Friend Friday - memory book

Today's Friend Friday project is from Shelley of Nahia Creations She and her best friend Leslie have started a back and forth book. How fun to receive this package in the mail! Here is what Shelley has to say:

"I suggested to my BFF, Leslie, that we start a Back and Forth Project. (I got the idea when I came across your blog a few weeks ago.) Since, we both like to scrapbook – I thought, “This would be perfect”! A great way to keep in touch even though we are a two-hour drive apart and don’t get to see each other as often as we would like. My BFF is fantastic because she took the idea and ran with it! She went to her local scrapbook store and picked out our book and started the project. Now we are going to pass it back and forth this year and, now, it is my turn! "

Thanks Shelley and Leslie!

capturing friends

kathie shot these pics and many more trying to get a good pool of gestures for drawings. And voilà! I love the patterns and can't wait to see what it will all look like married with backgrounds. I am trying to restrain my inner excited puppy and give Kathie the space she needs to create. I'll be sitting over here in my one woman studio wagging my tail ( picture inner puppy - not woman). Ha!

Friend Friday - The Miracle Foundation

Today's friend Friday project is on the heavy side of life. I wasn't expecting to include projects like this but it came up and I could not ignore the impact that this back and forth effort has had and will have.

"The Miracle Foundation, based in Austin, is an organization dedicated to empowering children to reach their full potential, one orphan at a time. Thousands of children in India share a similar story: a life of poverty, with no family, and little hope. The Miracle Foundation provides these orphans with food, water, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, love, belonging and most of all, hope.

The children housed in our orphanages receive things they once only dreamed of: a pillow, books, medicine, or even something as simple as a toy. Things we take for granted, they cherish."

Andrea Goldstein is a fellow mother at my son's Montessori school. She is starting a jewelry business called Aviva Love where 100% of the profits are sent to the Miracle Foundation to help these orphans. I will post a link as soon as her site is up. She and her partner Kim Love are sponsoring 10 children in India and 10 in Africa. One of the many things they do is send letters to these children from children and adults here in the states. This gave me the idea to donate my back and forth cards which will be ready next week. I'm sure this will turn into more than just sending letters for me but it's a place to start. Anyone can send letters. If you are in Austin you can drop off your letter at the foundation on 1506 W. 6th St. Read more about the Miracle Foundation here.

Friend Friday - loving hands quilt

A back and forth project between many friends. This will eventually be a quilt for one of our best girl pals Sarah and her sweet sweet baby girl. But why do you have to have a baby to get a quilt like this? I want one! Don't you?! The box is passed around and it has everything one needs to trace and embroider their own hand. I'm pretty sure this was started by kathie. When she returns from her trip I'll be sure to get her to chime in.

More of kathie!

I love this linocut that Kathie did and I hope that this style shows up somehow in Ruby and Esme. The other shots are of Kathie's detailed custom work. I think it is simply fascinating that a shirt starts out as pieces like in the last shot and then somehow becomes a super complicated finished out shirt. It's safe to assume I don't sew other than a little crafty dabbling here and there - no straight lines required.

Friend Friday - from Esme

This submission is from our 5 year old friend Esme! A complete coincidence that one of the characters in the book is also named Esme. I would say Esme scores pretty high in the artist department. Well done sister girl!

Here is what she has to say about this piece:

Ave is my godmother and Houston is my godfather and they live in New
Jersey. They live in the same house because Ave is Houston's mom. I
love them and miss them and wish I could see them every day. I am
making a collage to send to them and I want them to add something and
send it back to me. Ave is an artist but she hasn't painted in a long
time. I hope she paints again and adds it to my collage. Houston is
an artist too. We are going to send this back and forth to each other
and maybe it will grow into a giant painting and collage. My mom
loves to go to the post office. And our mailman Billy is really good
too so even if she doesn't go to the post office, he will take it for
us. I love waiting for packages in the mail.

blank blankness.

so, friend one casually one day says to friend two:
"I'm thinking maybe you could do some art stuff for this book I've written?"
friend one, in an equally casual manner, retorts:
"oh, totally. that'd be fun."

time goes by, and at random moments the topic of the book, and it's art, is broached. casually.

"yeah, I'm definitely into that. i just need to clear a little space in my schedule."
"oh I've got lots of ideas of the kinds of drawings i could do."
"are we talking about deadlines?"

delay. pause. procrastinate.

friend one becomes less casual, and more and more, well, professional. weird. a deal is made, a partnership forged.

friend one is now waiting. friend one, who jumped off the cliff- trusting that friend two would lovingly lift and support this little piece of friend ones soul, this piece that is currently in free-fall.

starting is hard. starting after a years long hiatus from anything not sewing related, is super hard.
I'm still in shock that I've been given the gift of collaborating on this project. this story that shannon has written is so touching and sweet and I'm sort of afraid i might mess the purity of it all up. she's done her work, now it's time to do mine.

blank.
canvas.
waiting.

breathe.

tag, I'm it!!

B+F project on Craftzine.com

Wow, I had no idea other people would spread the word for us. How cool is that?! Rachel of Average Jane Crafter submitted back and forth project to Craft magazine and they featured us the next day on their blog. Thanks Rachel and Natalie!

I absolutely adore this magazine and was beyond excited to hear this news. Pick up a mag today if you've never seen it. They also have another mag called MAKE which is equally satisfying.

Friend Friday - Round Robin Press' back and forth project

I am really excited to announce my back and forth project and it is one that I am actually going to add to the Round Robin Press line. In fact it launched this weekend at the NY Gift Show. It's another idea I've been sitting on for months and finally pushed it through because of this blog so THANK YOU for commenting and showing your support! It really helped me to get this done. Here is what this back and forth card is all about:

Embellish!

includes:
A 4 panel accordion folded card to be
passed back and forth between friends!

With sustainability in mind, we have included
one 10" x 13" 100 % recycled envelope
Fold the envelope in 4 ways to mail back and
forth 4 times. Then, peacefully decide who
gets to keep the card and the cool envelope
adorned with stamps and stickers!

enclosed:
1 4 panel card
1 10”x13” envelope
4 seals
+ lots of thought!

This should be available in the next few weeks to buy in stores and in my online shop. And here is a really cool link that can give you all kinds of ideas of how to embellish what's inside, the card, and the envelope! Mail Art!

I am inviting Kimb, hi kimbiny!, to do this back and forth card with me. I'll post pictures of what happens to the card as it travels back and forth between Los Angeles and Austin!