Perfectly Imperfect

I've been trying my hand at soldering the last few weeks,

dwelling in a place where I've never felt quite comfortable.

As with most things in my life, I am my OWN teacher.

I wander the internet searching for clues, but in the end

I know it's just me & my soldering iron taking this journey.

With every brush of flux & every pass of my iron,

this foreign place begins to feel like home.

The fear subsides & is replaced with reluctant confidence.

I let go of the idea of perfection & embrace the joy of creation

& learn to do exactly what my dear friend told me...

to find the beauty in the Perfectly Imperfect.

I LOVE the smell of soldering...

XOXO

vintagesusie 

KC Willis Taught Me This!

It's Hump Day all ready!
Sweet Hearts, where does the time go...I mean really.

I do have to admit, I know where a significant
portion of my time has been going lately...Pinterest, that's where.

But I also have to tell you, since I've started hangin out there...
I've been more INSPIRED, more CREATIVE
& more artistically PRODUCTIVE, then I have in years.
It just gets my creative juices FLOWING!

Regardless, I know too much of a Good Thing can be bad,
so I'm thinking about starting a monthly support group.

Would any of you be interested in joining?

Hi my name is Susie & I PIN!  ;)

Y'all may remember that I was lucky enough to take a KC Willis

Workshop last fall when KC was in So Cali & it was Fab U Lous!!!

She shared all her secrets with us on how to make her amazing, fabric

collages & I fell in love with all the textures & images &

the vintage feel of these pieces of art.

This past Christmas, I made five collages for some very special

loved one's in my life & I wanted to share them with you.

The one above was made for my brother & sister-in-law in Baltimore.

Fort McHenry, The Star Spangled Banner, the largest US flag ever made,

the East Coast & HISTORY, all the things that come to mind when

thinking of their home.

{I hand-tinted the black & white photo in Photoshop}

I made this one for my dear friend Susan...

we found each other on Facebook a few years back & I've

know her since we were in the fourth grade.

We went to school together, were in Girl Scouts together,

so many wonderful memories.

And this one I made for ME!

I LOVE KC's Annie Oakley Collages & I just HAD to have one

for myself. Some of my favorite elements are on this, vintage

horse riding ribbons, a Sandy Schor metal frame, an old tintype...it's perfect.

KC Willis will be back in So Cal in March having a 2 day

Studio Retreat in Huntington Beach.

The first one is March 24, 2012 from 10~4pm

& is Altars & Shrines.

The second one is March 25, 2012 from 10~4pm

& is 'The Power of Words'

A Crazy Quilt Collage Class & Life Instruction Seminar.

So gather up all your favorite heirloom treasures that you've been

saving & I hope to see you this spring in HB hangin with KC,

cuz I'll tell you what...

this girl INSPIRES!!!

XOXO

vintagesusie