I'm getting published! Twice!

I told you a month or so ago about listening to April Bowles-Olin's "Achieving Your Creative Dreams" talk from the Etsy Success Symposium in February. She really inspired me to set some higher goals for my creative business. I told my accountability partner the very next week that I wanted to be published in 2011. It seemed kind of an outrageous thought to me. Like many other creative types, I discount my own work and have a hard time seeing myself as a "real artist." I just make books. But I decided to go for it and committed to submit a book to GreenCraft, a Stampington & Co. magazine that focuses on art made from recycled and reclaimed materials.

But just a few days later, before I'd even started on my GreenCraft project, I got an Etsy convo from a woman at Lark Publications asking me to submit two of my books for a book they are publishing next year about handmade mini-books. Out of the clear blue sky, just four days after I had spoken my goal aloud to my friend! I was completely blown away. I ended up submitting five books, and two were selected. Not the two she had originally requested but two different books. They chose one of my little record books made from a transparent red 45 record. You'll be familiar with these if you've followed my shop for long.


And also a small variation on my versatile travel journal. What a blessing! The book won't be out until April of 2012. I'll blog about it again when it comes out.


So in March, I followed through and hopefully packed up one of my creations to send to GreenCraft. The submission guidelines said they get thousands of submissions, you might not ever hear anything and they may keep submitted work as long as a year. So I was SHOCKED when I got an email a few weeks later that they had selected my book for the August issue! I'm happy that I'd snapped a picture before I sent it off. It's not a great picture, but it's something!

I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to get my work out in a whole new way! I'm excited for what this year will bring.

Read more...

Have Ants, Will Travel

I can't believe it's already the last full week of June. Next week, the year will be half over. It's way too hot here in Georgia for the end of June, so I'm dreaming of cooler places.

Carpenter Ant Awareness Week - June 25-28

I'm not exactly sure why we need to be aware of carpenter ants, but I'm doing my part to spread the word right here! It's not clear whether the ants on this leather journal by Kreativlink are carpenters or just your garden-variety, unskilled ants, but they're busy as ants should be.

Cool off in the Faucet


I remember how a faucet and hose transformed a hot summer day when I was a kid. Doesn't this book from Donnalda make you feel a little cooler? And the words are a perfect reminder of how to really chill all year round.

Read more...

The Merry Month of May

NATIONAL BIKE MONTH

From A Fain books, a small journal fits perfectly into this vintage cigar tin, embellished with a bicycle image. Annie Fain Liden is an extraordinary book artist who taught my first class in bookbinding. There is not an ordinary book among her works. Don't miss a visit to her shop.


This very unique book is made from the bike inner tubes, which the artist promises have been cleaned well. What a unique way to recycle! And US buyers will only pay $10 to have this shipped all the way from Denmark. There are a number of these to choose from by PalePink.


ROOT CANAL APPRECIATION DAY - May 13

Hard to believe, but true. This date must have been visited upon us by the Sadistic Dentist Association, no doubted headed by Orin Scrivello. (If you're singing "Son Be a Dentist" right now, you watch too many movies.) No surprise that there are no books on Etsy glorifying the root canal, but I did find this very interesting book covered with advertisement from a 1922 orthodontics journal. From BrooklynBookbinder.


The last book for this week is in honor of L. Frank Baum, author of the children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, whose birthday is May 15. Actually, this book does double duty, because this week is also Children's Book Week. This cute little journal is in such happy spring greens. Perfect for both occasions. From Ragnazidnar.

Read more...