Matters of the Heart

                                                                  Finally, I have ‘finished’ my book made from cabinet cards. I began it in a class with Nina Bagely at the Art Retreat in Melbourne in May.  (it has taken nearly 4 weeks of working on it a little bit at a time)  I suspect this will be one of those books that I will be adding to forever as I find little treasures along the way.  There are 20 openings, each with a vintage cabinet card on the face page.  I used the covers and the spine of the old book whose cover was decorated in Art Nouveau styling….(my fav. design period)  The spine of the book was too gorgeous not to use; so I made it into a kind of a ‘wrap around binding’ using a heart necklace (because matters of the heart need to be unlocked).  Each page has a story that are expressions or dilemmas of the heart.  The slide show is the pages in sequential order, the other pics are snapshots of detail.  If you think about it, you might find your own heart here somewhere.

1.Binder of Hearts – Rev Brown has bound many hearts together in the Abbey where he serves God

2. Cherished Heart – Our war hero has a heart cherished by his whole town.

3. Childhood SweetHearts – their love endured the test of time.

4.Collector of Hearts – like all ‘princesses’ she is loved everywhere she goes

5. Deluded Hearts – their love affair begain with 2 tickets & an Exquisite Illusion of love.

6. Detachable Heart – Her heart had been pinned on by Nanny

7. Enchanted Heart – his heart was enchanted from the minute he first saw her.

8. HearTea – Tea was her true love

9. Heart Trader – loose attachements

10. Hearts torn by Indecision – they didn’t know which family tradition to follow

11. Misdirected Hearts – many men go fishing all of their lives, not knowing that it is not really fish that they are after.

12. Mystified Heart – she travelled the world looking for love in all the wrong places

13.Observant Heart – she looked for love from her front room window

14. Rusted Heart – her heart rusted as she waited for her love to return from The War.  He never did.

15. Valiant Heart – to him, love could not be reduced to games & numbers

16. Secrets of the Heart – Soul Mates (this photo is my paternal grandmother)
‘The face is the mirror of the mind and the eyes, without speaking, confess the secrets of the heart.’

17. Ticking Heart – She didn’t have time to wait for love, her body clock was ticking.

18. Venetian Heart – the home of her heart

19. Weathered Heart – comes with age

20. A heart for family – poem of family wisdom

CABINET CARD WORKSHOP

Today I had a fun art day with Abby, Jenny Crossley & Margie B teaching them how I work with Cabinet Cards.  A great time was had by everyone & there was some pretty stunning results.  On Tuesday 4th Abby & I will have a follow up class with Lynne (who was sick on the day) & so I should have some more to post then.  Margie’s card is above, Jenny’s finished cards are pictured below.

Miss (sniff) Amelia (cough)

  Well……………. not much sleeping happening, (cough, cough) so I thought I’d scan Miss Amelia & introduce you. She’s a sweetie. I thought……… enough intrigue in my cabinet card families ……….. this lady looks like she has a pure countenance……… & so she has! Enjoy.

Meet Mother & Father Christmas

Still sneezing & nose running hideously, I have decided though, that I think that it’s hayfever…….we are having unusually windy weather at the moment which is blowing pollens and stuff around everywhere. Not good for Ms Allergies here. Anyways, meet Mother & Father Christmas, my understanding is that every Cabinet Card Collection should have at least ONE with a Christmas theme………so here it is! (NOTE TO SELF: sparkly foil paper melts when you try to emboss on it!) The back of this cabinet card was so beautiful that I didn’t want to cover it up………so they don’t have a story…..children all over the world already know it!

the dreaded lurgy

well, I guess it had to catch up with me eventually……….I have ‘the dreaded lurgy’…..my nose is running like a tap, my head has it’s own ‘doof doof’ party happening & my throat hurts……….yuk I hate being sick. Okay, okay, I REALLY have been pushing it over the last couple of months, but a girl’s gotta do wot a girl’s gotta do!!

DH has now moved out to do some satellite work with a group in Kremenchuk (I must look up where that is!) & is out of phone contact again until Monday. My plan for doing a whole lot of indulgent things that I have been hanging out to do hasn’t been too successful so far……..I have been working hideous hours putting out the fires that inevidably occur when a key team member is missing from a small company.

I have managed to come up with a new cabinet card……..(drying, so I will post it tomorrow)…..you may think that this is wonderful. In fact I am in denial, I have some one’s travelling art journal from our Paper Trader’s Round Robin Journal Project that I was supposed to have finished a couple of days ago………….I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INSPIRATION FOR IT AT ALL………..I hate that………….Inspiration Absentina…………Zip, Ziltch, Nada……….yup……..you got it…………nuttin’ I also have some ATC’s I need to be working on as deadlines are looming………….but no, I am STILLLLLLLL making cabinet cards! The new one is called Miss Amelia and is sweet.

Time for me to have my nightly wrestle with the sheets in an attempt to sleep…….’nite.

Sewing & Playing – Miss Flower Fettish

Yesterday I had a delightful day with my art friend Abby………. sewing. My poor sewing machine (a former best friend) took one chug & said ………. Noooooo……… don’t expect to pull me out of the cupboard after years & me still work! So off it went to be repaired/serviced……..& I was left without a machine for my planned sewing day. I fiddled with some designs for wee little ‘boots’ for Princess L, then Helen to the rescue (thanks ‘sis), I had a loan machine. SO, I commenced on a cot quilt for Princess L & really enjoyed doing that. Abby at some point rescued my fledgling ‘Miss Flower Fettish’ Cabinet Card by doing some of her ledgendary shading on my ‘flower legs’………..and tonight I have finished it off. It was a gorgeous Art Nouveau (my fav. design period) card in soft cream & I wanted to enhance that. I have purposely chosen soft & pearly tones & paints. My mistake was using blue & purple……….I ALWAYS struggle in pink, blue & purple palettes. Anyway, I am happy enough with the result now, there are micro beads, frinkles, jewels & beautiful pearl paper that you can’t pick up on a scan. Read the story………..she really is a woman of mystery……and not all good!!!

Have heard from DH today, and apparently the weather in the country of the red flag is 18 & sunny……….here we were worried he wouldn’t have enough warm clothes. Sorry honey (only 1 tee packed!)…….he had a good sleep between Hong Kong & Moscow & so he hit the ground running.

The Botanist

  DH is off to Russia for a month the day after tomorrow, and I have spent all day packing his things AND fetching & carrying for him so he can complete the work he is doing.  So tonight, (he is STILL working) I have stolen away into my studio to ‘create’ & have some time out. The result is my latest Cabinet Card. I had this great background paper from a Paper Trader’s friend of mine (who generously shared!) & I had not had an opportunity to use it. This card limped along a bit at first, I painted the background, and it ended up looking a bit Chrismassy, even though that wasn’t my intention. It evolved once I ‘discovered’ the paper, which gave me both some direction and a springboard for my title & story.

The Lost Family

Another completed cabinet card….this time using my new Oxford Impressions ‘Titanic’ stamps.  I am loving working these stories up from the expressions in the subjects & the ‘vibe’ of the photo. I am also enjoying creating the narrative, it is fun. Happy reading!

Miss Far Away Eyes

Cabinet Card No. 3…………I think I’m likin’ it……… hmmm………. I am dreaming of Cabinet Cards……. yes, I FEEL an obsession emerging…….. (WHY OH WHY am I like that with something new????)  Let me introduce you to Miss Far Away Eyes, I hope you will take the time to read her story. This card was altered with paints, perfect pearls, packing tape transfers, rub ons & stamps. What a fun thing to do with such a little cutie!

Miss Love Lost

  If you’re like me, the first time that you hear the term ‘Cabinet Card’ you will wonder what one earth people are talking about. I must admit although I had seen them as scans, I had not, until I held one in my hand, realized how beautifully detailed they are. The photos themselves, like all vintage photos, invoke a sense of mystery…….who is this, when was it, why were the photo’s taken (an expensive commodity in those days)….trying to place this evidence of history in your hands. The card on the left, I have called ‘They’re playing our Song’. It is my first Cabinet Card, and I guess it is a bit lame………I just had to work my way into vandlising them! The one in the centre is my second attempt, I have called this one Miss Love Lost and have created a story for the back around my card theme & the facial expression in the photo.  I still can’t bring myself to ‘entirely’ betray it’s roots, & have left the embossed photographer’s information showing at the bottom.