Luv 'ya!

happy valentine's day to all of you sweeties in blogland!!  

curbing an antsy appetite

i have been feeling creatively restless lately.   i have a long history with this restlessness...mainly because my problem is that i want to do it all (well, maybe with the exception of macrame, and that's only because i did enough of that in the 70's to last me a lifetime!).  i have a very strong yearning for learning, and supplies for all of it!  so, today i'm trying to curb my antsy appetite by carving some rubber stamps....i find it very relaxing, and as long as you keep the sharp blades away from your fingers, it's quite stress-free.  and, if all goes according to plan, i'll have some new designs that i'll be able to stamp onto the blank pages of my handbound books (emphasis on the if all goes according to plan part).

bird coptic

i just finished my latest coptic book structure.  this one has the most beautiful collaged-look decorative paper...and i really love the bird that's featured center stage.  and i got so involved in sewing the book together, that i completely forgot to add some other papers around each signature inside (of course, i noticed this omission after i was finished sewing the book together!).  so, still wanting to add a little interest to the text pages, i decided to take my scraps,  paper punches, needle, and thread, and sew some bits and pieces here and there throughout the book.  i'm loving the end result...and it seems to have satisfied (for today) this crazy obsession i have for sewing on paper!

click on each image for better view 

hello pink

  when i have a chance to play in my studio, i will usually end up picking up my calligraphy nib, mixing up a batch of lamp black gouache and just having some fun.  i'd like to eventually have journals...many journals...filled with stuff like this.  i've realized recently that i'm not having nearly enough fun in my studio...and times, well, they are           a-changin'!

p.s. in the Barbie world of valentine's cards, here's what i'm wondering...is it pink enough?!  :)

inspiration monday

here are some fun freebie projects to get your week started off creatively!  just in time for the 14th, martha stewart is offering this free "valentine's wheel" download.  it's easy to put together, and your sweetie will love reading all of the fun messages!  click here for details!

also sharing their creative genius are evan and nichole of little brown pen.  they create sweet, colorful, digital designs that are perfect for stationery, calendars and gifts.  and, the best part is that they come to you in a printable pdf...which means that you can create as many note cards, tags, etc. as you want!   now, they've generously offered this cute pinwheel stationery set through real living magazine. click here to download, print, cut and enjoy!