Yep, the southern accent is still there after all of these years away from the south. And you should hear it after I talk to my brother or sister on the phone. Twang Twang and more Twang. Some things never change which can be comforting in a world where everything is changing. Hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season. 

A little clip. This page was created with tea dyed paper, digital paper I made in photoshop, a little painting with a figure sketched in graphite and fabric collage with a little poem I put together. The overlay is ink painted silk organza. Now I just want to make more. 

And so it goes....stacks of pages ready to be sewn into journals. And the handwoven tapestry journal cover is now off the loom and ready for finishing. It's an experiment that I don't know if I will be able to part with because I'm in love with it so far. More coming soon....

Working on Art Journal Pages and finding some Inspiration with Lichen from my garden. I think I want to make some digital art printables with a Lichen Theme. I love the colors and textures. But how to put them into a journal? You can seal the pieces with medium but they are very delicate etc. Maybe some images of them would be much more workable. I think so.

So I'm still collaging and stitching and having fun with these pages. Some more mark making printables with asemic writing and textures and splatters. Just playing and experimenting and enjoying the process. 

October just flew by and I did not want it to. It's one of my favorite months. But what can you do...time just clicks away. I've been working on some Art Journal pages and having fun stitching coffee dyed papers. That weedy golden grass grows in my wild ass unkept garden and I have no idea what it is but I love the color. It looks like it was coffee or tea dyed so it matches the dyed pages. Collaging and stitching paper for page layouts is addictive. I would like to be able to offer some of these journals in my Shop but I'm going to have to manage my time and work out the details as to keep the prices in a good range. This sort of work can really eat up time. I just want to fill all the pages but what I need to do is find a balance with filled pages and blank ones also etc. Leaving areas for the customer to write, paint, draw, sketch, collage or do whatever they want to the pages. 

Well, this 30 day challenge sort of got away from me. I was not able to post each day. But I'm still working on my experiments and making. I finished a Watercolor inspired journal yesterday. It's a simple journal with watercolor pages for the covers. I made bookcloth for the spine with a handdyed cotton and inserted eyelets. The binding is pamphlet stitch. I added a simple elastic closure. Inside some of my favorite drawing paper which is a nice weight for this size journal. On another note, more digital art printables are coming to the shop soon. Well, I better get back to the studio and see what happens today. Thanks for stopping by. 

 I got a little side tracked this weekend. I'm trying to get my weaving studio into some sort of order. Fall is coming and I'm itching to weave but things are pushed all around and sort of crazy. We had to make an office space for my husband when Covid-19 hit so he could work from home, so he is in the weaving studio. Months have passed and we don't think he will be going back to the office any time soon. So I need to probably do some down sizing of looms etc. I've been thinking about this for some time. I really need to sell some looms. It's hard to decide what to keep and what must go. I'm all over the place with this decision. If your a weaver then you know what I speak of. It's hard to let go sometimes. Oh well, I need to get on with it. 
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Now back to the challenge subject. My art journals in progress are all over the studio upstairs. I work in batches. I can never just start one thing and go from start to finish. Maybe I should. I have book covers in progress and pages and the sewing of cloth journals going on and I'm feeling like I need to get organized. It's feeling a bit crazy. So today when I get into the studio after this cup of tea and I stop procrastinating maybe I'll try and get organized. I hope to be back with some pics of something getting closer to being done. Done is good. Well, the day got away from me again. No pics yet but I'm getting there soon. Working on testing out a grommet or eyelet kit that I got for the fabric journals. Nothing beautiful to see yet just a big mess on my work table. Hang in there Peeps. And some new digital printables are coming soon. 

 This is my first Youtube video and there is a learning curve. I thought I would add some little snippets of me at my work table etc. Still working on some little book covers. Hope your having a lovely Labor Day weekend. Me.... I'm going to try and figure out the ins and outs of Youtube a bit for now. Catch ya later Peeps. 

I'm still here plugging along. I'm working on some simple bindings. This one is pamphlet stitch.
And google says:pamphlet stitch is a simple binding often used to bind chapbooks. Chapbooks are inexpensively made booklets, originally sold by “chapmen” door-to-door and village-to-village.
And there is the term Chapbooks again. It just keeps popping up.

Anyway, I used pamphlet stitch and hard boards. I made a linen bookcloth for the spine. I have purchased bookcloth before and it was quite heavy so I wanted to make my own with a finer linen cloth and it turned out very nice. The weight was lighter and not so bulky. I'm going to be making more. The linen I used was a medium weight not too coarse. 

The cover boards are where I just played with collage, stitching, digital papers, pastels, and wax. I was worried that the wax would warp the boards but I put them into my handmade press and that worked. The edges that I left uncovered I painted and dyed. More experimentation with that is in order. To wrap the edges or not? It depends on the paper. If it is too thick it doesn't wrap nicely. Heavy watercolor paper for example, it looks better trimmed clean to the edge. I wonder if I lightly sprayed it with water first if I make it more pliable? Maybe. Ok off to the studio to take it out of the press. 

Well lesson learned. I forgot to put parchment paper on the top of my waxed cover before putting it in the press. It stuck to it. Ugh! Not too bad I got if off but I did lose a little wax in the process. No biggie it just adds to the wabi-sabiness of it. I had sealed it with spray varnish and I thought that would do the trick but now I know. It's always a learning process but that is what keeps things fun and interesting and never boring.

​The back cover was fine no issues with sticking there. So as you can see this is just a simple pamphlet stitch binding stitched with waxed linen thread. The paper is a 80lb drawing paper. It  takes all dry media very well. The next one I do will have mixed media paper  so you can use wet media. I love how the asemic free form stitching I did is bonded into the wax and also with the hand stitching on the back cover. I'm going to keep experimenting with the coldwax and when the weather breaks I'm firing up the Encaustic wax pot to use on some covers. I'll probably use wood or masonite boards for that. The hot wax might be too much for the book board. Ok, another day is slipping away. I've got to get back to it. Ta Ta and hope your getting some creative time today. We have a 3 day weekend coming up so maybe you will. The weather is suppose to be fine here so I'm going to head to the mountains again for some forest bathing and recharging of my batteries. 

Hello,
Today I played with fabric hinges for journal pages. I'm thinking about combining them with sections that are pamphlet stitched so the whole book would not be only fabric hinges. I don't know if that will work but it might. I'll just have to play around with it and see. I also got a new Digital Pack into the shop today. Asemic Art and just for fun I put an image of myself in one of the pieces. That picture is from many many moons ago. I think I was sweet sixteen in that photo. That got me thinking I might want to do a pack with old family pictures. Maybe just title it Family. So on my list it goes. 

I still have not gotten a good photo of my sewing frame. It is stormy here today. So black with no good light. Sigh... I'll get it. 

So here are my fabric hinges below. Some watercolor paintings collaged with silk organza overlays and some tea printed paper. Well, it is time to get off of this computer. Too much time on here today and I'm getting what I call a "computer eyeball headache" my body is telling me enough all ready. Later Peeps...

Good morning. Well, Saturday I got a few things on the work table and yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Pa. so we went for a lovely country drive. I try to do that whenever I can on the weekend. I just have to get outside and breathe some fresh air. I'm getting excited because Autumn is coming and I get all fired up to weave and do other fiber like things. So there will be many drives to the mountains coming. Ok enough of me salivating over Autumn. 

Back to book making stuff. We did get the sewing frame made and today I hope to get some good shots of it. But first I have to ship out an order that makes me happy. "One Held Breathe" sold and she is going to her new forever home. The reason I bring her up is because I've been thinking that a mixed media stitched piece like that could possibly make a nice book cover. I would have to find a way to do it where the edges would not be too bulky. Perhaps the stitched work would just be collaged on to it. Hmmmm....thinking about that. Also thinking about printing the image of the finished work on to canvas. So many ideas running around in my head. 

Well, my tea is getting cold. I'm off to the studio as I always like to start these post in the morning and finish after my studio time. Maybe I can actually open a window today, wouldn't that be great. Can't wait to say goodbye to Summer.  I'll be back with pics. 

And I'm back.....
I worked on some more of my little weavings and playing around with some of my digital papers to see what goes well with them. Asemic writing with a rosegold weaving, bluegreys and teals, blacks, creams and a navy indigo style blue weaving. It looks black in the photo but it's really more blue. That color is one that I dye that simulates indigo.

All of these little weavings are using my hand dyed yarns. The yummy texture in the digital paper under the black actually started as a photo I shot of winter snow on a brick sidewalk and a rusty fence image that I shot near an old barn. Pa is loaded with that sort of rustic rusty stuff. I love it!

The teal and greys are on a watercolor painting I did. I also cut out some more text for collage. I just cut things out and stock pile them. I also cut up an old book to use the boards and I think I'm going to add that tree digital I did to the inside cover. Nothing is glued or stitched down yet. Isn't it the worst to glue something down and then change your mind. Ugh! I try my best to not break out the PVA until I'm sure about the composition and layout. Live and learn.

Speaking of PVA glue... I have found that it drys so fast. So I have been mixing in some paste to slow it down when I'm working so I don't feel so rushed. I use Yasutomo Nori paste and sometimes I make my own. Nori last longer than homemade paste. And I love the way it smells. I love the stuff. It's great on delicate papers too and it's acid free. 
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I've tried a 50/50 mix of Nori with PVA and a 75/25 PVA/Nori just play around with it and see what mix percentage you like. For Book Cloth I have made my own paste because it takes a lot of paste. I haven't tried the Nori for that yet but I might. I keep a couple in the fridge, that is the best place to store it. You can get it at Blick here. I get the 10oz. containers. I'm sure Amazon has it too. 

And FYI I did take some photos of my sewing frame but the light was running out and I didn't like them so I'll try again tomorrow. So that's all for now. Ta Ta my Peeps. 
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A new project is at hand and I have a helper. My hubby is helping me make a Book Sewing Frame. I have drawn up a sketch and we have all of our supplies ready, and he is now the owner of a Router so that is going to help make the slots where the tapes and cords go etc. I will post some pics when we are done. I have wanted a sewing frame for some time now so I'm excited to make one. With all of the little copper tapestry looms that we have made we had several of the parts already on hand. It's very similar to making a little loom with the threaded rod for tension. 

As for todays work on my books and journals I have to get to the studio and see what happens. Still drinking my morning tea and getting ready for my studio time. So I'm off now and I'll be back and you won't even know that hours have passed....... 

And just like that I'm back. Didn't get pics of the new Sewing Frame yet, probably tomorrow. It's looking good, almost done. I'm loving it. So today I continued with the idea of something woven on the book cover page but I wove with paper. I pulled out my paper strip basket and used them for the warp and the weft. Then began a collage page on coffee dyed paper with linen, a little asemic stitching leftover, other fabrics and Japanese papers etc.

​Also a couple more digital paper print outs to play with. The woven paper is from a Japanese book, I love how Japanese text looks, it's like little mark making magic. It probably seems even more enchanting to me because I can't read it. Ha Ha 
This text is from a wonderful book with poems and it is translated to English as well but I'm only cutting up the Japanese text. Well, so far.

​So here are a couple of pics for you and I'm off to dinner for Friday night Sushi. If you didn't already know I'm a Sushi Monster. That's right. I love it!!!! One of my all time favorite foods. Yummy! I have my friend Ann from grad school to thank because she got me started on it and she created a Monster! Thanks Ann! Twenty some years later and I still love it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Got to go EAT! Later Peeps. 

Hello, today I continued with yesterdays ideas. I used my old barn digitals to cover more boards. I really like the look of those and I'm super critical of everything so saying I really like them means I must really like them. Ha Ha  

Still playing with these little mixed media collaged tapestry pieces. Laying things out... I like to cut a window the same size as my cover to help with the layout and composition. I started  doing that all the way back to my days in school in Montana, when I was working on my textiles and clothing degree in the fashion department. It's a great trick. I use it all the time. I always save old mats and modify them to the size I need.

I determined today that the fringe on the first one seems to be fine. We will see once I glue it down and stitch the book. So a couple of people on Instagram said they would like a digital package of the old barns so I will be making one for the shop.
​Time to go and make some dinner. Thanks for stopping by and as always thank you for your kind comments on Instagram and for you support. I really appreciate it.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my little hand carved wood book corner cutter I made. You slide it up on the board corner and then make a mark on the paper or just cut it. It gives you just the right amount of paper for the corner turn in. Not sure if book corner cutter is the correct name but that is what I'm calling it. 

Ok so today I'm starting my next 30 day challenge. So far so good and it really felt good to get back to my work table after all of that digital work. I was missing the hands on work. Touching fabric, and paper and all that yummy tactile stuff that I adore.

I got one book board covered to see what I think of my old barn doors on book covers and I think I love it. I haven't made a digitial papers pack of this yet but I think I might. What do you think? Read on to find out more about that little mixed media tapestry collage. I was having so much fun I'm heading back to the studio for more. Catch ya later. 

So I was playing around with some of these little tapestry weavings and I wondered if it could be a book cover? Is the fringe too long and will that be an issue? Not sure yet. I'm going to use my digital peeling paint paper and cover my board then put the tapestry collage on and see what I think. If it seems to long I'll just snip it down. This was really fun to make today. I have a whole basket of these little weavings that I want to collage etc. A little mixed media tapestry fun. A very tactile art journal experience. Old hand dyed linen, Japanese papers, tea dyed paper, text, a tiny weaving on a small weaving. Talk about layers, hand stitches, all the things I love.

This last week has been a busy one. I was working hard to get my first digital papers into packs and made into collections etc. The first six are done and now live in my shop. 
​I hope you can get a chance to pop over and have a look. The response has been great and I'm making more soon but before I can do that I have got to get back to my art journals that I promised.

I've decided that I will do Art Journals as my next 30 day challenge, this will help me push on and get some finished and into the shop. So the new challenge will begin soon. I'll put up a new count down meter and then I'll be off to the races. Now I just have to remember how I put that first meter into the site. Hmmmm isn't that the way it goes. If you don't do something everyday then when you need to do it again you have to re- learn what you did. Especially with blogs and html code and all of that annoying stuff. Ugh! Anyway here are a few of digital pack images for you. The high res images are in the packs  when you purchase/download. 

Yesterday was a beautiful Sunday and I decided to take a break from the Studio and we went for a lovely country drive in the Pa. mountains. It was very relaxing and just what I needed to help me recharge my batteries. Hubby was driving so I could just relax and look out the window in a dreamy haze. I love doing that. I just let my mind go and observe nature. A walk in the park does the same thing for me. Probably even more so. The Japanese call it "Forest Bathing" 
Goggle says: Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is simply spending time outdoors under the canopy of trees. In Japanese, “shinrin” means forest and “yoku” means bath, or immersing oneself in the forest and soaking in the atmosphere through the senses. 
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I recently saw a movie about trees and they had a segment on Forest Bathing. That was the first time I heard the term and I loved it. Does it count if your in the car in the mountains surrounded by trees with the window down, and your head hanging out like a dog with a big shit eating grin on your face? 
I think that might count. And speaking of counting. I'm counting down the days on this challenge and the days until Fall arrives. Then I will do a great deal of Forest Bathing in the Autumn leaves. Come on Autumn! So yesterday was a mental health day and today I'm hoping to get back to work with a refreshed feeling. Off to the studio I go and you don't even have to wait.....I'll be back with pics. 

Why is there a stick in this image? Good question. I have been picking up sticks for a really long time. I don't know why. I'm compelled to do it. I've always had hopes of finding a way to use them. Maybe for a handwoven wall hanging or maybe a book bound with a stick spine. Or maybe to carve a crochet hook....who knows. Well, at least I have a good stash of them so maybe something will come of it.
So on my work table today... some art journal pages, some drawing, stitching on a weaving sample maybe could become a bookmark etc. Some free motion stitching I think will become a journal cover. Still thinking... A little stitched pocket with a printed photo of wood from my outside table. In the pocket, a tea dyed recipe page, a seed pod, a little bit of linen. I thought that might be fun to put in a journal.
​These recipes are from an old southern country style cook book that is yummy. I don't cook from it anymore because it will make you fat! Or in my case fatter! But I still love to read the mouth watering recipes. So I thought I would dye a few pages and use them in journals. Ok it's time for dinner. I'm off. Later Peeps.  

Hello, it's been a while. I had some health issues and then this Covid 19 thing happened to the world (not me); luckily I have not been infected so far so good. But with all of this going on I just didn't feel like posting. I have been hiding in my studio working on new ideas but not really sharing any of that here yet. The stay at home issue hasn't had too much of an effect on me because my studio is at home so that feels normal to me. As long as I don't watch too much News I seem to do ok. But I find that the News can be too much at times and I just have to shut it off! Yes, I want to be informed but I can do that with a few minutes and then I have to shut it off and shut it out.
I have posted a bit to Instagram lately. I'll put some of those pics here. I'm working on some art journals and taking a bit of a break from my looms while the weather is hot. I find the process of working on these pages very comforting in a time when things are so uncomfortable. The drawing, painting, stitching, glueing and just digging around in my piles of papers and fabrics is very satisfying. It's a great way to use up bits and pieces of things. I often put little samples or sketches up on my inspiration wall and now I'm pulling them down and finding a home for them in these little art journals.

Stacks and stacks of watercolor papers, tea and coffee dyed papers and fabrics are coming out of storage boxes. I'm also using many of my digital papers that I create in photoshop. Everything is fare game.

Artist can be sort of like hoarders at times or at least I can be. I draw something or do a little stitch sample and then throw it in a box. Sometimes they are just small warm up practices in the studio. All of these things add up. Now I'm finding a home for them in journals. It feels full circle and complete. I love that feeling. Nothing is going to waste. Repurposed...recycled...whatever you want to call it, it's getting used. A few pics below. Stay safe and well and more to come. 

2019 has been strange so far. Things got off to a rocky start with the whole family getting sick and me taking months to really recover from it. Finally starting to feel like myself again. So a slow start to 2019....but I'm getting back on track with my daily studio practices. Here are some pics of recent experiments, sketchbook work etc. 

Back to this little bag again and warping the loom for more samples. Little bags like this are often called amulet bags or medicine bags etc. I'm not sure what I'm going to call mine, but for now I'm calling it "thimble bag " because it is the perfect size for that and it helps me from losing my thimble which is a daily thing with me. 

Well, this little journal is almost full. Time to get a new Moleskine. There is nothing like cracking open a new journal. Oh, the possibilities. The fresh crisp pages, the new smell. I love it. But holding a journal in your hands that has been used and loved and carried around with you for months, well, that is very special. They say sometimes that most Artist can get blocked because they may have not too few but too many ideas. I haven't found this to be true for me yet but I do have to say "is this just an exercise or will it become something more"? The thing is sometimes you just don't know. Drawings in my little sketchbooks way never become more but sometimes they do. They are a great resource to come back to as well. And if I'm having a hard time getting myself going in the studio I will often just pull out a pencil or pen and draw, make marks and just let my mind go. It relaxes me and calms my mind. Of course this is always done with a hot cup of tea and great music. Then I feel ready to tackle the task at hand. I started keeping an art journal in art school many moons ago and I haven't stopped since.