silent generation ~ sharon's class

call it a wild guess; it was a hunch during 7 gypsies preview that i "knew" then and there, whatever it is, sharon would come up with a dashing antiquaries postale class.  she did of course, and as if it's meant to be, i was making my way to singapore during the debut.  we even got some gifts for christening the new classroom at papermarket plaza singapura.

sharon's work has a witty signature touch that i completely adore. look at the dog from a vintage ads.  who would have thought to put it there and saw it worked like none other.

her detailing has substance...systematically delectable.

so much so that i didn't see the need nor the desire to add any more touch to the project except for just adding a few finishes.

i didn't know prior to the class that the inside is even worked out and it's a "wow" for me.

without ado i decided that this gorgeous metal case would house the story of my mother and her siblings growing up.  considered the silent generation, despite the current definition;  i would say that those days, things were so good at home that all the other problems in the world seemed so far away and they didn't care.  by jove, they lived life to the fullest in a jolly time on the good earth.

for my mother's birthday a couple of years ago, her best friend recorded more than 50 years of their friendship.  it has a huge section of their growing up highlights from the day they met  complete with interviews from friends and family on the street; photos, music, words.  a treasure!  i'm trying to emulate that here, so i will take my time with the journaling.  the story started when my grandparents moved to indonesia during the great depression until the days when some moved back west.

the left panel inside panel housed 2 accordion envelope albums.  hither and thither i added more insertions so i can add writings spaces and photos.  one i particularly love was the older siblings posing on an antique car hood with their friends; and some family members watching my aunt and uncle swaggered the boogie woogie. 

i wish i was born in 1940's so i would experience life in the fabulous 50's, grooving the 60's and 70's, the awesome 80's (even that i—like most of my kind—looked like a dork then), even the 90's—don't care much after that.  in that case, i would just missed the renaissance and the roaring 20's as my favorite eras.  i will save my endless conviction aside and let some of you indulge in your own memories and stories; or we could talk about it over lunch some time.

pam...param...pam pam param pam pam...look who's snooping the fabulous 50's too.

actually the hollow top compartment was just perfect to house stack of vintage pictures which of course i wouldn't cut or paste anywhere.  not just yet.

coming from such a huge family paternally and maternally, i'm not yet and perhaps would never reach the stage where i would feel comfortable crafting original vintage photos; i redeveloped old photos instead of using the original.   years ago i scrapped my childhood album and abandoned it halfway.  recently i looked into continuing but found it lacking cohesion.  i would have to do some thinking and research of how i would save these old pictures because they were all stuck on non acid free surroundings and many has serious foxing and time damaged.

anyways....

with no particular reason besides the extra papers from the class, i added a mini album.

this project will sit on my study table at home for a long time so i can take my time writing in it wholeheartedly.  in my words; it will be subjectively written based on my faint memories and the stories i heard my whole life.

this mini mini album covers more room for everyone, that would be my aunt,uncles and mother mostly.  oh they were quite a scene in town back then that not only my father but his uncle also wooed the eldest sister, then the second and finally married the third—a few years after his aunt was taken in hand my by mother's uncle.  complicated?  imagine the life after...when one has 16 paternal grands, the youngest being the father's junior and 10 maternal siblings.  enough!

love...love...love...everything about this project.  i'm glad i made it to the class.

an even minier pull out accordion at the back...just because.

i've spent many hours scanning, cutting, pasting photos, still need more quality time on the writings and coup de grâce.