I made these three pinwheels shaped sculptures from damaged vintage books from the free bin at the library. My instructions can be found HERE.
Look HERE for Altered Book Art – Lesson #1 on making a vase.
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Marcel was inspired to dress as Jack White this Halloween. He's also been inspired to write some stunning song lyrics these days.
Here are a couple of photos from the dress rehearsal for this All Hallow's Eve:
Cheers!
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Marcel, my young film historian son, won a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest yesterday in Niles, California. Yipee! He has a special place in his heart for silent films, and Charlie in particular. Monsieur Chaplin made five films while living in Niles and the district celebrates this in spades. His likeness embellishes businesses up and down Niles Boulevard, from the many antique shops to cafes, and a statue of him stands proudly outside of a biker bar.
Marcel with a patron:
The contest was held at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, run by an enthusiastic and devoted group of volunteers. So many fun people! Such a great spirit! Laurel and Hardy were there, and Marilyn Monroe. And a guest appearance by the sweetest and most authentic Charlie Chaplin look-alike, besides Marcel, Al Proietti (available for events). Enjoy the photos…
With Al Proietti:
After the ball…
A film by the town videographer:
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Spending the winter in sunny California (it's been 75 to 80 degrees much of the time) caretaking an orchard with animals has been good for slowing down, noticing small wonders. The wildlife is plenty here: deer and grey herons walk through the orchard, healthy ground squirrels pop in and out of their dens and the other morning I woke to nine peacocks in the garden (not wild, but pets from next door).
The other thing of beauty on the landscape is some crafty graffiti around the town, Here's an example outside of the Redbud Library:
More photos HERE on my Flickr.
There's a sweet new childrens book called Extra Yarn and some creative fans surprised visiting author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen at Copperfield's Books in Petaluma this week. Here's what they saw when they pulled up to the shop front…
Kenilworth Jr. High student Amber Ton:
A vintage VW Bug cozied up:
Kenilworth Jr. High art teacher Erinn VanderMeer with author Mac Barnett:
Photos BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat
There are several books available on the subject of crafty graffiti. Here are a few to get you started…
Extra/Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art, by Maria Elena Buszek
Craft Activism: People, Ideas and Projects…, by Joan Tapper and Gale Zucker (check out their blog)
Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti, by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain (who also have a BLOG)
For more reading check out Betsy Greer's blog CRAFTIVISM, and for more inspiration search Google Images and Tumblr with the search term 'yarn bombing'.
Yarn Bomb in Paris; photo found on Tumblr by tofz4u
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I was inspired by my friend Lisa to make something today. This vase sculpture is made from a (damaged) vintage hardcover book:
The process…
Remove the pages from the "boards"…
Sketch pattern…
Cut with razor or scissors, 6 to 8 pages at a time, depending on the thickness…
The pages were falling out as I cut, like tarot cards they held little messages…
I worked in the greenhouse, 100 degrees. Good thing I wasn't making candles…
With Wylie…
Look HERE for Altered Book Art – Lesson #2 for wall sculptures.
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"The house received a mini spring-cleaning. Slops and ashes, which are usually removed in the morning, are carried out. Debts must be paid, borrowed articles returned, stockings darned, tears mended, clocks wound up, musical instruments tuned, pictures hung straight; brass and silver must be glittering, fresh linen must be put on the beds. Even in the slummiest houses… brooms and pails, soap, polishing rags and darning-needles emerge from neglected cupboards and drawers, and the bairns receive a thorough scrubbing in honor of the New Year."
~ A New Year ritual from The Silver Bough, by Scottish folklorist F. Marian McNeill
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Dear Etta James went into the hospital today. Termially ill. Too much pain for one lifetime. I hope you can find some comfort Etta. Get well, tout de suite. With much love…
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O mio dio! I'm finally here. After uprooting la nostra piccola famiglia, including our shy little cat Nella, we have landed in the Italian countryside of Lazio, north-west of Rome. The weeding out of my collection of antiques and memories of over 35 years was arduous, draining, monumental and at times painful. I sold four major truckloads of antiques — furniture, dishes, lighting, textiles, etc. — for $200. OUCH! But here we are…
We're living on a historical estate, helping out with organizing events and marketing of the luxury vacation villas on the property. Part of this includes my creating a new updated website — on a PC with an Italian language operating system no less. Did I mention that I don't speak Italian? Well it's one way to learn anyway.
Our first week here we stayed in the dormers of the villa named Casa Portale. Now I've stayed in garrett flats in Paris and London, not to mention village "huts" in Mexico and treehouses in the Santa Cruz mountains. None as strangely unliveable as the attic of Portale. We kept referring to the film Being John Malkovich. I can't believe that this is the very same bedroom that David Rocco slept in when he was here filming a segment for David Rocco's Dolce Vita. Besides being short on standing room it was depressingly dark, the mice in the walls were way chatty at night and in the morning (5am!!!) we would wake to a cacophony of Hooded Crows.
our cat Nella on high alert…
Marcel and Nella…
So we had a big Easter feast with all of the family and workers of the property (I was too depleted from sleep-impaired nights to photograph the event, scuzi) and then we happily moved in to our new digs on the other side of the estate. Casa Orto, or Garden House:
okay, more flowers in a later post. I could go on, and on.
So…now we can do some ordinary things like making meals and cleaning. Who woulda thought it would be so rare, and now such a simple pleasure:
Yipee! Laundry!
a bathroom where I don't bump my head!
a place to read…
a telephone…
and a computer where we can watch NBA Playoffs. simple things! "don't be sad. the game will begin shortly…"
a place to sit and have tea…
and a place to sleep…
even Nella is more relaxed…
More to come!
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A birdie pendant that I made. A local reader is coming by to purchase…merci…
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Why is it taking me forever to sell amazing things at amazing prices on Craig's List these days? Is it the economy or is it that Santa Cruz has never really embraced great design? My usual customers were 95% of the time from San Francisco but now that I live further afield things have stalled. How will I ever move with all of this stuff??? My mate Dave in London has one word for me: charity. "Ah Dave. Do I have to?"
A signed Campuzano original (he's a turn-of the-to mid-century artist from Bilbao, Spain for goodness sake!!):
Okay, someone needs to come with a big truck and just back it up to my house. Preferrably someone who wants to open a shop! It's all here. Everything you need to go into business…except for the customers! Help!
So Sylvie 