The Licensing Nook
‘Visual Joy’ blog posts
Philosophy Friday
Friday, September 24th, 2010Vintage Joy!
Sunday, September 12th, 2010Posted by Liz
As I said, I picked up a few things at the Brimfield show last week, because you can’t go there and NOT find anything, that would be impossible.
For me, anyhow!
Old stuff is aesthetically more interesting than most new stuff.
Again, for me, anyhow!
Some of the things I am a sucker for are vintage children’s books:

This coloring book is from 1934, and was never used. Why is that a little sad?

These are from 1950- I especially love the alphabet one!

These are teeny- about 3″ each. Wee stuff is always extra cute!
A little salute to Belgium and Holland:

That’s a wine label, I think…plus some sweet wooden shoes.
I always manage to find at least a few “new” old fabrics…
New-old stock Easter candy box= LOVE!
Another mysterious love- old, unused stickers, preferably the gummed paper kind, and especially if they’re in their original package!

Also an unused decal from one of our favorite meccas…Santa’s Village in NH!
And a little something more medieval, too:
That’s most of what I picked up. I guess I am generally an ephemera lover!
Beautiful Stuff from Brimfield…
Sunday, September 12th, 2010Posted by Liz
… can you smell it? Fall, Autumn, the wind whistling, a few leaves blowing by…and miles of antiques!
September is when one of the three yearly Brimfield shows occurs, and I snuck away for the day with my mom to partake in the hunt. It turns out that I collect pictures just as much as real stuff (no, more), so herewith are some photos of things I thought were cool, and some of the stuff I got while there. Really, I think the fun is just in the poking around, looking through decades past.
‘Twas a brisk fall day, cloudy for the most part, but with sun poking through occasionally.
Every season is Christmas at Brimfield:
These are some mighty fine paper candy containers:
Here’s something you don’t see anymore, not even in Scotland!
I love the naive painting on this set o’ dwarves…
Philosophy Friday – Flower Pattern
Friday, September 10th, 2010Pen and Ink
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010Here is a pen and ink drawing I created a while ago but recently found. I decided to add some more details, like the wallpaper. I use so much color in most of my art these days, and I love color, but I equally have always loved black and white and grays. I find that this love also extends to b&w movies too (I am an old movie buff) and to rainy days. Yup, I love the look of the gray sky right before it rains! I’ll be sure to share more of my black and white linework form time to time too. I created this piece with a mystery in mind!
Philosophy Friday
Friday, August 27th, 2010posted by: Lesley
I love Friday’s, philosophy and quotes that inspire. So here’s my first Philosophy Friday. Enjoy!
-To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do. ~Bertrand Russell
©Gartner Greetings
(Art from a Mother’s Day card I illustrated for Gartner Greetings)
Circles
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010posted by: Lesley
©Lesley Breen Withrow
I got re-inspired to create more patterns the other day while visiting a local sewing store with my mom. I loved seeing all the fabrics and patterns and COLORS! So fun and beautiful. Here’s a fun pattern I recently made of some circles with different textures and patterns.
My Greeting Card Collection – Sharing the Faith
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010Posted by: Lesley
I illustrated and planned the subject matter for this religious greeting card collection called ‘Sharing the Faith’ from Gartner Greetings (an imprint of Gartner Studios ). It’s a beautiful collection that has a soft natural look, lots of textures and patterns and art that ties in nicely with its up-lifting verses. It’s a 40 card collection that I shared with another fabulous illustrator and was a joy to work on.
The Holiday Mood
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009posted by: Lesley

©Lesley Breen Withrow
Today I woke up to a ton of snow on the ground. What a surprise it was! Unfortunately, it turned over to rain and now it is a slushy mess. But, the snow has helped to put me in the holiday mood. Well, the snow and the Christmas tree we just put up! There are no gifts under it right now and I’m not sure if we’ll ever has as many gifts as those under the tree I illustrated. Ha! But that’s okay.

















