Category: bookbinding

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Studio table

Today was a chilly, overcast, gray day – just perfect for being in the basement in my studio!  Unfortunately, everything else in the world – or so it seemed – was also in the basement in my studio. And piled high on my work table.  It became a repository for most of my life these past four months.

Sooooooo………

After just a few hours of determined effort I could actually see large portions of the table. And then I stopped work on the table to put together a ‘book’ of 2007 Christmas pictures from family and friends.  The cards and pictures were sitting there in plain sight and I’d just have to do it another day if I didn’t do it now.   Maybe tomorrow I’ll do the pictures from 2008.  Maybe not.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll finish cleaning the table.  And then again, maybe not.  There is actually quite a bit of space that is open… I could work around things… push stuff aside to make room for current projects… just work with what is still on the surface…

Soon – I’ll finish cleaning it soon.  🙂

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Convergence 2008

Just a few quick lines before I head back out….

Convergence 2008 Tampa Bay was grand! Of course, I haven’t met a Convergence I didn’t like.

There are lots of stories to tell about …

…circling a black spot that should have been Tampa and finally flying off to Orlando, gassing up and heading back to Tampa before the storm hit Orlando.

…seeing the Tampa waterways from the 12 floor with the skyline lit at night and storms blowing in during the day.

…seeing old friends and meeting new ones and loving every bit of fiber exchange.

…tasting the best key lime pie ever! with a chocolate cookie crust!

…comparing happy hours at the different hotels.

…finding the local meat market for sausage casing needed for my class and getting a lecture on the economy and politics thrown in free.

…receiving one of the best back massages ever from Bill at Royalwood!

…the fellow instructor who wound up with a surprise from the airport in her tool box: a black evening gown, one black high heel, a slip and deodorant.

…the amazing works of fiber art in the Convention Center and local galleries.

…all the great stuff that was found in the vendor hall!

It was great fun being part of it. My classes went well and everyone seemed to enjoy playing the techniques of mud, books and guts.

Off to Papua New Guinea early in the morning. More stories from there when I get the chance.

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Supplies

I’m into class prep mode big time right now. Convergence 2008 Tampa Bay will happen in a couple weeks and I have three classes and a basketry panel to be ready for.

With all the different materials needed for the classes (mud, books, gut) I decided to ship them ahead of time. The mud class stuff went out today in two and a half boxes. The other half box was filled with bookmaking books and small goodies for the gut class.

The thing is, when I teach I like to have books and samples available for the students to use as inspiration. When I drive to a class, I can just load up the car and it works great – I typically have a plethora of stuff for the students. Flying creates a bit of a problem in deciding what samples and books HAVE to go and what could be left home.

Now that I’m working on the materials for the book class, the hardest thing was to decide which ones to teach! I have a couple standard books, but then I’m always coming across wonderful new bindings or foldings…

The gut class is going to be a bit tricky. Most of the supplies can be shipped ahead, but I’ll be bringing the frozen gut with me and planning on NO delays so I can get the package into a freezer before it starts to warm up too much. Shipping some room deoderizers, just in case.

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Post ides

Lots of good fiber stuff happening lately that I keep forgetting to mention.

Two exhibit openings:
– Invitational exhibit – Weaving Traditions, May 10-August 3, 2008 at Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum, Roscoe Village, Coshocton, OH
– Juried exhibit – Cut From a Different Cloth – Embracing the ties between art and philanthropy, May 5-July 31, Salveo Gallery in Rookwood Tower, Cincinnati, OH.

Sold some blank journals that I’ve been working on – feedback about their construction was good, too. Now they are off to Convergence 2008 in Tampa for sale during the conference Thinking about setting up an etsy shop/page later this summer – when I have more time to think about it!.

Just got the word that issue 4 of Fibre & Stitch (online mixed media journal) will publish on May 28th – and my article on mud cloth will be included. Very exciting as this is my first online mag article. Published by Sue Bleiweiss, the magazine itself has been interesting, too.

I also got my quota of fiber while in NC last week – with the fritters and hush puppies! Great trip!

Tomorrow we are heading to Knightstown to join the volunteer crew cleaning out the pit where the barn stood on my sister’s farm. I’m ready with my boots and a couple batches of cookies to add to the effort. We’ll be sifting the remains for salvageable items and/or recyclable metals. There might be something I can use to make a barn memory thingee for them.

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In and Out

I’m feeling a bit like a revolving door right now. Just got home late this afternoon from a lovely weekend in Pittsburgh (lecturing and teaching the Fiber Arts Guild about mudcloth) and tomorrow morning I hop a plane for NC.

Heading out for five days of fun in the sun with a couple friends. Timing for the friend being visited in her new home is perfect; timing for me isn’t so perfect but it’s the best it will be in a while.

So, I’ve pulled some fabrics, cut some pellon and will work on journal covers while there. Deadlines are looming for a couple of too-good-to-pass-up sales opportunities and blank journals are my current love.

We WILL take time for walking the beach.

And then back in time to teach a group of teens how to make a basket for their moms. I will certainly need the anticipated relaxation this week before coming home for that!