Star Book Workshop

I just wanted to share with you this opportunity to come play at bookbinding.  I'll be in Vancouver in late April teaching this fabulous book.  The Star Book version we will be making is hard covered with a stitched binding.  It's a completely awesome coffee table book when filled!



Best Commercial *Ever*

Okay, I don't drink beer.  I didn't watch the Superbowl - okay I watched Beyonce.  (Whew, dang that girl can move!) But the absolute highlight for me was that Budweiser made this amazing commercial.
 

I'm afraid they're going to call the little guy "Bud".  Actually, it's cute, but just a bit too on the nose.  I'm sure they could have come up with a better name for the video besides "Brotherhood".  Whatever, this is a winner in my books.

And posted later yesterday:  The extended version which is ever so subtly another notch up!

Thumbs up Budweiser!

& Baby Makes Three!

Years ago, our family began attending French Family Camp annually.  During set-up the first year here on the Island, I shouted "Michel!", expecting my little guy to come running.  Instead there was this deep voice in the adjacent campsite replying "Yes?"  That started a friendship with a wonderfully talented and diverse family. 

Big Michel's son Adam was always a dynamic part of the camp experience when he was there!  Well, Adam is "all growed up now" and, with the love of his life, introduced a beautiful baby girl into the world 16 days ago.

Michel with the deep voice passed away last year, missing the birth of his grandchild Evangeline, but he lives on in part of Evangeline's full name.

As well as lettering a poem written by her grandmother, I created this for Evangeline's room.

When I first thought of doing this, it occurred to me that I should frame it. But where am I going to find a shadow box frame? Nope, I didn't have a clue where to get one here in town. So I pondered and scratched my head and finally had a Eureka moment in the shower.

Walnut Hollow to the rescue!  The original plan for these Walnut Hollow plaques was to create book covers with them....  ahem.  Not any more! 

I hated to cover up the pine, but I thought this called for pure white. 
Okay, I confess, I knocked the white back a bit with Raw Sienna to match the watercolour paper better.
You may find these plaques on the Walnut Hollow site here.  My mind hasn't really gone to home decor for a while, so I was so really very happy when I thought of this!
Three coats of paint later...  it was just like card-making.

The Floral Oval was cut from Arches 140lb HP watercolour paper. Lettering was done with gouache and a Mitchell Roundhand nib.  The flourishing was also gouache and a  Esterbrook 357 Vintage nib.  A bit of Pan Pastels were added over top of the flourishing.
I had one of those little zig-zag hangers (thank goodness!) and glued it to the back and it was good to go!
Other items used in this project are in the thumbnail links below.
Thanks for having a look!  Suzanne

Floral Ovals Grand Ovals Wonderful Wings Foliage Two Arches Watercolour Paper Mitchell Roundhand Nib Grand Calibur

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Statistical Anomaly - Yay! Snow on Christmas Day!

It hardy ever happens here on the wet coast! I hope you're having a magical day, too!

 

Merry Christmas!

What is Christmas without a hippo!?  I had a hard time finding a good quality version of this ad.  Telus no longer has it on their YouTube channel.

Hazina never fails to make me smile.  She's the hippo at the Vancouver Zoo.  I must get there one day and see her in person.

I hope you have a hippopotamus size Christmas!

 *Note: This is from the Telus 2005 Christmas campaign

Merry Christmas, Mich!

You have to come home to get the card at New Year's!  Drive safely!

Happy Birthday Yogi!

How daunting.  Making a birthday card for Yogi Grunwald....  It's like sending coal to Newcastle!!!

Happy Birthday Yogi!  (Yes, it's original lettering! and yes, it will be late arriving!)
Have a great day - treat yourself!

 

 

 

Lettered with a 3-1/2 Mitchell Roundhand Nib using Dr. Martin's Bleedproof white on Core'dination's cardstock (the smooth side!!).  The Spellbinder's die is the Cut Fold Tuck Spectacular Spin.

Let it Snow - Teabag Folded Snowflake

Pop on over to Quietfire Creations to see all the details of this card.  I loved how it turned out!

 

In Memory :: John Stolarski

It's that time of year when you have the opportunity to re-connect with friends you may not have seen in many years. You dash off a happy note with your card mentioning something you may have shared years ago, suddenly forgetting the relentless march of time - as though you were magically transported back and nothing has changed.
 

And then the return card comes, with the unfamiliar handwriting and the return address that, although familiar, is not quite right. That happened last night.

 
 So why am I sharing this?  Because a friend, a dear friend of my parents, is gone. But the loss is significant here because this person sparked my fascination with lettering.  Oh, so long ago. 

 
 I guess I was 10 years old.  We’d moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and as we looked out the back window of our new house to the neighbour’s, we saw the largest cage we had *ever* seen.  It never took my mother long to solve a puzzle.  That was how we met John Stolarski and his family.  John was an RCMP Dogmaster.  And he loved Italic lettering.  He shared nibs and ink with me and an instruction book that I cannot remember the name of. He took my parents to an RCMP Ball in Regina. He took me out on the bald prairie one weekend, asked for my scarf and told me to go hide.  Then he laughed at my saucer-eyed expression when his huge German Shepherd suddenly found my scent and came roaring over a little rise towards me.  And when we had our first son many years later, he and Mildred brought the gift of a wonderful stuffed bunny with bendy ears.  I remember sitting beside John watching him give that bunny life and character by rearranging his ears, chuckling the whole time. "Mr. B" still sits on the shelf behind my chair. His ears are pretty worn out now, though!
 
John passed away a few weeks ago and it feels like I’ve lost my parents all over again.
 
Our paths weave in and out and lives tangle and stray and often come back together.  I haven’t seen the Stolarskis in years.  But the memories are still vivid and never forgotten.  
 
John never stopped addressing Christmas cards in his jet black, strong Italic hand.  Watch for the next black cloud in the sky.  Perhaps John has spilled his bottle of ink.

My deepest sympathy to Mildred and Shawnee for their loss.  And my apologies to John that this quote, lettered many years ago, isn't even Italic!



I Will Honour Christmas - Card

I do love these Memory Box Dies!  It was impossible to resist that little version of Furry Woodland Creatures (those eating machines which devour precious flowers with great abandon....).  It seems every time I drive into Comox I see one or three and have to stop to let them cross the street.  I swear there is a field near here that grows them like a crop!  And I love every one of them.

I went for white and the blue grey of Distress Weathered Wood for this card.  There is one touch of red in this card - it's a simple bow made of waxed linen thread.

 

Here are the thumbnail links to the products.  The Embossing Folder is Spellbinders M-Bossabilities and it was diecut with Spellbinders Grand Ovals. If you find the links don't work, then the product may be sold out.

Thanks for stopping by! Suzanne

I Will Honour Christmas MB Deer Trio MB Wreath Die Grand Calibur Distress Inks Coloured Cardstock Double-sided Tape Pop Dots Glue Dots 4-ply Waxed Linen Thread

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