As you have probably already guessed I love vintage photos, postcards, ephemera, etc.  Some of my newest vintage photos are of cute kids with pedal cars.  I never had a pedal car.  I think they were still around during the early part of my childhood, but for some reason I never had one.  I did have a pretty red trike, though!  Maybe that's why I loved collecting hot wheels.  Any way, I like to add color to these and other little found things like lettering, ribbon, and ephemera

to make collages.  I am making a trio of them.  Here is the first.  This one reminds me of my dad.  When he was a teen he had a flat top and one time bleached his brown hair blonde.  Plus, I think he would have liked this car!

Have you ever had something that even in pieces was important to you to keep as a momento?  Last Christmas my cat knocked over my Christmas tree.  This is the one that has all my precious vintage Shiny Brite ornaments and some other prize finds.  The one ornament that broke was one of my favorites.  It wasn't a Shiny Brite, but a cute log cabin with glittery snow and a mini bottle brush wreath.  So this year I decided to make a shadow box with it along with one of my vintage Christmas postcards, vintage flannel, ribbon, recycled tag and found letters.  Turns out the shadow box was not quite deep enough even though it was the deepest one I could find and in my trying to force the issue I totally broke the ornament!  Memo:  Don't work on art when you are feeling frustrated!  So now I needed to find a replacement for the treasured ornament because I would not be thwarted on my quest by this little problem.  LOL  I had a similar ornament that was plastic (a result of the cat incident!).  With some paint, glitter and adding the little wreath that I salvaged I now had a pretty good version of the original.  Here are

the results.  By the way, no trees were lost in the season this year! Yeah!!

Christmas is coming!!

The goose is getting fat... love old Christmas carols!  Tinsel and shiny brites are making their way out of cardboard boxes.  Have a look!

This is one of my favorite vignettes for the fall holidays.  I have carried these pumpkins made out of vintage quilts around through all my moves and I still adore them.  I always place them in front of this painting that my mom painted many years ago of an abandoned house somewhere in Oklahoma.

Happy Fall!!

I enjoy finding wonderful treasures at the flea market, but even more important to me is to find a unique way to use them for a display in my home.  I have always had this crazy practical side.  When I make altered art I like to use my family photos so it is art with meaning.  Years ago when I painted on fabric I enjoyed the fact that I could wear what I made.  I make pillows, table runners, wall art, holiday items so it is no surprise that even my flea market treasures need to do double duty.  This photo is one of the favorite ways I am using my vintage toy trucks this season.  Now what will I have my trucks display in December?!

I have been meaning to share my latest discoveries from the flea market in the sky, otherwise known as the internet.  Love that you can look for treasures from all over the world from the comfort of your home!  I'm not sure why I am so drawn to ephemera such as ticket stubs and luggage labels.  Maybe it's the fact that I love to travel or that these items were connected to events that were fun.

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Went to the Vintage Market Days at the Creek County Fairground and enjoyed browsing around the treasures among a fair-like feel!

Tonight was Homecoming in my little town.  That means parades; little kids & big kids in uniforms-band, football & cheer.  Leaves are starting to turn.  Evenings are getting cooler.  Tonight the moon was a delicious sliver of crescent orange.  Fall is upon us!!

This was the scene on the way to work one day this week...beautiful!  God is all around us!

Coming Soon!!  My new blog about art education! jenniferfoxbarretto.blogspot.com

Well, once again it has been a while since I have posted.  Seems like life interferes with this process... or is it life that makes blogging possible and meaningful... gives us something to say!? Back at work at my real job - teaching the little ones art.  Love to see my students excited about art!!  Last week one of my kindergarten kids said he wanted to be an art teacher when he grows up.  I do meaningful work...nice to be reminded.

I am working on some new ventures.  I have some new collage sheets on my etsy site.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/194848489/travel-one-1-x-3-inch-microscope-slide?ref=listing-shop-header-3

More to come soon.  I am also working on creating some digital scrapbooking kits.  It is so much fun to create these.  Here is a preview of one of the items from my "For the Birds" kit.