Photography and text by Corey Amaro:
What are you you doing this weekend?
I have some herbiers (dried flowers and plants) I want to frame. Actually, seaweed is what I have. Five year old dried seaweed… sitting in a box in the closet.
Then there is a chair I would like to decap (strip), and recover it with hemp that I found a hundred years ago. Though the other voice in me (Which is the stronger voice I might add.) saye, "The chair looks fine the way it is, it tells a more interesting story."
If more truth be known… Scissors and I have a stand offish relationship.
When in Marburger I was these linen pillows made with 19th century dish towel fabric and antique trim. Also on the same stand the dealer had made a trim (In the back of the photo above.) with tea stained muslin and then painted a blue trim. The chair is covered with a burlap grain sack. Nothing new, but that is not what caught my attention. What caught my attention is that she did it, and did it well.
Why cannot scissore and I get along?
More pillows made with 1800 printed linen and silk brocade fabric. Rubbing my face with, "Shame, shame, shame, on you for not doing what you know you can do with that fabric you have in the closet, ding dong." The other voice in me can be so two faced! What minute telling me it is okay, and the next blasting me to the high heavens.
And yet more pillows created with 19th century trims and tapestry.
Pillows to make… With the linen, tapestries, brocades, silks and trims that I have collected over the years that remain stuffed in the closet… taking up space in the "projects to do box".
The project box is rather large using up viable space in a house that has one closet.
(19th century altar cloth, with M.A. monogram and crown.)
Which I will never do because I cannot imagine cutting old fabric.
This little beauty French Husband bought it for me in Marburger, man is he good or what! Like an excited little puppy he asked, "What will you do find it?"
Admire it.
Then there is the story about the Roman enamelware clock face numerals I have collected….
Who knows when I'll ever get around to doing this project… I thought these would make interesting napkin rings for New Years… Glued on black velvet ribbon. But the idea of gluing two old things together… well yeah it isn't going to happen.
I am a bit of a dud when it comes to cutting, gluing, tampering with old things…. I never liked scissors, glue and glitter in school.
18th century black wax seal.
I have a variety of these. They too have been waiting to be framed. I am better at finding old things, and thinking up ideas for the stuff, then actually doing anything concrete with it.
Not lazy. Just cannot manipulate old objects. I would rather let them remain as they are… I do not think my handiwork could improve how they look.
But then again I see what others do, and am very impressed.
What about you do you like scissors, glue, and glitter (or rust, tin, burlap?)
Or are you like me….
Since deadlines motivate me, I have given myself one. I'll be re-opening my Tongue in Cheek Antiques online shop on Monday. The project brocante box is out of the closet and sprawled over the living room floor. The items I bought before I left to California are out of the boxes too….
You might say, I am a tad bit busy setting up shop.
Leave a Reply