i just love a sale....

i'm having a sale in my etsy shop....and i'm sharing the news with you first! these five blank journals will be reduced in price on saturday evening....but if you have your eye on one, just give me a shout-out by leaving a comment, etsy convo or e-mail right away letting me know which one you'd like, and i'll put a reserved listing on it for you! this will insure that you get the journal you want....at a great price! buy one for yourself or get a jump-start on your holiday shopping (or both!)!

you can read more information about each journal here!

blue butterfly

the butterfly has long been known as a beautiful symbol of change and transformation....and to me, that makes it the perfect adornment for a journal. i made this coptic journal several weeks ago and even had some thoughts of keeping it for myself. in building our new house, we've watched it transform from a plot of dirt to a two-story dreamhome....this journal would be the perfect place to record the details! and it was a good plan, until i realized that time has completely gotten away from me (again!) and the pages have remained blank. lots of changes have taken place since our move, but it looks like my good ideas and intentions coupled with a serious lack of time...well, that never seems to change!

you can learn more about this journal here in my etsy shop.

backyard treasure

i have met so many wonderful people through etsy.  it's so much fun meeting folks from all over the world...and it's also a nice surprise when you meet someone in your own backyard! recently, i met sweet cristi as a result of her choosing my etsy shop as one of her "favorites".  when i noticed that she lived in my area, i dropped her a note to say hi, and before i knew it, we were chatting back and forth.  this necklace had caught my eye in her shop, and when she asked me if i was interested in conducting a trade, it didn't take me long to decide which item i would choose!  and as beautiful as it looks in this photo, it's even more stunning in person!  cristi's attention to detail and level of craftsmanship are above and beyond!  she chose some beautiful materials to work with, but i must admit that the silver tree hanging at the bottom is my favorite...inscribed on the sides are the words "grow strong".  cristi, this is an absolute treasure, and i so appreciate your generosity!  to see more of cristi's jewelry creations, please visit her shop here, and her blog here.  click on image for a great view!

monday inspiration

one of the easiest ways to become inspired is to visit etsy.  before you know it, you'll have your own favorites list started.  this pendant created by jean skipper,  has been on my favorites list for quite some time. it's simple and it speaks to me.  i'm inspired by this because many times i feel like i'm a wanderer, especially in my studio, but that doesn't mean that i've lost my way.  i'm actually quite happy exploring new artistic avenues, trying to see just how many things can i do with paper (and fabric, and paint, and so on).  it's all a journey...and as long as i've got enough chocolate bars in my backpack, i'll be out looking for new trails for quite a while!

(you can find jean's shop and more great inspirations here!)

bright days

here is another book that i made using some of my lettering artwork on the front cover.  my original aceo artwork has been printed on canvas and then stitched to the front cover fabric...and speaking of the fabric, it's probably not the normal "autumn" color combination, but sometimes you just have to go with what you like!  the chartreuse and fuchsia are still hanging in there from the summer,  and i think that bright days are ahead for anyone keeping their thoughts in this journal!

love grows here

here is another ACEO (art cards, editions and originals) that i worked on this afternoon.  i'm still enjoying working on these happy pollyanna flowers, but i've noticed the past few days that i've had a nasty little itch to get back to bookmaking, which has been a passion of mine for a long time.  if you have some time to browse on etsy, there are some beautiful handmade books offered by talented artisans at a very reasonable price.  anyway, i think that pollyanna likes to read, so maybe i can come up with a way incorporate her garden with my books!  i'll have to think on that...

i'm on etsy!

it's official...i'm on etsy!  i must admit that opening an etsy shop was a bigger project than i had imagined, but i'm really happy with the results.  i only have a few items so far, but it's a work in progress.  want to visit?  click on the orange button to the right...

moving ahead

all of my blog posts up to this point have been highlighted with an image, usually of a recent piece of artwork.  today, i would like to showcase the artwork that you see above...my elvie studio banner.  i created this in photoshop, using a piece of scrapbook paper and an image of my lettering that i scanned into the computer.  while this banner is new to my blog, i actually created this banner for my new shop at etsy.  i've been working on all of the specifics for the shop, as well as creating the artwork that i plan to begin selling as prints. admittedly, i've been dragging my feet a little, as life has a habit of interfering with my best-laid plans.  but, i hope to have my "doors" open soon, so stay tuned....