Old Supplies for New Art

I love to find supplies at artist estate or garage sales that I can use.  Such a nice assortment of pens and nibs found recently at a sale.  Especially happy with the marbleized ones, but the  prize is the advertising pen for the Rice Hotel.  Everything was stored in one small box and well worth the price which was under $5 for all of it. 

Friday Night Wrestling

 I have four vintage wrestlers from Minkey’s Rubber Stamps that were a very generous gift from a friend.  The page is from the Rubber Stamp Album by Joni K. Miller & Lowry Thompson, 1978.  I would be thrilled to have Mr. Wrestling, Doctor X or any other wrestlers from this line, but probably a rare find.  If anyone ever sees one for sale or has them for sale, please let me know.

Shoes for Blondie

 mixed media drawing on vintage postcard

Make Do Coloring Book

I have clipped hundreds of magazines and books over the past 30+ years for my collages. I also keep pages that have been drawn in, scribbled, defaced, etc. In several instances I have found where children used magazines as coloring books. This page from one of my scrapbooks is an example.

Acey Deucy

 Rubber stamp in original package and catalog, circa 1994. 

Used Car Salesman

mixed media postcards

Rubber Stamp Art

 11x14

Creeps in Tees

Had fun with a t-shirt rubber stamp today.  

 

Error Cards

Worked on error/test cards this morning.  It’s a fun challenge to bring ruined cards back to life.  I might even start to send these out as mail art.  I also added a few stickers.  Some years ago, we went to an estate sale at the home of a wealthy woman who had a massive craft room and she had multiples of everything.  I purchased hundreds of Mrs. Grossman stickers which I once bought as a kid for my scrapbooks.  Some of you might remember the rolls of stickers at stationery stores.  

Ideas

Today’s mail art postcards.

Mail Art Inbox

Recent rubber stamped postcards from Sally Wurlitzer, San Francisco.

Rubber Stamped Postcards

Picasso Gaglione

 RSM ad, 1992.

Catalog

 

I am cataloging rubber stamps this morning as I patiently wait for my new studio which is currently being built in our backyard.  I am working on transforming my small studio in the house into an organized rubber stamp and mail art room.  My old studio had stamps everywhere and it was difficult to locate just the right one.  

Artist Cards

Working on artist cards this morning.

Hot Air Balloons

Today’s mail art postcards.

Stamp Francisco

I found this ad in an issue of Rubberstampmadness from 1993.  Check out the giant Ray Johnson bunny head in the background.

Mail Art Received

Yesterday’s mail art.  

(L) Stan Askew

(R) Kiera Coffee

Gorey Glasses

Mail art postcards.

Test Notebook

 I keep a notebook next to me while collaging or stamping.  I stick miscellaneous scraps on it and test colors and rubber stamps,  It also is a good way for me to test certain design ideas before I put them on a postcard. 

The Little Tramp Flowers

Today’s rubber stamped postcard.

Estate Sale Stamps

John went to an estate sale this morning and found me a small box of rubber stamps and art supplies.  It is very rare when cool, vintage stamps show up at sales around here so I was very happy with these designs.  I have one of them (the spiral), but not the others.  Companies are Graphistamps, Stamp Francisco, Leavenworth Jackson and Top Drawer.  Very surprised to find that one in there! I also collect ink pads and although I have an Inkadinkado already, it is a different color.

Fan Dancer

 Today’s rubber stamped postcards.

X is for X-Ray

Ready-made Rubber alphabet set, rubber stamps, 1987.  Designer marked as ‘R’.  The original $120.00 price tag is on the back of the box.

Variations

Mail art postcards.

Keith Haring Fan Club

Mail art postcards.

Kid’s Stamps

These are cheap, kid’s rubber stamps from the 1960s/70s.  They came in a blister pack and probably sold at dime stores.  I didn’t think they would stamp because they are rock hard, but with a juicy ink pad and some hard pressing, they made a good impression. Perhaps I will use them for borders or decorating envelopes although I don’t see using them too often.  I did manage to make one postcard with one of the images.

Rubber Stamped Postcards

 Recent designs for rubber stamped, mail art exchanges.