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I have been so busy these last few weeks and I am exhausted! On top of that we traveled this weekend, which is exhausting in itself. There is always so much catching up to do, not only around the house with laundry and unpacking, but there are emails to answer, orders to ship, and miscellaneous business to follow up on.

Here is what I've been working on in my studio in between custom orders.

Porcelain and Pearl Guest Book

I wanted to make an elegant yet simple book. The monochromatic whites are classic wedding, but this can also be used for a baby memory book.

Summer Sweet Pea Guest Book

A really fun print I've been dying to use as a cover for one of my books! This feels so summery to me and I can hardly wait for warm weather to move in to STAY! It's nice to have a 70-80 degree day here and there, but when it's almost painful to experience 55 degrees the next day!

Silver and Sage Lotus Guest Book

And a preview of one to be listed soon. This uses the same pattern as the Porcelain and Pearl Book but with a grayish-green background with printed silver lotus blossoms.

I've got one custom order I'm working on right now that is kicking my butt. I'm taking a break from it to blog a bit. It seems like one problem after another, totally unrelated to the customer. First I had trouble finding just the right paper, then my usual vendor was on backorder so I ordered from a new vendor. The order came today and I was very disappointed. The color of the paper was not what I expected. What one vendor calls "Olive Green" is totally different than another vendor's perception of that color. The paper was more like "Olive Brown" instead!
I had trouble with the violet papers I ordered as well. I ordered a range of purples to be sure I got the right shade for my customer. I've never had trouble with color on my monitor vs. reality, so apparently the problem is on the vendor's end. Needless to say, I was not pleased with the violet papers that arrived either. I think one will work, but it's not the perfect match I wanted.

All that to say, lesson learned--order swatches first if you have the luxury of time on your side!

Making handmade paper

Here is what I've been working on most afternoons for the last week. I have a nice stack of handmade paper now, in various colors. This is a great summer project to do outside on your porch or deck. It's kind of drippy and messy, so it would make quite a mess indoors.

It's been about 8 years since I last attempted to make my own paper. At that time, I thought the project went well, but now that I have a better idea of what I'm doing, I think not!

Some of my paper was so thick it came out looking like the toilet paper wads you see on the ceilings of public restrooms! I've concluded I had too much pulp in my vat. I ended up tearing all the super-thick paper up and recycling it for my new paper.

The project went very well this time with the exception of a little mishap I had with some inclusions. They looked very pretty, like little crystals, but turned out to be rather uncomfortable to run your hand across once the paper was dry. I think they would be showcased better in a paper casting, rather than a sheet of paper.

Here is a sheet from my first batch. I used recycled paper (copy paper and letterhead) with no inclusions, other than the flower seeds I originally used 8 years ago.

A green sheet using dark green tissue paper and green cold water dye. The dark flecks are the tissue paper.

This piece is from the same recycled pulp, but this time I added purple and lavender tissue paper to my blender of pulp. The tissue only lightly colored the pulp. The dark purple I blended longer than the lavender, resulting in large areas of lavender and flecks of dark purple. A nice effect, I think.

I had some leftover dye from a previous project, so I dumped it into the next blender full of pulp. The dye was called chestnut brown, but as you can see, the paper ended up more terra cotta than brown. I used Arnold Grummer's Gold Dust in this vat. (see arnoldgrummer.com for supplies--great customer service!)

Here is my last sample from today. I've photographed the paper both wet and dry to show the dramatic difference in color once the paper dries. I used more leftover dye in denim blue and Arnold Grummer's Silver Sprinkles. There are more sprinkles in the wet piece than the dry because it was the last of the pulp and I poured it into a mold, so the sprinkles were very concentrated.

As you may have noticed, it sounds as if I am addicted to making paper, and I think I am! I find myself walking around the house wondering what would happen if I added this or that to my paper! Quite possibly there will be more experiments to come. In the meantime, have a safe and happy 4th of July!

A New Direction

I've been working on a new idea for the last couple of weeks. My creativity has not been quenched by using pre-printed papers, so I decided to focus on making my own. I'm still going to continue my line of Classic journals, but I'm expanding into new creative territory! If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I'm rarely satisfied with doing the same thing. I like to change it up.
So here it is...one of my newest creations...a sneak peak as it hasn't even been listed yet. This is my Morning Sun Dragonfly Journal.

I've used handmade paper, not made by me--this time. I'm working on that--it's just so messy I'm waiting for the right time to do it when my toddler isn't around! He'd LOVE to "help" Mommy make paper! I have plans with my artsy friend down the street to take an afternoon one day soon to dive into that project.

I used watercolors for the background wash, acrylic paint for the stamped flourishes (Heidi Swapp), and a dragonfly stamp (Above the Mark). I painted the dragonfly in blue and green to resemble a darner dragonfly.

One of the reasons this project (which encompases about 6 journals) took me two weeks to complete is the fact that I was consumed with researching copyright policies from the stamp companies whose images I've used. Some companies state their policy right on their websites; others take a lot more research. I've even made contact with several companies that have gone out of business, but there are still others for whom I cannot find any contact info, so I won't be using their stamps.

When a company says they have an "angel policy", this means you are free to use their stamps on any handmade project, even for resale. Some companies claim to have an angel policy but after reading all the fine print, I discovered it was more like a "demon" policy! You can use their stamps for items you plan to sell, but only at craft shows, church bazaars, or locally. You can't sell in a fixed retail location, over the internet, or if there's a full moon. I'm joking about that last one, but you get my point! Some of these companies with the tricky angel policies are Anna Griffin, Autumn Leaves (clear stamps sold at Target), Close to My Heart, and Hero Arts. They certainly won't be getting any more of my business.

Among artists and crafters, the most common misconception I've come across is "I bought it, I can do whatever I want with it". Yes, in the privacy of your own home--not if you plan to resell it! The world of copyright law is very confusing and you almost have to be a lawyer to understand it all. Even within the field of copyright law there seems to be a lot of confusion.

Be aware that angel companies cannot give permission for their designer or licensed character lines because those characters are owned by someone else. For example, Stampabilites states on their website they are an angel company, but you cannot use their Peanuts, Sesame Street, House Mouse, or any other licensed character stamps.

Stick with the angel companies, get it from them in writing, and you should be safe!