Thursday, July 11, 2013

Lesson 3: Find Your Voice (Five Reasons Vintage Makes Me Happy!)

I have gotten so behind on my studies, but I have been catching up last night and today, and I'm feeling better about things.  I am not sure if I have the summer blues or if I have so much going on that I'm a little depressed.

Lesson 3 for Find Your Voice is about your goals and how you can determine what you are wanting to accomplish creatively, for your blog, business, or whatever it is that you strive for.   I loved this exercise!  It is all about ideas and insight, and you can be as creative as you want to be for the prompts.  And it's all about what makes you happy.

I wanted to make a mind map based off of The Wizard of Oz and the yellow brick road, but then I found this book (mine was published in 1978) at the thrift shop and the illustrations were perfect for mapping.  Have you ever made a mind map? I haven't, but I thought that the realization that came with organizing ideas was pretty spectacular.  Here's my map (in grayscale):


Now, what makes me happy?  There are a lot of things, but vintage is a big one.  Vintage anything.  There is something comforting about simpler times and the nostalgia.  I wish I had grown up a child of the 50s and 60s from what I have learned of it.  Want to know five reasons why vintage makes me happy?



1.  It makes me feel pretty.  I'm pretty insecure about "me" a lot of times, but during a photo shoot like these, I feel transformed into someone else almost.  It's like an alter ego kind of...I become a movie star and dress pretty and have my hair and makeup done and "act" like they did in the era that I love.  It's fabulous.  In September, I'll be doing a shoot with the Dynamite Dames and Vintage Flair ladies again for 1950s Prom.  I can't wait. 

2.  Vintage is like history for girls.  Think about it.  Right? 

3.  I love dreaming up the stories of yesteryear, especially when we go to estate sales and the homes are pretty close to being just like they were 50 years ago.  Some might find it creepy to dig through another life; I find it fascinating. 

4.  Vintage is back in style!  Furnishings, clothing, dancing, hair, makeup...it's all coming back.  And I have a lot of it already so I'm way ahead of the game. 

5.  It reminds me of my childhood.  Even though I am a child of the 70s, I still remember being at my grandparents' house and them having things from earlier years...furniture, dishes...the laminate counter tops that we had toast and juice on in the mornings with my grandpa in slacks and his undershirt getting ready for work...baseball on the TV...a rotary telephone with a cup of pencils and pens nearby that I would play in...yeah, I miss those days. 

What is one thing that makes you happy?  It's not too late to join in with us at Find Your Voice.  You won't be behind...and you won't regret it! 

For my journal page, I chose these photographs of my last vintage photo shoot, tore up an FD Luxe Magazine (beautiful photography, they are free and available at a lot of businesses, and this month was Mary Kay...perfect!) and added some washi tape and a button from Studio Calico, and a vintage Kodak rubber stamp (I love that thing).  I used craft ink on this glossy paper, and without heat, I'm afraid it is pretty hard to dry.  Photography by Dynamite Dames and hair and makeup by Vintage Flair

7 comments:

  1. I love this post! I love vintage too, but more in a cat lady kinda way :) your hair looks amazing in the pics! I haven't started lesson 3 yet, but I'm having fun with this project.

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    1. Thank you...it is so fun to go and do the photo shoots, and the ladies that do them are amazing. They have the perfect eye for style and the photography. I just love it. :)

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  3. Love your map AND your photos! I too, love vintage; I had the good fortune to be born in the 40's and grow up in the 50's. You are right - it was a more simple, peaceful time, not to mention safer! Keep up the good work!

    Don't feel insecure. You are unique! There is no one just like you - and you are not like anyone else, so don't compare yourself with others. You are fine just like you are!

    Stay well!

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    1. Thank you! I love old stuff...and the photos are so fun to do. Those ladies are awesome. And, you are right. ;)

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  4. Oh, I am so on the same page as you with loving everything vintage! Absolutely love this post and how you used the book to make your mind map-so creative!!

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  5. I love the idea of using old books for creating - I've never thought of it before - probably, because of all the memories I have of being told NOT to write in books :) Thanks for the inspiration, I'll be looking for old books to use in my art/journaling on my next trip antiquing!

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