Bradley's Lock and Key ~ 'We Fix Anything But A Broken Heart' Savannah

I love the old store front of Bradley's Lock and Key and it's motto, 'We fix anything but a broken heart.'  I was inspired several years ago by their parking lot sign to do a collage.

This year we went inside and I discovered the true wonders of Bradley Lock and Key - collections of all manner of things everywhere.  This lovely lady was sitting next to the giant bronze frog waiting for her key.  All the colors came together so strongly that, atypical of me, I asked if I could take her photo. I told her it was a perfect collage and she laughed and said yes.   Of course, I've amplified and altered and added elements, but the main image is as I first saw it.

Bradley Lock and Key was founded in 1883 and is the oldest continuous business in Savannah, as well as one of the oldest locksmith shops in the country. I discovered that the location is included in some of the Savannah ghost tours. The family had a connection to Houdini, and naturally people reported the site is haunted by Houdini, as well as many poltergeists and other visitations. It even has it's own Wiki page.

The Princess and the Frog at Bradley Lock and Key collage
Savannah series

We Fix Anything But A Broken Heart collage
Savannah series

Bradley Lock and Key vintage photo

Till next time.

Savannah 2024!

 We commented that Cedar Key, Florida feels like being on vacation, but our place in Savannah feels like our second home. The first floor of a Victorian with a wrap-around porch at the North end of Forsythe park, our perfect location. We like to go to our familiar places and then wander and find new. Perfect for our walk-about nature.

The house here is now empty and being renovated. I was attracted to that white emptiness and liked the pop of color in the sidewalk closed sign. Some interesting characters stopped by.

Dear White House collage
Savannah Series

Who wouldn't take a photo of a building decorated with flowers?  Turns out Gillian Trask is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, SCAD, and her jewelry is well known.  But it's the flowers that spoke to me.

Gillian's Jewelry Collage
Savannah Series

The wanderings continue!  

Till next time.

Cedar Key Finale - Tall House on 1st Street and A Girl and Her Dad Fishing

It's been a great time here in Cedar Key, even as it's been unseasonably cold most days.  Warmer temps are arriving, but we'll be on our way. January is very off-season here, which allows you to become 'regulars' at our favorite restaurants and wander the mostly empty streets and always find a bench by the Gulf to rest in our travels. Exactly why we choose this time of year for our visit.

I came across the vintage photo of the gentleman in flowered hats some time ago and knew it was a treasure.  The Tall House on 1st Street seemed the perfect backdrop for the pair. The Peonies are from vintage illustrations and the lettuces are from vintage seed packs; of course, all with a little alteration.

Tall House on 1st Street
Cedar Key series

I came across this retro photo of Cedar Key in the 1950's and was really drawn to use it.  The father and daughter here are based on my favorite photo of my own father and I.  It is also one of my dearest memories of doing things with Dad - deep-sea fishing on a 'big' boat 'way out' in the ocean, as I remember it. I'm not sure I actually fished on that occasion, but we did a bit of fishing in the same era in a small boat in the bay at Wildwood, NJ.  Later in life, I often joked that I was fortunate to not have a brother, because my Dad did all the 'boy' things with me and, perhaps, might not have otherwise.

A Girl and Her Dad Fishing
Cedar Key Series

A Girl and Her Dad
Wildwood, NJ

If you'd like to see all the Cedar Key collages from over the years, just type Cedar Key in the search box.

Next time - hellos from Savannah

Blue and Gray in Cedar Key

The contrasting architecture in Cedar Key adds to it's charm and always catches my eye.  The island is one walk-about and it's always interesting which building you'll find next to another.

Gray House appealed because of it's simplicity nestled within its trees, with a bit of quirk in its potted plants  The grays of photographer  Imogen Cunningham in her later years, seemed the perfect accent. And she too, embodies a bit of quirk.

Gray House with Imogen collage
Cedar Key series

Blue House is in the grand Victorian style and I believe the building is of an age.  Our retro friends, The Gardiner Accordian Band, are bringing their talents to the fore.

Blue House with Accordians collage
Cedar Key series

Only a short while left here.  Then on to Savannah.

Till next time.

Once Again in Cedar Key...

For many years now, we've been spending some Winter time in Cedar Key, Florida. If you follow my blog, you've been with me before.  Cedar Key's great charm is that it is a small, 'Old Florida' town with lots of great houses and cottages and charming storefront and restaurant facades. It has the 'old timey' feel that truly appeals to me; all with a Florida on the Gulf  color palette - and that's before I get around to my alterings and amplifications! lol.

After our typical morning meanderings, afternoons are a perfect time to review my photos and see what speaks to me and do some 'collage-ing'. 

2nd Street Cafe is our go-to place for breakfast. And Miss Betty is one of our favorite servers. She's 80+ and is indeed the friendly face you see right here. 

2nd Street Cafe and Betty collage
Cedar Key series

 

Amongst the colorful cottages and lovely Victorians, there are also some vintage wooden buildings that catch my eye.  Cedar Key is known for its many cats and although there are indeed armadillos in the area, I didn't actually meet one at Wells Wood.

Wells Wood collage
Cedar Key series

Kiss Coffee House & Grill, food-truck style,  offers specialty roast coffee, as well as BBQ and great things such as Brisket Chili. 

BBQ with Patti collage
Cedar Key series

Here for awhile longer. Fortunate me.

Till next time.

Not Radioactive! Radiation Therapy collage

This is the 3rd collage in my 'breast cancer cycle' of 2023;  the last collage.  I'm hoping now to file that in my 'Past Health Events' folder and as the radiologist said,  in my rear-view mirror.  I ended three+ weeks of daily treatments on 12/28, just in time for the new year and the beginning of my annual Winter Trip. I was fortunate to have little side effects from the treatment and am confident any random cancer cells were eliminated by the radiation therapy.  Life may bring me something else but probably not a repeat of this specific situation.

I titled her 'Not Radioactive' as I noted that the booklet I was given about radiation therapy used that phrase three times.  I mentioned it to the techs and they said people do still carry a connection to radiation and radioactive.  My Crow totem was with me throughout the treatments; embraced by Crow wings.

Not Radioactive-Radiation Therapy collage

The 1st collage after the mammogram that discovered the tumor, 7 millimeter biopsy

7 Millimeters collage

The 2nd collage post-surgery to remove the 5 centimeter tumor

5 Centimeters collage

The collages in an embellished frame, with flowers sent by my friend, Donna.

Fini!! Series Complete.

Till next time.

Remembering Michael Anthony Gritz - my DearHeart friend, Brother of Spirit

 As some of you may know, my dearest friend Michael left us on December 25th, 2023. My brother of spirit is now my brother in spirit.  We shared a unique closeness for over forty years. The friend who becomes family; at times a house mate, Godfather to my child, Alexander, partner in work and many endeavors. The person you always trusted and was always at ease with.

We shared many things, interests and sensibilities and the collages here are some cards I made for various celebrations of Michael; including our totems of Bat and Crow.  I share them with you in celebration of his  being.  Now, he's in the stars.

Solstice Sister and Brother

Masked Ball for Michael

Dragon for Michael

Bats At Tea for Michael

Billy Porter and the Guys for Michael

All Hallows for Michael

Steampunk Bat Man & Magical Grandmother for Michael

Wings and Roses for Michael

Thank You for Michael

Archangel for Michael

This is the last card I made for Michael.  It's a portrait of him dressed as Yule Man. I made two versions and this is him with bat energy. I hope he liked this rather elegant look. I never heard from him about it or my last Yule gift to him.

Yule Man Michael

Ever in my heart. Ever with me. 

Till another time.

Yule! Solstice! New Year!

 Wishing everyone all good things in all ways.

 Winter Fairy - Yule

Winter Solstice

New Year with Patti & Lou 

See you in 2024!

Patti Smith In Blue and Friends

My health has my main focus right now and I just started radiation therapy, but fortunately, images come my way and inspire me to take time out and go into collage mode.

I'm a fan of Patti Smith, her music, books and her always Patti just being Patti-ness. I came across the three main images in this collage serendipitously on the same day and knew they worked well together. And as I worked on the collage, I felt they all shared a certain life-attitude as well.  Google image search revealed that the red-hatted women was Vita Sackville-West and of course, the Magitte-like image carries his different way of seeing.  The last element I searched for.  It is Arthur Rimbaud, a favorite poet of Patti Smith, which she had just referenced in her 'M Train' book I am reading.  

The back-stories to a work can be interesting, even fun, but in the end, it's the images, the juxtapositions and composition that calls me.

 

Patti Smith In Blue

Till another time.

Mammograms! Get 'em. They're on your side.

Recently I went for my annual Mammogram.  A few days later I received a call that I needed 'additional screenings.'  The news hit me with quite a shock.   A letter came saying there was an  'architectural distortion'; a term which describes a distorted shape or pattern visible on a mammogram, but a distinct mass is not seen. It may represent a benign condition or possible breast cancer.  Sigh. Of course, I wanted to have my re-screens done the very same day, but instead, I had to wait ten days for an appointment.

I began this collage during the first waiting period.  I typically create an 'avatar' of myself when collages are about or represent me; adding my distinctive curly hair, perhaps my crow feather & spiral tattoo, etc. The figure began rather dark, but then I stumbled upon the first pink flower, which I added to the dark dress.  As time went on, the pink flowers grew and the tenor change.  

It turned out that I did indeed have a tumor; just 7 millimeters and low-level as they grade these things, but it would require surgery.  So 7 mm was added to my avatar.  I had a similar situation 20 years ago, so the star on the left arrow marks the previous success. The questioning symbols on the right, were added while I waited for the pathology report.

All this waiting time gave me a great opportunity to get myself 'aligned' to the next steps that would be required of me and it was a great support to have art as my expression and distraction to move away from fear.

7 Millimeters - Mammogram collage series

I did have surgery, a lumpectomy, in which a 5 centimeter area was removed and a lymph node.  Everything was contained, no cells in the lymph node and I am recovering well.  As of now, it seems I will also have radiation therapy, so the red poppies came into play, representing the fire/heat of radiation.

 

5 Centimeters - Mammogram collage series

I shared my first collage with a few people and my friend Donna sent me a collection of paper flowers, which inspired me to use them to create this embellished mat with the two collages together.

The Mammogram Series with embellished mat

As scary as the words' breast cancer' are, finding something in its earliest, smallest stage is the gift of the mammogram.  Get 'em.  They're on your side.

Till next time.