Hello, dear friends!
Oh, my….there’s just so much to love in this world, isn’t there? So much to love OUT of this world, too!
I’m going to let you in on a couple of my many obsessions…
…the first is vintage “paper moon” photographs!
There’s just something so quirky and charming about these turn-of-the-century photos…most taken in arcades, boardwalks, seaside resorts, carnivals, county fairs…
…single photos or group shots with friends…these photographs were just for fun!
It was a quick, much less formal, and MUCH less expensive alternative to the customary Victorian studio photographs…
Why the moon setting, you ask? Some wonder if it was a result of the popularity of Jules Verne’s novel “From the Earth to the Moon”…who knows for sure. All I know is that I LOVE these moony prints!
Well, then I took a VERY wonky turn…I’m also head-over-heels in love with German china doll heads…
…combine the two, and voila’!
I saw this idea somewhere a while ago…can’t remember where (sorry!), but here’s my take on the combination of two of my loves…
I just took a sweet, innocent paper moon photo…
…and added the German doll head image…
…easy peasy!
The words from Bing Crosby’s “Would You Like to Swing on a Star” were going through my head as I worked on my little hybrid creation…
…which led to moonbeams in a jar, of course!
My second lady in the moon was just as fun…
…I added one of those fabulous Tim Holtz tags here…imagine!
…”feeling just heavenly”, she says…
…I think she really is…
Before I leave you, I thought I’d share with you the words to an old song I found on the subject…
IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON
I never feel a thing is real
When I'm away from you
Out of your embrace…
The world's a temporary parking place
A bubble for a minute
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it.
Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me.
Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phoney as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me.
{Lyrics by Billy Rose, Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg….It was written originally for an unsuccessful Broadway play called “The Great Magoo”, set in Coney Island.}
See you soon with something new…
Julie
{all vintage images found online}
Hi Julie!!
ReplyDeleteIt is soooooooooooo great to see your lovely creations and let me tell you, you ought to use that top photo for your blog banner!
I know a young boy who did mine. I can give you his name. I am so impressed with all of what you have created here. I love all of it.
Keep on keeping on Julie♥
I love all that you create Julie. We humans to have such a fascination with the moon do we not? Not feeling very well, but wanted to stop by and give you some love! Glad I did. You always make me smile. xxoo
ReplyDeleteHi Julie,
ReplyDeleteI too share your love for the vintage moon images...and the old songs make me swoon! I love your little china head image...it's kind of creepy (the china head on the human body) but it's beautiful with the sparkling moon beside her.The little bottled moonbeams are just perfect! And your watch image is my fave...THESE are SO inspirational...YOU are so inspiring!
I love these paper moon creations. I too sometimes hear a melody running through my mind as I create - I had heard this song before, but never really knew what it referred to. I always learn something so interesting from your blog posts, and look forward to reading them.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteThose images are always so appealing and quite endearing.
Very creative use of the moon images brimming with whimsy.
Wishes
Lynne
Loving your moon art, to the moon and back1 (pun intended!). I love the doll faces on the photograph images. Really cool!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Linda
Good Morning Julie,
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous!!! I love the pictures and the extra's ...something like this would make a wonderful gift if you added it to the top of a little box or something like that. I'm going to have to see if I can come up with something for my girls this Christmas. Thanks for the inspiration!
Maura :)
You my dear are always filled with such inspiration and your stories are amazing. Love those paper moons too! BLISS!
ReplyDeleteHappy happy weekend to you. xoxoxo
I too have a ♥ of half moons! I recently bought one of Dee Faust's half moon at an art show!
ReplyDeleteLove your art!!
xxoo
Marsha
Hello, Julie,
ReplyDeleteI love this "paper moon" art and I even remember his song and the words! That's because I am old! Those Charlotte doll faces are so cute in them. I love doll heads, too! You do such creative and beautiful work and you weave it so beautifully into who you are and what you love. This is just to say...I think you are pretty special!!!
Big hugs,
Suz
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteLove what you did with your two obsessions! A great combination. Have a wonderful weekend.
Maureen
How fun to see this. I recently went thru a big box of photos that were my mother and dads and found a picture of her uncle and a friend of his sitting on a moon. They are in uniform and he served in the second world war.
ReplyDeleteWith you information, that tells me that the picture was taken while they were stationed somewhere still in the states at a carnival or as you say maybe a boardwalk on the coast before they were shipped over seas. I do know he saw some terrible fighting and things in that war. But he did return, married and had a family.
I also remember the Paper Moon song and sang along with your words.
Thanks for all the memories--yes I am getting old now, and all that was when I was a very little girl. But my dad had an orchestra and I grew up knowing the old songs of the big band era and have always loved them. Again, thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Antiqueladyplayingwithpaper
those are super! Thanks for sharing! Love the moonbeams in a jar!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Lynn
I am a lover of all things MOON!!!!!!! And I adore what you have done in this post. Especially the moon beams in a jar! Have a great weekend. HUGS!
ReplyDeleteCharlene
those turned out so cute....I too loved those half moons with people sitting in them etc.
ReplyDeleteso
GUESS WHAT
I'll let you in on a little secret (not really a secret)
BUT...........are you ready
I HAVE A TATOO of a half moon. It is awesome. It is only where I can see it or "invited persons" (wink)......but, yeah, I know I am 60
but I still think it is cool
(got it when I was 50)
LOVE, LOVE LOVE your beautiful creations. Just lovely!!!
ReplyDeleteThose vintage moon images are so fun. A far cry from the era of photos where it seemed no one every smiled. It doesn't take much to spark your imagination. Your creations are always lovely! Have a beautiful day. Tammy
ReplyDeleteOh my, talk about nostalgia! I love those papermoons! As a child I used to draw the "man on the moon" then cut him out to hang on my bedroom ceiling.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these.
Paper moons, how adorable is that! I have always LOVED the sight of a cute figure in the moon.
ReplyDeleteHappy happy Monday, Julie xxx
This was SUCH a fun post! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Made my day!
ReplyDelete