beverly with a date of 12-30-46. So sweet, and interesting too – Beverly is near to my mom’s age. Do you suppose the date is when Beverly was born, or the date she took her first steps?
My purchases for the day:
3 vintage photos featuring babies – originally $2 each, they were marked down to $1
1 other vintage photo (upper right) – $1.50
Small striped shell (center) – 50 cents
Bronzed baby shoe – originally $12, marked down to $6
Total: $11 plus tax – a bargain for a day’s entertainment and some fun items for my creative stash!
What types of things do you like to shop and window shop for, dear readers? Do you collect vintage photos and vintage buttons like me, or have another kind of collection? Please fill me in…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in inspiration, life in general, vintage
Tagged Bronzed Baby Shoe, Old Towne Orange, Penny Rug
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DIY: Vintage Button Wall Display
Back in 2005 I visited New York City, and shopped at an open air flea market. While I was there I found and bought a few bulky and ridiculously inexpensive vintage pieces. One was an old ledger, and one was a wooden tray originally used to hold the letters/type from a printing press. I found these items early in the day, and unintentionally drove hubby crazy as I lugged these two clunky items around Manhattan for the rest of the day. I think the wooden tray was $2, which was a steal, and I was thrilled to have found such wonderful items so cheap!
Somewhere along the way I decided the tray would make a great display for some of my vintage buttons. I probably thought of this project at least four years ago, and recently sat down to make my vision a reality. Finally. Better late than never though, and I knew it was just a matter of time before I put this cool piece of print history to good use!
Materials
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- Wooden print type tray (consider looking for a modern alternative to this vintage piece at your local craft store if you’re not into vintage)
- Pop-Up Glue Dots
- Wire Cutters
- Buttons
Button Selection
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I have a box full of vintage buttons – I started collecting around ten years ago – and started this project by sorting through them. I decided to do one row of each color, of eight different colors, and looked for buttons that were a good representation of the variety in my collection. I chose mostly one-of-a-kind buttons, meaning that I only had one of them in my stash. If there were three or more of a button I didn’t use them, since I tend to use either three or four of a particular button in my collages.
Each little niche was labeled with a paper letter when I purchased the tray, dating back to its original use, and I opted to keep the labels on and preserve that bit of history as well.
Directions
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1. Select the buttons you’d like to display. I used one button per spot.
2. Cut the shanks off the backs of any buttons that have them. I used wire cutters to remove the buttons’ shanks, whether the shank was metal or plastic.
3. Lay the buttons out in the grid, shifting buttons as needed until you’re pleased with the layout.
4. Attach each button to the grid with a Pop-Up Glue Dot, being sure to press the button down firmly.
5. Attach a hanger of some sort to the back of the wooden tray – like a sawtooth – and then hang on the wall.
This project is easy and versatile. Not only can you customize the colors and patterns you display in your grid, you can take buttons out and put new ones in once it’s been hung. The glue dots hold firm, but should allow you to pull a button out if you find a “new” button you’d like to display later on.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to comment!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in DIY, vintage
Tagged button collection, glue dots, vintage button collection, vintage button wall display, vintage buttons, wooden print type tray
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Repurposed Vintage Train Case
Look – my new “art supplies on the go” case! I used to have my art supply basics in a huge Ziplock bag, and would put that bag inside a larger tote when I attended art classes or creative gatherings, but I definitely needed an upgrade. Sure, my old bag was easy to transport and functional, but it lacked style and charm. I began thinking of a vintage train case as a potential candidate for my upgrade, and found the perfect case the weekend before last while antiquing with friends. Originally $22.00, it was on sale and my total was $18.96 with tax. This was more than I’d wanted to pay, but when I checked eBay I found it was reasonably priced when compared to similar pieces and I saved on shipping by buying locally.
Though the case could easily be decoupaged, I’ve opted to keep the blue exterior plain, and just dressed up the handle. I DID decoupage the inside though. The interior’s bottom and sides looked a bit “undesirable”, so I used vintage ledger paper to cover over the makeup stains. This ledger paper was a fab choice because of the vintage feel and the tiny blue lines running across the pages. These lines tie in to the case’s blue exterior without being super matchy-matchy. An added bonus of the decoupaged interior is that the inside surfaces are now sealed and protected. That said, if I happen to spill ink or some other art supply inside who cares? After all, it IS an art case!
Vintage Train Case interior – before. The interior was intact but stained, and a vigorous cleaning didn’t help.
Vintage Train Case Interior – after. So much better, don’t you think?
The front side of the tag…
The back side of the tag, which includes my business cards…
Curious about this case’s transformation process? Here are the steps:
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- Clean the case – inside and out. I used 409, paper towels, and an old toothbrush to clean up the somewhat dingy case. The old toothbrush worked really well in the nooks and crannies.
- Cut pieces of paper to line the case with. I used vintage ledger paper, but you might use tissue paper, magazine pages, wrapping paper, or another thin decorative paper.
- Apply the paper to the interior using a decoupage medium like Mod Podge or water-soluble Minwax Polycrylic. First, adhere the paper pieces to the case’s interior and let that dry completely. Next, apply two or three coats of sealer on top of your paper to protect the paper’s surface. Be sure to allow each coat to dry completely before applying the next coat.
- Attach a custom luggage tag with your contact information on the handle. This will make it easy to identify the piece as yours, and easier for the case to be returned to you should it become lost. I used a business card, watercolor paper, vintage ledger paper, glassine, a carved cork stamp, masking tape, and vintage buttons to make my custom tag.
- Enjoy! I can hardly wait to take my new art supplies case on its first outing. I won’t be taking the train on my trip, but I’ll be hitting the road on Sunday and am really looking forward to transporting my art supplies in style!
Please let me know if you have any questions, dear readers. Oh, and please post a comment and share if you’ve converted an unconventional bag into something you carry on your artful outings. I’d love to hear about it and am sure my other readers would, too!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art supplies, crafts, DIY, vintage
Tagged antique store, Repurposed Vintage Train Case, vintage ledger paper, Vintage Train Case
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Antiquing (& Eating) in Old Towne Orange
Antiquing in Old Towne Orange, California is one of my favorite ways to spend a day. The thrill of the hunt is part of the fun, and there’s a ”foodie” aspect, too. In addition to having several antique stores, this little area is also home to several wonderful places to eat. So if you like to gaze at goodies from the past and grab some great grub, you’ll definitely enjoy a trip to Old Towne Orange. I snapped some photos with my trusty iPhone on a recent trip – please scroll down to see images of things that caught my eye versus what I actually purchased.
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My Perfect Schedule
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I like to start looking through the stores around 10 a.m. I break for lunch at one of the nearby restaurants around noon, and then continue shopping until sensory overload sets in. Sensory overload is a very real danger when shopping in antique stores because they cram stuff into every nook and cranny! I don’t usually eat lunch and dinner in the area, but if you’re coming from out of town and want to make a day of it, you could easily eat two great meals at two different restauruants.
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Antiques Galore
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Let me clarify something: When I go antiquing I’m not looking for stately wooden furniture or Depression-era glassware. Those kinds of things are certainly lovely, but they’re not my thing. First of all, my budget is too small, and I’m actually looking for smaller things size-wise, too. I’m usually searching for unique little bits and bobs I can use in my art: vintage buttons and other trims, vintage photos, and things like handkerchiefs.
The stores I visit generally have a good mix of merchandise though. Bigger pieces for those looking to decorate their home, and smaller pieces for people like me who are looking to embellish a collage.
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First – things I liked, but didn’t buy:
Image at top – I love vintage ornaments, and they looked great in the glass bowl.
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The green on this dish brought Ireland to mind.
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I love this rich, velvet hat – but not the $45 selling price.
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The baker and the silver lover in me adore this pan. Unfortunately, the price was unappetizing.
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My Grandma Neva loved owls, and I do, too…
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This skirt was lovely, but at nearly $80 it wasn’t a great fit.
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You know you’ve reached “a certain age” when you start seeing toys from your childhood in antique stores!
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This beauty is a vintage footwarmer, used in the early days of automobiling. I love the contrast of the green velvet and the metal…
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Here’s what I did buy:
This book of Practical Arithmetic was a bargain at $1. It will be perfect for collage and is already partially disassembled!
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I love vintage photos, and purchased five black and white photos for $1 each. Here are two of the images I chose – the class photos go well with my book!
Total spent: $6.00, plus tax
Restaurants
With so many restaurants to enjoy, it can be tough to decide where to dine. Here’s a brief list of some of my favorite restaurants:
Watson’s Drugs & Soda Fountain – Watson’s has been a fixture in Old Towne Orange since 1899. Not only do they have a soda fountain/dining area that serves up delicious food and desserts, they also have a small drugstore that sells some “old school” candies you might not have seen for years. The meals are good (including breakfast), but I really go to Watson’s for sweets: shakes, root beer floats, banana splits, pie. Everything I’ve had is good – the difficult part is choosing what to order!
Renata’s Cafe Italiano – This Italian restaurant has great food. I love their lasagna, garlic bread, and house dressing!
Bruxie – This is a new addition to my favorite list. They serve waffle sandwiches – both savory and sweet. Yum! I’ve only eaten at Bruxie once thus far, but will definitely be going back.
I can vouch for the following:
Savory: Bruxie Burger, and the Smoked Salmon & Dill Cream Waffle
Sweet: Lemon Cream & Berries Waffle, and Soft Serve Frozen Custard
Salty: Fries
*Note: Bruxie is very popular and is likely to have a (potentially long) line, so don’t wait until you’re starving to head over.
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I invite you to post a comment and share your favorite antiquing locations – please be sure to include your favorite nearby restaurants!
Warm regards,
Melody
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Also posted in art, art supplies, inspiration, life in general, photography, restaurants, vintage
Tagged Bruxie, Old Towne Orange, Orange, Renata's Cafe Italiano, Watson's Drug & Soda Fountain
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