Trash to Treasure

To see in my shop, click here

I love yard sales, both having them and going to them. There is just something so addictive to finding that one thing that is treasure to another's trash. It's all a matter of perspective. So on the way home from a friend's house one fine Saturday, I could not resist turning at the signpost with three different yard sale signs taped to it. The first two were bust (except for the three like-new hardcover Harry Potter books for $5), but the last one had all sorts of disheveled, dusty, old books.

The hardcover Two Towers was in such sorry shape, I hardly recognized it as once part of a very expensive deluxe set. I had to flip through it holding my breath to get the cat hair off the sides. It was pretty bad, but sadly the pages were pure white. Still, it had potential.

Then I spied the curled and ratty paperback of The Hobbit. I flipped through it, thrilled to see the pages already deeply bronzed on the edges. I asked for a price for both, and countered a dollar to his original dollar-fifty. (Really, dude? Those books were nasty.) I left happy; his trash, my treasure.

Flipping through The Hobbit for inspiration, I could have used any page really. I have read the book so many times that each page had something familiar. I chose page 29, where Thorin praises his new friend and fellow conspirator, Bilbo Baggins. It would seem sacrilegious to rip a page out of a book, but not this time. After I was done ripping and gluing and painting, I used a new embellishment, a clear sticker that draws the eye to where it is placed. One is on "Bilbo," and the other on "Baggins."

I am enjoying making these little treasures. I have made three so far, but I have collected four from around the world. I need to get busy and catch up!

What is an ACEO? It stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. These cards are miniature collectible works of art. The only rule is that the cards must measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches. These cards are a great way to collect affordable art and connect with the art community. 

A Garden of Another Name

"What'chu looking at, Willis?"

I noticed my membership to Quail Gardens was soon to expire, so I propped my card on my dashboard to remind me to go next opportunity. Sure enough, a sunny Sunday afternoon presented itself and I took my camera and set out. It was a lovely burn-in-the-sun, cold-in-the-shade San Diego day, making one alternately wear a sweater either fully on or tied around one's waist.

The garden is a bit more in bloom than the last time I was there, maybe even a bit past the height of bloom being it is late April. I am always in awe of the multitude of different plants and flowers along the path. I found myself breaking the rules often by stepping off the path to get just the right lens angle. But I did resist the temptation to peel bark off the paper bark tree to take home. I could peel that tree all day long if I wasn't at risk of being arrested. Alas, the only thing I took was pictures.

PEEL ME!!!  AHH!!!

There was one almost-mishap with stepping off the path when I almost squashed a very trusting lizard. He blended in so well, I did not see him on the rock. I forgot what I was going to photograph, and focused on him instead. He let me get my lens within inches of his face, and gave me the queerest look before running off into the bushes. I was amused to see I caught his look on camera.

I had a nice interaction with a relocated British family, after volunteering to take a few photos of their sweet sixteen tea party in the grass. I also chatted with an old man taking photos with a 30-year-old Canon AE-1, the same camera that I have tucked away somewhere from my teen years. We agreed that camera sure does take nice photos. I can't imagine being limited anymore by the cost of film and developing, as well as the number of pictures on the roll. I took a couple hundred pictures at the garden, unlike the old days where clicking was gold, and bracketing was too expensive to do. And not being able to see your picture instantly? Polaroid had that concept figured out early on. There was a time I swore I would never go fully digital, but that time is far past.

As I was leaving the gardens, I passed through my favorite desert section, harkening back to my Tucson upbringing. I was admiring the barrel cacti in bloom, and the various prickly pear, and the ocotillo metal sculpture. A young mom was saying to her toddler, "See honey? Remember these plants with the prickers? They are called cactus. Don't touch them!"  Poor kid. A San Diego native. She'll never know a single name past cactus. And a lot of them together will be called cactuses.

So until next time, Quail Gardens. Just like I eventually accepted digital photography as the norm, I will most likely someday accept that fact that my favorite garden changed its name four years ago. I don't see the acceptance happening anytime soon, but when I renew my membership, I will probably have to write my check to the San Diego Botanic Garden. Heavy sigh.

Fruits of Destruction

Click to enlarge

Inspired by my project from yesterday's class (lots of "whoa, cool"), I made a card today with the same plastic sheeting that my son heisted from some laptop or other that he took apart. (No toaster is safe in this house.) I put the word "love" behind the sheeting and depending on the angle viewed, the word either appears or the sheeting becomes opaque and mirror-like. Not to lose the meaning, inside it reads, "My love may not always be apparent, but it is always there."

Click to enlarge

These art projects are one good thing that has come from my son taking apart everything in sight. I have found perfectly good calculators in pieces, as well as alarm clocks, toys, and computers. I know it is his way of learning, and his very competent and electronically-savvy dad says he did the same thing as a kid. So, it's a moderately tolerated behavior. Last year, I even went so far as to take my son to a rummage sale and buy every inexpensive electronic item we could find. That $30 kept him busy all weekend, and I don't think he touched a single legit item for months. I believe we are due for another rummage sale run, but in the mean time, I am enjoying the fruits of his destruction.

Not Seeing is Believing

Sometimes I'm just so durn impressed with myself.  Or maybe it is just a happy accident that this little art project for Sunday school came together the way it did.

My son took apart yet one more laptop, and gave me the clear plastic sheets behind the LCD display.  The reflective properties are really cool, and change depending on the angle at which you view it.  When you look at the plastic directly, it has a mirror effect, and when you look at it from the side, you can see through it.

With that in mind, and discovering that tomorrow's reading is about doubting Thomas who needed to see Jesus to believe, I devised a little art project to take advantage of these nifty plastic sheets.  I put the verse "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" behind a square of the plastic, and the verse disappears looking at it straight on.  Tilt it a little, and it is clear as day.  Awesome!

A little inking and some bling, and a magnet on the back, and this will be fun tomorrow. :)

Follow me on Pinterest, or like my Chalk & Slate Facebook page!

Welcome Home

These housewarming cards are for my dear friend Marina who is a real estate agent in San Diego.  She plans to give them to her new home buyers when she presents them with their key.  What a special way to welcome your clients home.  She won Rookie Salesperson of the Year in 2012 for her sales volume, and it's this kind of extra bit of thoughtfulness that makes her stand out from the rest.

These cards were actually a second go-around from last year, and it certainly showed me how much my style has evolved.  And just as I was about to glue down the tag and the key in a random place, it occurred to me to tie the key to the tag.  Major aha moment.  Seems rather obvious now. :)

Follow me on Pinterest, or like my Chalk & Slate Facebook page!  

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Dear Sister

Click picture to enlarge

Happy birthday, dear sister. You have reached a milestone, and earned the respect and wisdom that goes along with it. You are delightful to be around, and genuine to the core. I have always loved you, and will always need you in my life. You are smart in ways that I am not, and giving in ways I don't know how, and I learn much from you. Enjoy your special day!

Click picture to enlarge

I wanted to try something different for a gift, so I bought a chalky tile and pulled out my archival pens.  I did look at a small plate that I own as inspiration, since this was the first inked tile I have ever done.  It is completely freehand, except I drew a star grid to get started.  (My star grid was off, so that didn't help immensely.)  It was fun to make, and did not take as long as I expected it would.  I decided to keep the matte finish and not coat it with gloss.  I could see me starting to paint over it and smearing the entire work anyway.  So, keep this one inside, dear sister!

Follow me on Pinterest, or like my Chalk & Slate Facebook page!