Tag Archives: cabinet cards

Books & Bunnies!

By Melody | Published February 28, 2013

books

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!

bookmarks_postcard

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!  ;]

pinto_book

cypress_book

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

Posted in An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past, antiques, art, books, giveaway, vintage, writing | Also tagged , , , 5 Comments

The Launch of My Book! And a Giveaway!

By Melody | Published February 19, 2013

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00069]

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)
*

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!
*

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!
*

Please spread the word!
*

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!
*
I hope you all have a wonderful week…*
*
Warm regards,
Melody
Posted in antiques, art, books, publishing, vintage, writing | Also tagged , , , , 51 Comments

Artful Ingredients: Artistic Probabilities for 2011

By Melody | Published January 9, 2011

I love to collect odds and ends to use in my art.  I have a moderate-sized stash of goodies on hand at all times, and always keep an eye out for new artistic possibilities.  I’m an equal opportunity collector, too.  I’m not just interested in new or expensive items.  I’m just as likely to select something inexpensive or otherwise destined for the trash.  Whether something cost $30 or nothing at all, it’s all treasure to me.

I’ve been plotting and planning lately, and have written down my goal for this year.  I’ve also chose some materials I’d like to use – one way or another – in upcoming art projects and I’d like to share them with you.  Here are some of the materials I’m planning on using in my artwork in 2011:

Plastic netting

img_8097

This would have been trash, had I not rescued it.  Originally holding produce and sealed noodles, these pieces of netting now have almost limitless potential.

Caran d’Ache water-soluble crayons

img_8109

I love working with these glorious sticks of color!  It’s time to pick them up again…

Embroidery hoop & thread

img_8096

I’ve purchased a book teaching and illustrating embroidery stitches, and plan to learn at least one stitch per month this year.

Joss paper

img_8093

There are many types of joss paper.  I love this orange and metallic gold combo!

Tintypes

img_8089

I have some of these oh-so-old photos in my vintage photo collection, and they’re calling to me.

Glass tube-y electrical components

img_8102

I don’t know exactly what these are, but I knew I had to buy some for my artwork!

Cabinet cards

img_8086

These photos would like to come out and play as well!  I reserve the right to use different images, but will make use of cabinet cards in 2011.

Wooden sewing box

img_8104

This is one my pricier purchases; it was around $30 at an antique store in Missouri.  It’s suuuuuuper cool though – trust me.  The way it opens and can be displayed is so unique!

Mailing pouch

img_8100

These express mail pouches are virtually indestructible, and I’ve wanted to make something with one for a while now.  2011 is the year that function and form will meet.

Metal muffin cup

img_8101

Most people would’ve eaten the muffin this cup held and then thrown the pleated cup away.  I’m not most people.  This piece of metal will live again in my art!

Please keep an eye out for these materials in my artwork in the upcoming months.  Their inclusion may be subtle, so it will take a keen eye, but they’ll appear.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into my Artful Ingredients…

Warm regards,
Melody

Posted in antiques, art, art supplies, inspiration, photography, vintage | Also tagged , , , , , , , 6 Comments

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…

By Melody | Published August 3, 2010

I have quite a stash of art supplies.  I’m a lucky girl!  I’ve pared things back in the past few years, but many wonderful things remain.  Some of my supplies are new, packaged and a bit more generic – things like cardstock, adhesives, canvases, or pens.  Others are more unique and a bit more eclectic:

Cabinet cards and other vintage photos

1-for-web

2-for-web

Aged lace and other trims

3-for-web

4-for-web_0

Bottles of old glitter and sequins

5-for-web

Vintage handkerchiefs

6-for-web

Oh, and buttons.  I love vintage buttons!

8-for-web

7-for-web

It’s these “one-of-a-kind/you’ll NEVER find this again” things that are so hard to pass up.  Especially the vintage photos.  I want to adopt all these orphans of yesteryear.  However, I try not to buy things that are too pricey, so I’m constantly weighing want versus really want!  I find many of my unique supplies at thrift stores, swap meets, and antiques stores, and love ferreting out a bargain – don’t you?  There’s nothing better than getting something you are certain to buy for a great price!

While I’m trying to keep my supply stash within bounds, I’ll always have several “favorite things” on-hand. You never know when inspiration will strike, and I like to have a good selection of things to pull from when the planets of creativity align!

Warm regards,
Melody

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Posted in antiques, art, art supplies, Uncategorized, vintage | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments