Heart

Well this is pretty amazing. I love fanciful realism. Find the pattern here.

New Italic Calligraphy Class

Italic Calligraphy
Instructor: Ann Elser
Wednesdays, 6 sessions, March 4 - April 8
6-8:30pm
Fee: $140
The Italic calligraphic face is one of the most widely used and versatile alphabets around. It is highly legible and can be transformed (dressed up or down) with ease. A wonderful face to learn for the beginning calligrapher yet versatile enough to experiment with for the advanced. We will spend 6 weeks learning the Italic face. Students will be given handouts and guide sheets. We will also address spacing and layout for addressing envelopes. Calligraphy is less about pretty handwriting, but more about DRAWING each and every letter. Its about establishing a pacing and rhythmic motion as you write - giving you a consistency of shapes and letters, and spaces in between words and lines. It is highly relaxing and meditative. Like yoga for the hands.

Italic Calligraphy Supply List:

Speedball C Pen Set

Canson Pro Layout  Marker Pad: 9 x 12"

Pencil & sharpener

Inkwell or Dinky Dips

Black Bokuju KY Sumi Ink 

Cute Things Falling Asleep

If you have not been here, I dare you to go and NOT giggle. Tooooooo cute.

Letter Box Tray

This is a new structure I'm working on called the Letterbox. It opens as a tri-fold and contains a tray in the center for letters, tied securely with a shiny ribbon. The paper is from Paper Source in Virginia Highlands. I've gotten to know some of the people there and it's a fun place to hang out. I actually like their binder's board - it's easy to cut into and is sold in smaller sheets.

Love On Paper

Analog & Digital Self Portrait Stages

We are doing this project again in Production during the next two weeks, following these awesome instructions from instructables.com.

Jen Stark

You just can't look at her work and not be inspired. All it is is cut paper! And a whole lotta time. A whole lotta patience. A whole lotta love.

And if this isn't a book, I don't know what is.

Zing Me With Orange

Flat Back Library Case Bound book in Telescoping box. Papers purchased from Paper Source and Binders Art Supply. This citrus-inspired little set fits in your hands. Mmmmnh. Tasty.

Funky Little Structures

Made by my PC production students from recycled materials. Aren't they cool!?

Molly Groom Alter earrings

Thank you Molly for your awesome earrings! I am still in love with your cone fetish. :)

Reading

With two yummy children in my lap. Life can't get better.

Shrunken Shrug

I knit this silk blue shrug for myself 5 years ago. After accidentally shrinking it, I donated it to my niece Mia, shown here. All warm and cozy.

Noble Bound book for Grace in luscious pink cotton

Tanks again for the work!

Make your own Fabric!!

At Spoonflower. This link came from a couple of friends and is something I really want to try!

my first tree

So I followed the directions for making the origami xmas trees. This one's a little rough but I'm still proud of it. Smile.

These Are Two of My Favorite Things

Anton and Nutella.

Paper Cuts

Found this interesting blog called The Heart of PaperCuts with lots of other paper artists listed. Amazing what you can do with an ExActo blade, cutting mat and paper. Oh, and of course, patience.

Origami Christmas Trees

A few days ago the Production group and I went on a field trip to Washi Accents to buy imported Japanese papers. Elaine had these darling trees out on display and I of course drooled over them. Here are directions to make this tree. I love how architectural these look and how simple they are. There is never enough time to make all the things that I want. I wish there were at least 20 of me to do it all. Oh, happy day!

Yummy, Delicious Boys

And they are all mine. For ever. Sigh.

Lucky Wishing Stars

Kinda wish I had seen these before this past Christmas season. Here are directions!

Evening Bookmaking Class

HI Friends, We've had a few requests for the return of the evening Binders Bookmaking Class. It's a six week class, for shorter hours and less expensive. Begins February 3rd, ending March 3rd.

Bookmaking
Instructor: Anne Elser
Tuesdays, 6 sessions, Feb. 3 - March 3
6-8:30pm
Fee: $140

Sign up here.

Teenie Paper Baskets

We made these in Production last night. The die we used kept getting smaller and smaller until we found ourselves at 10:00, time to go home. Here's the die guide in case you want to make one yourself.

Wisdom From Emerson

"It has seemed to me lately more possible than I knew, to carry a friendship greatly, on one side, without due correspondence on the other. Why should I cumber myself with regrets that the receiver is not capacious? It never troubles the sun that some of his rays fall wide and vain into ungrateful space, and only a small part on the reflecting planet. Let your greatness educate the crude and cold companion. If he is unequal, he will presently pass away; but thou art enlarged by thy own shining, and, no longer a mate for frogs and worms, dost soar and burn with the gods of the empyrean.

"It is thought a disgrace to love unrequited. But the great will see that true love cannot be unrequited. True love transcends the unworthy object, and dwells and broods on the eternal, and when the poor interposed mask crumbles, it is not sad, but feels rid of so much earth, and feels its independency the surer. Yet these things may hardly be said without a sort of treachery to the relation. The essence of friendship is entireness, a total magnanimity and trust. It must not surmise or provide for infirmity. It treats its object as a god, that it may deify both."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Godmother Tina

This is Anton's Godmother, Tina. A gem of a friend, mother of three amazing girls, wife to a generous husband, pet lover, artist, knitter, trouble-maker, mentor, chef.... and the list goes on. Tina was actually the first person to introduce me to the idea of becoming a designer many years ago. She suggested I check out PC and so my journey began. Tina dropped by last night to pick up address labels for her oldest girl's Save The Date announcements. The marriage is set for May and guess who gets to be the ring bearer?!!! Woo hoo!!!

I'm Not Worthy

Good heavens, if you're looking for juicy inspiration, go visit Poppytalk!
Thank you to Martha, for passing this link along to me.

Counter Culture

From my clever husband (budding designer as well), Dougie Fresh:

I have speakers installed in the kitchen cabinets so we can plug in our iPods and listen to music in the morning. Of course, now we plug in our iPhones and Anton has taken to watching music videos in the morning. Fun way to start the day.

Knitting with Stainless Steel

Here's how this pattern is shaping up. Working with this stuff is really interesting. It's delicate, but has backbone. Won't slide off the needles as easily as other fine threads and MAN, I can't wait to see what it does once it's felted. Thank you Tina!

How It's Done

Keeping him still, that is, while cutting a two-year-old's hair. Little bunny was such a good boy. Thank you Baby Einstein.

Folding Triangle Scarf Finished!

Well. Having indeed met my maker (I'm talking about a knitter's orgasm) by working with this amazing cashmere from Art Yarns while following Lynn Vogel's Folding Triangle Scarf Pattern. I am almost sad to have finished the pattern. But not too sad to wear this lovely piece. It feels like butter around my neck.

I loved making all those varied triangles and feeling the cashmere slide through my fingers like deliciously expensive hand creme. Hmmm. I sound like an over or under-sexed crazy person.

In The Workroom

Check out my friend's beautiful new blog called In The Workroom. A fellow designer, smart thinker, bookmaker, Connie Herrell!

Habu Kusha Kusha Scarf Kit 78

My good friend Tina gave me this awesome scarf kit to tackle for Christmas from Knitch. Would you believe it's made of Wool and Stainless Steel? Here's a blurb about the product: One doesn't usually see soft wool and stainless steel in the same thought bubble. Leave it to ever-innovative Habu to realize this combination would find an exciting life on the needles of an adventuresome knitter like yourself. The wool-wrapped steel means the yarn has a memory—twist it around and it will stay as you wish until you change it.

New Haircut for the New Year

I've been cutting Doug's hair now for a couple of years and just discovered the secret to getting Anton to hold still while tending to his beautiful head of shiny golden hair: TV. Why had I not thought of this earlier?!?! I sat my little bunny in front of a Baby Einstein video and within 5 minutes, his whole head was cut and he barely blinked. Of course, I've been blinking back tears ever since. Every time his hair is cut, it makes him look so much older. I do love seeing his slender neck and being able to kiss it so easily. And he's really thinning out now - losing that baby fat and turning into a beautiful boy. I will miss his chubby thighs, but it seems that as soon as I mourn the passing of one stage, the glory of the next one shines brightly. Thank goodness for that! Oh, and Happy New Year!