I spent much of today taking a class at Random Arts in Saluda, NC. Saluda is a great little town up in the mountains about 2 hours drive west of Charlotte; it has some wonderful shops in its historic downtown, and an amazing number of gourmet restaurants for its size. Random Arts is a shop that offers “assorted goods for creative mindfulness,” mostly mixed media supplies, including tons of delicious antique/junky tidbits – ephemera, vintage papers, paper packets for altered books, collage art, mixed media, book arts & book binding, rubber stamps, hand made papers, stamp pads, art supplies, die cut packets, assorted vintage playing cards… you get the idea.
I was there to take a soldering class to make little pendants. First, we created small collages, put them between thin layers of glass, and taped the edges with copper tape. I used an image of one of my art quilts on one side:
And a little collage on the back:
After this, we soldered over the copper tape. My results were not too great. In fact, I think I was the worst student in the class… but it was really fun. I bought supplies and will “try, try again” until I get better results. I think I was supposed to be gliding the solder on, and I was pressing too hard, so that I actually melted the copper tape! Anyway, here’s how mine turned out:
This is the second workshop I’ve taken at Random Arts; I took a great class with Jane LaFazio there last summer. Since then, the shop has moved into its new digs, a craftsman style bungalow with a bright orange front door, and lots of space inside to spread out. It is such a welcoming and fun place... you can spend hours looking at everything, and absorbing the creative vibes, and getting great ideas.
Can’t get to Saluda? Some of the shop’s goods are offered on their website and their eBay store.
 |
Lots of cool stuff!
|
 |
| Hello? Hello? |
 |
| A birdcage holds rolled sheets of music |
 |
| The spacious new classroom |
 |
| Painted pendant banner with necklaces |
 |
| Paper globes atop a bookcase |
 |
| Tree branches decorated with paper leaves and other lovely things |
 |
| Window treatment with mixed media flowers |
Here’s Jane (below) with one of her new products: Wholey Paper. The package contains rare, vintage punch paper. She has no idea what its original use was; do you? It could be computer punch paper, but I'm not sure. It would be great for altered books, printing, texture, stencils, weaving, or plaster embellishment. When I told Jane about my give-away, she kindly offered up a pack for me to give away!
 |
| Owner Jane Powell with her “Wholey Paper” |
 |
| A pack of Wholey Paper |
 |
Look at what you can do with Wholey Paper!
|
Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me if you do any mixed media projects that need Wholey Paper. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Sunday Dec. 11, and send you the pack. AND THE WINNER IS: usagypsy!
I spent much of today taking a class at Random Arts in Saluda, NC. Saluda is a great little town up in the mountains about 2 hours drive west of Charlotte; it has some wonderful shops in its historic downtown, and an amazing number of gourmet restaurants for its size. 
Posts
Very cool! I'd love to try it. Thanks for the giveaway. It sounds like the class was ver inspirational.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and I love collage. Thanks for the chance to win some 'Wholey Paper."
ReplyDeleteWould love, love to have some of this paper!
ReplyDeleteMy mom makes cards so I would definitely share most of it with her. I know she would love it!
ReplyDeleteI'd also love to try it - once the house is decorated for Christmas! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis paper looks so cool. I could think of a few ways to use it. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteIt kind of looks like player piano papers. They come in rolls, and have holes in them to let the piano know what notes to play.. I love to do all kinds of paper projects too.
ReplyDeleteI've made a couple of cards with ribbons, but never did much else that was mixed media.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I'm sure it would have plenty of uses in journalling!
ReplyDeleteBy the way if you were the worst student in the class I'd love to see the work of the best!!! Yours is awesome!
I have never used this type of paper but would love to for some collage and painting projects! thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis paper really looks interesting. It would be a good way to do a collage. and paint on the papers. Thanks for the give away. If you are teaching your classes near North or South Carolina, I would like to take your thread painting class. I missed the one in GA last year. Jodie
ReplyDeleteLove the paper. Could use to paint and make a collage. Want to take you thread painting class. If you teach near North or South Carolina let me know. I missed your class in GA in January. Bought the DVD. It is wonderful, but it just isn't hands on. Jodie in GA
ReplyDeleteIn the early '70's, my (now ex-) husband used a huge, non-electrified machine to punch holes in paper to be used for weaving fabric. He was majoring in textiles at NC State, a natural since we're both from Gastonia, a former textile-manufacturing area. Ironic that we're now using the punch paper with textiles, and that I ended up "majoring" in textiles in a totally different way!
ReplyDeleteMary Ann
Thanks, Jodi! I'd love to have you in class. You can see my teaching schedule here: http://www.bluemoonriver.com/programs.html
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures of the shop and your soldering project. It was so much fun & thanks for coming to the workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, Susan and thanks for the blog post. I hope that whoever gets the wholey paper will love it.
ReplyDeleteI am new to mixed media but so far, I love it, thanks to a book called "Journal Spilling".
ReplyDeleteThose holes take me back to the 1960's when I was first a flexowriter operator; I'd type and the holes would come out on a paper tape -- I actually was able to read the holes! Then I was a keypunch operator and the holes came out on paper cards and wer fed into a HUGE computer! Those holes were more rectangular.
What fun. Thanks for sharing!
The Wholey Paper looks like old player piano rolls to me. We used to have a player piano eons ago! Should have saved the rolls, 'what goes around, comes around'!
ReplyDeleteContinue to love your work and congratulations on your many accomplishments!
Would love to try this paper to make greeting cards I give as gifts.
ReplyDeleteWould love to use the paper in my card making.
ReplyDeleteI have not used "Wholey Paper", but this really is such a creative idea!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win this Wholey Paper and try my hand at mixed media...this paper looks like it would be some kind of keypunch that they use to do on paper....
ReplyDeleteSusan, I am fairly certain that this is Braille paper used by blind people. The punched patterns represent letters which at e"read" with the fingertips. A special typewriter called a Braille writer is used to produce the raised pattern.
ReplyDeleteThat town, store and classes look so cool! I've just started doing more paper art using lots of vintage graphics and I'm really enjoying it! I would love to try to put some Wholey Paper to use! And I love those copper framed pieces of art!
ReplyDeleteThis is why I never throw anything away, I love the wholly paper and would love a chance to win a pack to play with. Whether it is player piano paper or some type of computer punch paper or whatever, it sure looks interesting to play with in a journal.
ReplyDeleteEdie
I love your photos of Random Arts. I saw Jane's store a few weeks before she opened, but it is even more amazing now. Wow! And I love how you photographed it. And I really love, love, love Wholey paper! I have used it in several mixed media projects. My theory is it is from the old weaving mills in NC because those old looms did not have computers but had to have directions for patterns and they used hole punched thick paper or cardboard to do that. Just a theory tho...don't really know. Thanks for your Giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI'm new at mixed media as far as paper but I would use the holey paper in a mixed media project like the window treatment you showed. I think the idea of letting color or light show through the holes would add another texture.
ReplyDeleteSo great to see Jane Alice's new store! wow, it's beatiful! thanks for mentioning me too. Tell her the wholey paper is braille and player piano paper. probably other kinds too. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI took the soldering class at Random Arts, too. That's one of the neat things about Random Arts--they have the kind of classes you can't find anywhere else. Not to mention the grand selection of mixed media found objects. I fill my cart every time I visit Saluda, but haven't yet tried the wholey paper. That would be fun to use in my art projects. ~~Valerie
ReplyDeleteI took the soldering class at Random Arts, too. That's one of the neat things about Random Arts; you can find classes not taught anywhere else. I'd love to try the Wholey paper in my art projects.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this type paper in years past but did not know anyone was selling it. What great backgrounds for mixed media it will make. Would love to have some to try.
ReplyDeleteHow on earth have I lived without this? AND how on earth will I manage without it, now I know about it lol
ReplyDeleteWhat fun!
I have never tried wholey paper for a project yet but now I will need to either win or buy some. I know this wonderful shop in Saluda. I had a chance several years ago to spend some time and money. Would like to go again.
ReplyDeleteMy sister lives in Greenville, SC and took me to Saluda two summers ago. I LOVED the little town and especially all the shops--a quaint little greenhouse/nursery was my favorite! I may have seen the Random Arts shop--can't remember--but I'd love to experiment with the wholey paper...not sure what I'd make.
ReplyDeleteI want to go to Random Arts in the worst way! My inlaws lived near there and I wish I still traveled to see them so I could pop in. Beautiful class projects!
ReplyDelete