Sunday, November 22, 2009

Bunny takes Baltimore by storm

I normally keep my Blythe postings to my Blythe blog, but on Saturday, Nov. 21, art and Blythe intersected as I visited The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore with my Blythe friend Maggie of Balto. Maggie is quite the collector, and not just Blythe. She has tons of Barbies, Momokos, Wonder Frogs, you name it. And, she has a great deal of talent in customizing and styling dolls, as you can see above from my Bunny Velvet, a former Ashton-Drake Roaring Red, which Maggie re-faced and re-eyed and re-everything'd.


We had a great lunch inside the museum at Mr. Rain's Fun House, and had a great Blythe chat with the owners, while they gratiously indulged our photo-taking. The restaurant and gift shop are highly-recommended! And, I'm a member of the museum, so of course it is high on my culture list.


If you've never heard of Blythe, a doll who made a brief appearance in the early 1970s, you can read more here, or simple type in "Blythe" on Ebay or Etsy, and prepare to get hooked.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

A few more views from Maryland











Last weekend saw beautiful weather in Columbia, MD, and I was able to take a couple pictures outside my apartment before I flew home Sunday to Indiana. Arrived to rain and more rain; drove to Chicago for a meeting last Tuesday (rain); flew back to Maryland Wednesday night...arrived to rain and fog. You get the idea.
But today is beautiful again, and I am headed to The Queen's Ink in Savage, MD and then to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore for a little arting, shopping, and then a min-Blythe meet. How can a day be better?




Saturday, November 7, 2009

Meant for each other




The big ol' chippy doll head I got today at Attic Treasures in Ellicott City was one I had spied several months ago. I can't believe it was still there, as was a tiny one-inch one I also got. But the big one fit perfectly on this shabby chic pink dress form I got from Kelli at The Vintage Shoppes. The skeleton key on a ribbon is also from The Vintage Shoppes, as are some more treasures saved for another post.
Next stop was The Pink Cabbage, a co-op of 12 artisans, including Stephanie George of Doojies, who runs in the same circle of art girls I know IRL and virtually. I loved her altered art at the shop. I got some groovy flashcards, some art books, a shabby chic bed jacket (that will NOT be worn to bed) and a "mink": a fab racoon collar, that looks very chic but not shabby. Saw some great jewelry and lots of cool stuff. Will definitely be back!

Putting Things in Place





I've been so busy getting situated for my wonderful new job that I've barely had time to think about art, and that makes me grouchy! So I thought I could at least photograph a few vignettes to share and do a little blogging...since I am WAY behind.
I love my touches of pink and my doll heads, and looking at them everyday makes me happy.
In the top photo you will find a poppet box by Mica of Garboodles.

You can read a little bit about where I am in this article I wrote for Vintage Indie. It's a beautiful and historic area, with rolling hills, wineries, rivers, lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, ski slopes, you name it. And Ellicott City, which I profiled, has tons of cool shops. It's where I met an "in real life- IRL" art/vintage friend, Miss Kelli. Check out her new blog, The Vintage Shoppes. She's a partner in pink, and her house, studio and shop are to-die for! Her husband is in a pretty cool band, too, The Kelly Bell Band. Check them out on Project Playlist. They were voted Best Blues Band by Music Monthly for six years in a row and Best Band in Baltimore for two years running by City Paper.

The little art gallery above is in my closet, as you can tell from the shoes. It's a great place to assault my senses every morning. Some of the art is by moi and the cute Frida prints are by Tascha on Etsy. The big white frame in the doll head photo is vintage as is the pink Humpty Dumpty stuffy on the slipper chair.

More blogging later; I'm headed to Ellicott City, the Artists Gallery in Columbia for a "pastels and pottery" show and to the American Visionary Art Museum, which I joined. Gotta get un-grouchy!