A doodle bag

The idea for this bag blossomed while on the plane to Edmonton for my letterpress class. One night in my hotel, I started my doodles with a sharpie on a white plastic tablecloth. It took me a couple weeks to get it finished, I lined it with black, and added an inside pocket.

And now its ready to be my beach bag in Jamaica next week.

art from Micki

Last month, I played along with Micki Wilde's art swap. It was lots of fun, and her post with all of the amazing artwork she received is beautiful. So much inspiration! 

I was so excited to find this beautiful piece of art in my mailbox. The quote is one of my favorite Dr. Suess quotes. 

I love it, and now just need to find somewhere to hang it! 

do what makes your heart sing

 

 

I took a long weekend this weekend, and escaped by myself to Edmonton, SNAP, and the luxury of the Hotel MacDonald. 
I shopped. I ate my favorite "city foods". I drank my favorite "city drinks". I enjoyed the city I used to call home. And best of all, I spent a weekend learning the basics of letterpress. 
 
On day 1 we set up some lines of type and learned the basics of doing that, and ran our first prints. 
 
We took home two linoleum blocks and carved 2 designs, to be printed on top of each other in 2 colors. On the second day we worked with the complicated matter of setting up the press with a more complicated design and ran it first through in our first color (red), then we switched out the press to our next block and our text, to be printed. We ran those through on top. 
 
It was a great class. Its an amazing studio. I am so intrigued by letterpress. And SNAP's really cheap studio rental rates. I loved it. My mind is brewing letterpress ideas. 
 
I did what makes my heart sing. I find when there are no dishes to do, no work, no meals to prepare, my heart has time and freedom to sing so loudly. And I love it. 
 
except...now I am back to work, and dishes, and cooking my own meals...

SNAP

Its funny how sometimes what you are searching for is right in front of you. Well, almost. 
 
I was so excited to find the San Francisco Centre for the Book letterpress studio, and their classes. So then I began searching across the USA and Canada for other letterpress studios and classes. Minnesota, New York, Halifax. All very far away. 
 
And then I found SNAP. Located just down the street from where I used to live and work. I could have been in a letterpress club! 
 
And they have a two day workshop March 10th and 11th. Only a quick plane ride away. And I had a free plane ticket. And I got a great rate at a fancy hotel. And I have a great group of girls to lunch with. And I could use some shopping time. And some panago. 
 
So March 9th, I'm off for two days in Letterpress Heaven!