what i've been working on:

clockwise from top left:
1."aeroplane" coptic bound journal, to be used as a guest book in a vintage airplane themed wedding. custom order for someone on etsy.
2. "plants" moleskine journal. sold.
3. recycled booklet--polka dots. still available.
4. "whirly blue flowers"--was on the front page of etsy today! but it didn't have much exposure because somebody swooped it up pretty quickly
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other than that i haven't been up to a whole heck of a lot, except wishing it was summer and wanting a few new things:

these flats.
this cozy shirt to wear during a ride on this bike.
a new necklace.
this super cute needle holder for my bookbinding needles.
a bag to carry my stuff to this coffee shop when i visit madison again (hopefully next week, although i wont have the bag by then!)
and this book to read under a tree one day.
.....
that's all for now...i wanted to be in bed 2 hours ago!

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today i had lots of teeth filled. it went a lot better than i had anticipated! my dentist probably thought i was nuts because i'm sure i seemed quite nervous. uugh i hate that!

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i decided to finish this journal even though my fingers weren't cooperating--it's so cold in the apartment. well, my office/studio/work area is warmer than the rest of the house, mainly because i sit in this room all day long on my days off, so i have this room heated. (thank you electric heat.) but i still freeze in here. i'm sure you all know what i'm talking about.

i also made a couple more recycled booklets
they seem to be selling well.
i think it's because a lot of people who have paypal accounts tend to buy impulsively when they see something under $10. especially when the shipping is cheap. or at least that's what i do sometimes.

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i want some hot tea but i'm afraid to try it! you know how when you get new fillings, they are super sensitive? well, i don't know if i should put something that hot on them quite yet. not only that but damn it, my mouth and lips are still numb so i wouldn't be able to sip it properly.

...

i miss summer so much. and to think that it's still a few months away...

i want to go on a picnic!

and go camping!

i've been window shopping online a lot lately, i will show you tomorrow what i have been finding.

for now i am going to update my shop and then attempt that tea thing.

take care, friends!

hi there!

hello everybody!

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sorry it's been so long! i don't even know WHAT i've been doing with my time...i hate that feeling! like i just wasted it all...hmmm.

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so i'm back from my short trip to madison, and i've got to say- i didn't want to leave AT ALL. i loved everything about it...well, except that usually i like when there are less people and madison is a fairly large city, but i think i could get used to it because the people there are different...there's just a great sense of community up there. i was blown away by how many people try to support local businesses there. joe was on business and he said that everybody talked about "local this and local that" which he knew would make me happy. there are a lot of neat shops, a bunch of local papers to read...i read all about their farmers markets and they sound fabulous...the markets are a huge deal there, i'm planning on checking one out this summer for sure. we went to 2 bar/restaurants there and they were both so unique compared to what we have here in boring kenosha. i was reading the classifieds in one of the local papers and there is SO MUCH TO DO! i'm almost jealous! here are a few examples- mandolin classes, knitting and crochet instruction at this coffee shop, learn french at that coffee shop...they have a food not bombs organization, lots of sports (we watched this guy that joe used to work with play volleyball at this huge sports complex--so much fun! all we have around here is softball and bowling, i have tried both and i dislike both!) so many parks and trails...aaaah the opportunities to have a good time are just endless! oh, and their apartment for rent classifieds really spiked my interest- they sound like they have a lot of character, unlike our boring apartment that we live in now. hmph.
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i wish i had photos, but i don't- next time, though! i think joe has to go back in march so that means i will be visiting him :) but i went to this huge antique mall, a few boutiques, a coffee shop, a bookstore...i had a lot of fun up there.
but now i am back...looking online for new things to love...and i've found these:

these clean dressers from west elm--i LOVE them.

i really like this lamp, but the shade doesn't really do it for me. found at overstock.com. available in other colors as well.
i like this square table from west elm...that day bed has always struck a chord with me too :)
this image reminds me that spring is almost here!
okay, i have some etsy favorites too but now i'm having problems posting the images...i might be moving over to typepad soon!

thanks for visiting, have a good one!

see you soon.

well i didn't get around to those links i was talking about...maybe in a couple days?

tonight i am heading out to madison to visit joe. he's on a business trip, and i have been wanting to go to madison for awhile now. i just wish it wasnt so cold outside! i'm going to freeze if i walk around madison. oooh well.

okay, so i will see you in a couple of days!

take care, friends.

checking in...

hello there- i'm just checking in so you guys know that i'm still around :)

remember when i posted that list of things that i really wanted? well, joe got me this print for my birthday. it's so lovely, 30 times better in person too.

i forgot to take photos of this journal before it was wrapped, but anyway- it has a bear wearing a scarf and sitting against a stump. illustrated in india ink. this design will be available soon in another form (if all goes well, that is. starts with an "s" and ends with a "g". anybody have a guess as to what i'm talking about? anyway, this journal went to my sister in law. today is her due date, she is supposed to have a boy! she has no idea that i made this yet, my father in law requested it.

some moleskine covers that i did for a yarn shop in wisconsin...
and a pine tree moleskine that actually just sold as i was typing this post!
okay, that's all for now otherwise i will be late for work. but more to come tonight!

i hope everybody is doing well, i have some links for you so come back soon!