Wrapping it up for the year....

There won't be as many to choose from this year but,
I just listed a few art journal covers...
and checkbook covers.
I really like the covers...but since it takes so long to do just one...
I opted to stop with what I've completed this far.

I'm feeling just a little overwhelmed already
so I decided to slow things down a bit...
and maybe just concentrate on creating gift items for Christmas instead.
There's not as much pressure to do those...unless I put it off until the
very last minute.

I've got a few ideas...especially since getting my new sewing machine...
and I haven't really gotten into the Christmas "spirit" the past few years..
because I've been too busy to really appreciate the season.

What "New" Things Can I Do?

I'm actually 'thinking ahead' to the fast approaching

Fall Season....usually a pretty

good time for Arts and Crafts Sales.

So...I've been mulling over what new

things I can do.

For myself I've done a couple of

'List' Covers...

one that is 'especially'

for my Shipping,
so that I know which list book to grab

just by looking at the design...
and they work GREAT!

I've designed them to fit the little 5" x 8"

yellow lined 'legal' pads...

with a deep back pocket to slip the cardboard back 

in to.

This keeps me from having to have some way of tying it in...

my early efforts had to be tied it to secure them in place.

Now...I'm wondering what else I can do with

unstretched canvas.

Maybe I need a 'stroll through the internet' to come up

with some ideas.

I Need a New Sewing Machine

I have an old Brother Sewing Machine

that I bought used...

back when we lived in Nashville.

So I know that it is, at the very least,

20 or 25 years old.

(We left Nashville in '92 and I had it for several years

before moving.)

Anyway...I am really LOVING how the

Checkbook Covers are coming out..

but I can't work as fast hand sewing them

as I'd be able to by machine sewing...

but my poor 'Brother' has really seen better days.

The bobbin side thread (I'm sure there's a term for it

that I just don't know)

is all thready and knotted...so I know it's not up

to the task.

I am really...really...wanting to get a 'bunch' of them done up

ahead of time

so that I have them for the fall shows

as well as my Shop.

They have been a big 'hit' for me.

I've sold several of them so far...with requests for more.

So

I want to be able to get enough of them done up

before

listing...so that I have a nice variety for the shows

and the Shop.

I listed them...a couple at a time...to just kind of

'test the waters'

and I'm so flattered at the response they've

gotten.

It's one of those things that just keeps me

wanting to do more...

and keeps me trying to design and create

new pieces...

needless to say..

I'm LOVING it!!

A Busy Week-end

It's been a very busy week-end.

I finally got my canvas order in...so I started a couple of abstract paintings...

I had shipping to do..

still trying to follow up with folks that haven't

received their items...

(what can I say...the gal I used to contact with my delivery problems...

she's moved on..or something)

so the only way I can really resolve the issue

is to refund payment and/or reprint the order and send it again.

Then...I had a dozen checkbook covers that I had to

hand sew...finish and varnish.

I then measured and cut out the rest of my

canvas...and I'll be doing some journal covers this next week...

I might 'sneak' a couple new checkbook covers in as well.

(The picture above is one of the checkbook covers..varnish...wow...
I'm really impressed with how they are coming out!)

My hand looks really ugly...but it isn't burning as much now..

so I can, at least, use it once again.

Portable Art -- Checkbook Covers

My son brought a roll of canvas with him

when he moved back 'home'...

so...it's just been sitting there...for over a year now...

and after all the trials...errors...experiments...etc..

I finally got into the canvas and started making

'portable art' covers...

for checkbooks...

journals...etc.

They do take a bit to do...but I'm really liking

how they are turning out.

I was hoping to have a dozen or so of these 

listed by the week-end...

now it will depend on how well the Advil

works...

I was pouring boiling hot water into a container

and poured it right on my left hand...

it burns like fire...

I can't believe I did that...

I guess that's what I get for trying to do too many things

at once.

So...my being in such a hurry to get back

to my painting...I ended up actually slowing myself down.

I had to sit around all yesterday afternoon

with a cold pack covering my hand..

smearing antibiotic ointment and aloe gel all over it

every couple of hours.

Needless to say...all the plans I had to get all sorts

of things painted..

will still happen...

just at a much slower pace.