WiseArts

I got started on this stuff when I was in an altered book club, buying it with the intention of using it in collagey projects. I have actually used some of these sorts of things in projects, but as with most crafts I like, I tend to stockpile! There are good intentions for most of this stuff, at least.

Old metal is so pleasing to me! The designs, patinas, wear patterns, dirt and old paint. I love that it’s REAL metal! It’s usually brass or bronze, none of that crummy fake plated stuff. I love how heavy it feels in the hand.

My first acquisition for this collection was a batch of these strike plates. I intended to screw them into altered books with the tabs sticking out, and place tiny images in the “windows.”

I quickly moved on to purchase other bits of antique metal. Here are some keyholes, a piece of old jewelry, and another unidentified piece of hardware. I think the keyholes would be cute for jewelry or artwork.

I love antique door plates! Neat designs, and usually lots of crusty paint, varnish and patina. I have more of these somewhere… probably out in a box in the garage. I didn’t notice before, but the one on the left and the one on the right in this photo actually have the same pattern! I bought them at different times, and never closely examined them until now.

I got this old letter slot at an antique shop for $4. It has a spring on it so the flap so it is self-closing. I envisioned making some sort of decorative box/assemblage with this mounted on an opening…

Got these drawer pulls at an antique shop too. I don’t recall the exact price, I think it was $3.50 each maybe. I imagined attaching one to the front of an art book, using it as a holder for another smaller book or some art cards.

These are one of my favorite acquisitions: antique pocket door pulls. I had never seen any before when I bought them at an antique shop for $5 each. I envision them installed into a book or assemblage as tiny shrines or holders of small objects. Love!

I’m working on cleaning up my craft room today! As I was returning some fabric to the guest room closet (fabric closet!), I happened to glance out the window and see this under the eave:

This carefully-built nest appears to have four fluffy baby robins in it! I pulled the screen out and perched my camera on the edge of the window. I sat there for an eternity waiting for the mama to return. She sat in the big locust tree, flicking her tail, obviously a bit perturbed about my presence. I remained, as still as possible, one eye on her, and one looking through the viewfinder. Finally, she must’ve decided I wasn’t a threat, and allowed me a few photos.

Blast! I wish I had purchased a nice zoom lens already! I’d love to get right in there, and see more of the textures. These photos had to be cropped in quite a bit. Click on either for a larger view!

For my old photo collection, I found these two antique real-photo postcards in a mixed bin at a small antique shop. They were $1.50 each. I just could not pass them up! Under what circumstances were these photos taken? And who felt the need to make them into postcards? And why this strange duplication/enlargement treatment?

They have names written on the back in pen. Please meet George McEntyre! (This one also says “mother’s half brother” interesting.) What is going on with that tie?? It must be some style I’m not familiar with. Or maybe he just caught it in some sort of machinery and ripped half of it off, and then decided to have a portrait! lol

This, I assume, is George’s wife, Millie McEntyre. I wish I were there when this picture was taken. I bet there’s a smile in there somewhere. I’d get it out. These have no dates on them. Hard to judge when they might be from. Evidently, a time when they didn’t smile for photographs. There’s a bit of a little house showing behind Millie. Looks rustic.