In Love With Vintage

12/28/2012

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It seems that the whole world is in love with everything "vintage" these days.  This is a term we use when something is not quite an antique,(100 years or older) but it is still cool and old, or retro-looking.  The term Vintage is sometimes used in conjunction with a year when pertaining to wines or cars...but I am talking about our fascination with objects and art that meets Dictionary.com's definition, "representing the high quality of a past time, of lasting interest and importance, venerable classic."
In my world, vintage maps make my heart go pitter-patter!  I have recently begun to scan and "restore" vintage maps for use in art.  I love the fact that as the world changes, maps must get updated.  Each one represents a snapshot of the world a that particular moment.  This must be frustrating for cartographers.  My maps can be found in my Zazzle shop "Mapology" and in my Society6 shop.  Click the picture to open that site.
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Oh Canada
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On Zazzle
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Finding Paris Together
Personally, I am enjoying the latest trend of Vintage-look photography.  I purchased a calendar for 2013 (one of the best ways to obtain a collection of works from an artist or photographer) from Rachel Burbee AKA Vintage Skies.  I love the current trend of mixing inspirational quotes with vintage-look photography.  The result is beautiful and serene.  I also admire Rachel's photography of vintage items such as, "Retro Love."
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Autumn Circles
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Retro Love
Another photographer/designer who I adore is Katy McDonald.  Her collection on Society6, "Art by CMcdonald," is totally young and fashion forward, yet gives a nod to the past in a most incredible way.  Her Vintage Vinyl collection is truly inspired.  I also adore her "Seneca Uno" shot of a vintage camera.
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Vintage Vinyl
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Seneca Uno
Ann B. Fine Art Photography also has some wonderful images with a vintage feel.  Her images of Paris are absolutely fantastic.  They really bring you to Paris with all its magic and romance!
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I Left My Heart in Paris
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Vintage Paris
I hope you have enjoyed this little tour down Vintage lane...here are some links to the artist's shops....or you can just click the pictures to go directly to their sites....


http://www.zazzle.com/idaloves
http://www.zazzle.com/vintageskies
http://www.zazzle.com/bellejournee
http://www.zazzle.com/mapology
http://www.zazzle.com/aftermyart
http://www.zazzle.com/artbycmcdonald
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anniephoto
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Stamp Collecting

06/18/2012

4 Comments

 
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    For as long as I can remember I have loved stamps.  Suddenly I feel like I am Andy Rooney.  I love stamps from every country!  I used to trade stamps with the neighbors when I was a child.  My English Aunt sent me some fresh, uncancelled stamps every time one came out that was pretty or meaningful.  She even sent me some first day of issue stamps commemorating a royal wedding (Charles and Di).  I LOVE STAMPS!  Now, in my Andy Rooney tone,  I shall complain.

    First of all, postage stamps are not terribly collectible anymore.  The ones with the self-adhesive are difficult to remove from an envelope and feel like plastic!  yech.  They don't even bother to put a denomination on them...just "forever."  Might as well say "Whatever," as far as I am concerned.  Are the "whatever" stamps really good forever??  What if Canada invades the United States and converts to their stamps...will the "whatever" stamp be useless?  Isn't it sort of egotistical of us Americans (no not us ;-)  to think that we will be around forever?  WHATEVER.  anyway, back to more complaints...

    Kids do not collect stamps anymore!  My 5 year old does...but then again he collects everything including dryer lint, so he doesn't count!  Kids in today's hi-tech world are too busy collecting electronic devices and cyber pals to consider something as "geeky" as stamp collecting.  SO, I must do the collecting and displaying for everyone. =)

    I do not collect expensive stamps and try to increase their value...blah blah all that.  I may have some in my collection that are worth a little, very little.  But that is not why I collect them.  I just simply love the little stamps for their artwork.  Cute little renderings of birds, butterflies, buiildings, ugly world leaders!  I love to put them together into collages (mostly digital, but some traditional) to include in my artwork offerings...
 
    This piece, for example is a digital collage of a moth.  The butterfly stamps represent a very serious mistake I made on ebay as a result of bidding on too many stamps at once.  I had no idea that absolutely nobody would bid against me!  That day I won every auction I entered (like 20 of them)  The stamps were a terrific deal, hardly cost me a dime...but the postage nearly killed me!
To all of that ebay nonsense and to peel and stick stamps; I say "Whatever!"

Thanks for reading, my friends.

Cathy
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