{Music Monday} Pure Imagination...

Thanks to the $5 sale bin at Target, we all have been enjoying the original (& my favorite version)  Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory this weekend. Funny how I vividly remembered some of the scenes & rediscovered others as an adult. I've been humming this song since Friday- sometimes breaking into a dance as well. So, I thought I would share my Gene Wilder/ Willy Wonka love. Hope you are having a great Labor Day & that it's full of pure imagination! 

Happy Music Monday!

photo credit: here

{Vintage Inspiration} Elephant Love...

Every once & awhile, I run into something at a thrift/antique shop that makes me goofy with excitement & Friday I had one of those moments. I stopped by an old favorite antique shop that I used to go to all of the time - it had been awhile & I was on the search for some vintage hooks for a project. After I passed an awesome coin operated elephant, something spotted & happy caught my eye. I had to dig through some stuff to get to it but I'm glad I did. I had a gut reaction to this thing. It was an elephant toy box from the '60's & it immediately conjured up memories of the Dumbo & Teacup rides at Disneyland. I have a thing for elephants so I was extra interested in this treasure. The man who owned the antique shop said his kid's both had this elephant as a toy box but they weren't interested in keeping it when they were adults. I probably stood in front of this thing for about 15minutes - hemming & hawing. 

After some bartering, I found myself trying to cram this thing into my 2 door VW. It was pretty funny driving home with it. I smiled the whole way. Once I got home, I gave it a good wash down in the back yard then took it up to my studio with me. I was so excited to see Sayer's reaction to it & hoped he was tickled with it as I was.  I wasn't exactly sure where it was going to go- I just knew it needed to be in our house.  As I worked, I kept glancing at it - completely giggling. I loved having that thing watching me sew. I actually think it may inspire some new designs.

Sayer responded exactly like I thought he was going to- after all, he is my son. After a loud laugh, he opened the lip & hopped on in to hide from Chris. Then we took the elephant to his room. 

He wanted me to read him his bedtime story while he was curled up in it. He didn't stay there all night, although he wanted to. Instead he tucked in some of his favorite plush buddies with a pillow & a flashlight. When we put the lid on, the whole thing lit up like a giant nightlight. It was really cool. We have been moving that elephant around all weekend- filling it up & emptying it over & over. Sayer introduced it to my Eames Elephant- he said they got married. They look like long lost friends. Sort of cool that they were both designed around the same time. I think they complete each other. 

So, how was your weekend?

{Vintage Inspiration} Mom & Pop favorites...

One of the things I enjoy the most about writing, For the Love of Books, for La Petite Magazine is taking the photos to go along with the article. Honestly, I take the photos before I write- I'm a visual person. This last issue's theme was "vintage surf" &  I knew right away that I wanted to include those little striped swim trunks in the shoot. Believe it or not, they were Chris' favorite swim trunks when he was around Sayer's age. I couldn't believe that he still had them! Once I found that Snoopy surfing book, I knew that one of my favorite childhood items needed to be included as well- my plush Snoopy. I loved including these tidbits of nostalgia in my book feature & wanted wanted to share. These are a few of my favorite outtakes from the shoot. I only wish I had a photo of mini Chris in these swim trunks now.

{Vintage Inspiration} chenille bedspread goodness...

When I got my hands on these vintage chenille bedspreads, I knew right away what I wanted to do with them. I really liked the idea of playing with texture & pattern in my plush critters. This particular floral bedspread made me think of my owl plush. Given that art imitates life & this was a bedspread that I was working with, I felt it appropriate to make my owl a bit sleepy.  So meet Sleepy Olivia Owl.... (she's Ollie Owl's sister).

The other three chenille bedspreads seemed perfect for some fancy slugs & I made these for hutch studio. The textures are so fun to work with... I think I'm hooked. Did your grandma have a chenille bedspread?  Or did you have one growing up?

{Vintage Love} childhood buddy...

I remember the Christmas that I got my Snoopy- I believe my brother & I got a synthesizer to share that year too- yep it was the '70's.  Snoopy was one of my favorite buddies for a long time. I had so many outfits for him & would dress him up & take him everywhere. I loved him so much, that I kept him for my someday child.... 

That someday child loves Snoopy too! Although Snoopy doesn't have his extensive wardrobe anymore (what did I do with all of those clothes?) Sayer loves him all the same. He knows that his friend is "fragile" and needs extra care (he's been mended a number of times) but still likes to take him to "see the world" as he puts it. We took Snoopy to the grocery store a few days ago & Sayer pushed him in the cart & chatted with him the whole time. It's been pretty darn heart warming to watch his affection for my sweet, childhood buddy grow. They even dance together! As a fan of the Velveteen Rabbit, I can only imagine how happy Snoopy is right now. 

Side note: The klt:works dog on the pictured tee is now considered Snoopy's brother.

{Vintage Inspiration} red & white stripes...

 

We have been plowing through lots of old boxes stacked in our basement lately (due to a recent drain issue + flood & our 20 year old furnace having issues). During this process, I found the box of my old dance stuff - leg warmers, leotards, tutus, pointe shoes...& my favorite dance costume. I saved a lot of this stuff in case I ever had a little girl. I have really fond memories of playing dress up with my mom's old dance costumes at my grandma's house. However, I don't think Sayer will be all that interested in my old tutus so I put everything back in the box I found, except for my red & white striped costume. I hung it in my studio. I cant' really explain why I like it so much- but it has & will continue to inspire my work I'm sure. 

I think it was also one of my first costumes that had a bit of a flounce or tutu like thing. I felt I looked a dancer in it- I loved the red & white stripes too. (I'm the middle girl in the picture - the one with the glasses.) Tap has always been my favorite style of dance so that could add to my love of this costume. Secretly (or not so secretly now) I have hopes for Sayer to be the next Gregory Hines or Savion Glover. He does love the movie Happy Feet & can really do a great little impression of Mumble dancing.... 

I have to say, I love having this costume hanging were I can see it all of the time. It makes me smile. I also have a tendency to break in to little bouts of tapping in my studio when I'm stressed out or just thinking. So, having the costume in there seems fitting. Do you have something  that you used to wear that you keep around for smiles? Happy Friday!

{Vintage Inspiration} four finds...

I've been playing this game of karma lately when it comes to finding cool vintage goodies. It seems as if by dropping off a few boxes of my own junk at the local thrifts, I increase my luck with what I find at my favorite antique shop. I was over the moon with this latest batch of vintage goodness. Funny, but I think I shop & find things by palette. These four finds were purchased in the same few days (3 in the same trip). 

My fondness for the monkey toy goes way back. When I saw him on the shelf, I think I jumped a little bit. I remember buying one just like that at a garage sale when I was kid. I thought he may freak Sayer out, but it's like the monkey from "Toy Story" so he thought it was funny. The cover of the book immediately drew me in- I'm a sucker for owls, kitties, & illustrations of that vintage. I love the palette & imagery. Of course when I see any kind of vintage train or fire truck, I snatch it up of Sayer and this little vintage Fisher Price toy thrilled him. The tin, red doll case was a total score & now houses Sayer's toys in my studio. All of these finds have actually found homes in my studio where I'm sure they will serve as inspiration in one form or another. Do you have a group of colors that you find you are drawn to often & are inspired by? 

Hope are enjoying your weekend! 

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera...

I have really fond memories of playing in my mom's scarf box. The feeling of the silks & chiffons, the patterns & colors, and the wafting scent of Charlie Perfume come to mind when I think about it. A while back I spotted a basket of scarves at the antique mall. They were all packaged in ziploc baggies & I really didn't have time to sift through them. But I thought about them & saved that activity for a rainy day- when I need a studio break. That studio break came this week. I was completely delighted searching through the basket - the colors were amazing! But what really got my heart pumping was that the ones I kept picking up, were Vera Neumann scarves- and they were $6 a piece!

Vera was considered the "queen of mod" by many. Popular in the 60's &'70's, her textiles were infused with happiness and her painting background was evident in all of her designs. I'm drawn to her philosophy as much as her designs. Here is a snippet written about why she became so successful.

"...I think the biggest reason was that she painted up to the public. She was of the belief that fine art shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. It should be available to all and it should be incorporated in everyone’s everydays. By wearing a Vera dress, you can take your art with you. By wearing a Vera scarf, you can dress up pretty much anything. By having Vera linens in your kitchen, it puts a smile on your face while you’re doing the drabbest duties. Vera had the philosophy that you should change the art around you every once in a while because you soon stop seeing it. She made it to where a person can change their art as often as they change their clothes. Literally. "  - source

These scarves make me really happy. The colors just sing and the patterns are great! I felt really strongly about having them in my studio. I don't know what part they are going to play in my creating, but just being able to juggle them on whim is worth a lot. They also make for a good rainy day activity with the kiddo. Playing dress up has never been so glamorous... 

If you are fond of Vera as well and would like a little piece of fine art to wear, check out this Etsy Shop that has 297 Vera scarfs in stock!  I don't know about you, but I needed a little bit of cheerful color on this rainy day. Happy Fabric Friday! 

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle...

Dr. Doodle was under the tree for me this year & he made my heart go all a flutter. I had spotted him at my favorite antique mall about a month ago and told Chris all about his wise ducky charm. I was just thrilled to see his eyes peaking up at me from inside my Christmas package. He appears to be a perfect studio companion - all eager to offer up inspiration & help remedy any creative conundrums I may find myself in.

This addition to my Fisher Price collection called for some re-organization. I decided that the FP toys that were made before 1970 would go in my studio. And the ones from the 1970's could stay in Sayer's room. This need for re-organization also came in part from the playmobil explosion in Sayer's room that came with Christmas.  So I cleaned off a spot for my collection of old friends in my studio - but they appeared to need another friend in the group to make a true collection.  So, I decided it was time to visit my many FP "favorites" on Etsy.  

{jalopy photos via here}

I found this guy a long time ago- he was way at in the middle of my favorites and rather than buying him right away, I created a whole circus treasury around him. Thinking that filled the void, I went to bed. However, it didn't & I bought him the next afternoon- adding another cool circus find (an awesome vintage pop up book) in it's place. Can't wait to see this old jalopy in my studio. In my mindless Etsy cruisin' (in an attempt to relax) I did happen to stumble on a few more VERY tempting FP toys that I have been thinking about ever since. I will have to practice restraint for now- I sort of go on the whole toy fate thing. If it is truly meant to be... it will still be there when I'm ready. 

View "Take me to the circus" Etsy treasury here if you need to take a circus break like I did.

What sort of things do you like to collect?

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden...

Sayer and I just finished up story time and he chose all of my Art Seiden books  to read today. He really is fond of them so I thought it would be a good time to share my little vintage collection with you.  I've been collecting anything with Art Seiden illustrations for a while now and my favorites are from the '60's Romper Room - Wonder Book - series. Sayer loves the train books in particular. But here is a tiny peek into each one...

The Romper Room Safety Book - Story by Nancy Claster- Pictures by Art Seiden- Wonder Books 1965

Puppies, pictures by Art Seiden  1980

Golden Clock Book by Ben Ross Berenberg - pictures by Art Seiden 1970

The Little Engine That Laughed by Alf Evers - Illustrated by Art Seiden  1950

The Train to Timbuctoo by Margret Wise Brown - pictures by Art Seiden- Little Golden Book 1951

The Romper Room Do Dee Book of Manners by Nancy Claster - pictures by Art Seiden - Wonder Books 1977 

Yep, we read them all today. This Manners book is really funny- it cracks Sayer up too. There is even a "mother check off chart"  to see if your child is a "Do Bee". I won't tell you the results of our check list. But I will tell you that Sayer likes the "Don't Bee" boy's outfit better, hmmm. I will bring these out again to share more another time. This is just a taste. I really enjoy looking at how Art Seiden's illustrations have evolved over the years, along with how much they have influenced current illustrators today. Hope you liked our Art Seiden story time... 

{Happy Halloween} Don't Be Scared...

Have a spooky & sweet Halloween! 

{Pictures} 

1- Abandoned house in Lake Chelan, WA- I took it when on our Summer vacation this year.

2- My pre-school class - I'm the clown in glasses.

3- Clown on step ladder is me...

4- My brother as a clown- me as Raggedy Ann

My mom made our costumes.... 

{Inspiration} costumes...

The clock is ticking- there is only one more week to get costumes figured out & made.  I feel a little pressure to makes something wonderfully creative for Sayer, yet I haven't started anything. Over the years, Chris has made some really elaborate costumes for himself. I guess you could say that Halloween is one of his favorite holidays. While I completely love dreaming & making up costumes, ever since I started klt:works, I've been too busy sewing things for orders.  But now that Sayer is in the mix... it is just that much more interesting & important to figure it all out. 

Sayer's went as "Plankton" from Sponge Bob for his first Halloween. Chris dreamed it up, and I made it. It was pretty simple and comfortable for him to wear and he seemed to like it. The first time he saw himself in the mirror with the hat, he was really scared though...

Last year Chris made these really cool robot costumes for the two of them to wear. We hadn't really anticipated (because S is our only child & we are new to this parent thing) that he may not want to wear a box. The full costume was finally worn once we went to grandma & grandpa's house, but it was sort of a dramatic evening. Sayer is in a little parade with his grandma during the day and traditionally has worn a hodge pod of past halloween costumes that my mom had made us as a kid. This year he is all set to be a fireman for that little parade. He LOVES his fireman hat, coat, and boots - he wears them even when it isn't Halloween. So we are guaranteed that he will wear it and be comfortable and warm. However, he did suggest a few interesting ideas for costumes that I am debating whether I should try to make.  There is such a strong tradition of making costumes between Chris & I, that I feel the need to whip something up. I do work well under pressure... so I guess time will tell what gets created and what doesn't. I even got out all of my vintage patterns that were used when I was a kid, just to inspire me. What are you going to be for Halloween? Do you have a favorite costume from when you were a kiddo?

*If you find you are in need of some costume inspiration too, pop on over to Modern Kiddo for an awesome Halloween parade here.

{Vintage Inspiration} Winky-Blinky...

Oh, I have been just itchin' to show you this vintage Fisher Price find. I found Winky-Blinky Fire Truck 200 about a week ago in an Etsy Shop called lovinglola and I really couldn't get it out of my mind. This fire truck was manufactured in the US in 1954 and it's so unbelievable cool. I knew Sayer would go nuts for it as well because he loves firetrucks. So, I went ahead and purchased it. It wasn't my $6 bargain that I usually find, but it's charm & history made it worth it. We just received it and Sayer has been playing with it ever since I opened up the box (which included a sweet, handwritten note). 

Sayer is really into details and loves all of the illustrations on the side of the truck & I love the old Fisher Price logo & face.  Now, you may have noticed that Winky (who Sayer has named, Bobby) is being parked on a circle. It's the firetruck's turntable that all of Sayer's firetrucks use. He made that one at his grandma's house and it has traveled here. The minute "Bobby" was ready to play, the turntable came out.  

So, it is official - my Fisher Price toy collecting has reached a new level. When "Bobby" is not in use, he will sit next to my cool old 50's FP register, on top of my parent's old hi fi console that sits in our living room. But I have to ask (as my dear friend Catherine asked me), is it really a "toy collection" if the toys are being played with?