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

Into the Mystic

I'm super excited as to what I found in my mailbox Monday ..yep... a gift from an awesome friend/artist/potter. Pottery is kind of a new venture for Jamie but I think she's well on her way.

This funky set will be treasured always.

A quick side note. The weather has been outstanding. It's been in the 70's and 80's and it's still March! I mean normally at this time we could very well have snow on the ground for a couple weeks yet. I just don't know what to think but you bet I'm NOT complaining. The hotter the better for this girl. 

A new book was listed last night. It has both lined and drawing pages. I love the fabric. Yes, I know, I say that a lot and I guess it comes with my fabric addiction... but I DO love it hahahaa!  

Two more weeks and I'll be heading to the annual mother / daughter week on Hilton Head Island. I love this time spent, not to mention I probably need to be pulled away from the worktables for some forced decompression.

Lastly, I was featured in my 100th treasury on Etsy last night. What made it extra cool is if you know me I am a huge Van Morrison fan. Well, the title of this treasury is Into the Mystic by...yes, Van Morrison. I think that was a smile and nod from the universe :o)

Maybe I've used this song here on my blog before and if I have, it's my blog, I can.

and together we will float into the mystic..............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

Friends

Last week as a little bumpy but I must say, my friends without fail are always there to lend a hand in those times. I got an amazing package in the mail from my friend Lisa. She knows I am a Banksy fan, as a matter of fact I have a post on him (still haven't seen the movie "Exit Through The Gift Shop") anyway, back to the package, this is what she sent: 

I have completely enjoyed going from cover to cover...more than once. There was a bit in there that speaks of graffiti and how to most it symbolizes the decline in society "but the people who truly deface our neighborhoods are the companies who scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their stuff"..."some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place". I don't always agree with the subject matter, but I do find guerrilla art fascinating! Oh, and some of his museum pranks are the BEST! He has brought his altered paintings in to places like The Met, Tate and The Louvre and personally installed them himself with nary a guard to notice. Below is a photo of him gettin' busy at the Met in disguise. HA! Google him, you might find him as amusingly fascinating as I do! 

Another gem given to me at Christmas by a dear friend, Susan,  The Crafters Devotional - 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit. It's been a fun source for creative recharge.

Finally it's about time for me to thank Teresa for the lovely award she's bestowed upon my humble blog. She  is a kind soul who is always out
there helping promote others and a Handmade Artists Shop teammate too! Here is a link to her shop.
I am supposed to share with you 7 random facts about myself and then pass this on to 15 other blogs that I feel merit this honor.

1. A few years ago I started taking flying lessons

2. I am left handed...most of the time

3. I prefer my snacks salty not sweet

4. I'm afraid of worms

5. I own a pink scooter

6. My husband and I are looking to retire soon.... outside of the USA.

7. I love working with power tools

I am picking some blogs to share this blog award to...TBA :)

I've got 3 new minis in my shops. You can see them on the right under the HAF Shop tag (top 3 are the new ones) . Still trying to finish the 25 notepads..only have 10 completed. :(

I picked this is just because this song was playing as I was writing this post

For we belong in the sun..............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