Penny Richards' photos

I found some red Dansko shoes in my size, great condition, for $5 at a thriftshop. Just a little scuffed up, maybe, and I already have plenty of red shoes, so.... My first pair of Flickr Commons shoes. Upcycled with gesso, acrylic paints, modpodge, paper collage, sharpies, krylon, using the same techniques as my purses. Photo is Australian pilot May Bradford in 1934, from the State Library of New South Wales (see below). Before and after is here: thethriftygarderobe.blogspot.com/2010/05/thrifted-shoes-u...

I found some red Dansko shoes in my size, great condition, for $5 at a thriftshop. Just a little scuffed up, maybe, and I already have plenty of red shoes, so.... My first pair of Flickr Commons shoes. Upcycled with gesso, acrylic paints, modpodge, paper collage, sharpies, krylon, using the same techniques as my purses. Photo is Australian pilot May Bradford in 1934, from the State Library of New South Wales on Flickr Commons. Before and after is here: thethriftygarderobe.blogspot.com/2010/05/thrifted-shoes-u...

All cotton; toffee-colored parts are KnitPicks organic. Glass head is from Pier 1 (thanks Ravelry for the tip!).

All cotton; toffee-colored parts are KnitPicks organic. Glass head is from Pier 1 (thanks Ravelry for the tip!).

Son (in chair) and friend at a teen dance, May 2010.

Helped to trace a class of fourth graders onto butcher paper, they cut themselves out and will otherwise liven up these shadows for the school's open house this week.

Thrifted black purse, upcycled with paint, paper collage, sharpies and modpodge. Image is American artist Peggy Bacon, from the Smithsonian uploads at Flickr Commons (see below). Custom order 5/10.

Thrifted black purse, upcycled with paint, paper collage, sharpies and modpodge. Image is American artist Peggy Bacon, from the Smithsonian uploads at Flickr Commons (see below). Custom order 5/10.

Made with a thrifted and fake Prada bag, originally all black. Upcycled with gesso, acrylic paint, paper collage, mod podge, sharpies, and krylon.

Made with a thrifted and fake Prada bag, originally all black. Upcycled with gesso, acrylic paint, paper collage, mod podge, sharpies, and krylon.

Made with green cotton crochet thread and an antique boot button. The necklace buttons through the "pendant," which means no irritating clasp catching in your hair, and an easier time for anyone who has trouble reaching back to attach/remove typical necklaces.

Made with various crochet threads and sock yarn, antique boot button.

Black Coach backpack, found in thriftshop and altered with gesso, acrylic paint, sharpies, ink, and gel-transfer of image. Image of dancer Ruth St. Denis is from the New York Public Library's uploads to Flickr Commons (see below).

Based on "Breathing While Undocumented," the Linda Greenhouse opinion column in the New York Times website, 4/26/2010, in which she suggests that such pins be worn to protest the new immigration laws in Arizona: "Let the good people of Arizona--and anyone passing through--walk the streets of Tucson and Phoenix wearing buttons that say: I Could Be Illegal." opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/breathing-while-... If I know you somehow, and you live in Arizona or visit there often (or if you're Linda Greenhouse, of course) and you want one of these pins, leave a comment and its yours, first come first serve. (If you don't live in Arizona and still want one, I'm going to put some in my etsy shop soon, cheap, so check there.) Made by me, with wooden bases, bar-pin backing, acrylic paint, sharpies, and paper collage.

Based on an image from the New York Public Library uploads to Flickr Commons, of an unnamed Laplander immigrant at Ellis Island. She has since been tentatively identified by historians as (probably) Kristen Bals. Made with recycled boxes, paint, sharpies, ink, and paper collage.

Made with recycled boxes, paint, sharpies, ink, rubberstamping, and paper collage. Made from an image in the State Library of Queensland uploads to Flickr Commons (see below), of two unnamed Australian women attending a horse race.

5x5 chalked square sponsored by Sweet Serenity Day Spa in Redondo Beach, at Chalk It Up, 5/1/10. Nell and I worked on it for a few hours--the background was Nell's idea. Image inspired by the photograph of Ruth St. Denis below, as found in the New York Public Library uploads to Flickr Commons.

5x5 chalked square sponsored by Sweet Serenity Day Spa in Redondo Beach, at Chalk It Up, 5/1/10. Nell and I worked on it for a few hours--the background was Nell's idea. Image inspired by the photograph of Ruth St. Denis below, as found in the New York Public Library uploads to Flickr Commons.