Decorating with Sheet Music

There are tons of different ways to decorate and I am no style maven by any means.  But I do like to get the biggest bang for my buck when I do anything.  I also love vintage.  For those who also love vintage and live on a tight budget look at vintage sheet music for decorating your walls.  Seriously!

Sheet music throughout the ages has depicted where the minds and hearts of the people were. At the turn of the 20th century various illustrators were very popular and it is fun to collect them as well as hang them.  The Starmer Brothers, Rolf Armstrong, Frederick Manning, Barbelle and Edward Pheiffer to name a few were all quite prolific. All had different styles that after awhile you can easily pick out. The blushing beauty below is done by Rolf Armstrong.  A very popular illustrator to collect.  His colors are lush and rich and the women have a rosy cheek girl next door sensuality to them. "My Sunshine Rose" is just a head shot while there is usually more to a Armstrong portrait.

Another popular illustrator with a romantic bent is Frederick Manning.  Frederick Manning also does a work that has women in various settings.  His work is less colorful but no less striking.  A selection of work by the same illustrator grouped on a wall can be a lovely statement.

Illustrations were not limited to just the romantic.  There are many different styles and themes to choose from.  While a love song is always popular there is also the comic, political and songs associated with specific events such as WWI or movies.  Music was often used to help popularize specific vaudeville acts such as Fanny Brice or movie stars like Norma Talmadge.


For those who like a bit of an art deco or nouveau twist there is plenty of sheet music with those style features.  Several illustrators such as the Starmer Brothers would not only do illustrations but also created borders to go around the photo portraits of various stars like Nora Bayes.  The graphic quality of these pieces are outstanding and make a stylistic addition to a room's decor.

Even sheet music without illustrator names attached are still just as visually exciting as those with prominent artists.  Picking a genre or even a color theme can be just as interesting to look at in a wall grouping.

"She was just a Sailor's Sweetheart" is just one example of the lighthearted approach to the front cover of a piece of music.  The simple graphics is a very different feel then those above.  A selection of this kind of cartoon approach would be great as a visual history. 

Vintage sheet music was usually printed on high-acid paper. To prolong its life and your investment protect from direct light, high humidity, and handling. Pieces when framed should be matted and backed with acid-free material. When the paper starts to darken and become darkened that is a sign of decay.  So whether you collect a specific illustrator, style or era remember that these are pieces of history.

Cake and Jane Eyre

I have been reading Jane Eyre for the Bronte Along fun.  I am not a fast reader and I am afraid that my co readers are sprinting light years ahead of me.  I only read before going to bed because I have other things that take priority.  That being said I read and then find that within a few pages my eyes are closing and I fight it for a few minutes before giving in and turning off the light.  But I am enjoying it and that is what counts.

On that note when I found this piece, a cake or tidbit stand, I was reminded of teatime. What a perfect piece to put a pretty doily on and load up with tea sandwiches (sans crust!) or tea cakes.  Ahhh the soothing sweet taste of a well done cup of tea and a little mid afternoon tidbit is so,  dare I say civilized?  I first got acquainted with an afternoon tea break when I was a child living in England.  At that time tea was at 3PM right after school and was sometimes a simple affair of a bit of bread and jam to the more extravagent of eating breakfast all over again.

So what does this have to do with Jane Eyre?  Tea time!  crumbs of food and the soothing steam of a good strong cup of tea after a walk across the heath?  What doesn't it have to do with Jane?

Vintage I love Vintage

I do love vintage very much.  I love the history of it as much as the aesthetics of certain pieces.  I have certain things I would love to collect and keep but I think I get almost (I said almost!) as much joy out of finding and moving them along to a new home.  Afterall I can't keep everything.

This purse is a little find I got this weekend along with a few other things.  It is a pencil thin black patent vinyl purse that one would wear with the spring coat with the 3/4 length sleeves.

This measures 16.5 inches long and 4.5 inches high and 2 inches deep. It also can be found in my vintage shop, SecondLife, waiting for a new home.

Making Changes

I decided I needed three columns on my blog.  Being less then adept at making these changes I will have a funny looking blog for awhile.  Wish me luck!

Yeahh!  It didn't take long as I thought it would. Phew! Now back to creating and making art that pleases me.