This new thing I’m trying

 

I started making collages as a teenager to decorate my school binders. It was the only part of going back to school that didn’t make me want to throw up.

Then one summer I got really bored and started collaging on my bedroom’s closet doors. I didn’t enjoy a lot of things about my high school years (most especially the high school part) but I did love being in my room with the Pulp Fiction soundtrack playing while I made a massive collage, even with the hand cramps I got from my cheap scissors and the cuts on my thumb from tearing off pieces of scotch tape.  I don’t know if this massive collaging escaped my parents’ notice or if they really were that supportive, but they didn’t stop me. (I’m going to say they were that supportive.) Eventually I had both closet doors plastered with pictures from magazines.

Then I grew up, and cheap scissors became slightly more expensive scissors and scotch tape became Aleene’s Collage Pauge and the Pulp Fiction soundtrack became DVDs of Gilmore Girls, but collaging remained one of my very favorite things to do. We moved a year and a half ago under not great circumstances and the first room I set up was my new craft room, and I made this collage, and I felt better.

I collage because I love it. I love finding images that make me smile and fingering new paper that I can’t wait to use but also can’t bear to cut. I love and hate gingerly cutting around intricate octopus tentacles and dinosaur scales. I love gently pushing out air bubbles and applying layer upon layer of glue. I love admiring my finished pieces, remembering what I was feeling and thinking as I put all the different pieces together. I collage for me.

I also collage because of the sweet look on Todd’s face when I proudly come out of my room with a newly finished piece, and because of the “oooohs” from my mom and sister, and because of requests from my dad, and the surprised smiles from visitors to my booths at craft fairs. My collages make people smile.

But now I have too many collages. I’ve offered them for sale in the past, and I’ve sold so many pieces I loved so much to people who I hope are treating them well. But I still have too many collages. And most of them are in a box in my new collage room, not making anyone smile. And I just bought some amazing new paper that I have no reason to use because I don’t have enough room to display the pieces I’ve already made, let alone enough room for pieces I haven’t even made yet.

So I’m trying something new. I’m going to start offering my pieces here, and I will give them to the first person who contacts me and promises them a good home. If you want one, just send me a private message through my contact page or Facebook.I’m not charging anything for these pieces, but I would accept any amount you’d like to give me so I can go buy more supplies.

And oh my gosh, this is hard. Treat my pieces well, mmkay?

First up: Antlers! A totally humane take on the taxidermy trend! A great gift for your hunter or vegan friend. It’s an original collage on a wood block, 5”x5”x.1.5”. And I totally love it.

Message me if you’d like it! Love you all! So many feelings!

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