Found It: In the Newpapers

Old advertisements!  I love 'em!  Not just because almost everything was drawn (!!!) but the typography strikes a special chord in my heart.  I was looking through a pile of papers I found in the shed a while back and, even though these seemed to have been kept for the recipes on the page, it's the imagery I love the most.  These are from the 1940s...I'm pretty sure.

Here, I'll share.


What a happy lion!  I think the labor laws have changed since 1949, though.



Early form of texting while driving.

 

He won't love you unless you douche with Lysol!
DUBBLE-U TEE EFF!!

Oh, jeez.

I know from experience that cats slide all over the place on a wood floor.

Adorable.  Also, I love ketchup.

I hope we all agree that Love Quiz is straight messed up.  I knew that Lysol was suggested for "cleaning" a woman's most private/horribly-disgusting-to-society's parts, but seeing it right here makes me feel so gross.  [Insert feminist rant here!]

Two weekends in Lawrence, Kansas, and then it's open studio time!  I can't wait to see all the cool stuff people make in my neck of the woods.

Made It: Desk Clocks

A surprisingly few times over the years since making the small clocks, I've been asked about table top clocks.  All mine are wall-dwelling, but recently I've been asked more often.

Customer: "Do you have stands for the small clocks?"
Me: "Uh...no, I'm sorry, I don't...buuut you can go to [insert big box hobby or everything store] and get one for, like, five bucks."
Customer: "......" (Translation: That's lame, I don't want to work for this.)
Me: "....." (Translation: I agree, I should really figure this out.)

So!  After trying to decide just how to remedy this situation, I realized that my clock mechanism supplier probably had what I needed.  Bingo!

AND the bottom comes off for easy shipping!

I decided to make some super mini clocks using this handy stand.  They are quite unlike my vinyl-and-aluminum standard wares and more like my frameables.  I have so many different kinds of found fabrics I can reproduce on paper, as well as acquired vintage/antique ephemera that I love using in my work.  Add to that some luck running across discarded MDF for a sturdy backing, and we're in business.

Behold, the newness:

It has at all!  Numbers!  A floral motif!  Function!

Vinyl dots on a decorative map from an old calendar.

Reproduced found polyester napkin...I think this works better.

Not just for desks!  Blue and white reproduced fabric w/vinyl numbers.

And this is what a 5 x 5 clock looks like on its feet.  Not bad!

To make these minis I cut MDF (medium-density fiberboard) into 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch squares, sanded the corners round like their larger aluminum brethren, sprayed the exposed edges black, drilled a hole in the middle for the mechanism, glued on the paper background after rummaging through my stack of papers, placed vinyl numbers or dots on the surface for the numbers, and FINALLY added the mechanism, hands, and securing nut.

After typing that all out, it doesn't really seem like it's a smaller feat than the other clocks, but I decided to make some smaller gift items that could be actual stocking stuffers for the season. I just can't stop with all the making! 

Hopefully I'll sell some at the three shows I have up-coming:

Sunday, Nov. 24:


There will be beer there!

Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30:


Find me downstairs and hang a right.

Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 8:


I'm also bringing cupcakes, y'all!

See you there!

Found It: Kansas City Street Art

This summer I pedaled around The Crossroads art district here in KC and documented some of the lovely/ugly street art that fills the alley walls.  Some of it is by professional artists (Scribe) and some by your run-of-the-mill taggers.  I'm working on before and after shots from some images I took several years ago, but that's more of buildings and the development of the Power and Light District downtown.

In the alley across from the old Arts Incubator.

Ooh!  So political!



 


 

One of my favorites.



 


 

No, thanks.
Behind the old Coffee Girls space.

I've seen this shell painted on stuff several miles away.

"You spelled it wrong!" ORLY, Smartypants?

Across from Succotash, Holms Rd.

A good one to end on.  I never could find my name on a souvenir coffee mug,
but sometimes you can find it on a wall.