With A Grateful Heart

I've just had quite the weekend. You see, I have a few of my books pinned on Pinterest - one of which got the attention of Jessica at Cre8it and she found my Handmade Artists shop where she purchased on of my art journals...and then another! Anyway, she made me her artist of the week on her blog and through that I've met some very nice folks not to mention made quite a few sales. I've also just ordered some Sheer Heaven transfer paper which she exclusively sells. I watched her video tutorial and decided I have to give it a try! I definitely will post my adventures with that soon. 

There is a very sweet story that goes along with the first book she purchased. Start here and then read when she gets her new book from me a day or so later! 

Messing around with some photo filters on my iPad! ♥

I am just amazed at how the internet connects people - many complain, but I never will. I've met new friends and have reconnected with old ones, truly a wonderful thing. Speaking of the internet, I have just registered bluehighwaysbooks.com - my very own website! It doesn't go anywhere yet but hopefully by the end of April my new online shop will be born....you know I'll keep you posted on that as well. 

I've been scrambling to get more books done for the shop......yes, I know, so what's new?....

How can you not just LOOOOVE fabric? The colors. The patterns. The...the...BEAUTY! ahaha

Thank you internet for connecting me to the universe.......

Sounds of laughter shades of life..........at the Shores

Happy St. Pat's!

A beautiful day today. Truly. The doors and windows are open, birds are singing, the sun is out and for the first time since I've lived here I am hearing boats out on the water this early in the year. Crazy, I tell ya. 

While taking a little stroll around the yard I found millions of acorn caps on all the gravel paths...now I have a bag full. I've seen the little felted acorns on Etsy so I had a go of a few with some of the caps I squirreled away. They're super cute and fun to make. I might have to get some more roving to make more colors.

I have also been working on a soft cover custom order for my friend Lisa's husband who I believe is studying botany. I used gessoed canvas then covered it in a fabric that has a national park map design, she wanted an outline of Utah and an elderberry on the front, a swallow on the back, then a honeybee on the inside cover...oh, and just the bottom third of the pages lined. Here it is just before I bound the pages (the cover is lying flat): 

I also got the 25 small notepad donation completed and sent off. I wanted them to not be too girly and somewhat the same but not since I think I would have never made it through 25 identical ones without losing my mind (and interest) sooooo I had a piece of batik and if you know batik the color changes can be huge so I hacked away took small 4" x 5.5" pieces of that same gessoed canvas, covered them for the fronts and just plain chipboard for the backs. I stab bound 50 pages in the hemp leaf pattern and finished 'em off with a hair elastic, I like to have something to keep things that could potentially be kept in a purse or backpack shut. I also sent some beaded book thongs with my business cards. PS It took me 16 of these before I had the idea to drill the holes for binding with my DREMEL instead of pounding an awl through them...tip: Use a Dremel to begin with, it goes 10 times faster...trust me on this one..

I will resist the urge to post a Van Morrison video on this St. Patricks day but instead will put one of my favorites from the Irish rockers U2

May the luck of the Irish always be with you.............at the Shores

March Greetings

I've been a less than stellar blogger so far this year which I have no excuse for...lord knows I always have plenty to yammer on about! Hope everyone has ushered the month of March in with gratitude for being one month closer to warmer weather : )

In the previous post I had some little gifts I had made for my friend - well, they have been safely delivered to California: 

She messaged me to ask if I'd be making more to sell and I immediately said "No, that is OOAK" shortly thereafter she wrote back "OOAK?" I told her it meant One Of A Kind - she thought I had already named it haha...anyway, it stuck. Meet Annie and Ooak : )

I cut another stencil for a book, this time it's Frida Kahlo. I really like how it came out. Also I've been getting some mini's for the shops made, nicely priced at $20 ea. I might add! And the photo on the right are the first 4 of 25 small notepads I am making and donating for a couples retreat - hope they aren't too "hippie-ish" for their purposes! I covered some gessoed canvas (I have 5ft by 18ft rolls of the stuff) with a batik for the front covers making them pliable and regular chipboard for the back.

A patient I've spent nearly every Friday afternoon with for the past 2 and a half years died a few days ago. This beautiful one's for you Mrs. McFarland. I'll miss you.

Shelter in a storm....................at the Shores

Handmade is Where It's AT!

We got snow last Friday to commemorate 11-11-11. It was only about 2 inches and has long since melted - mother nature teasing us I suppose! Now it rains.
Still heavy at work in trying to get inventory into my shops in time for the holidays, here are some new ones:

Echoing Eyes, a gorgeous peacock feather print - lined and unlined pages (click to view listing)

Bright Lights, Big City - also lined and unlined pages (click to view listing)

Maiden's Hair Gift a larger art journal (click to view listing)

I link to my Etsy shop only because the photos there are a bit larger but always prefer selling out of my shop on Handmade Artists' Forum. I love everything they stand for. My hope is that one day it will be more popular to shop at than Etsy...it's a shame the direction they've taken on that site. If you're a seller there you might know what I'm talking about.

Speaking of Handmade Artists' Forum, they have just unveiled a new feature to vendors - a bit of a window shop to add on your site.Cool, eh? I like it!

My choice today is Bright Lights by Matchbox Twenty - get the connection? ;o)
You'll find something that's enough to keep you.........at the Shores

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

For Annie O

I just finished a book for my friend Annie in San Diego, her birthday is Sunday and for once I might actually have a shot of getting someones gift to them on their actual birthday - or at least very close to it! I put a picture of her sweet dog, Mudslide on the cover with birthday wishes from her to her momma. I swiped the picture off her Facebook profile and printed it onto fabric. Most of us have grown to love her pets even though we only know them from what Annie posts online! 

I also got some more plants dug up from the old house and brought here today. I managed to get 5 hydrangeas, 3 sea thrift, 3 lenten roses and another phlox...and they've all been replanted. I'm beat, but I've also started an ATC of a closeup of a few of the domes of St. Basils in Moscow, hopefully I can finish that up tonight. 

This song had me dancing with the people in the video - it just couldn't be helped!

Groooovin'............at the Shores