Vacation treasures

One of the things vacation means to me is new thrift stores to explore.  Check out this bounty of art-making goodness I came home with.

Two rolling pins that I will turn into custom rolling stamps with the aid of some adhesive craft foam:

Three wonderful books to cut apart: Atlas of Human Anatomy from 1942, Atlas of the Mouth from 1952 (full of creepy dental pictures) and a cub scout handbook from 1971 (Ric says it's the same edition he used back in the day)

I nearly squealed out loud when I found this.  A 1939 year book from Pasadena Junior College.

just look at all those faces begging for captions!

This box of "Challenging Mazes" from 1944 has so many cool graphics to incorporate into collages.

I don't think these funny printing blocks are particularly old, but they were cheap and interesting.

I'm not sure what this kitchen gadget is supposed to be used for, but it makes the coolest stamp.  I think it's my new favorite mark making tool.  Prepare yourselves for circles on everything.

I found this 1930s puzzle at the Salvation Army for a few bucks and planned to use the box and pieces for mail art, assuming it was in terrible shape.  I took it home and couldn't resist trying to build the puzzle.  Turns out not a single piece is missing and the pieces are so beautiful and unusual that I think I may have to hang onto it.

 

I found a few great children's books.  "Stubby" was printed in 1963 and my niece said she wanted to see me to make art from it.  (challenge accepted!) Ric says he learned to tell time from this book from 1957.  I think he meant when he was a kid, and not just then in the junk store while he was reading it.  The book in the foreground is an Arithmetic book from 1838.  It's in horrible shape but the pages are soooo cool.

Thank goodness Ric and I are married and live in the same house or it might have come to blows over who gets to buy this gem;  A dozen educational filmstrips from the 40's.  He has a special scanner that will digitize each image.  He intends to incorporate them into short films.  I will print them and use them so many different ways...

And finally.......the score of a lifetime:

 Three old photo albums, full of pictures.

When I saw the $24 price tag I almost walked away, considering it too expensive for a single album.  But then I looked closer and saw the price was for all three albums and I had to grab them.

 

 

The pictures seem to span about 50 years, starting in the early 1900s, with most of the pictures taken in the 30s and 40s like this one of Bea and Ruth from '36.

I really wish I knew the story behind the caption of this next picture.  It reads "Patricia and Husband" which wouldn't be so weird if Patricia wasn't the bride.  There are pictures of Patricia throughout the album, from childhood and into adulthood.  She was clearly family.  They couldn't remember her husband's name?  Or was he such a jerk he didn't warrant a name? But if he was the husband best forgotten, why put the picture in the album in the first place?  I can't stop thinking about them. (plus I love the expression on the face of the little girl.  She looks like she knows something.  Perhaps she could see the future of this ill-fated union.)

 It was a wonderful vacation and it's good to be home.

I've spent the day getting reacquainted with my studio and finding room for my new treasures.