Kristin Crane

Fort Worth was delicious.

2012-01-24T17:19:00.001-05:00

Previous visits to Texas were mostly spent visiting D's family, where we do plenty of eating, I assure you. Last fall's trip we wanted to include some authentically Texan cuisine.

First up was my first visit to a Waffle House. As a lover of breakfast, it was hard to pass up, since there was one right next to our hotel. I'm not usually one for fast food, but this struck me as having more of a diner feel than a regular fast food chain.

In Fort Worth, my first meal was chicken fried steak, at the Fort Worth institution, Lucille's. I had the steak, and D had a salad. (I'm always amused when they automatically give me the salad.) This was also my first beignet, fried dough in any form is usually a good thing.

The highlight of Texan cuisine, for me, was the barbecue. I love slowly cooked meat. A friend of D's had suggested Angelo's as the perfect place for a truly authentic experience. He was right, there were plenty of big smokers lining the building and it wasn't full of tourists, but people on their lunch break. This place was the real deal, taxidermy decorating the place and lots of wood paneling.

In Texas, barbecue usually means brisket, so that's what I went for, while D did ribs. Our meals came in a styrofoam plate, and no options for glasses with your beer.

Our last morning there, I decided I had to have the Texas biscuits for breakfast. It was sort of crazy. A huge biscuit, cut in two and covered with gravy, two eggs, bacon and potatoes. There's a reason we were eating a whole lot of salads when we got back home.

Fort Worth Water Gardens

2012-01-23T18:26:00.001-05:00

At the end of September, right before the insanity of October, November and December, we took a trip to Texas. D's family lives in suburban Dallas, and we were going there to visit. Needing a little down time before what we knew would be a crazy few months, we decided to go to Fort Worth for a few nights before heading back home.

D had lived in Fort Worth for a few years before moving to Providence, and had always raved about the art museums there. Also, it was about time I had some chicken fried steak (?) and a proper Texas barbecue experience. Art and food? Count me in. Today's post though, is about the biggest surprise for me there. D kept saying "our hotel is near the Water Gardens, you're going to like that." I hadn't given it much thought, or bothered to look up what these water gardens were, but I guess I pictured an urban park, with some ponds and maybe some water lilies. I was so wrong.

I was blown away when we walked across the street after checking in, and heard the rush of water. Built in 1974, the Water Gardens were designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee to be "a playground for the senses." The term urban oasis can get old, but that's exactly what this is. We were there in late September and it was still in the upper 90s, and incredibly dry. Seeing all that water was almost as refreshing as feeling it.

There are three parts to the gardens; the quiet pool, the aerated pool and the active pool. As you walk through the gardens, the sound is continuously changing as you move from pool to pool. At each pool, the sound of the city fades away. The quiet pool sinks below street level and in the middle of a hot, loud city, it's suddenly quiet, still and cool, with trees shading the area. The aerating pool sends a cooling mist over you if the wind is just right, and the active pool is so loud it blocks out all city noise.

Every chance I could, we planned our walk to include walking through the gardens. I wanted to be sure I saw it at night and we went out early in the morning to have it to ourselves. There was also a large, central area, which all paths would lead you to, with a huge structure that you could walk up for a view of the gardens. It was an unexpected highlight of the trip.

The lingering project

2012-01-18T14:17:00.001-05:00

On September 13, I put a new warp on my loom, and am embarrassed to admit that I only wove it off yesterday. Even more lame, is that it was a really short one, just a little sample warp. Also, this means that my loom was even bigger than it needed to be, during my busiest time of the year. I had intended it to be a little creative burst before my season of production, but it didn't really work out that way.

Better late than never, I had some time weaving yesterday, and finally got it off the loom. My plan was not to have any big plan. It's hard when you have a handmade business, every creative impulse is quickly followed by thoughts like: How much could I charge for this? Is someone already making this? Would people want to buy it? It's hard sometimes to just let go and make something for the enjoyment of doing it. My plan was also to stop weaving upholstery fabrics. Old habits die hard. After 10 years of designing for industry, it's hard to shake.

It was a nice break from all the bookmaking, and felt good to wrap up this project, finally. Also, I want to leave for my upcoming trip with nothing unfinished lingering for me when I get back. I need a shot of inspiration, and want a clean slate waiting for me when I get home. Cleaning off my loom when I was done turned into a full scale studio clean up. Felt good.

Winter Travel: London & Barcelona!

2012-01-17T11:41:00.006-05:00

I did a crazy thing this past weekend. I made something . . . for myself! After an unusually busy October - December, it feels fantastic to have some down time. I have been struck with the usual craft burnout, and am allowing myself to slow down and recharge. Part of that slowing down involves reading a lot of guide books. This winter, D and I are going to Barcelona for a week! On the way, we'll be spending 3 nights in London to visit some of D's family. We're super excited.

To get prepared, I made our journal for the trip this past weekend. I needed a break from my usual sewing style for this one, so I decided on a longstitch binding, with a hard spine. I had been saving this map of Spain just for me, and I think it looks great.

Each year, it seems I put more thought into a title page. I did it first for our trip to Ecuador in 2010, and then again for Maui in 2011. For Barcelona I included the iconic La Sagrada Familia.
I also used an array of pastel papers for the inside, and included some envelopes to store things we collect along the way.
Now that I have the journal, it feels official. I'm ready to hop on the plane! Anyone have any favorites in Barcelona that are not to be missed? Anything off the beaten path, or any tastes I shouldn't miss?

Our Mushrooms

2011-12-28T08:29:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, D bought us a mushroom growing kit at Whole Foods. There are lots of different versions of mushroom growing kits out there, this one is for oyster mushrooms, and is made by a company called Back to the Roots. These kits are made with used coffee grounds and their mission is focused on sustainability and according to their website were "inspired by the idea of turning waste into wages and fresh, local food."

The first step is to soak the brick of coffee grounds for 24 hours, and then you put it back in its cardboard box, with a panel removed for the mushrooms to grow from.
We kept ours on the kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight, for about a week and saw no action. Then, I put it in my dark closet and the next day mushrooms were sprouting. Once they were in the dark, they were happy. The only thing they need is some water spritzing each day.
Once they started growing they looked pretty alien, and grew significantly each day. Within about a week of them poking through, they were ready to harvest.

We actually should have harvested a little earlier. We were hoping for more, so left them on a little too long. When we finally cut them off, they seemed a little dry, and we were worried we had missed the window and they wouldn't be good eating.

Thankfully, D is skilled in the ways, and he let them dry, and then when he was ready to use them, he rehydrated them and put them in his mushroom risotto.
D uses a mixture of mushrooms in his risotto, and it often varies depending on what types of mushrooms he sees at the store. The mushrooms we grew were oyster mushrooms. We thought this was a perfect dish to try them in since it's one of our favorites, and if they didn't taste good we could easily just pick them out. We were also a little worried the texture might be too chewy since we had let them dry, and then rehydrated them. We had nothing to worry about, they were delicious. The texture was perfect, not chewy at all, and the flavor was unique. They tasted a bit brighter and fruity, not quite as earthy as we expected. They added a unique brightness to our risotto.
This definitely proved to be a fun project, that takes up very little space. The yield was a little smaller than we expected, and it would have been hard to do a meal for two (or even one) if you were depending on the mushrooms to be the star of the meal, but it worked out well for our risotto. Also, the kit supposedly will yield mushrooms around 4 times. We flipped the brick around and are currently growing batch two from the other side of it.

Craftopia!

2011-12-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is Craftopia! Come on down from 10-4 to the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket for some holiday shopping. There will be a ton of artists there selling some amazing stuff. Support your local community of artists, and get lunch at the Chez Pascal truck. What could be better? See you there!

Holiday Crafting Madness

2011-12-05T16:58:00.008-05:00

What can I say, it's December, of course I'm not blogging! I should know by now that the holiday season will throw me into a whirlwind of setting up shows, folding paper and trying to get the glitter out of my eyes from Craftland. This year has proven no different. Just when I thought I'd be more sane because I signed up for fewer shows, I ended up with some freelance work that has filled up that time. Oh well, I'll be bored in February and March, right?

Twist was my first show of the season, and proved to be as fun as usual. D was able to come to this one, so I even got some time to walk around the town and take in some tasty food.

Next up on my list was Craftopia, part 1. What could be better than a craft show? Why, a craft show where the Chez Pascal truck is parked outside. Yum! Craftopia, part 2 will be this Sunday, December 11, from 10-4.

While all this is going on, Craftland has been supersized to its holiday show size. Last Friday's opening party was as fun as usual, and the work this year is simply amazing. It's the TENTH holiday show for Craftland, and we'll all super excited about it.

With all this going on, we decided to have a mellow Thanksgiving this year. Both our families live either a long car ride, or a plane ride away, and while we love visiting, it's also nice to enjoy a holiday a home for a change. So this year we did just that. D made a delicious dinner, with a mole poblano style turkey, and I lounged around on the couch for most of the day planning our 2012 trip. Where are we going? London and Barcelona! So excited!

Twist Fair this weekend!

2011-11-11T07:43:00.004-05:00

This weekend I'll be at Twist in Northampton, Massachusetts. It runs from 5-9pm tonight, and then 10-6 tomorrow. There are a lot of great artists showing this year, it's a great show to kick off your holiday shopping.

New Bookmark!

2011-10-20T19:33:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a Gocco day for me. I got a ton printed for the upcoming holiday season, but I'm most excited about my newest bookmark, Unplug & read. It was indirectly inspired by Hurricane Irene and the five days that followed that I spent living without power. (You can read about that here.) During those days, one of the things I was grateful for, was having time to read.

So, what are you reading? Currently I'm reading Model Home by Eric Puchner and also Islamic Pacifism by Arsalan Iftikar. If you're an NPR junkie like me, you'll know Arsalan from the Barbershop series on NPR's Tell Me More. I also have The Story of Stuff, audio version, that I sometimes play in the studio while endlessly folding paper.

The inspiration for the other bookmarks in the series was blogged about here.

Moveable Type's visit to Craftland!

2011-10-19T16:51:00.004-04:00

Last Friday Moveable Type came to Craftland. What a treat to finally meet Kyle and see her truck in person. Here are a few photos from the day. The sold out class was full of smiling students, and the printing party had a line to get into the truck, and that was in the pouring rain! Special thanks to everyone who came out, and especially to Kyle!

Today at Craftland!

2011-10-14T08:30:00.003-04:00

Today will be a fun day at Craftland. Kyle Durrie, from Power and Light Press, will be coming to town in her truck outfitted with a letterpress studio. She'll be teaching a sold out class from 12 - 3 and then hosting a printing party from 5 - 7pm. She'll be parked right in front of Craftland and we're excited to help her spread the word about letterpress printing. You can read her blog to follow her journey across the country here.

Birthday present!

2011-09-12T09:05:00.006-04:00

For my birthday this year, D surprised me with a set of prints by Honolulu based Etsy seller, Everything is Jake. The Explore Kauai prints are based on 3 gorgeous spots in Kauai.

We visited Kauai in January 2008, and it was our first visit to Hawaii together. D hung the prints yesterday and now we've got a little bit of aloha in our kitchen. Brings back good memories, and makes us happy.

Providence Art Festival

2011-09-09T08:23:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the Providence Art Festival, which takes place on Westminster Street, and I'm usually set up right in front of Craftland. There are a lot of great vendors lined up for this one, so you definitely won't want to miss it. It runs from 10am - 6pm. See you there! If you need more info, check out their Web site, here.

Hurricane Irene

2011-09-06T17:11:00.004-04:00

Hurricane Irene swept into town on Sunday, August 28, and knocked out our power at 8:45 that morning. We were prepared. We had a tiny little stove so we could heat up food, and we had stocked up a cooler with enough food to last us the day. We had plenty of batteries and candles, and put a big "Do Not Open" sign on our fridge so we wouldn't reach for it out of habit. We had fully charged all our wireless devices, forgetting that our router would be down and render them all useless. We spent the day alternating between looking out the window, and moving away from the windows when the wind would kick up and send shingles from nearby houses flying. We both read a lot, napped, talked, and ended the day saying "We should pretend we have no power every Sunday, this was so relaxing. We feel like we're on vacation."

While we were well prepared for one day of no power, our power wasn't restored until Thursday night! We spent the week charging up our phones at work, and buying lots of bags of ice to keep the immediate necessities (read: wine) cool in the cooler. The saving grace was that we still had hot, running water, so we could still wash dishes and shower. Also, the storm blew in perfect weather so we were fine without air conditioning.

Here was the crazy thing, without all our time saving devices, I found myself with so much time. It felt great. For example, it usually seems that I never have enough time before I head to work, because I'm trying to do a gazillion things. Without my computer, I couldn't do any of those things and I had time to read while drinking my coffee before going to work. I went to work relaxed and ready to face the day, as opposed to feeling rushed.

It made me acutely aware of just how much longer everything takes me, when I'm surrounded by these constant distractions. I'd have this feeling of "missing something" but when I'd log into my email the next day at work, or check my Etsy shop, I hadn't missed anything. When I did start to feel like every email had to be answered immediately? When did I start looking to see if I have a new email at every commercial, or snack break?

I was reminded of that scene in Before Sunrise, when Ethan Hawke's character says, "You know what drives me crazy? It's all these people talking about how great technology is, and how it saves all this time. But, what good is saved time, if nobody uses it? If it just turns into more busy work. You never hear somebody say, 'With the time I've saved using my word processor, I'm gonna go to a Zen monastery and hang out'. I mean, you never hear that."

Now, I'm not saying I'm ready to ditch it all and move off the grid. (Although the thought did cross my mind a few days into it. If it could be in Hawaii, of course.) I love my Mac, and my iPod, and I love all that this technology has made it possible to do, and the people I've gotten to meet through it. Technology is invaluable as a tool and a resource, and I love it. But it did reinforce in me the need to unplug more often, not just when I'm on vacation. It reminded me how restorative the quiet can be, and how important it is not to be constantly stimulated from all these external sources. It reminded me that some of my best ideas and creative bursts are born out of being bored.

I guess with everything, it's about finding the balance. Using these tools for what they do best (for which my list is long), but stepping away when their job is done. Below is a photo out our front window of downtown Providence (fully powered!) and our street totally dark.

Picnic in Portland!

2011-08-26T12:40:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Portland, Maine to sell my handmade goodness at Picnic! It will be held in Lincoln Park from 11-6. I'm excited. Portland is one of my favorite little cities, and I'm excited to be selling there.

Hurricane Irene is cutting the trip a little short. Instead of spending Saturday night and most of Sunday hanging around Portland, we'll be packing up my gear and driving home that night. The goal is to be hunkered down in Providence when Miss Irene arrives into town.

Journals, in the wild!

2011-08-02T10:33:00.003-04:00

Last summer I had gotten a request for a fun custom order. A customer contacted me who was going to celebrate her 30th birthday with 3 of her closest friends, on a road trip along the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. I made 4 journals for her, each one unique and showing a different segment of that journey.

A week or so ago, I was surprised to hear back from her about her trip. Her sweet email read "It's been almost a year since my Route 66 birthday trip and my travel friends and I were recently talking about how much they loved looking back at the journals filled with quotes, stories and pictures. So I wanted to say thanks once again and share a few pix from the trip."

What a treat to hear back and get a glimpse into a great trip that my journals were a part of.

Summer in Rhode Island

2011-07-12T09:35:00.004-04:00

Wow, I knew I was slacking on blogging, but didn't realize it had been a month! It's been busy here. Craft show season has kicked off, D & I went on our yearly visit to Portland, Maine and then the usual summer activities of Farmer's Markets, lake visits, and as much enjoying the weather as possible. Here are some photos from some of the highlights, and I'll try to get back on the blogging.

Our favorite lake.

Grilling! These were amazing.

Allagash White in Portland, Maine

Summer solstice picnic at India Point Park with rosé

Antipasto at Venda

Providence Art Festival

2011-06-01T08:24:00.003-04:00

This weekend outdoor craft show season kicks off in downtown Providence with the Providence Art Festival. Come on down and check it out! It happens from 10-6 and is happening right on Westminster Street, there's lots of other shopping to do while you're in town. Click here for directions, and here to see some of the other vendors who will be selling there. See you there!

Spring! (I think...)

2011-05-23T17:39:00.004-04:00

You wouldn't really know it was spring in Rhode Island. After a bad winter, I was hoping we'd shake off the snow, and dive into a gorgeous spring. I'm still waiting. It's been dreary, gray, raining and cold. It feels like March, not May!

Since we can't feel the spring, we'll have to taste it. Fiddleheads are one of our favorite seasonal veggies, and usually let us know it's spring. I won't pretend to give instructions on how to prepare them. I just know they involve rinsing multiple times, and apparently are enough work that D claims to be happy they have a short season. If you haven't enjoyed any, go on out and get some, it's as close as you're going to get to feeling like spring.

Lucky Magazine Feature!

2011-05-20T09:13:00.003-04:00

Check out the current issue, June 2011, of Lucky Magazine for a shot of one of my journals! On page 72 you'll see a page about what to pack for a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and has a (tiny) photo of my Wyoming journal. The photo may be small, but my name is spelled correctly and lists my Etsy shop. Yay! Check it out!

Sewing Machine Instructions

2011-05-17T12:51:00.004-04:00

I had to take my sewing machine in to be repaired today. I dug out the manual in case I needed it for something, and found this instruction sheet inside. Handy illustration-only instructions for how to thread and operate the machine. I got such a kick out of the happy sewing machine, and the cute bobbin! I wish my sewing machine shook my hand at the end of some productive sewing.

Alvin Ailey in Providence!

2011-05-11T10:14:00.003-04:00

I've been going to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater every year since (I'm pretty sure) 1992. Last night was the first time they've ever come to Providence though, and I was so excited to see them.

The highlight of the evening for me was seeing the piece, The Hunt, choreographed by soon to be Artistic Director, Robert Battle. It left me speechless. Here's a taste.

The Hunt from AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater on Vimeo.

Hopefully Providence will become a regular stop on their tour schedule.

Bono turns 51!

2011-05-10T14:19:00.003-04:00

In honor of Bono's 51st birthday, I'll be spending my afternoon with U2 turned up in the studio. Ahhh, one of the perks of working from home. Here's a video of one of my favorite songs, if you feel like doing the same. Be forewarned, this version just might inspire you to change the world and help make it a better place.

Twist VI: The Recap

2011-05-09T14:11:00.004-04:00

Had a fun weekend in Northampton, Massachusetts selling at my third Twist show. This show is always fun to do, and this year was no different. Slower than past years, it was still an opportunity to catch up with other artists, and to discover some new ones.

Oddly, just like last spring, this year's drive home was full of gorgeous rainbows. So beautiful.

Twist 6!

2011-05-05T17:33:00.006-04:00

I've been such a bad blogger lately. I know some people will find this hard to believe, but I just didn't have much to say. I guess I've been busy with the making side of thing, which is why I'm blogging now! Tomorrow I'll be heading out to Northampton, Massachusetts for Twist, one of my favorite shows.

The fun starts Friday night with the VIP reception from 4-6pm, and then general admission from 6-9 pm. Then the fun continues on Saturday from 10-6pm. Northampton is a town that loves handmade, and I just love being there because everyone just gets it. It's so refreshing. There will be plenty of amazing artists there, including a strong showing of Rhode Island artists. More info on how to get there available on their website, along with a list of participating artists.

Hopefully I'll see you there, and I promise to share some photos on Monday.

Craft Show Season 2011!

2011-04-18T12:58:00.005-04:00

Craft show season officially kicked off on April 10th with Craftopia. I should have blogged about it before the show, but time has been flying by lately. As with last year, it was a smooth kick off. It was a lot of fun to see everyone again, and also to meet some artists whose work I get to sell at Craftland. Thanks to the Craftopia team for a well organized and successful show!
And waiting for me when I got home, incredible braised short ribs. So delicious!

Cork Board!

2011-04-04T17:25:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I finally finished the cork board I was working on for D's office. We decided to try and snazz it up by buying a frame and putting all the corks within the frame. I think the finished edge of the frame looks nice, but the drawback was that the corks didn't all fit as perfectly as I would have liked, so there's some open space. Still, I try to remember that paper and stuff will be tacked up onto the corkboard, so I didn't need to go too nuts.
I went with a border of regular corks, and the inside are bubbly corks. Delicious to do all the cork gathering, and I think the end result looks good. Should spice up a corporate office, don't you think?

Surprise blooms!

2011-03-28T11:42:00.003-04:00

This plant was a birthday present a few years ago (at least 4). All these years, it's been growing and green, and not doing much else. After a weekend away, I came home to lots of small, white blossoms! Such a surprise, and considering how cold it's been lately, a nice reminder that spring may actually be coming.

Japan Relief

2011-03-24T10:39:00.004-04:00

I'm sure I'm not alone in finding world news extra hard to listen to lately. Our house has already made an American Red Cross donation for efforts in Japan, but I'm feeling inspired to do more. I just listed this book in my Etsy shop and will donate 50% of proceeds from its sale to relief efforts. Thanks to everyone else who has also made donations.

Another Flat Stanley

2011-03-07T18:14:00.006-05:00

D and I were asked (again) to take part in a Flat Stanley project. (We did one last year too, you can read about it here.) This one came to us from my niece in New Jersey. She's 5 and the Flat Stanley she sent me wasn't the usual one I'm used to, but a handmade one! I particularly like his hot pink hair. Since she's a little younger than the kids who have asked us to do this in the past, we had to make some revisions to our presentation. Also, this one was going on to New Hampshire and then Colorado, so I didn't go crazy and include as much as I do.
I did, of course, make him a little journal to go back with! Here are a few photos from some past Flat Stanleys. I'll confess, the first one was still my favorite. Maybe it's because I got to dress him.

New Product, Finally!

2011-03-03T14:12:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to work on some new products for 2011 and these new little notebooks are the first to hit my virtual shelves. I had started gathering some old postcards as I came across them, and finally had enough to make some small notebooks using my wire binder.

There are 40 pages inside each one of unlined paper and vary in size depending on the size of the postcard, but most are 3.5" x 5.5" the largest is 4x6.

Most were ones that had never been sent, but some do have messages written on the back, or like this one from Vermont, were probably meant more as a promotional card.
They should be hitting my Etsy shop soon!

Inspiration

2011-02-21T15:30:00.009-05:00

This is the time of year I supposedly have down time. In the midst of craziness, I often think that in February I'll be creative. Easier said than done. It's often hard to turn on the creativity on the day I have it scheduled. In an effort to get the juices flowing, I've been putting on some small warps to weave quick samples. I've had mixed success with this, as I realized that I keep weaving upholstery. After 10 years designing for the home furnishings market, I guess old habits are hard to break.

To get upholstery out of my head, I pulled out a bunch of books to pour over and let myself spend some time just looking through, drinking tea, and sketching some ideas. It's hard to break myself from production mode where I'm just cranking things out, so I'm forcing myself to take my time. Here are a few of my favorite textile design books that I feel like sharing.

Lenore Tawney, Signs on the Wind. A groundbreaking textile artist in her time, Lenore Tawney lived to be 100 years old. This book is a collection of postcard collages that she would send people. She did this throughout her life and sent them all over the world.
All my Anni Albers' books I would save in a fire. I have two that she wrote, and then one from an exhibit at the Jewish Museum I went to years ago, and another from a Cooper Hewitt exhibit of the work of her and her husband, Josef Albers. Since I've been away from weaving for awhile, I'm particularly drawn to her texture and pattern studies.
The museum catalog from the Serizawa, Master of Japanese Textile Design exhibit that I saw back in Edinburgh in 2001. I love this book for just being a gorgeous book, the paper feels incredible, and the design is just perfect. I blogged about this book, and Serizawa here.
A Handbook of Weaves by G.H. Oelsner. A reference book that no weaver is without.

Hawaiian Food!

2011-02-14T18:17:00.012-05:00

Aloha is enough of a reason to go to Hawaii, but there are a lot of other things we love about Hawaii and Hawaiian culture. Not surprisingly, one of those things is the rich and varied food culture. Many different cultures came to Hawaii for a variety of reasons such as whaling, working on plantations, and as missionaries. Each brought their food, and as a result, Hawaiian cuisine is very unique, and crazy delicious.
My personal fave is kalua pig. Now, this is something (for which I am eternally grateful) that D can make at home, but there's really nothing like having it at a luau, where you see the pig come straight out of the imu. I was almost embarrassed at the luau at just how excited I was. I was ringside for the imu ceremony, and was so excited waiting for our food, that I actually felt the need to explain to the nice couple sitting across from us, "I really love this dish. Really." Below is my plate at the luau, with a huge portion of pork, but also a good selection of tastes of the other delicacies, including the Hawaiian staple: poi, made from the taro root (purple stuff), ahi poke, purple sweet potatoes and some veggies.
Another favorite dish, is loco moco. This dish was a traditional breakfast served to plantation workers before sending them out to spend the day working hard on the sugar cane. Basically, it's a hamburger patty served over a bed of rice, and then topped with brown gravy and a fried egg (often onions too). So good, and so Hawaiian that we had to have several different versions so we could make a good comparison. Our favorite version was at the Honolua Store (first photo), but best gravy award went to Uncle Bill's, the food truck where we had breakfast in Hana. Apparently, Uncle Bill is an 82 year old Hawaiian who makes the gravy from scratch. He clearly knows what he's doing.
In the same spirit as the loco moco is the mixed plate, also referred to as a plate lunch. The story goes that plantation workers who had come to Hawaii from all over the world (Asia in particular), would break for lunch, and share what each had brought. The typical plate lunch comes with 2 scoops of white rice, 1 scoop of macaroni salad, and then some kind of meat. Our favorite restaurant in Maui was called the Aloha Mixed Plate and did this better than anyone. D's favorite was the version with kalua pig, and lau lau (another Hawaiian classic where pork is slowly cooked inside ti leaves). This was the only restaurant we returned to for a second visit!
A lot of people are surprised when they learn that spam is a huge part of Hawaiian cuisine. A throw back to the war years, when getting meat to the islands was a challenge, the military shipped in a lot of spam, and everyone started incorporating it into their traditions. A classic snack food in Hawaii is spam musubi. I'll admit it, I find spam a little sponge-y, never high on my list, but in spite of myself I really liked this! Rice, a piece of fried spam, wrapped in some nori, this sells for about $1.50 just about everywhere as a quick grab and go snack.
Now, we are on a tropical island, with lots of beach time, so ice cream would be refreshing, but in Hawaii it's shave ice. Bad shave ice is essentially a snow cone, where syrups have been poured over crushed ice. GOOD shave ice is made when syrups are poured over ice that has been shaved from a solid block of ice. Is this difference important? YES! It's what makes shave ice so good! In fact, we would assess each place before ordering to be sure they were shaving from a large solid chunk of ice, as opposed to using these crushing machines they would pour ice cubes into. Flavors of syrup are available in a wide range, but we always prefer the tropical flavors, and perfection is ordering it over a scoop of macadamia nut ice cream. Yum!
The fruits in Hawaii are as plentiful and fresh as you can imagine. Some faves that I just can't get here are the rambutan, and a fresh coconut with a straw. I'll admit I also like seeing the dudes hack away at my coconut to get the water for me, always entertaining. The pineapple, mango and star fruits are also delicious, and plentiful. We also had some tree-ripened tangerines from the tree in front of our place in Hana, perfection.
Where good fruit abounds, so do delicious smoothies. The Road to Hana was full of smoothie stands along the way. Our favorite was just beyond the O'heo Gulch, where an organic farm has their own fruit stand and smoothie bar. They'll put you to work though, as the blender is bicycle powered, and you need to pedal for your own smoothie. I had a papaya and tangelo smoothie.
In addition to the food, the tropical drinks are always plentiful also. The classic Mai Tai, Lava Flow and Blue Hawaii are all hard to resist while you're sitting there watching a sunset.

Maui!

2011-02-08T13:31:00.002-05:00

Aloha! I'm back from Maui and full of aloha. My trip was everything I had hoped it would be, plus more. Relaxing, refreshing and just what I needed.

There's something about Hawaii that you can't help but let affect you. Yes, of course it's beautiful. The palm trees, sunsets, rainbows and waterfalls really are as plentiful as you read about. For me though, it's the aloha spirit that is really what I go there for. The aloha spirit is what refreshes me and just makes me so, well . . . happy. More than just a greeting that you hear, aloha is a spirit that is deeply embedded in the Hawaiian culture. It's a way of treating other people, living in a community and valuing what is important. It's what I try to bring home with me and hold onto every day.

We spent a week on West Maui, and then our last three nights in the small town of Hana. It was an incredible experience and I'll be sharing lots of highlights this week.

Hawaii Journal

2011-01-25T13:56:00.004-05:00

For my upcoming trip to Maui, I finally got my journal made and my art supply kit all packed up. I decided to make some bookcloth for the cover using a piece of fabric with a super cute Hawaiian print.
Not to be completely without a map, I stitched a little map of Maui on the front page.
The pages are a mix of artists papers, and I put in a few envelopes throughout to stash some treasures. I also perforated some of the last pages, in case I need a slip of paper that I need to give to someone.
The supply kit is basically my standard and all ready to go!

I'm so looking forward to unplugging, relaxing and coming back feeling refreshed. Also, as this has been one of the worst winters for Rhode Island, I'm just really looking forward to being warm!!!

Starting off slow.

2011-01-11T15:55:00.008-05:00

I'll admit it, I'm having a hard time getting back into the work groove. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I keep telling myself that I missed out on a lot of weekends in November and December, so it's ok to take it easy a little this month. It's ok to lounge on the couch with a book, or sit around and watch 30 Rock episodes without sewing a book, or to chat on the phone with a friend for awhile. If I've learned anything about artists, crafters and entrepreneurs this past year, it's that we're a busy bunch. Most of us can't watch TV without doing something with our hands, and we feel guilty taking a day off. It's understandable, not working means not making money. Still, it's important to recharge, to let yourself relax, and let your creative juices refresh. So instead of doing things like forcing myself to sit and be creative, right at that second, I'm trying to do some of regular life stuff I put off, or just do nothing, or maybe make something for myself with no intention of selling it. Let the inspiration come, instead of trying to force it.
So, with that in mind, I've got two projects that are just for me that are starting to brew. First, I'll be heading to Maui in 2 weeks and I need a journal for myself! I can't wait! Talk about relaxing and recharging, I'm so looking forward to unplugging and having time to relax, be inspired and soak up some of that much needed Vitamin D (through a layer of SPF 50, of course). The next project is something on my loom. In 2010 I got weaving again, and I intend to do even more of it this year. I fixed my loom bench last week, so now it's not wobbly, and I have no excuses not to sit on it more often. I've had this yarn for awhile, and am anxious to do something with it.
I'll keep you posted of my new projects, and also share some of the things I'm finding inspiring as I gear up for another productive year.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T15:51:00.004-05:00

Happy 2011, readers! I hope you all had a fun night, and got 2011 off to a good start. I know I did! I rang in the new year with delicious fondue, delicious wine, and the company of five of my favorite people. It was a lot of fun.
I'm determined to get back to blogging this January, and hopefully share some inspiration and start on some exciting creative projects I've been thinking about. I'll also be heading to Hawaii soon, yay! Thanks for reading, and supporting my little handmade part of the world! 2010 was a great year for my little business, and I'm looking forward to it growing in 2011.

Tomorrow: Last show of the season!

2010-12-10T15:43:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I'll be up in Beverly, Massachusetts for my last holiday show of the season. Woo-hoo! If you're in Boston, or north of Boston, please stop by and say hi, admission is free! The show is hosted by the Beverly Mothers Club and runs from 9-3. There will be a wide range of products from 50 different vendors, and is worth checking out to get some holiday shopping done. Check out their Facebook page for details on some of the other vendors. The sale is located at the Beverly Golf and Tennis Club, get directions here.

Ok, off to sew more books!

Craftland Show 2010!!!

2010-12-02T07:57:00.005-05:00

The official kickoff party for Craftland Show 2010 is happening tonight from 5pm - 9pm and will be the glitter-filled crafty spectacular that you've all grown to love. There will be plenty of food, including a cheese log and some snackage from Julian's, and of course some wine. There are goodie bags filled with awesome freebies for the first 300 purchases.

The most exciting part, the store is looking amazing!! Every year I say that it's the best Craftland yet, and this year I'm saying it again. The jewelry is incredible, the print wall is staggering and the quality of work from new artists and long time faves are all inspiring. To get an idea of the artists we're carrying, you can see a list of them here.

This holiday season, support your local economy and the local artists who make this city the creative hub that it is. Buy handmade!

Levi's, Part 2

2010-11-30T11:53:00.005-05:00

Hopefully you will all remember the awesome traveling journal project I worked on for Levi's this past summer. (If not, you can read about it here.) This fall, I was lucky enough to get to do a second part for this project. Myself and one other bookbinder (Rhonda, of My Handbound Books) were asked to make 5 books each, to be sold at the TEDWomen Conference that's happening in Washington DC next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The books I made were similar in style to the ones that I regularly make, I just used different paper on the inside, and included some of the branding that they sent me, specific for this project.
If any of you are lucky enough to be attending this incredible conference, please check out the Urban Zen Store at the TEDWomen Conference to see my books in person. (And feel free to send me some photos!) All proceeds from their sale will be donated to the Global Fund for Women.

Once again, I'm so excited that I got to continue to be a part of this incredible project!

Make Shop & Studio, Dallas

2010-11-29T15:41:00.008-05:00

Last week I spent the holiday with D's family in Dallas, Texas. The highlights naturally included hanging out with family and eating way too much food. (I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be about turkey, but look at these homemade Vietnamese spring rolls, or chả giò, my favorite!)

While there I got to visit Make Shop & Studio, the newest store to be carrying my books.
I first met Julie, the owner of Make, about a year ago when she was visiting Providence and came shopping in Craftland. She's also the designer behind 2Enju, whose bags we carry at Craftland. I was so excited to get to see Make in person. It's part store specializing in handmade goodness, (with an incredible collection of garments) and it's part studio where they have classes.
Located in the Bishop Arts District, in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, this part of town felt nothing like what I expected Dallas to feel like. It was small and intimate, with a great collection of independent stores and restaurants and an almost small city feel.

That section of town also contains Indiegenius, a micro boutique marketplace.
Basically, local artists set up a booth for their products, and then there's a main check out area, so everyone doesn't have to be there all the time.
If you're in the area, be sure to check out both places!

PS: Absolutely loved this sign at Make.

Weekend Craftacular: The Recap

2010-11-15T16:07:00.005-05:00

The fact that I'm blogging today in my pajamas, with a cold and sipping hot tea, gives you an idea of just how crazy the last couple of weeks were as I prepared for this past weekend. Today my body forced me to slow day, and focus on things like chicken pho for lunch, and relaxing (while also doing paperwork, laundry, and blogging).
The cold is worth it though, I had an awesome weekend. First, I spent Friday and Saturday in Northampton, MA at an awesome show, Twist. Super well organized and well curated, it is a small show, chock full of amazing talent. Added bonus is getting to meet some of the artists whose work I sell at Craftland, but I've never met in person. My new tablecloth, made especially for me by my mom, made its debut and looked awesome! I got lots of compliments, and lots of people asking if she takes orders!
Sunday was Craftopia in Pawtucket. This is the second Craftopia show, and the holiday version proved to be just as awesome as the one in the spring. Again, super well curated and organized, with the added bonus of the Chez Pascal truck there for lunch!
No time to rest for long. Now starts my heavy push on my Etsy shop, restocking for the big Craftland holiday show, as well as restocking at Swish and at Make in Dallas. Plus, I have one more indoor show in December. I guess I'll rest in January, hopefully on a beach somewhere while holding a drink with an umbrella in it.

Weekend Craftacular!

2010-11-12T07:24:00.004-05:00

My lack of blog postings recently can be contributed to one thing, this weekend! It's been a frenzy of crafting as I get ready for three days in a row of craft shows. If you're in New England, and looking for some stuff to do, I highly recommend checking out one or both of these awesome shows.

Tonight and all day tomorrow is Twist in Northampton, MA. I did Twist for the first time in the spring, and it was one of my favorite shows. I was so excited to be accepted in this juried show for the holidays. Check out the Twist site for directions and times.
Then on Sunday, I'll be at Craftopia: The Holiday Edition in Pawtucket, RI. The first Craftopia ever was back in April, and was a lot of fun. Based on the list of vendors, I'm guessing the holiday edition will be just as great. Check out the Rhody Craft site for details, and be sure to come by. (As if the crafters were reason enough to come, the ridiculously amazing Chez Pascal truck will also be there.)

This holiday season, help your local economy and the many thriving microbusinesses of talented entrepreneurs. Buy handmade and feel good about where you're spending your money.

New Favorite Bag

2010-10-26T08:42:00.002-04:00

I forgot to blog about about my new favorite handbag. When I saw Endless Hats making cute bags from vintage souvenir tea towels this summer, I knew I needed a Hawaii one. I found this vintage linen towel on Ebay, and mailed it to Emily at Endless Hats and got back this super cute, awesome bag. I love me some Hawaiiana, and am so excited about this!

Outdoor Craft Show Season: Done!

2010-10-19T10:47:00.003-04:00

Woo-hoo! Tent weights, tent, cinder blocks, shelves are all back in the basement. Another outdoor craft show season done. Yay! Now to get my act together for holiday shows. The big ones are coming up in November, Twist, Craftopia, then the holiday version of Craftland. Busy, busy busy.

Arts in Rhode Island at SOWA

2010-10-16T14:21:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I'll be at SOWA for my last outdoor show of the season. Woo-hoo!!! (I'm so excited to empty my car of craft show stuff, you have no idea.) Please come on down and say hi and help make this last one a success. Fellow members of the Arts in Rhode Island team will be there too, so be sure to visit us. I'm excited! See you tomorrow.

The Warren Mill Project

2010-10-04T17:05:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I went over to Warren, RI to view The Warren Mill Project. I've heard about this project for awhile now, as my good friend, Deborah Baronas, is the artist whose paintings accompany the project, but I still was surprised and blown away by this installation. I'm not really sure how much to say about it, besides GO SEE IT!
An exhibition exploring Warren's mill history and culture from the 1800s, I saw it installed at one of the old mill buildings in Warren, but it is currently on view at the Imago Gallery in Warren until October 10.
From their accompanying booklet, "The Warren Mill Project is an aesthetic blending of art and history aimed at raising knowledge and awareness within the community of Warren's rich mill history. The project presents the evocative artwork of Deborah Baronas and research by Doug Hinman to commemorate their formative period and the girls, boys, women and men who worked in Warren's mills."
Part art installation, part display of historic pieces and ephemera, part history lesson, this show is such a unique experience that I've put off blogging about it because it was just so good. It's also an interesting reflection on an industry that did so much to grow this region, but is now essentially gone. It is not to be missed.

Homemade Yogurt Success!

2010-09-28T14:52:00.005-04:00

I've always been a yogurt lover and eat it nearly every day. A few weeks ago, my mom gave me an electric yogurt maker which I finally tried, successfully. Since a few of you were asking about the process, I (of course) took some photos along the way to blog about it.

Step 1 was to gather the ingredients. I bought a quart of Rhody Fresh whole milk, and for a starter yogurt, for the live cultures, I picked up some Narragansett Creamery yogurt at the Farmers Market. (A delicious yogurt itself.)
The yogurt maker makes it pretty foolproof. First you heat up the milk until it gives off some steam and starts to bubble around the edges, then you let it cool until the handy temperature hits the point that says "add starter."
When it hits that point, you mix some of the hot milk with 1-2 spoonfuls of your starter yogurt, then add that to the milk and stir it all together. Then you simply fill the cups, and put the lid on the yogurt maker and set the timer. It recommended 10 hours for the first batch, which I did.
After the correct amount of time, you pop them into the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. The first batch was a little thinner than I prefer, so I think the next batch I'll adjust my time to make it a little thicker. Still, the flavor was delicious, I'm sure mostly because the ingredients I started with were so delicious. (As a milk drinker, I can attest to Rhody Fresh being the most delicious milk available in my local stores. It's so full of flavor!)
I love to mix up my yogurt with some of my favorite homemade granola that my good friend Kara makes. (I blogged about our barter before. I send her books or stationery, and she sends me granola! If only I could send her yogurt through the mail.)

Monthly Post

2010-09-20T10:48:00.003-04:00

Just did my monthly post on journal keeping on the Bookbinding Team blog. This one is about a favorite wee tool of mine. Go read about it here!

Swish in Warren, RI

2010-09-16T09:45:00.006-04:00

This summer my books and cards started selling at Swish, a new store in Warren, Rhode Island. Swish is owned by Thea Katon of the Oh So Cute Coaster Co. This week I delivered a supply of cards and books and got to see the store and take some photos. Swish is located close to the water, and is full of handmade goodness, the majority of which is from local artists. Check it out in person and read the Swish blog to keep up on new artists and info.

Providence Open Market: The Recap

2010-09-14T16:01:00.006-04:00

Saturday was a fun day at the Providence Open Market. The weather was absolutely perfect, and there was a bustle in the air. The overlap with the Farmers Market was a good thing for those of us selling non-edible handmade goodness. It was great to see friends both selling and buying.
Suzanne from Tanner Glass was next to me. Nice to see her there selling after a rough spring and summer. First, studio destroyed in the flood (remember?) and then broken foot all summer!
Lunch, as predicted, came from the incredible Hewtin's Dogs Mobile, the truck of porky goodness from Chez Pascal. These sandwiches are incredible and have become a highlight of the my day when I'm selling there. (It's so bad that I actually prefer to be located in the part of the park nearest them, so I can see when they're open!)
See you all there again next weekend! Two more outdoor shows for me, then I can get those tent weights out of the trunk of my car! I can't wait!

Vote Tomorrow!

2010-09-13T18:00:00.004-04:00

I read in the Projo that an average of 10% of Rhode Islanders vote in the primaries. I'll confess, I've lived here almost 12 years, and the first primary I voted in was Barack and Hilary. Still, 10% is really low! Why is it extra important this year? Because for Providence, whoever wins the Democrat nomination for mayor, will pretty much be our next mayor. I'd guess the same is true for whoever replaces Patrick Kennedy. (Not my district, but all you East Siders, get to work!) As a woman, an election day does not go by that I don't remember all those women who fought hard for my right to vote (in corsets!). 90 years ago, their hard work paid off and I owe it to them. So go out and vote tomorrow!

Providence Open Market: Fall Edition

2010-09-10T19:08:00.002-04:00

Come on down to the Providence Open Market tomorrow as the fall season kicks off. I'll be there selling my handmade goodness from 10am - 4pm. The Farmers Market is in full swing until 1:30, so you can do both! For more information or directions, check out their Web site. Hopefully I'll see you there! (Come early if it's a Providence journal you're looking for, those go fast!)

Book Swap: Recycled Theme

2010-09-02T09:21:00.004-04:00

A couple of times a year, the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team has book swaps, where we mix up names and mail each other books. This proves to be a lot of fun, and since most of us are book addicts, it's a guilt free way to add to our collections. This recent book swap we decided to go with a recycled theme, and design our book around that.
When I noticed that I'd be mailing this book to Brooklyn, I decided to use a map I had from 1950. I love this map because it has a message on it that reads "Paper is precious, Please do not throw this map away." (I blogged about it here.) I thought that message fit well with our recycled theme. I also was determined not to buy any supplies for this, or use any "new" supplies. I have piles of board and paper cut down from other projects and gave myself the limitation of only using supplies from those resources. The end result was a book that is an interesting 3" x 5.5" and oriented horizontally. It's a fun size actually. Small enough to fit into a purse or pocket, yet big enough to serve as a journal. I aimed to include Brooklyn on the front of the journal, since that's where I was mailing it.

I hope she likes it! I'll share whatever book I receive as soon as I do.

Good Eating in Portland, Maine

2010-08-27T08:31:00.011-04:00

I think I promised to do a post on all the amazing food we consumed during our June visit to Portland, Maine but then July got crazy busy and I never did. Now, with so many of my crafty friends going up to sell at Picnic tomorrow in Portland, I thought I should share some of my faves. (I'll be in New Jersey celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday.)
Every trip to Maine seems to start with lunch at Robert's in Kittery on our way up to Portland. By this point, D is desperate for a Maine lobster fix and I love the water view from the deck. Good place to break up the trip, and their onion rings are amazing.
Our first dinner that trip was at The Corner Room, the newest restaurant by Harding Lee Smith. Diverse menu, perfectly sized portions and wine by the carafe made this a delicious meal.
The next morning we went to Local 188 for brunch. For my crafty buddies, I would highly recommend this one. The walls are covered with awesome art, and it's eclectic vibe made us feel right at home instantly. (Across the street is a pretty cool used book store, and also the delicious Evangeline that we went to on a previous trip.)
Also good for breakfast, but also for lunch is The Porthole. This one is located right on the water and has a very Maine coast vibe to it. For D, who needs a daily lobster fix while in Maine, this is often a place we hit for a lobster roll. I had an incredible beet salad there, while David had his lobster club. I loved that the cornbread I ordered was served in the cast iron skillet it was baked in.
This past trip we were determined to have dinner on the East End of town. We had been shopping there before (faves such as Eli Phant, Ferdinand, Angela Adams are all on this side of town) but had never eaten. This was a Sunday night, so 2 of our contenders were actually closed, making our decision easier, so we sat outside and ate at The Front Room, another Harding Lee Smith restaurant. (His third one in this town is The Grill Room, also awesome.) Our meal here was amazing, and the vibe was great. The fried oyster tacos were incredible and the bacon and mushroom risotto that was part of D's meal was out of this world.
I'm a big fan of breakfast, and we'd heard about Bintliff's for awhile. There was always a line though, so since this last visit we were there on a Monday, we were able to go without a wait. D had lobster benedict and I went blueberry pancakes.
Our final dinner of this trip was at the legendary Fore Street. Ever since we started going to Portland about 4 years ago, everyone seems to tell us they went and it was amazing, and is shocked we've never been. Why hadn't we? Basically because we always got a bad vibe when trying to go. Still, we felt like we had to. The food was definitely great, and it's got a great look, but I still wouldn't wait 2 hours to eat there in that good of a food town. I've had plenty other meals in Portland that were as good or better. (I was also a little turned off by the open kitchen. Granted, I'm not a fan of them anyway, but it made the dining room really loud.)
Definitely my favorite summer beer to have when I'm up there is Allagash White.
Also, no visit to Portland would be complete without a visit to The Top of the East, the bar on the top floor of the Eastland Hotel. Perfect for a nightcap after dinner, or for a glass of wine before heading out. It's got a great view of the city.

Levi's Traveling Journal Project

2010-08-20T07:51:00.007-04:00

I've been keeping a secret for the last two months and just got the thumbs up to go ahead and share it!

In July I was contacted by a company in London asking if I would like to make two books for a project for Levi Strauss. I was one of eight bookbinders chosen from Etsy to make two books as a part of their Traveling Journal Project. These sixteen journals will be sent to young women around the world who are using their creativity to make a difference in their communities. Here's the official description from Levi's:

"Levi’s is accessing its roots in craft, authenticity and self expression in a new project to discover how young women around the world are shaping the future–and who inspired them to be who they’ve become.

Eight professional book-binders, all members of ETSY, have created a total of 16 amazingly beautiful journals and boxes that are being adored and adorned by creative young women around the world who have made a difference for themselves, their community or for the world only.

Each woman who inscribes the book will provide a 4-6 page story, written and or illustrated, about who or what made a difference in their lives and what advice they have for other young women who will follow in their footsteps. Each woman has one week to complete their assignment. A donation to a global women’s charity will be made in their name."

For me, this seemed almost too awesome to believe it was real. In fact, I didn't believe it was real at first! I love to travel, and make books with maps in part because I love sending them on journeys around the world and then hearing people tell me stories about where they've been, and what was special about that journey. I'm also inspired by women using their creativity to make a difference in their lives, to become more self-sufficient and empowered.

For me, traveling means learning about different parts of the world and the people who live there. It's about connecting to people and learning about life there. The thought of my books being filled with the stories of different women around the world makes me so excited.
I'll keep you up to date, hopefully I'll get to see some of the books when they're filled up and completed. For now, here are some photos of my books!

Indie Arts Fest 2010: the recap

2010-08-12T07:44:00.007-04:00

July 31 I participated in the Indie Arts Fest which took place in Burnside Park. It was a fun show, I sold lots of books and got to meet a lot of people. This show is unique in that it runs from 1:00 - 8:00, so I can actually wake up at a normal time, have breakfast and not rush out the door. It's also fun to be selling when the evening crew comes out into downtown. Thanks to the team for putting on a great show! I think this one gets better and better each year.
I may not have rushed to get out the door in the morning, but when the show ended it was a mad rush to get back downtown. We packed up the car in record time, drove home and dropped off product, then rushed back downtown to see the Rhode Island Philharmonic performing at Waterfire. It was a great night. Tons of people were out, the Turks Head Plaza was full of chairs and people listening and not only did the Philharmonic sound great, their music was also what was piped throughout all of Waterfire. It was a beautiful night to be in Providence.

For lovers of Waterfire, this Saturday will be another good one. Salsa dancing this time!

Monthly Post

2010-08-10T11:49:00.003-04:00

I just finished up my monthly post over on the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team blog. Click here to read about record keeping as a journal, and a few thoughts on social media and privacy.

Craftland 2010: Apply Now!

2010-08-03T07:53:00.002-04:00

Sorry for being MIA lately, July ended up being a super busy month. I'm determined to relax and refresh this month. I love August, so I'm planning on enjoying it before getting ready for fall and the holiday handmade rush.
Speaking of which, the application for the big Holiday Show at Craftland is live! The application period ends on August 31, so go apply now! Here's the official info:

It is with great pleasure that we announce that the 9th Annual Craftland Show application is now available online! Yes!! We cordially invite you and all your crafty friends to apply here:
http://craftlandshow.com/application10.html

* August 1 - August 31: Application period
* September 17: All Craftland 2010 applicants notified
* November 27 - December 31: Craftland Show 2010

Craftland Show is a quirky holiday sale located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island featuring an eclectic assortment of fine crafts and cutting-edge handmade items by 170 artists. Craftland Show will be open seven days a week, from November 27 - December 31, 2010. And since we operate in a retail consignment format, artists do not need to be present to sell their work!

We're switching things up a little bit this year, so be sure to read through our Frequently Asked Questions page here: http://craftland.myshopify.com/pages/faq . And if you're a part of a non-profit, there are specific new and separate instructions for you! We've also got a great link in the FAQ to an article entitled "Wowing A Craft Show Jury" from our friends over at HelloCraft.com. So start gathering up your stellar images because THE JURY IS READY TO BE WOWED!

Apply now! http://craftlandshow.com/application10.html

Cheers,
The Craftland Gang

Book Swap

2010-07-15T08:58:00.004-04:00

A couple times a year, the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team hosts a book swap. Those participating send a handmade book to another team and receive on in return from a different person. It's a lot of fun, and I've gotten some pretty amazing books.

The most recent swap, I received a book from Laura of Prairie Peasant. She is a bookbinder from Winnipeg in Canada, who shares a love of maps with me. This book is a softcover book made with batik fabric that her husband had brought back from a trip to Burkina Faso in Africa. The paper inside is handmade from a company called Botanical Paperworks in Winnipeg. I love it! It combines so many things I love: textiles, books and travel. I especially love African textiles, and this is a gorgeous piece.
The book I sent in was a map journal that was made with a map with North America on the front and South America on the back.

Looking forward to the next swap.

Wedding Guest Book

2010-07-13T16:20:00.003-04:00

Since the wedding has come and gone, I can finally blog about this guest book. Every summer I get together with 3 friends from college for an annual reunion. This year it was spent in Williamsport, PA at a wedding in a meadow at the bride and groom's country home.

My good friend, the bride, is an avid gardener as well as a lover and appreciator of handmade gifts, so I enthusiastically asked if I could make the guest book for the occasion.
The book was made using some handmade paper that I've had for awhile, but never had the right use for. It seemed like the perfect paper for a garden wedding. I chose a light green silk bookcloth for the spine to match their invitations. The pages were unlined, which I prefer. I think it's a little more fun and encourages people to do more than just sign their name.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out, and loved being a little part of this special day.

Monthly Post

2010-07-12T14:55:00.003-04:00

Just completed my monthly post over on the Etsy Bookbinding Team blog. Check it out, this month I confess about my most favorite tool in my journal keeping supply kit. Read it here.

Travel journals

2010-07-09T09:56:00.005-04:00

Today I listed this journal with a Wyoming map taken from a vintage atlas in my Etsy shop. This one highlights Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons. I recently watched the Ken Burns documentary, National Parks: America's Best Idea and loved it. It inspired a great urge to go west. (I also learned that Yellowstone is the size of Rhode Island and Delaware together!)

There was a great scene where a dad describes a trip to Yellowstone with his wife and two children. He had encouraged everyone in his family to keep a journal while on that trip, and they showed the entry from his young son recounting a particularly inspiring walk he took with his dad in the park. The man was welling up describing both the scene and the journal entry, and so was I.

I'm a firm believer that a journal is a place where you remember a journey in a way that you just can't capture in a photo or video. You can capture an emotion and set it down on paper in an exact time and place, when the feeling is alive and fresh. Reading those words bring a rush of memory in a way that is so unique. I particularly loved the idea of a whole family, each having a journal on the same trip. How will these experiences be different, or the same for this journey? How will this young man feel when he's older, reading through that journal, or making the same journey with his own family?

Indie Art by the Sea: the recap

2010-07-06T14:08:00.003-04:00

Saturday was the first ever Indie Art by the Sea in Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI. I'll confess, I've lived here 11 1/2 years and it was my first visit to Fort Adams! It's really a beautiful view, right on the water with lots of sailboats to watch and a view of the Newport Bridge.
There were a lot of great vendors at the show, and it was good to see familiar faces, and meet people whose work I'm familiar with but who I've never met. The show itself was a lot slower than most of us expected, but I still count it as a success. Oddly, when I got home, I realized that of all my sales, only one of my Newport journals had sold. You never know!

Indie Art by the Sea

2010-07-01T07:23:00.003-04:00

This Saturday I'll be selling my handmade goodness at the first ever Indie Art by the Sea at Fort Adams Park in Newport. It will be open for shopping from 11am - 5pm. The list of vendors is impressive, to view everyone who will be there, click here. There will also be live music and food. The forecast looks like it's going to be perfect for a day in Newport, so come on down. Click here for directions. See you Saturday!

Plugging back in

2010-06-30T09:15:00.003-04:00

I've had a busy couple of weeks lately, so this past weekend we took a much needed long weekend to Portland, Maine. One of my favorite weekend getaways, Portland is a great city. More posts this week about new things I saw, and all the amazing stuff we ate!

Monthly Post, a week late

2010-06-21T18:02:00.002-04:00

I'm a week late in my monthly post on the Etsy Bookbinding Team blog, but it's there now! This month's post focuses solely on writing. You can read it here.

Etsy Craft Party!

2010-06-18T08:29:00.004-04:00

Tonight is the Etsy Craft Party at Craftland! Come on down tonight from 5-8 and make some stuff with us! We were one of the top 50 parties, which means we received a box full of crafty goodness from Etsy. It's full of fun surprises!

Feel free to bring something to work on, bring some supplies to add to our supply swap table, or bring some goodies to share. Or just come and hang out and play with what Etsy sent us.

Arrive on time to be sure to receive your special one night only coupon from Craftland!

Back in Business

2010-06-16T14:04:00.003-04:00

From my lack of posting, you've probably guessed that I've been out of my regular routine. June has been super busy. Lots of craft shows, and I was also out of town for a long weekend.

Having my own handmade business means a lot less time for myself, a lot more time on the computer, a lot of time in production mode and has made me aware of the importance of unplugging when I go away.

These past few days, I spent in Binghamton, New York with a side trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for a wedding. I drove through some super rural parts of the country, all while listening to the audio book, Travels with Charley, by John Steinbeck. I couldn't have picked a more perfect book for a road trip. Made me want to keep going until I saw the Pacific!

I'm back now, refreshed and inspired and ready to get back to business.

Summer Kicks Off!

2010-06-02T07:43:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and summer kicked off smoothly. I took a much needed break from making stuff. I was at the Open Market on Saturday, and then drove down to New Jersey to visit with family. It was nice to relax and enjoy the warm weather, without the temptation to fold paper or sew books.

Tuesday we drove back and arrived home at lunchtime. Then we kicked off summer in one of our favorite ways, lunch outside at Venda. Aaahhh....white wine, antipasto, flowers, the fountain. For us, lunch outside at Venda means summer is here!

Now, to get busy making stuff!

Gallery Opening Tonight

2010-05-27T09:12:00.003-04:00

Tonight there's a lot going on Downcity. Come on down to the Craftland Gallery's opening reception. The new exhibit is called Souvenir Stand and was guest-curated by local artist Liz Sheehan.

Souvenirs – French for “to remember” – are inherently contradictory. Though they evoke powerful memories for their owners, and may have high sentimental value, these objects are often cheaply and anonymously mass-produced in countries far from their point of sale. As an alternative, the artists in this exhibition share an intent to restore the maker’s biography to the souvenir, creating unique objects that reference both personal history and regional identity.

The reception is from 5-8, so please stop by and see the show and say hello. If you're interested in what it takes to curate an exhibit, Liz will be teaching a class in the School of Craft on June 9 about the art of curating. More info is here.

Some of the local pop-up RISD galleries will also be having a block party tonight, so there will be plenty of art around to visit.

Come on down!

Weaving Project

2010-05-26T08:56:00.004-04:00

Lately, I've been feverishly making books and cards, all the while with my huge loom in the studio, with a warp I put on in a flash of inspiration. (Remember?) The other day, I finally stopped and realized . . . that was February when I put that warp on????? Gulp. I haven't touched it since!

My goal for this summer is to actually give myself some time off. Imagine? Lately my schedule is two days in the studio, three days working at Craftland, one day at the Open Market, I should allow myself Sunday to relax, right? As much as I love that my little handmade business is growing, and I actually make money off of selling stuff I make (!), it often leaves little time for being creative, and making stuff that I don't intend to sell.

I think what was stalling me with this warp was trying to think of an end use for it. What will this be? How will I use it? Can I sell it? So, on Sunday, I just let myself weave. Does it need an end use? My loom had been unused for about 4 years, and then in the past year that it's been set up again, I had used it once. Maybe I just need to let myself ease back into it, remember the feel of doing it and actually allow myself some quiet, creative time that I'm not thinking about price points and profit margins.

What a relief. Maybe it was the Pura Vida card I designed, or that the sun is out again, but it's now on my list of things to do to actually relax and refresh.

Pura Vida

2010-05-25T10:13:00.006-04:00

This new Pura Vida card is the latest in my travel inspired collection of stationery. This design was inspired by my 2007 trip to Costa Rica. For anyone who has been, I'm sure hearing this phrase brings a smile to your face as you remember hearing it there. For those who haven't been, pura vida is a phrase used in a similar way to aloha in Hawaii. It's sometimes used as a greeting, a farewell, or just an expression that gets thrown around for a whole host of reasons. It translates into pure life, but it often used as a "this is living" kind of expression.
I remember one of the last nights of our trip, a bartender asked us how we liked his country. We confessed to loving it, not wanting to go home and ended with, "ahhh, Pura Vida!" He smiled "Oh, you know Pura Vida?" We said we knew it from spending a week here, but what did it mean to him. He said it means being happy, leading a good life, not being so stressed. He thought those of us from the U.S. work too much to have bigger houses, bigger cars, more stuff, but we don't enjoy life, we're always stressed out.

The people of Costa Rica are often said to be among the happiest in the world, and it doesn't surprise me. While they may have less according to our U.S. standards of what is supposed to bring you happiness; they enjoy life and focus on the things that make living important.
It's easy to relax, enjoy life and smile at the sunset while on vacation, the challenge is to hold onto that when you get back home. Every time I think of Pura Vida I smile, and try to be present and slow down.
The illustration I paired with Pura Vida on this card is based on a photo I took of a ginger plant. This is one of my favorite tropical plants. I remember seeing it in Hawaii, Costa Rica, and I would love when it would show up in the background on Lost! The bright red color is so vibrant and so tropical. This design I printed on my Gocco printer and just listed in my Etsy shop, here. It will also make its appearance at the Open Markets this summer.

Providence Open Market: Opening Day

2010-05-24T08:45:00.004-04:00

Outdoor craft show season is officially here. I'm already regretting not weight training all winter to make transporting tent weights easier. Saturday was opening day at the Providence Open Market. It was surprisingly slow for an opening day, but I still think it went well. It was a lot of fun to see familiar faces, both sellers and shoppers, and to meet lots of new people. It was also a reminder that I'll be spending the summer sewing Rhode Island journals!

I forgot how fun it is to hear everyone tell me about their secret map addictions (this card is often a hit for the addicts), and also to hear their travel stories. It's amazing to me how people can look at a map of a place and be transported right back to that time and place. I heard about one young woman's year spent living in Nepal, and a story about a trip in a rented Volkswagon driving from Amsterdam to Copenhagen by a very old man. I wish I had asked him what year he made that road trip.

As usual, D wore his shirt and was on camera duty. Here are a few photos of the day!

Please come by and visit. I'll be there May 29, June 5 & 19 and then again September 11, 18 & 25. The Farmers Market opens there on June 5, so all you foodies had better come say hi after you buy all that fresh produce.

My space

Heather of Heatherjeany

Suzanne of Tanner Glass

Hilary of Bit & Little Bit

Rhode Island Hike

2010-05-13T20:24:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago (was it really that long) we did another hike from the Weekend Walks in Rhode Island book that we love so much. This one took us out to Matunuck, RI. We've been trying to do the coastal ones lately since the traffic will be too much in the heart of summer. This one was in the National Wildlife Refuge, Trustom Pond. I learned from the volunteer working that day, that for such a tiny state, we have a lot of protected areas because we're a stop on so many migration routes. I have a thing for migrations, so this idea really appealed to me. Here are a few photos from our day.

Gracias Cards

2010-05-12T08:23:00.012-04:00

I'm currently working on a stationery collection inspired by some of my travels. I previously made an Aloha card and Mahalo card inspired by trips to Hawaii. In order to have it less Hawaii-centric, I designed and printed a card inspired by my recent trip to Ecuador and am currently working one based on my 2007 trip to Costa Rica. My Ecuador inspired card simply reads ¡Gracias! and has a border pattern along the top and bottom.
One of the reasons that Ecuador appealed to me as a destination, was its rich textile history. As a textile designer and weaver, I have a special interest in a place's unique textile history and how that plays a part in their culture. One such technique that is practiced in Ecuador is backstrap weaving and seeing it in person was a highlight of my trip. (I blogged about that experience here.) While in Otavalo, I bought a piece of weaving made by José Cotacachi (that's José weaving in the second video of that blog posting) and it was this piece that I based this pattern on.
An interesting side note, before traveling to Ecuador I had bought a used book from 1987 about Otavalo weaving. Upon returning, I was flipping through this book and saw a photo of a much younger José. Here he is photographed winding a warp.
These cards have been Gocco printed on a curry colored card stock. The word Gracias has a slight texture to it and is printed in brown ink. (I love the exclamations points in this typeface. The challenge was finding a typeface that didn't make it look like iGracias.) The diamond border is printed in a rich purple. The card comes with a chocolate brown envelope. I just listed them in my Etsy shop and they made their debut at Twist.

Twist IV: The Recap!

2010-05-11T14:04:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I participated in Twist, a two day show in Northampton, Massachusetts. My blog void last week can be blamed on my pre-show frenzy. I was trying desperately to get my display looking good, and I was feverishly trying to bind as many books as possible. The result was being totally exhausted, but with a table top display that I thought looked good, and was full of books. (I even had overflow that I could keep adding to keep it looking full.)
A bunch of us drove up together, and were set up near each other, Rhode Island Row as we were referring to it. I especially enjoyed meeting in person some of the Craftland artists whose work I try hard to sell every week and it was also fun to meet new artists and see some new and exciting work. Here are a few photos, and the rest I've uploaded onto my Flickr page.
Seeing a rainbow before loading up the car was an extra treat.

Monthly Post

2010-05-10T10:24:00.004-04:00

My monthly post for May is up on the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team blog. Read it here. This one is about keeping a journal, without using a journal.

Oh, and just on the off chance that Bono is a regular reader of my blog, Happy 50th Birthday!

Arts in Rhode Island Spring Show, the recap

2010-05-04T08:37:00.006-04:00

This past Saturday was a gorgeous spring day, and we had a lot of fun at our Arts in Rhode Island spring show. It was great to see everyone, and catch up and see what everyone is making. I was pretty much sewing books the whole time as I chatted. Special thanks to Jyll for organizing and letting us all set up in her gallery, West Side Arts. Here are some photos from the day, click on each photo to go to the artist's Etsy shop.
One of the highlights for me, this skirt made by Katelyn of PhriendlyK8 Threads. That middle panel of fabric was familiar to me, I had those sheets as a kid! So fun to see that pattern given new life in this dress.
Always love seeing Lisa from Pink Lemonade Boutique coming and going from any show. Cracks me up.
The night before the show, I made D a new shirt for Craft Show Season 2010. Last year's shirt was just OK, I realized after making it that the paper should be used on light colored shirts. (See what I mean, here.) It made a difference for sure putting it on a new, light shirt. This heat transfer paper is awesome if you want to make just one of something, but I still don't think it's that great on knits since it does crack a little when it gets stretched. Still, for my purpose it works well. I love that D kept it on all day as he ran his errands. It always gets chuckles at a craft show, but confused looks at places like the supermarket or mall.

Arts in Rhode Island Spring Show!

2010-04-28T10:19:00.003-04:00

After the success of last year's spring show at West Side Arts, we've decided to do it again this year. Come by Saturday between 10 and 4 and check out the wide range of crafty goodness. I'll be there with lots of books and some new things! Come by and say hi! You will surely find the perfect gift for Mother's Day, or get a jump start on Father's Day!

West Side Arts is at 745 Westminster Street, right down the street from White Electric Coffee.

New Bookmarks & Confessions of a Reader

2010-04-26T11:24:00.005-04:00

Last week I designed and printed (with my Gocco) new bookmarks for my shop. I'm really loving them. These were inspired by a few different things.

This first bookmark was inspired by a bookshelf cleaning & sharing project. My home is such that there's just no room for another bookshelf, and if I'm honest, it does have a fair number of books that I read and won't read again, or, ones I picked up years ago and haven't gotten to. I (obviously) am a bit of a bibliophile and find it hard to part with books and am known to only loan them to people I know will return them. But, aren't books meant to read? While some are special and I won't part with or even loan out, plenty of others can be enjoyed by other readers and should be passed around and sent out to the world.

This second bookmark was inspired by all this iPad and Kindle talk lately. While I love almost everything Steve Jobs touches, and can definitely see some good purposes for an iPad or a Kindle, I do still have a thing for real books. The paper, the smell, the feel. So much of my life is spent in front of a computer, and I love my computer, but I also think it's good to have some other sensations in life that involve more of your senses. Not to mention, a year ago I was on a flight behind a woman with a Kindle and she had to turn it off when all electronic devices have to be turned off. She sat there reading the Sky Mall magazine! It's bad enough the iPod has to go off then, the thought of not being able to read then freaked me out. What if you had to sit on the runway for an hour?

The last bookmark was inspired by the current book pile (5 high) on the nightstand next to me. Why am I not getting through them faster? The answer, partly, is the time I spend on the computer. I love Twitter, blogs, Etsy, all my online haunts, but I also love that feeling of unplugging when I go on vacation. Lately, I've been trying to force myself to unplug more often when I'm home so I can enjoy relaxing.

All bookmarks are on sale in my Etsy shop!

Knitting Club at Craftland

2010-04-23T15:02:00.002-04:00

This Sunday from 2-4 I'll be hosting a Knitting Club in the Craftland School of Craft. For only $5 you'll get some snacks and 2 hours to do nothing but knit peacefully. Bring whatever project you're working on, or have been meaning to start, or have put aside because you dropped a stitch, and come hang out with some other crafty people. I'll be bringing this project.

This is geared more for people who already know how to knit, if you've never knit before and need to learn the basics, then the Learn to Knit class might be more up your alley. (I'm teaching that one on May 7, you can sign up here.)

See you Sunday! You can pay the day of the class, or you can sign up in advance here.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2010-04-19T09:37:00.005-04:00

Saturday D & I drove up to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for a night away. Only 2 hours from Providence, Portsmouth is a small New England city full of great independent shops, restaurants, and a lot of historical charm.
Some of the highlights were stopping into one of my favorite book stores, Gulliver's Travel Books, meeting Deb from the fabulous shop/gallery Nahcotta and checking out a new letterpress stationery store, Gus and Ruby. We had a delicious tapas dinner at a place we've been meaning to try for awhile, Cava, which included one of my favorite tastes of spring, fiddleheads.
We also walked through a cluster of historical buildings that we seemed to have missed on previous visits. Their closeness and colorful exteriors gave a feeling of stepping back in time.
The only drag was the cold, wet weather. My new rain boots got a lot of use! (All the credit for these great photos goes to D.)

Gocco Project: Hope Anchor

2010-04-14T10:11:00.004-04:00

It's been awhile since I brought out the Gocco. Yesterday I printed some new cards. This design is based on the Hope anchor from our state seal. Little bit of trivia, the anchor is on our state seal because of this bible passage that Roger Williams found inspiring, "Hope is the anchor of the soul."

I had taken a photo of the anchor on a recent walk around town, and then worked with the shape a bit to try and get something a little interesting. Printed it in blue, felt fitting in both the nautical sense and since we're such a blue little state.

I think I held down the Gocco a bit too long when I made the screen, you can see some of the texture of the pad, which I don't actually mind all that much since it adds a little texture to the otherwise flat shape. So, this is my test run, if these prove to start selling, I may redo the screen.

Felt good to Gocco, and doing it always reminds me that it's not as easy as it looks. Gocco masters like Heather Jeany have really expert skills.

Craftopia: The Recap

2010-04-13T14:26:00.003-04:00

Sunday I kicked off craft show season with Craftopia, a first time show in Pawtucket, RI. I have been to that space before for Open Studios and the Winter Farmer's Market and really love it. I have a soft spot for old mill buildings, and love how there was still a sign on the door where I walked in that said "Weave Shed 2."

As a first time show, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the day was a success. It was bustling the whole day, I sold a lot of journals, and got a big pile sewn too. It was also great to see a lot of artists I hadn't seen in a while, and also to meet some whose work I've gotten to know through selling it at Craftland.

This was only the second table show that I've ever done, so I'm still working on my display. I liked this solution of having some on the shelf for display, but then bins organized geographically for people to flip through. I think it made a big difference. The clear plastic looks a bit low budget, so I'm planning on covering them with fabric or paper before Twist. I also sold a lot more of the map collage note cards (similar to this one) that are relatively new for me. I had only a few last year, I think having more of them made an impact.
Surprise of the day was not selling the Pawtucket journal I had. Huh...

(A totally random aside, while getting ready for the show, I found my favorite sock that I lost back in October. Where was it? Stuck to D's "My girlfriend makes stuff" shirt (this one) that he hasn't worn since October. A shirt he got a lot of compliments on!)

Jounal Keeping

2010-04-12T15:45:00.003-04:00

I just completed a blog post on the on the Etsy Bookbinding Street Team blog about journal keeping. I had once attempted to do a weekly post on the subject, which ended up getting derailed. I'm now attempting to do it once a month, which seems far more achievable! It'll be the second Monday of every month, and today was on making your own maps. Read it here!

Grilling Season Kicks Off!

2010-04-07T08:30:00.004-04:00

Sunday we kicked off grilling season. D assembled our brand new Little Weber Grill, look how shiny and new it is! He made some tasty steak tips that got slathered with herb butter, and grilled up some onions and a red pepper. It was such a gorgeous spring day, perfect for grilling. I'm ready for summer!

New Knitting Project

2010-04-06T15:00:00.005-04:00

I started a new knitting project on Sunday for a new little baby who is coming in June. People I know always seem to have babies in groups, so this is baby sweater #1 of 3 that I'll be working on between now and October. I've made this one about 4 times before, and I just love it. I love knitting cables, and the buttons at the top of this sweater help get it over big baby heads. (I got the pattern in this Knitting for Baby book.) Since this particular baby has an older sister who I made 2 wee sweaters for, I decided to knit this one in a toddler size, so she'll get more use out of it. I've been craving a knitting project lately, it's always a good stress relief for me, so this hits the spot. I'll update as I go along!

Want to learn to knit? I'll be teaching a class at Craftland on May 5, you can sign up here. Already know how but can't seem to make the time? Join us at Craftland's new Knitting Club to hang out with other knitters and cruise through a project, sign up for that one here.

Craftopia!

2010-04-05T11:44:00.004-04:00

Craft show season kicks off this Sunday, April 11 with Craftopia in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It will take place from 10am to 5 pm at the Hope Artiste Village, the same place as the winter farmer's market. Check out the Rhody Craft Web site for directions and a list of vendors, it's a really impressive list.

Stay tuned this week to find out how to save 10% off your total purchase from my table. The secret will be revealed on Friday!

OK, enough blogging, I'd better get working!

Tanner Glass

2010-04-01T09:45:00.006-04:00

I'm sure most of you all know that Rhode Island is in the midst of the devastating aftermath from the worst flooding the state has ever seen. Rivers whose flood levels are 9 feet, crested at almost 21 feet yesterday. Thankfully, I live in a high point of Providence and have seen no problems, but my good friend Suzanne, of Tanner Glass, wasn't so lucky.

Suzanne is an Arts in RI member with me and a fantastic glass blower. I love her work. She has a beautiful color palette and her work is lighthearted and heartwarming. She strives to produce glass that's both practical to own, and fun to have in your home.

This week her Cranston studio was flooded with about 6 feet of water and while she hasn't been able to get into the studio, most of the equipment and supplies are predicted to be ruined, not to mention a lot of her inventory. My first thought when I heard the news was of the tools she had bought in Venice, 10 years ago. You can read the incredible story about them here. I'm really hoping they're still usable.

I couldn't think of any way to help, other than by sending her shop some good vibes, and decided to buy a set of cute glass magnets that I've had my eye on for awhile now. I also figured I'd spread the word about her awesome work in case anyone else felt like doing the same.

Jujuknits

2010-03-30T08:56:00.004-04:00

Any regular reader of this blog knows that I'm addicted to scarves. I have more than I'll ever need, but they're also really hard for me to resist. When I first saw these recycled accessories made by Julia Gold of Jujuknits, my interest was piqued. Part necklace, part scarf, they're very unique. From her Web site,

"I started making Jujuknits for myself when I was looking for something lightweight to wear around my neck. I've always loved wearing really soft scarves and I wanted to create something that I could wear year round. I found that using jersey knits and old t-shirts were the perfect materials...and voila! Jujuknits!"

First, I saw one on Julia, then on a few friends, and then we started carrying them at Craftland. I eventually caved, I just love the colors in this one. It's so much fun to wear, and will win you lots of compliments!

You can buy your own Jujuknit piece from Julia's Etsy shop, or if you're in Providence, you can find them at Craftland.

Block Printed Stationery Class at Craftland

2010-03-29T09:17:00.004-04:00

Saturday I taught a Block Printed Stationery class at the Craftland School of Craft. It was a lot of fun. There were two enthusiastic students who were eager to jump right in and start printing. One of the students did two prints of designs based on shells, and the other did two prints that were based on the stencils included in one of my favorite books on printing, Lotta Prints.
I worked on a print based on a photo we took at the Guayasamín museum in Ecuador. There was a collection there of Pre-Columbian tools and wood blocks and I was drawn to that sun motif. It's not quite perfect, but I think interesting enough to keep working on.
The new catalog is out for classes being offered in April and June. I'll be teaching one this Saturday, Journal Keeping for Inspiration, that I'm excited about. Also, in May I'll be teaching a basic Learn to Knit class. You can sign up for each on the Craftland Web site. Check out the other classes while you're there, there's some great stuff.

New Rain Boots

2010-03-23T18:33:00.005-04:00

I've been meaning to get cute rain boots for ages now, but am so bad about going shopping. If I can't buy it on Etsy or at Craftland, it just gets put off. Today, since I was driving past a Target, I forced myself to go in and finally buy some. They're hot pink with white polka dots, and are so cute I almost want it to rain again tomorrow so I can wear them.
As I was walking out to the car with them, I looked down at the rain coat I was wearing and wondered if it was going to be a bit too much altogether. Are loud pink prints ever too much on a gray, rainy day? I think not.

Happy Spring!

2010-03-22T08:51:00.003-04:00

This weekend was the first official day of spring, and the weather was unbelievable! Very unseasonal, but I didn't really mind. It was just gorgeous.

Sunday we went for a walk, another taken from the book Weekend Walks in Rhode Island. This walk was around Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge, in Middletown, RI. Since this place would be a traffic nightmare to go to in the summer, an unseasonably gorgeous day in March seemed perfect. Our first official picnic and some salt air was just what I needed. (I don't know what it was about this bare tree against the blue sky, but I really liked its shape and had to take a photo.)

1950 New York Map

2010-03-19T11:37:00.004-04:00

I'm working on a custom order for the lakes region of New York. When I pulled out my maps, I found a New York one from 1950. (Lately, people seem to be giving me piles of old maps, so I'm not sure who it was from.) My favorite part is that in big letters on the front of the map is the warning: Paper is Precious! Please do not throw this map away! I'm grateful someone listened and saved this map! It'll get a new life as a book. I also can't help thinking how times have changed. I feel like our maps today would say "Please throw this out as soon as you get home, so you can spend more money on a new one."
Also awesome were the little illustrations, and the chart of what the gas tax was in each state at the time. So great! Love the drawing of the bike rider, cute tie blowing over his shoulder!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T09:11:00.005-04:00

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that I don't generally post about cooking. Still, there are a few things I like to make, and Irish soda bread is one of them. Last night I baked a loaf, and had some for breakfast today. Why do I only bake this in March? It's so good!

I also made a really good Irish playlist. If you like U2, Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, and The Clancy Brothers singing Irish drinking songs, then you should come shopping at Craftland today.

I'm always excited about St. Patrick's Day in the morning, but I'm sure by the end of the day I'll be bemoaning all the drunkards wandering around Providence with shamrock headbands, and wondering why it is my cultural heritage is celebrated by everybody thinking they should get sloppy drunk. Don't forget people: you can drink beer every day of the year! You don't have to do it only today! I think I wrote this same exact post last year, too. You can read it here.

Flat Stanley in Providence

2010-03-15T09:54:00.004-04:00

Years ago D and I worked on our first Flat Stanley project for his nephew, and tomorrow I'm mailing off my second one. We love this project. We love traveling, exploring and learning about new places, so this project really appeals to us. Plus, we really love our city and love sharing with others what makes it a fun and unique place. We also have a travel mascot that we bring with us whenever we travel, so we're not shy about looking silly in public posing toys for photos. I also have a soft spot for paper dolls. All these factors combine to make us really good at this project.

Not surprisingly, they usually go home with a travel journal. This Flat Stanley's was more of a photo album or scrapbook. It's really cute. This little guy will head back to Colorado tomorrow morning and hopefully share some new info about the smallest state.

300th Sale!

2010-03-10T08:41:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I made my 300th Etsy sale! I had hoped to sell my next 100 books in 6 months, but it ended up being 7 months. (I did 95 in 6 months, but those last 5 were slow in coming.) My 300th sale was this journal made with a 1935 map of Rhode Island and went to my friend Julie. She also got a little surprise in with her journal. Thanks, Julie!

Cure for the Blues

2010-03-08T09:42:00.003-05:00

Saturday I found this surprise in my mailbox from my friend Kara. Inspired by one too many Facebook status updates about the lack of sun in Providence, Kara bought this from Choice Soaps. It's pina colada scented and you really can't beat that it comes with a little drink umbrella. It definitely makes me smile.

Block Printing

2010-03-05T18:19:00.003-05:00

I'm going to be teaching a class in the Craftland School of Craft on March 27th on making block printed stationery. Today I thought I should brush up since it's been awhile since I've done it. I decided to do some cards with my home state. (It's funny, I did a bunch of test prints with red ink and couldn't figure out why I disliked it so much since I've been loving red lately. Then it dawned on me, Rhode Island is so not a red state!) I ended up printing them in a spring-y orange/yellow color. I'm happy with them. I do love the slightly mottled effect the block printing gives, as opposed to the nice, clean print of the Gocco.

If you're interested in learning how to do this, sign up here!