A BIT OF A RAMBLE...

RAMBLE: An aimless amble on a winding course with no particular destination in mind

The above definition just about sums up this post and my state of mind lately. I think it must be the intense heat here but I can't seem to stay the course on anything lately. I thought today we would just stroll along together through this post path and see where it takes us.

The first fork in this winding course takes us to a ranch, Lipstick Ranch to be exact where cowgirl artist extraordinaire, KC Willis, is having a fantastic give away! I recently posted on her three DVD set, KC in a Box, and sadly this product will only be available for one more week. But, the good news is that the DVD set will be available in a new form of KC in a Bag! As a last farewell to this wonderful piece of art and its contents KC is giving away a $200.00 Art Shopping Spree at Lipstick Ranch! While you are there finding out all the details check out her live workshops as well as her online Collage Camp. Mosey on over to enter, the drawing will be held on August 25, 2010!

One day last week my friend, Pam, and I decided to brave the heat and hit a few flea markets. We made it through two but by the third we wimped out and went home looking like two wilting magnolias with heat exhaustion but not without a treasure or two in tow. I found three tiny bottles...I really love the one with the label still in tact...A sweet little match box with a thin wooden bottom and a great graphic label...A stack of small linen draw string bags, 80 in all...I have already dyed some of them...And a pocket watch...Friday afternoon I took Clara Scarlett back to the place of her humble beginnings where she was parts and pieces of cast off items for sale. Its kind of weird when you start hanging out with your art and taking it on field trips to see where it was born...must be the heat.

Anyway, one of my favorite flea market ladies finally got curious enough to ask about all the odd stuff I buy and wanted to see exactly what I was doing with it, so, that is really why Clara Scarlett went to the flea market with me. I mean its not like I don't have real live friends who want to hang out with me or anything like that, they just don't want to hang out with me while I am hauling around my art doll showing her where she came from.

Since I was already there I thought I might as well take a look around...you know where this is going right? I found the most adorable pair of tiny high heeled doll shoes ever in a dollar bin! And they are green! (My favorite color) How cute are these?I practically pounced on a bundle of crochet pillow case lace that was marked down to $2.00! This stuff is getting as scarce as hens teeth around here and usually when you find the really good old wide stuff you have to open your wallet pretty wide to buy it.

I also stumbled across four of these brand new ephemera books. They are full of vintage images from the collection of Beth Cote, a wonderful collage artist, and will be prefect for future projects.

By then Clara Scarlett was getting impatient to leave, especially with everyone lookin' up her skirt. But, we did not leave before she bask in the bidding war that ensued when customers and clerks wanted to buy her. She is not for sale yet. Clara Scarlett...Along with this DREAM sign...These hand sculpted paper collage birds...And these HOME TWEET HOME pieces...Are all candidates for the mixed media collage/assemblage competition I am entering. Clara Scarlett and the DREAM sign are completed works. The paper collage birds need an assemblage nest to rest in and the HOME TWEET HOME pieces need a back ground to be mounted and then need to be framed. I just recently found the kind of frame I wanted to use to finish the piece. I have two more pieces in the works and then I will decide between the six of them which three I will enter. Actually, I was hoping that you would help me out by voting for your favorite three once I get them all done. I'll be doing a special post on that at a later date.

Well, it took forever to get this post done since Blogger kept giving me a bad request error this morning and I could not post it, I'd better end my ramble by stopping in the studio and get some work done. I hope your day is a bright one!

Blessings,

Miss Sandy