The Return to Blogging...FINALLY!

It's hard to keep up with blogging when you're working your buns off!

I made all of this stuff in 3 days! Made so much more this summer!

Working at home? Check...

Stocking up for summer craft shows? Check...

Finding time to keep up with the blog? Um...nope.

It has been quite a while since I've written a new blog post and I apologize. Between preparing for the biggest (and most prestigious) craft show I've ever done, and creating all the paper goods for a huge wedding and building a brand new website...something had to give.

And a bunch of other things had to give too, like the organization of my house and the state of my eyebrows. But I do believe I'm back on track and finally caught up after wedding season and a busy summer running around after my now running 1-year-old.

Here's the highlights of the summer!

Here's my booth at the 100 American Craftsmen show at the Kenan Center in Lockport, NY!

The 100 American Craftsmen show at the Kenan Center in Lockport, NY was an amazing thing to be involved with. So many seriously talented artists and crafters, it was humbling to be among them. I've never set up a full 10x10 booth, only a single table before, so the whole thing was a fun challenge. I got to borrow a booth set-up from Hadley Exhibits (where my husband works) so that helped it to look really professional. I spent hours sewing table covers in my new brand colors, searching out the neatest little additions to make my booth unique...I even had foam flooring that looked like hardwood! All in all it was a great success and I had such a great time interacting with a whole new bunch of customers. I can't wait to take part again next year!

WEDDING SEASON IS UPON US!

This summer I was SO busy with custom orders for weddings and anniversary events! It was absolutely amazing to have so many of my creations helping to create special memories.

Here are just a few of my favorite projects.

First off, I had a giant order of a full-wedding package including save-the-dates, invitations, photo guest book, table and place cards and wedding signage...all made from the same papers! This wedding was super classy with the black and pink theme and gold accents. Everything shimmered, sparkled and shined!

These pictures are just some progress pics, stay tuned for a more in-depth post about the process of crafting for a whole wedding.

Part of a full-wedding package--these are some of the table cards and place cards getting assembled! The final ones had little handmade flowers on each one as well! I also made the save-the-dates, invitations, wedding signage AND a photo guestbook..… — Part of a full-wedding package--these are some of the table cards and place cards getting assembled! The final ones had little handmade flowers on each one as well! I also made the save-the-dates, invitations, wedding signage AND a photo guestbook...all matchy-matchy, of course.

Next up, I made a 50th Wedding Anniversary memory book for my client's parents. She got all of her parent's friends and family from across the globe to write their favorite stories and memories and send in great candid photos. When they were all collected, I bound all of the stories into one very special book. The book was stitched using the Secret Belgian Binding method which allows the book to open flat but to be very strong and sturdy...something required of a book with a 2.5" spine. The book was only 6x9" but was almost 3" thick! It also had soft satin ribbon ties, handmade paper covers and a little translucent mica disc covering their vintage wedding photo on the cover from 1966! It was such a humbling experience to get to read through all these stories and memories, learning about this couple whom I'd never met, discovering all the ways they had changed so many lives through their 50 years together.

PS: If you love this binding, learn how to make your own at my up-coming Secret Belgian Binding workshop! Get more info and register here!

Secret Belgian Binding 50th Anniversary Wedding Memory Book. What a great project to be a part of!

I also got to make this beautiful photo guest book. The covers are made with handmade paper crafted from bamboo with real fresh-cut grass inclusions (for real, this book smells like grass)! There is shimmery plum paper detailing and luxe satin ribbons, topped off with real hand pressed flowers, collected and dried by the bride herself! The interior pages were designed to hold the Polaroid pictures their guests would be taking of themselves at the wedding. All the interior pages are cream-colored 100% recycled cardstock with speckle tone flecks and there are special shimmery tabs sewn in that add space to the spine so that the book will still close flat when it's full of photos. There is also a hand-built accordion pocket in the back of the book to hold all the little wedding mementos that the couple wanted to save but didn't want to glue down. There are more of these gorgeous pressed flowers on the pocket too. The bottom photos are of the book in process so you can get an idea of how it's made!

Top image is the finished book. Bottom images left to right: the covers are started, the ribbons are attached, the sewing begins, the flowers are sealed!

I'm so glad that I got to work on all of these events celebrating people's love. It might sound corny, but I'm a sucker for romance.

Do you have a wedding or other special event coming up?

Click here for more info on getting your own one-of-a-kind custom order!

FINALLY!

VEGGIE & HERB SEED PAPER IS HERE!

I finally got a chance this summer to make some organic veggie & herb seed papers for sale. These papers are all made with organic seeds and there are enough seeds in each sheet to start several plants. All of the papers are made with recycled paper (that's how they get their color) and with cardboard egg cartons (Yup! Egg cartons. F'reals.), making these bright papers 100% recycled material. Not only do they grow plants but they help the earth by reducing waste. I had never made paper with egg cartons before but it worked out great! Here are a few photos of this paper being made!