Where Have I BEEN?!?

Nowhere, really. I've just been a slacking blogger I suppose. A few things have been going on but nothing earth shattering. I got THE most wonderful shipment of fabrics for my handbound journals - aren't they just a gorgeous bunch of colorful lip smacking YUM?!? I'm just wild for batiks. 

Of course I had to make a journal right away for my shop from one of the pieces. It's buttonhole bound and has acid free kraft cardstock pages, a dream for one who does art journaling.

I got a little wild and did a funky "purse" writing journal and just got it listed.

Thanks to my super amazing friend, Susan who put my shop link on her FaceBook page I also got 4 custom orders....need to get moving on them! 

Update on my virtual trip across the US, I am about 12 miles from hitting my 300 mile mark but the weather has been so lousy with wind, rain and just plain cold! I'd best get at it soon because I think the weather will just be getting worse before it gets better.

 I don't write 'em but I do make 'em!

Color me happy..................at the Shores

Painting Completed My Life

This blog post title is a Frida Kahlo quote and it's pretty much how I feel, there is very little I'd rather be doing than paint, or at the very least creating - anything really. I've been working on some more books, my poor Etsy shop has been untouched for quite awhile. I feel guilty in a way but have always refused to "make" myself do something because I think I should (with the exception of going to the doctor or paying bills). So, I'm ready to get more books bound and for my first one I put an image of Frida Kahlo done with a handcut stencil I'd done and added the very quote I just spoke of. I was inspired by a piece of fabric someone sent to me, she knew I loved street art and Banksy in particular and thought it'd be perfect for me - she was right! It's Frida meets street art! I have a second sketchbook I am binding with the same stencil but on an VERY happy yellow floral. 

Yesterday I the weather was cool and I decided to hit the bike trail for a nice long ride. It was almost too long, I was a little concerned halfway through it if I hadn't bitten off more than I could chew. I rode 15 miles from home and the legs were beginning to ache and the lousy seat was starting to get verrrry uncomfortable. I'd though about calling home for Tom to come fetch me at one of the roads the bike path crosses but decided I went that far, I really needed to suck it up and get home on my own. Well, I did and I did. I woke up at 3am to some aching legs so with the help of some Tylenol PM I went back to sleep at about 4. I'm now 258.4 miles out on my virtual Trans American journey. Still not even halfway across the 737.7 miles across VA!

I hope you had a great holiday weekend, our warm days are numbered up here but I'll take as many as I can get. 

Now a sweet song I was reminded of when it came on my iPod while I was writing this. I had a secret crush on Joshua Kadison when his Painted Desert Serenade album came out in 1993! 

You got me talkin' to the moon you got me walkin' in the rain................at the Shores