Saving the scraps
A quick flick through the new Lula reveals a wee article on scrapbooking including a sneak peak at Alison Mosshart’s cuttings and pastings. It reminded me of my own three whopping great scrapbooks that I fill in fits and starts. My passion started at art college when I studied fashion illustration and collage was the medium du jour. I loved the work of Ivan Chermayeff as it had that ‘I can do that’ quality that always appeals to me. Ditto Robert Rauschenburg and Peter Blake.
These days, what tends to happen is I’m good at finding the scraps – torn typography, discarded labels, a deflated balloon – but they mount up in a pile and then get upgraded into an envelope or paper bag of some sort. The next stage, several weeks later, is coralling said envelopes and paper bags into a bigger bag or box file and then on that rare day when the mood strikes and the thought, ‘I know, I’ll do my scrapbook’ enters my head, having a mega sort-out. In fact, the sorting out seems to be the most fun bit where I remind myself of these fabulous treasures I’ve amassed over the years (‘ooh, look at these Fiorucci stickers!’ ‘Hang, on, where did this postcard come from?’ etc etc). Yet by the time the sorting’s done, all my energy’s spent! Hence I now have two groaning box files of scraps but my poor scrapbooks are no fuller than they were two years ago. Hmm, maybe I’ll start again this weekend….
[Double click pics to enlarge]
[Double click pics to enlarge]
selinaoolala
24 August, 2008 @ 1:01 am
how completely awesome! gosh your newspaper cuttings are amazing, very inspiring
Sister Wolf
24 August, 2008 @ 7:17 am
Your memorabilia is very evocative…and I just got Patti Smith tickets for October!
Make Do and Mend
24 August, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
I love scrap books and kept them for years until they got stolen along with portfolio – I’m going to start again! Yours have inspired me to forget my loss and go for it.
claire
24 August, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
these are so good!
ohh can’t wait to buy the new lula x
alluretone
24 August, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
nice scrapings. i should start one too
Allure
24 August, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
I find scrapbooks so amusing, and also fulfilling once the work is done.
discothequechic
24 August, 2008 @ 11:56 pm
oh, thank you for treating us to a peek!
i feel like with the likes of the selby we’re being spoilt when it comes into sneaking a look at other peoples possessions!
i just have stacks upon stacks of plain paper, postcards and the torn corners of newspapers where i’ve scrawled blog address, song titles and all the things that inspire me…
laia.
25 August, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
love it. I too have become a total packrack of scraps and things that i intend to make collages out and never get around to. These past few weeks, however, i’ve made a point to sit down at least once a week and work on some stuff. so far it’s turned out great.
Sal
25 August, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
Wheee! Out here, dowdy old ladies spend big bucks on “scrapbooking” crap, including stamps and special paper and photo corners and all sorts of junk that makes me want to run screaming. THIS is something different altogether. Lovely!
T
25 August, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
very very very creative
Top bird
25 August, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
OK, I’m officially in heaven. Love the Joe Strummer page (autograph!) and the apology letter from Buckingham Palace – you tried to use a carriage as a prop??? Gold!
Also swooning over your red, white and blue theme pages and the CdG promos.
Like you, all my scraps are lying in three big Muji boxes … but you’ve inspired me to do something about them all.
Top bird
25 August, 2008 @ 10:22 pm
p.s. Sal – totally agree. I loathe the current scrapbooking industry and how it’s so removed from the original notion of real scraps and creativity. All so contrived and blah.
pinup_girl
26 August, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
All your pages look great! You seem to find the best newspaper clippings, photos and other little knick knacks. I’ve always wanted to start scrapbooking or collaging, just never got around to it. But now you’ve inspired me.
susie_bubble
26 August, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
You’re so much better than i am at scrapbooking….I’m actually turning my flat into a giant scrapbook though…
July Stars
26 August, 2008 @ 3:52 pm
In love with Chermayeff’s collages …
atelier
29 August, 2008 @ 11:09 am
very inspiring. I’ve started mine, but is not half as good as yours!
Parkey
2 September, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
love your cuttings!
scrap books are oddly addicting haha, it’s great going through them after a few months, when you’ve forgotten what you’ve put in :)
Inspire the Starling
5 September, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
I did a post about that Lula article too…it really inspired me to start scrapbooking again! Seeing yours has helped loads too…I’m a great collector, but when it comes to arranging them in a scrapbook is another matter all together. Great blog Cx