waiting for Chang E

I, personally, am going insane waiting for Chang E (my proof copy) to arrive. Oh, >sigh<.

Bead Ribbons are now available!

I have been making Bead Ribbons as my part in getting Chang E began to slow down. It seems to calm my heart, get me breathing regularly again.And I have been wanting to show these to you.
They are so amazing to hold.
They look like a ribbon, but being made of glass seed beads they are actually heavy.Go on over to etsy and have a look.

Chang E is at the printer

I am waiting ... waiting ...

Chang E, my newest Picture book, is now completely uploaded and at the printer. So, I wait for the final proofreading and O.K.

I thought that in the meantime I would update my website and some other places. So I am at the library where they have a much faster internet connection ... except that it is not working very fast today.

>sigh<

I am working on a new handmade book and some ATCs while I wait.

So here is an ATC journal that I made about a year ago.

And here is a new handmade journal that I started working on last night.

Above you see it closed with a thread loop and rose quartz bead. Lovely handmade paper from our local art store.

Below it is open. I have sewn the signatures at quite a distance apart on purpose - so that I will be able to add lots of 3-dimensional treasures. It will keep me busy and keep me from getting too impatient while I wait for the final proof of Chang E.

Chang E reaching the printers!

Eeeeeeee!

I am so excited! I am in the process of getting Chang E: The Lady of the Moon off to the printers. It won't be long now. Lots of proofreading at this point, making sure that what we are sending them is actually what got over the web waves to them. There was a bit of a snafu last night, but my computer guy will fix that this morning.

I am self publishing at lulu.com. This is a print-on-demand publisher. Actually, they are a printer. I am the publisher: Robinsunne Postcard Press. I had this all figured out when I was 11.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about this in the past week: I have always thought that I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I always stared in wonderment at my friends who left college and went out and got a "real" job. You know: in a bank, or a business, or went to graduate school, got some alphabet after their name (LCSW, MSED, MB, PhD) and then went and actually got a job doing what they had studied. I have always been so impressed and so totally helpless to do anything of the sort.

What I am seeing now is that I was in an educational system, just not one that gives out sheepskin. I have had a rather unglorious string of jobs that have actually included fast food joints. Of course there were some pearls in there too (ever been to Coyote Moon in Belfast?) But I haven't been making the money that my peers have. I don't have more than a BA on my wall, and that is in History. I still haven't figured out what that was all about.

So I have always wondered: what is my job? What is my work? What am I doing here?

Well, now I know. Sort-of. I actually think that I am doing the thing that will take me to the real work of my life. Anyway: I write books. I have been wanting to tell stories and teach art most of my life and now, with the miracles of the internet and print-on-demand publishing, I can just write out all of the stuff that has been gathering in my brain for decades.

It is very exciting. Chang E is my second picture book and next on my list (already underway, in fact) is another how-to art book. It is odd. I actually know a lot. I have been practicing stuff that isn't out on the art shelves at the bookstores yet, and I think that you all will enjoy the books a lot. This next book has many, beautiful and amazing art quilts in it. Yeah, they are all by me, and I don't mean to be bragging, just to get you excited about the technique because it is simple and, well, just plain luscious. You can do this and you will make even more thrilling pieces than I can imagine.

Anyway, I belong here; in this way, doing this thing: writing books.

Keep checking in. We are only a week or two away.

!!!!!!!!

bead ribbons

It has been all about bead ribbons lately ... yeah, that and messed up computers. Thus: the long blogging vacation.
But lots of beads!