Marbling Paper Is An Art, Not A Science

Tips When Marbling Paper With Oil Paints 

I have been experimenting with marbling paper in my art studio. My first attempt at using the oil paint method to marble papers was a messy, hilarious yet creative afternoon. I had a lot of fun despite the fact that everything did NOT go according to plan. The morning of my oil paint marble day, I  started off watching tutorials online on You Tube. I also did some reading.

Many Different Methods To Marble Paper

There are many different methods of marbling paper. I  settled on the oil paint strategy after watching a science teacher's demo on You Tube. He said he likes to use fun projects to engage his students. While the teacher acknowledged that marbling paper  is ...."art" he said he gets to "the science" behind the "art" afterwards. (Next time I'll listen to an art teacher).

Using oil Paint To Marble Paper

I chose the oil paint method over many different marbling technique options because the science teacher came up with a method with fewer steps then others. His plan was pretty similar to a version I had tried years ago in a mixed media collage class, so I thought I was in the right ballpark.


Marbling Paper Calls For Practice And Experimentation

Looking back on the pictures  that I took after the afternoon of marbling, I can only say that ART is ART and not science. Marbling papers is indeed something that you have to practice and be patient with. The instructions called for mixing oil paint with Turpenoid (thinner) in small empty plastic (pill) containers. That sounded simple.

Beware, it isn't so simple to blend Turpenoid with oil paint in tiny containers.  You will need several long mixing sticks such as coffer stirrers or wood skewers. Forget tooth picks, they are too small to mix the paint in the plastic (pill) containters. I would use plastic squeeze bottles the next time.

Mastering The Oil Paint-Turpenoid Consistency

Essentially, you prepare a shallow pan with water and drop colors of paint on the surrface of the water and then gently place the paper on the water surface to pick up the designs of paint. This is of course in theory. Getting the paint at the right consisitency so that the oil paint doesn't sink to the bottom of the pan or create globs of paint is not so easy. (The good news is that the pan cleans up easy at the end of yur session with a little more Turpenoid on a rag).

Trial And Error

I discovered that you need more pigment than I started with, but indeed you need to have a very good blend of  the thinner ad the paint. The science teacher offered no precise measurements. He urged studentsw to experiemnt. Experiment is what I did. I made a big mess, but I learned plenty.

Now I am off to Dick Blick to look into suppliles for another method of marbling called method called  Suminagashi http://www.dickblick.com/lesson-plans/simple-suminagashi-monoprints/. An  ancient Japanese method, this marbling process is said to be meditating. After the oil paint method,
I'm ready for a more relaxing and cleaner method!

Postscript
By the way after I finsihed marbling there was a lot of extra oil paint in the bottom of the pan. I used it paint papers for future mixed media projects.

Readers have you marbled paper?  Please share your stories and tips.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Gay Rights Is No Laughing Matter: Supreme Court Justices Need To Take Equal Rights Matter Seriously

Supreme Court Banter On Gay Rights Was Disturbing

Is it me or did others think that the banter that was going on in yesterday's Supreme Court hearings on California's gay marriage ban was outrageous. The nightly news played audio of some of the conversations that were taking place in the high court. I was appalled at the courtroom banter.

Charles J Cooper, the attorney for the pro-Prop 8 petitioners made the key argument that marriage is for the purpose of producing offspring. He argued that since same sex couples can not make children that they have no claim to matrimonial rights.

Charles Cooper And Justice Elena Kagan Have "An Amusing Exchange" 

That statement was followed by what many news reporters called "an amusing exchange" between  Charles Cooper and Justice Elena Kagan. I would label that exchange in poor taste at the least and certainly lacking the wisdom we come to expect of Supreme Court justices.

Here is what was reported in the Los Angeles Times in their article "Supreme Court Appears Timid About Expanding Same-Sex Marriage" (March 27th, 2013).

"This led to an amusing exchange between Cooper and Justice Elena Kagan. Kagan said, by Cooper’s reasoning, a 55-year-old couple could be barred from marrying since they could not produce offspring. Laughter erupted from the courtroom audience when Cooper responded by noting the 55-year-old man, at least, would be fertile. Justice Antonin Scalia chimed in with weird comments about the fertility of the very elderly former senator from South Carolina, Strom Thurmond. How that was germane only Scalia knows."

Jovial Atmosphere In Supreme Court Disturbing During Gay Hearings 

I found this jovial atmosphere in the courtroom disturbing. The dialogue seemed to get stuck on fertility issues and avoided the bigger issue of equal rights as well as the current status of so many  gay couples who are already parents. I thought the discussions in the courtrooom were out of touch with the critical issue of civil rights for every citizen with or without children. And by the way many couples both gay and straight choose to be childless and that too is part of the variety of choices couples make. Here is more from the LA Times article about gay parents and children.

"Oddly, no one pointed out that homosexual couples actually are producing children through sperm donors and surrogate mothers. They are also becoming parents via adoption. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy noted that, in California alone, 40,000 children are being raised by homosexual parents. In the modern world, there is more than one path to parenthood."

Wake Up Judges

Wake up judges ......there is no one version of "family" for gays or for straights. Children raised by gay parents need to be protected in the same way as other families. Here is what The American Academy of Pediatrics says on  "Where we Stand: Gay and Lesbian Parents":


"Increasing numbers of children have been adopted by gay or lesbian individuals or couples in recent years. In some states this has stimulated political debate and public policy change. A growing body of scientific literature reveals that children who grow up with one or two gay and/or lesbian parents will develop emotionally, cognitively, socially, and sexually as well as children whose parents are heterosexual. Parents’ sexual orientation is much less important than having loving and nurturing parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes the diversity of families. We believe that children who are born to, or adopted by, one member of a gay or lesbian couple deserve the security of two legally recognized parents. Therefore, we support statutory and legal means to enable children to be adopted by the second parent or coparent in families headed by gay and lesbian couples. The AAP supports civil marriage for all parents who wish to marry, to provide legal and economic stability for parents to more effectively rise their children". http://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/types-of-families/Pages/Where-We-Stand-Gay-and-Lesbian-Parents.aspx

Civil Rights Is The Bottom Line

But while protecting the best interests of children is of course a critical issue, the basic civil rights of same sex couples is at the core of these Supreme Court hearings. I found the court hearings yesterday lacking in intelligent discourse. I was extremely disappointed in the conduct of the court. There was an anxious immature atmosphere in the courtroom. We are ALL entitled to equal rights under the law. I urge my readers to speak up and blog about this topic.

The time has come for CHANGE.....and it is no laughting matter!

Supreme court cartoon from http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/03/prop-8-gay-marriage-supreme-court-oral-arguments.html

"I am Not A Second Class Citizen"  photo courtesy of  WFAA.com

Gay family photo courtesy of ABC News Radio http://abcnewsradioonline.com/health-news/same-sex-families-at-risk-with-patchwork-of-state-parenting.html

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Thermo-Temp Thermoware Raffiaware Pastel Tumblers 1950's Favorites

Raffiaware Tall Tumblers In Fabulous 1950s Colors 

A few years ago, Martha Stewart featured an article on vintage plastic dishes in her magazine and every dealer ran to their storage sheds, basements and garages and dug out all their Raffiaware.  Following Martha Stewart's article there was quite a buzz in the air as Thermo-Temp Thermoware plastic tumblers, pitchers, bowls, desserts,  etc. were showing up everywhere. The excitement for these hip plastics has settled down a bit, especially in soft colors. But FAB colors such as TURQUOISE and CHARTREUSE  still turn heads.

It's Plastic Time 

As the warmer weather approaches, picnic wares and plastic dishes  start finding their way back into shops and antique boothes. Even though I do not see as much interest in many of these plastics, I still adore them. I came across a wonderul set of  12 ounce tumblers in a small shop in Connecticut  called "Antiques on Whiting" (Plainville).

Great Prices on Raffiaware 

The mint set of vintage plastic tumblers that I found (not in the box) in this small but terrific little packed shop, had pastel colors that were so vibrant. These vintage "Raffiaware" or "Therno-Temp" tumblers as they are known, were being sold in this shop for $2.00 a piece which I consider a very fair. One tumbler was damaged, but the others were mint. If you do a little homework on the subject you will learn that the tumblers I spotted were originally sold from 1956-1959. These tumblers were sold in the 50s in a boxed set of eight  different colors.
The boxed set below is how they were origibnally sold.
The boxed photo is courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/transaction/57984262

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Red And White Smaller Hoosier Style Cabinet Climbing In Price

Charming Red And White Kitchen Cabinet   

Old kitchen cabinets in mighty fine condition are seeing outrageous jumps in prices in some parts of the country. I am one of those buyers who takes notice of any red and white kitchen Hoosier style cabinet or baking cupboard I come across. I always seem to have a magic number in my head as to how much I will pay for these cabinets which I adore.

Do I Need Another Red And White Hoosier Style cabinet?

I don't even need another red and white kitchen cabinet, but that doesn't mean that I would not buy one at the right price. But lately the prices for cabinets, especially smaller  (narrow) ones that would work well in an apartment or in a small home or tight spot are fetching big bucks.

Readers Guess The Price?

How much do you think the cabinet shown was selling for ? How much would you pay?
How much have you sold similar cabinets for? What part fo the country are you in?

Spotted at Plainville Flea Market At The Crossing, Plainville, CT


C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Should You Buy Vintage Retro Melmac Dishes?

Melamine (Melmac) Dishes Popular in the 1950s and 1960s 

I adore Retro Melamine dishes. Melamine resin dinnerware which was so popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Melmac was one brand name of Melamine resin "plastic dishes".  During this era, plastics actually took over the favored use of ceramic tableware. As buyers began to see the limitations of Melamine such as easy scratching and staining, the plastic fad in kitchenware lost it's fizzle.

Baby Boomer Remember Melmac Dishes

But, how many of us who are baby boomers warmly remember our dinners on colorful Melmac plates? My mom had a set of orange and white square dishes and cups. Square plates in the kitchen was a very bold step for 50's homemakers. I hate to think of my parents as cool, but thinking back to our stylish Melmac, I guess we were hip.

 Today you will find lots of Melmac dishes around, from full sets to box lots of assorted colors and styles. In an antique shop, as I have written about before, these plastic dishes take up a lot of room on our shelves and often are not big sellers (unless they are in unususal sets)  even at very big discounts.

Displaying Melmac Dishes In Your Antique Booth

Over the weekend I spotted a stash of Melamine/Melmac dishes at Plainville CT Flea Market at The Crossing, Plainville, CT. The dealer, an older women who spends a good deal of time organizing the  details in her booth, displayed her random pieces of Melmac in such delightful ways, that I was tempted to buy some of her dishes. But I remembered how much Melmac I have bought in the past and how long it sits and I resisted the urge!

Can You Microwave Melamine Or Melmac Dishes?

According to what I have read by others who have discussed this topic, it is not a good idea to put vintage Melamine dishes in the Microwave oven. Like other older products, these plastics absorb heat and can burn, crack, blister and change their shape. I have heard of people however who have Microwaved food with these dishes and their experience is that the plates get very hot and they have cracked a few over the years. I am very skiddish about plastics and heat so in my kitchen, I use only glass in the Microwave.
According to discussion on forums hosted by the Sociity for Culinary Arts and Letters,
"Vintage "Melmac" made in the U.S. is safe to use for serving food. 
You can't put it in the microwave or heat it in the oven, temps over 70° C will cause it to break  down" http://forums.egullet.org/topic/140493-melamine/

Please take a look at this FDA aritcle . http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm199525.htm . Another source to look at is http://forums.egullet.org/topic/140493-melamine/

Can You Put Melamine Or Melmac Dishes In The Dishwasher ?

Many readers ask if you can put Melamine or Melmac kitchenwares in the dishwasher? I have found several answers to this question. Some believe that these plastics should only be washed in mild soapy water and not exposed to the harsher soaps used in a dishwasher. I would  be concerned with patterns and colors fading with dishwsher  use. Others are more concerned with food safety and the stabililty of chemicals used in making these dishes when exposed to heat.  Please see: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/140493-melamine/

 I would love to hear from my readers with their experiences?

Visit Diann'e Pinterest Board called 1950s Plastic Kitchen  http://pinterest.com/kitschnstuff/1950s-plastic-kitchen/

Photo Credit:

Turquoise set:  http://noirlacquer.blogspot.com/2011/02/sinful-colors-mint-apple.html
Coral set: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ValsVintageShoppe?ref=seller_info
Stacked cups:  http://pinterest.com/pin/182536591118535931/

Read More:
http://retrochalet.blogspot.com/search/label/Residential

http://www.squidoo.com/cleaning-melmac-or-melamine-dinnerware

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Updating Vintage Chairs With An Elegant And Whimsical Look

Change The Style Of Old Chairs With A Playful Painted And Upholstered Style

When you are updating the look of old dining room chairs, you can add a whimsical feel by changing the way you apply the fabric to the chair seats. My friend Clyde, chose a fun pink and black color scheme for his hair salon and selected fabrics and accessories with tones of silver, white added to his pink and black overall look.

Change The Direction Of How You Apply Fabric To Chair Seats 

I love the way Clyde applied similar fabric colors to his chairs but alternated the direction of the fabric on the chair seats. He also did a reverse of the paint colors on both chairs, yet the chairs do look like they are part of a set.

Visit Clyde's salon http://www.clydestamandshairdesign.com/

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Painting Mismatched Vintage Dining Room Chairs To Look Like A Set

Update The Look Of Vintage Dining Room Chairs With New Paint And Fabric 

It is easy to make mismatched vintage chairs look like a set by chooising as color scheme and coordinated fabrics that pull the entire set together. That is exactly what my friend Clyde did when he updated the look of vintage chairs which he is using in in his pink and black hair salon. The table and chairs shown are not a set, but after Clyde added his whimsical touch to these older chairs you really forget about the fact that they are one of a kind chairs redone to look like they all belong with this orphaned table.

Adding a round rug with a similar color and palette underneath the table, also helps to give you the sense of a total package.

Visit Clyde's salon  http://www.clydestamandshairdesign.com/

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Update An Old Settee With Black Paint And Faux Pink Fur Fabric

 Changing The Look Of A Vintage Settee 

Once an item that flew out of antiques stores, settees are not moving as quickly as they did in previous decades when more traditional styles of furnishings were in style. Today, younger buyers are after furnishings with cleaner lines and upholstery with either graphic bold fabrics or plain textiles that add some texture to the room.

My friend Clyde did his hair salon in a theme of black and pink colors and updated a vintage settee to match the decor of his salon. Clyde changed an old brown wood settee by removing the cane backing and adding an upholstered back. The dark wood finish was replaced with black paint and    faux pink fur  fabric was added for the seat.

Visit Clyde's salon   http://www.clydestamandshairdesign.com/

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Farmington Valley Arts Center Artist Anita Balkun Designs Retro Inspired Plastic Bubble Wrap Dress For 2nd Annual Trashion Fashion Show, April 21st, 7:00-10pm, Artspace, Hartford, CT

"Trashy" Retro Dressmaking at The Farmington Valley Arts Center 

When you step into Anita Balkun's art studio on the second floor of the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, CT you never know what exciting "mess"  you are stepping into or onto. In fact you have to be careful where you step because the boundaries between art, salvage and trash is sometimes hard to figure out.

A Playground For Recycled Art At The Farmington Valley Arts Center 

One thing is for sure, Anita's studio is a jungle of joy and a playground for artists and vistors who appreciate conceptual aand recycled art. I have been to her studio many times photographing her work in progress. But by the time I want to tell the world about what Anita is doing and encourage      others to come see her latest work of art, Anita is onto another grand  installation.

Visiting Anita Balkun's Studio On Open First Saturdays

This past Saturday,  during FVAC Open Studios (first Saturday of each month), I caught Anita dressmaking. She was tailoring a  retro inspired dress made out of plastic bubble wrap and brown butcher paper  for the upcoming "Trashion Fashion Show". The dress was well on it's way, dangling low from the ceiling on a wire hanger so that Anita could add a paper sash and matching paper rosettes.

The costume Anita was creating is for the 2nd Annual Trashion Fashion Show sponsored  by the XL Center. Taking place at ArtSpace in Hartford, this event celebrates Earth Day on Saturday, April, 21st, from 7-10 pm. You will find  funky and outrageous apparel made out of garbage, plastic containers, candy wrappers, bottle caps, paper bags, soda cans, plastic bubble packing, plastic bags and so much more.

Visit Anita's blog
More about Trashion Fashion Show http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/236366

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists