Don't Throw Away That Little Bit of History!! (a scrounging collage artist's battle cry!)

Hard for me to throw away any beautiful bits from the past.... I have several boxes of things that have fallen apart (books) or not been finished (needlework) or discarded envelopes, illustrations, and bits of paper ephemera...Oh yes...buttons, bits of cloth...need I say more?  Each one tells me stories and I think if this bit has survived this long to see the light of day, it deserves to be seen and enjoyed. (LOL my mission statement as a collage artist!!)

This collage uses an old book cover (inside lining paper showing), and old letter on which I hand inked a flourish from a stencil I cut, very old tatting remnants, antique button, very old pen and ink illustration placed on an old paper frame--so much history in such tiny bits. Collages like this take a long time for me to do. I often spend down time just sorting through things until something catches my eye....