Hold Dear

update on all things crafty...

Yesterday was a very happy day for me. Miranda and I spent the afternoon having a crafty, bookmaking, mommy/girlie good time of a day! We haven't done that in a LONG time! When we have an afternoon together, we usually go junkin'!

The first thing I wanted to work on was a quick update to Hold Dear. I added some more French Paper Packs!

I also added a new item...Popcorn Bags! These little bags are just one of those things that always make me smile!

  
When Miranda and I went to Knittn' Kitten two weeks ago, she bought a beautiful piece of leather and wanted to make a journal and use the leather for the cover.

A few pics of Miranda ...

  
 
Miranda's journal is a work in progress but when it's all done, I'll share a picture. I'm sure it's going to be gorgeous with that ochre leather!

In addition to the shop update, I also made a quick little book from a kit...

 
I still have a lot of decorative papers leftover from my bookmaking days (before I started blogging!) and so I used a beautiful Italian paper for the cover. And I've even started writing in it! Glen and I went up to the local for a pint last night and I so I took this little lovely along and gave it some words to hold for me.

I also worked on the swap I'm hosting for the Moulin Rouge event happening next month. (Eeeek!) Here's a peek of the cover...

I have a vision for this thing so fingers crossed that it comes together!  I'm trying a fabric spine stitched with gold thread.

 
So cool that while we were working on our projects, the post arrived and I received the sari ribbon that I had ordered to use to bind the books. Scrumptious!

 
I've received most of the pages for this swap as well as some amazing and generous hostess gifts from some of the artists...

This dreamy bag from Cheryl...

 
 
 
Oh my lace! I love it so! Cheryl said she got it from Beth Leintz. I'm going to turn it into a purse to use at Moulin!!! Thank you, Cheryl!

Pam sent an amazing collection Parisienne treats! I have no idea how she could possibly have parted with these treasures, but I'm extremely grateful she did! Thank you, Pam!

 
Sherry sent me a gorgeous copy of Notre Dame de Paris! I SUPERLOVE it! Thank you, Sherry!

  
In other news, in a week or so I'll be announcing the details of a swap I'm hosting. I'm really excited about this one! And when you see what it is, you will be excited too!!! :-)

projects...

Seems no matter how many times I tell myself that I'm not going to join anymore collaborative projects, I still do. I just can't quit. Is there a support group for that? :-)

One of the collaborative projects I just finished up are little mini-pages for a Pocket Book Full of Positivity book swap that sweet Rachel is hosting. Isn't that just a happy-inducing title? This swap is for Kim's Moulin Rouge event that I'll be attending next month. Hold Dear will also be there as a vendor and sponsor! So happy!

Here's the front of my page...

 ...and back...

 
The other collaborative project I'm still working on is a circle journal. This project was started by Alex after ArtFest two years ago and it's still going on! I had Amy's Comfort and Joy-themed journal not too long ago and took a few pictures of my contributions.

The pages...

 
Amy also included an envelope that we were to decorate. I decided to turn my envelope into a little mini-book...

I had fun with this one... 
 
 

 The inside...

 
 
Wishing you comfort and joy, all the year long. :-)

 

saturday fun day...

Yesterday Miranda and I had a little impromtu Mommy/Girlie fun day. She had school in the morning and afterwards, I picked her up and we went to Knittn' Kitten  and SCRAP. I've been to SCRAP a bazillion times but this was my first time going to Knittn' Kitten.

It was the epitome of a Portland day ... gray, kinda foggy, drizzly... so going somewhere with lots of color and inspiration was a perfect little getaway!

The woman that owns the shop, Rome, is a fantastic artist in her own right. Here is a headdress piece that she made and has worn.
 
This is a dress (not for sale) in the shop that Rome's mother, Ethel, made for her when she was a child. Soooo cute!!!
Prices were insanely reasonable! Between Miranda and I, we found LOTS of goodies! After Knittn' Kitten, we headed over to SCRAP. Here are pics of most of my lovelies from the day. I also bought some great old sheet music but I didn't take pictures of that.

The little pink rolls are rolls of florist tape. I'll find something fun to do with that! And I am in love with this assortment of butterfly patches! Super cool vintage milinery that might go in the shop. :-) These fabulous letters will be going in the shop for sure! They're about 4" tall and will be perfect for journals!

 
After all that fun, Glen and I joined his brother and his wife and another couple and headed over to the Portland Seafood and Wine fest. I was super tired and kinda beat and could have easily stayed home but I put on my big girls pants and went. Once I got out and about, I got a second wind and it turned into a really fun evening, rounding out a wonderful day!

 

play...

Hello friends...

This past weekend I got to go to a fabulous art event in Port Townsend, WA called Play - The Retreat. Teesha and Tracy Moore host this amazing event and it is the best! It is small (there were just a little over 30 of us) and Teesha and Tracy very generoulsy share they time, stuff and knowledge. It was a crafty, soul-filling feast for three and a half days. My creative self is so much richer having had this experience. And the people attending were just as fabulous. This was an event where I felt included in everything and could talk to anyone.

I knew my friends, Linda and Carol, whom I had met in Anahata Katkin's Symbolic Icons class I attended in 2007, would be there. But I had no idea Liesel Lund would be there and that Teesha would unknowingly sit us next to each other! I got to visit with her the whole weekend! I also met and adored Brian Kasstle and Orly Avineri the whole weekend too! So much talent. And so cool, Liesel, Brian and Orly will all be teaching at Journalfest this year. I can't wait!!!

The only bummer about the whole weekend was that our litle fuzzy friend (and cat), Bastian, got in a terrible fight with something while I was out of town. Another cat? A raccoon? All is well but his stitches and the Y-incision on his chest made for a pretty gruesome sight to come home to. Thank goodness Glen realized right away that Bassy needed to go to the vet. Our little tubby buddy had to have surgery to repair his wounds. I started to count his stitches but stopped at 15. :-(

I'm still working on the journal  that I made to take to Play so I'll share some pics of that later. I did bind a little book using the cover from a vintage gemtype photo album. It's pretty fragile so I'm sure not too far down the road I'll need to rebind it.

 

 I do love it so.

I'll share the rest of my wonderful trip in pictures.

The dorm...

The view from the dorm... 

 

 Early morning pictures...

On the way to the Commons, there were always plenty of photo ops...

 
 
 

Liesel communing with the deer...
  

 People taking pictures of the deer...
 
 Lots of trips to the beach...
  
 

Me at the beach...there isn't much that makes me happier... 

 

 
 Bringing some of the beach back to my workspace...

Oh the mess...the joyful, happy mess...Tracy let me use his hand-carved rubber stamps to in my Play journal...uh...how cool was that? Tracy also made a Play 2011 hand-carved stamp during the event. I'll share a picture of that sweetness with you later.

 Me, Liesel and Orly...

 
And then lastly, just a little tiny word that made itself known. Not sure where it came from but it there it was...
 And I noticed it just when the sun started to peek out. Briefly. But it was enough to make me smile