Aint no sushine when she's gone

but there will be sunshine for me when I come back!
(I had to throw a Bill Withers lyric in there, forgive me)

I will be away and my stores will be closed until approx. Dec 13th. I will still be checking email from time to time, so if you need something, let me know and Ill do my best!

Happy Holidays everyone!!

I just want to say

THANK YOU to all those men and women who have served in the armed forces, whatever level or job they had, who have given their lives for their countries. Whether they have lived to tell their stories or not, pieces of them will be forever lost because of what they went through.

For this I thank them all. Their sacrifices are unimaginable.

This weekend was a great weekend for sales

This weekend was great for sales. This is a good thing, but with the Brocante Lux show coming up, I have to make even more items to take with me....you just cant win hahha

I was contacted by a wonderful woman in Kentucky who wanted to buy this painting. I was excited just to know that it was going to be hung in her house, she seemed so wonderful! The idea of someone wanting to hang some abstract I made while in an experimental mood on their wall and have in their home, means so much more to me than a financial gain.

This album was bought and it threw me for a loop, I hadn't heard of this etsian, but that was beccause advertising on facebook was helping. Im glad I gave it a shot and was able to share these albums with others. This teal album is covered in paper from Nepal. I love the golden mums on the cover, and the endpages have a burst of colour to them. It is bound with a coptic stitch, I love how decorative it is but I also love that the stitch allows the book to open flat.

This book is covered in paper brought back from Paris. I love its texture and the depth to it. Again, this is bound with a coptic stitch, in a golden irish linen thread, allowing the album to open flat.

This album was purchased as a gift for their mothers birthday, they were going to start putting photos in it and present it on the big day! Im so pleased that my work is being shared and going to be a part of a special day!

Listening to Ordinary Man by the Kinks

Todays feature Etsian: Mooscraftcreations

Need gorgeous cards? invitations? save the date cards? Take a moment to visit mooscraftcreations !

Classic handmade table numbers add that special touch to your wedding.The listing is for an already made set of table numbers 20 in total. The table numbers measure 7 inches by 5 inches. Table numbers are made with purple, black and white cardstock and bordered with a black damask image.

Our paper products are made using 80 lbs cardstock. Colors of paper can be customized to suit your color pallet, message us for details. Custom table numbers can be ordered and can be customized to suit your needs, if you have a specific idea in mind please let us know!

The listing is for a sample invitation. Price includes a folded 5 inch by 7 inch metallic gate fold invitation with 3 layers of cardstock and with a belly band detail, a response card, a white A2 and A7 envelope. Invitations can be completely customized to suit your needs, if you have specific wording in mind please let us know!~~ Don't hesitate to contact us for a quote for a specific quantity. ~~Optional upgrades are available, including but are not limited to different envelope colors, outer envelopes, envelope liners, additional inserts, and embellishments.

This fun and cute card set suits any occasion.Each card measures 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches and is made from thick white linen cardstock with a damask side bar graphic and the words "thank you" As well as your names and wedding date - can be customized or omitted.Inside of the card is left blank for your imagination.






This store has amazing products, a very talented and VERY kind creator! Custom tweeks and orders are available!

I love sandpaper!

The last time I cut my finger (pretty severely too) was when the two pieces of davey board that I needed to be exactly the same size weren't and I used my ruler and xacto to try and trim the one.

JUST USE SANDPAPER!

You can very easily sand the pieces so they are the same. The slimmer the difference, the more dangerous it is to try to trim with an xacto and the easier it is to sand your problem away!

Tell your finger tips that you won't cut now, that I say you're welcome! :)

Photography and fibre paper

Yes, I still use film. Digital certainly has its place, I use my digital point and shoot to document many things but for my art photography, I still use film.

I also love fibre paper. Yes, fibre paper.

Some of the photos I have in my store are fibre prints, but with the digital age around us, I don't think people know what fibre prints even are. I like to shoot with film still and print in a darkroom, myself so my hands can control the outcome of the prints.

Fibre paper is 100% paper where RC (resin coated) paper or paper from a photo lab is coated in plastic. There is quite a difference between printing the two.

Fibre paper dries darker than you think when you develop it in the darkroom. You go through the general developer, water, fixer, wash, then more washes like usual but when drying the prints, you have to lay them image down on a screen shelf over night.

Once they are totally dried, they curl a bit and you must take them to the finishing room and use a hot press to flatten them.

Fibre paper comes in different finishes or temperatures: cold, neutral and warm. Cold paper tends to have a more bluish tint, a cold look to it, hence the name. Neutral paper is just that, neutral. Warm paper has a slight sepia tint to it for lack of a better explanation. Of course all of these papers can be manipulated by which developer and time you choose and if you in fact use a sepia finish or not. So much can be done by hand in the labs and darkroom.

Why use fibre paper? Well its gallery quality and it has a special handmade quality to it as it is never absolutely 100% flat yet lays in a frame well. They do not make this paper anymore, because of the whole digital age, it is less popular and used less. This makes it even more special to me. It is archival quality where prints from the average photo lab fade over time (length of time depends on lab or paper used).

Don't get me wrong, there are so many gorgeous prints out there that have different origins. I just wanted to give the 411 on the paper I use.

Just my rant for today :)

Very exciting times!!

In less thank 2 months I will be travelling with my dad to Costa Rica for the Liberation Treatment and working hard at getting me out of this wheelchair.



Don't get me wrong, its been a good wheelchair. Its adjustable. The covers come off to wash whenever I spill paint or glue on them from working on books etc. Its made things easier for me for the past year and a bit,



But I would like a break from it. Not the Ross and Rachel kind of break. I would like to break up with the chair, for my own good. Its what is best.



Will I never depend on the chair again? I most likely will need it now and then. So when I break it off, we will stay friends ;)



Ive been working on more inventory, at times distracted by a custom order or two for those who have been helpful with the trip. With all this work I have rediscovered something...



I LOVE SANDPAPER! Sure the dust makes me sneeze but Id rather a sneeze or two than trying to use my xacto to trim the tiniest sliver of davey board off one piece to make it match its counterpart. Don't risk cutting a finger while fussing with a sliver of board that needs to come off ( like I did in the spring)...just sand it until its even!

Like a worker bee

Ive been hard at work trying to add to my inventory to a) strengthen my store b) have more to bring to art shows and sales and c) to use the new and awesome paper I just received from Israel.

Here is a link for a vido from and about etsy. It reminds us how important it is to keep the handmade market alive!

http://www.blip.tv/file/1494441/

Enjoy!

Levi-Strauss Project

Here are some photos of the two journals I was commissioned to make by the Levi-Strauss. They approached just 8 bookbinders out of many and asked us to create 2 journals, minimum size of 10x10 inches and 72 pages. The journals will be given to women around the world who have changed their or others lives in a dramatic way, basically celebrating the power of women! Of course I was thrilled to participate!

The black and white journal is covered in japanese paper with a bright pink lotka paper from Nepal inside. I loved not only the play with the black and white vs. colour but using two different papers from two different places in the world. Both beautiful but both different.

The green journal is covered in a satin embroidered fabric from India, the back cover is black. I liked the simplicity but I wanted to let the cover really shine.

Fellow Etsian Interview: Flauxers

Today I've decided to interview one of my favorite artisans, Tanya from Flauxers !

I met Tanya through etsy and fell in love with her work, buying one one her pieces myself!

Hi Tanya, let's start off with the basics. How did you come up with the name Flauxers? and what inspires you to work with the materials that you use?

Faux+Flowers=Flauxers (pronounced "Flowers"). I love flowers but haven't had the best of luck keeping them alive very long. As a result, I decided to use artificial flowers. When I first started out, I was only doing arrangements, but as time has gone by, I've been inspired to create other designs as well. The jewelry idea came to me last summer, while sitting on my deck with my husband. The rest just flowed from there.

(I have to mention what a kind heart Tanya has. Money from each sale of the above flower goes to the MS Society. You may or may not know but I have MS so this is particularly special to me.)

What is your favorite piece or pieces? and why?

I have a few pieces that I've recreated for myself. The first was my Daisy Necklace, then followed by the miniature sunflower earrings, and a few barrettes and a hydrangea ring. They're great additions to many outfits and it brings a bit of warmth to my look - even on a cool day.

Do you mainly sell your creations online? Is this your full time job?

I currently only sell online. I have 3 shops - etsy, artfire and my own website. All items are made in my home, with love, and then sent to my customers. Many of the items are created after they have been sold, allowing me to create them, with you in mind. In addition to Flauxers, I have a part time job as a Web Administrator. This allows me to let my inner geek shine while still allowing me to focus on Flauxers.

What tool or item can you NOT live without when it comes to making your creations?

hmmmmm - I use the obvious items - wire cutters and needle-nose pliers, floral tape and other tools. But, I also have an item that's a little less popular, and that gets used in nearly every one of my items - clear thread. This allows me to both sew and glue my products together, allowing them to last even longer than with glue alone. This was a trick I learned from my grandma and mom, while creating barrettes with them growing up.

As we are both artists here, I'm going to ask you a tough question here. Personally I feel that choosing a favorite colour is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child...but what is your favorite colour to work with?

My favorite color is orange. But I also like yellows and purples and greens - the brighter the color the better. I enjoy working with many different colors, and combining multiple colors to create arrangements/designs.

And finally, do you come out with seasonal items, for holidays or seasons?

I do create seasonal items, but try to have them available all year long. You never know when an occasion will arise that will require something that is "out of season". For example, I created ornaments last winter and have had inquiries and sales of them since. I was pleased to see that even though I got my inspiration to do holiday ornaments, they're more versatile and can be used all year long.

Thank you for taking time to speak with me today Tanya!