09 September 2019

Stickers for Snail Mail

I love stickers! I can spend a good amount of time at the sticker aisle in the craft store. I like to use them for card making and gift wrapping

I also use them to embellish envelopes for mailing.  

These are some stickers that I made recently. I turned a blank sheet of adhesive paper from blah to TADA! 

I used these rubber stamps with a vintage vibe.

I dug up other travel-themed stamps that I received as gifts.  

I used letter stamps to spell out words.

Luggage back then was very heavy and didn't have wheels. Whew! That would have been a workout. However, I do love the stickers that were attached to luggage at every new port. What a nice souvenir. 

And here's my adhesive page all filled up...TADA!

I simply cut out what I need to turn a plain envelope from blah to TADA!

02 September 2019

The Summer of 2019

Today is Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. 

Sigh.

How did the season fly by so quickly? I'm feeling all sorts of blah because these carefree days are about to end. To turn this thought into TADA!, can I share some photos of my summer? 

Summer was all about traveling to new cities...

Hanging out by the water...

And being able to dip my toes in the sand.

Summer wasn't complete without cookouts...

And lots of frozen desserts.

Summer was filled with outdoor concerts... 

Movies in the park...

The kind where you bring your own chair and pack a picnic.

Plus bonus fireworks, too...TADA!

I also got to practice my art:

I took a hand lettering class led by the talented Miss Swetha.  

Inspired by Mother Nature, I made a few "Petite Paintings" using small scraps of watercolor paper.

I also took some floral design classes.

Huckleberry, Salvia, Solidago, Charmelia, Gomphrena, Celosia, Dahlias, Carnations, and Sunflowers.
We used flowers like Huckleberry, Salvia, Solidago, Charmelia, Gomphrena, Celosia, Dahlias, Carnations, and Sunflowers.

Huckleberry, Salvia, Solidago, Charmelia, Gomphrena, Celosia, Dahlias, Carnations Sunflowers
Carefully placed in a darling mason jar accented with a raffia bow.

To make the arrangement last longer, I made this painting.

It's cover art for a greeting card...TADA!

Summer likewise required a visit to the farm...

And the farmer's market

And of course, I made a sketch of what I saw...TADA!

I hope you all had a relaxing summer!

26 August 2019

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Hi guys! I went to a delightful exhibit last week and I'd like to share with you what I saw. Come join me!

Tony Shalhoub, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Kevin Pollack, Alex Borstein, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino
Have you seen the TV show, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"? It's a comedy series set in the late 1950's starring Rachel Brosnahan as the feisty Mrs. Maisel. She had it all -- a successful husband, two children, a close relationship with her parents, accessible childcare, a college education, and a large apartment on New York City's Upper West Side. 

She was living a very comfortable domestic life. Until she and her husband Joel decide to separate. She quickly finds a job at a department store during the day and as a stand-up comic at night.  

The show has won (and has been nominated) for multiple awards for acting, writing, directing, cinematography, music, set and costume design.

And these are the reasons why I love the show -- it's lighthearted, funny, and it takes you back to that period in time.

When it was announced that a "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" exhibit was going to open at The Paley Center, I made sure to attend! It showcases sets and props from the show:

The set of Mrs. Maisel's first TV show appearance

The set of Mrs. Maisel's first TV show appearance at the Arthritis Telethon

B. Altman Department Store, beauty counter, TV set, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV set, props
B. Altman Department Store where Mrs. Maisel worked during the day

lipstick, perfume, props, flowers, department store counter
The make-up counter at the B. Altman Department Store

lipstick, perfume, props
The make-up counter at the B. Altman Department Store

B. Altman Department Store, switchboard, set design
The B. Altman Switchboard room where Mrs. Maisel also worked as an operator

headset, switchboard,
Guests can wear the headset and hear dialogue from the show

Indeed Mrs. Maisel was a cheerful operator

mail room, mail bin, packages, props, set design, B. Altman Department Store
The department stores back then also accepted items for mailing

Stage Deli, TV set design, Jewish Deli
The Stage Deli where Mrs. Maisel and her manager Susie shared lots of meals

Stage Deli, TV set design, Jewish Deli
Look at the prices from the 1950's

Stage Deli, Jewish Deli, TV set design
Guests can sit at the booth...a nice photo op 

TV set design, 1950's
A summer trip to the Catskills in Season 2 

TV set design, 1950's hair salon
The hair salon at the Catskills

TV set design, 1950's hair salon
The hair salon at the Catskills

Paris apartment, TV set design, Eiffel Tower
Some scenes in Season 2 were shot in Paris.
This is Rose's pied-a-terre (Rose is Mrs. Maisel's mother)

TV set design, wardrobe
Rose had a beautiful wardrobe that Mrs. Maisel borrowed from

shoes, 1950's, set design, wardrobe, costumes
Shoes to match purses and hats

Sketches, swatches and inspiration

And the best part -- some of Mrs. Maisel's dresses were on display:

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses

sketch of dresses, watercolor painting, costumes, 1950's dresses, wardrobe, costumes, 1950's dresses
I love how women were smartly dressed, I just had to make this sketch...TADA! 

By the way, there's also a theater to watch some episodes from the show.

logo, graphic design, fonts,
I hope you liked our little outing today.

If you're in New York City, the exhibit runs until September 7, 2019 at The Paley Center. Entrance is free but you need to reserve a slot on-line

Have a good week, everyone!