morning light...

when the morning light spills into my little studio like this...

i just know...

that it's going to be a really magical day...

spring snow...

 Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow descends the snow.

-henry wadsworth longfellow-

sparkle.

sparkle (spar-kel) 1. to throw off sparks 2. to glitter 3. to be brilliant and lively

did you know...

one of my favorite things...

are brown paper packages...

tied up with string...

and filled with beautiful...

lovely...

 girly things...

yup, this is one of my favorite things.

pics 2 and 5 purchased here
pics 1 and 4 purchased here
pics 3 and 6 purchased here

my new fave...

i just finished this book yesterday and i think it is my new favorite.

it's funny because the last big book i made (the lace one from a few posts back) was my new favorite.  

and these two books are just so different.  is that weird, do you think?  

i guess we all have different sides.  i know i do.  i love, love, love the feminine, frilly lacy stuff i collect and create with.  but sometimes i crave simplicity.  and functional.  and rugged.      

this one is thick and big and heavy.  well, so was the lace one,

so there's a similarity.  this leather came from a shoe factory.  it's rough and rugged.  like your favorite work boots.  i like that scuffs and scratches can be buffed out with a cloth (as i discovered while making it).

i made sure the paper was rough and rugged too.  i used a heavy watercolor paper and i mixed in some handmade paper.  a thick grey cotton paper.  i actually like to journal in a book like this, cause i like to beat on my paper. 

 oh, and my favorite part is the bookmark.  i wove that into the back.  i've been wanting to try that for awhile and i finally did.

i just listed it in my shop, along with some other books (with lace).  i know i'm going to be sad to let this one go.  but i do have another piece of that leather...

inner beauty.

inner beauty too, needs occasionally to be told it is beautiful.

-robert brault-

no. 546...

number 546...bringing a message of hope to a brave and inspiring person that i recently crossed paths with.

the finished book...

i finally finished my big book.  i'm so happy with how it turned out.  it was hard to let this one go.

it's been a bit overcast, it was hard to get pictures.

i just love how the lace spills over.

and the sparkly crystal bookmark.

i added a little lace to the back as well.

the binding took awhile, but i eventually arrived at my perfectionist standards.  it's big and fat, measuring in at just over 2 inches thick, and weighing almost 3 lbs.  it's been a fun project.  I got to try out some new ideas.  and i'm still feeling very inspired.  my eyes keep landing on this pile of tea stained paper and fabric and lace on my table, all in lovely soft shades of the various teas that kept me warm this winter.  hmmm...