Reading from a Rainbow

My youngest daughter, C, doesn't like to clean her room and often can't see the floor through all the clothes and books and toys. But when she comes up with an idea for organizing that isn't mandatory, she can be amazing. She recently organized my lazy susan cupboard full of plastic storage containers. And look what she did when she wanted to spruce up the bookshelf:



This is the kids' bookshelf, and I have no idea where she came up with the idea. I know there are lots of similar images online of organizing your books according to colour. But C is 10, and doesn't read blogs and surf the internet like her mother. All I can say is that it was an original idea for her. And her mom is proud of her....

Introducing.....

When I opened my PrairiePeasant shop on Etsy, I had a hard time deciding what to focus on. I love creating in many forms, and love learning new things. I started off with both paper and fabric items in my shop, but I soon realized I needed to have more direction in the shop. So for this first year and a half, I've focused on paper goods: journals, cards, envelopes, and tags, trying to use repurposed materials as much as possible.

While I'm still planning on keeping PrairiePeasant going strong, it's time for the fabrics and fibres to come out of the boxes too. I've just opened my second shop on Etsy, PrairieThreads, which will focus on ecofriendly items made from thrifted and repurposed fabrics and yarn.



I'm starting off with some cute mini stockings for Christmas:



Gradually, I'll build up my inventory to include more totes and pouches, maybe some aprons. All I know is that the fabric wants to be let out of the box!

For the Love of Paper

I came into a little windfall this week.

Someone I know was cleaning out their communications department office for some renovations, and they had stacks of partial reams of many colours and varieties of paper that were too small for any current or anticipated future projects. Knowing I can't say "no" to offerings of paper, this trunkload of paper was offered to me!

It ranges in size from printer's samples (great for small projects!) to 11 x 17", so I can see many many books in the making here. And we have lime green, fuschia, pumpkin, oooohhh, such fun colours!



There's only one problem here....does anyone know where I can put it all?

Pipe Organ Binding

A little slow in posting this week, but here is what we made at Sunday's workshop: a book with a Pipe Organ Binding. This workshop was taught by Suzanne Cannon of Quietfire Design. If you haven't visited her site, check out the link. She sells loads of supplies for calligraphers, bookbinders, and other paper arts.

Here the signatures (groups of pages) are sewn onto cords which are later attached to the covers.



The stitches that make it resemble a pipe organ are sewn last, and are purely decorative.



I think this binding might be well suited for a book for a special occasion, like a guest book, and would look good with the pages in landscape format.

I didn't get any pics of the rest of the class's books, so you'll have to trust me that they were all very beautiful.

Vellum Strap Binding

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend 2 unique bookmaking workshops. On Saturday afternoon, we made books using a Vellum Strap Binding, where signatures were sewn onto straps of genuine natural vellum. The covers were made from gorgeous St. Armand Paper.

Our instructor, local bookmaker Janet Carroll, showed us many variations with the straps and options for adding embellishments to the covers. I have never worked with genuine vellum before, and was surprised to note the variations in appearance and texture, and to learn that you can also purchase dyed vellum (just like leather).

Here is a sampling of Janet's lovely books:



I'm learning that it is helpful to have a camera handy at a workshop. Being a visual person, I remember instructions better with visuals attached, so when the stitching gets complicated in terms of direction and placement, it's very helpful to take a quick pic:



I used flat button beads to anchor the straps to the front cover, and the straps on the back are woven into the back cover. Here is my finished book:



We were a small class, so we received lots of personal attention! Here are all the books made by the class:



In my next post, I'll fill you in on Sunday's workshop!

More Blocks for my Quilting Challenge!

My quilting group met last evening, and everyone brought their completed strip pieced squares for my challenge, as presented in September. Everyone was to make at least 8 diagonally pieced blocks, and aren't they all fabulous? It was so fun to lay them all out and see patterns emerging.

I don't know yet if I will make one quilt or 2 smaller quilts with all these blocks. The local children's hospital accepts quilts of all sizes, from a small square for a newborn to a twin size, so there is lots of flexibility if I make a charity quilt for them.

And on with the fun.....first we laid all the blocks randomly (so colourful!):



then we grouped them in blocks of 4 to make diamonds of one colour:



and then we played with them in diagonal rows of each colour:



Most people in my group seemed to prefer the 4 block diamonds. Whatever I decide, I can always make more blocks to fill in the colour gaps.

Which arrangement do you prefer, or do you have another idea for an arrangement?