Good Things!

Hello! Hello! I hope things are going well in your little corner of the world! It's been a very challenging summer. Last week, as if we didn't have enough excitement around here with health issues, mother nature decided to have a go. We got a major storm here on the west coast with 80km winds and rain. Trees went down all over the place-two went down across the street at the neighbour's and took out his fence and the rear window of a car parked across the street. In a matter of minutes, surrounding neighbours came with their chainsaws and handsaws to help. The trees were blocking the road (and the bus route) but they were able to dismantle the downed trees enough to clear the roadway. I live in an awesome neighbourhood!

We also lost power at noon on Saturday and it wasn't restored until late Monday night. We lost the contents of our fridge and deep freeze. It took us 3 hours to clean that up-you can't just put everything in a garbage bag and toss it out. Because of environmental measures here, you have to separate food from packaging. The packaging has to be rinsed and recycled and the food goes into the green recycling bins. Let's just say dealing with dead spoiled fish is not fun. YUCK! It was challenging restocking our fridge too-many of the local stores were also without power for days, so they lost all their perishables too. My fridge is still pretty empty, but I'm working on it. The good news is we got much needed rain and we are okay. We played alot of cribbage, burned candles and when it got dark, made our way around with flashlights. We were completely off the grid at home-no power, no lights, no hot water, no Internet. It was like indoor camping for 3 days.

Now that things are back to normal, I wanted to share that I've finally got copies of my latest zine, Manual Dexterity #4 available in my Etsy shop. I also had a few people ask me about Manual Dexterity #3, the Hallowe'en/Autumn issue I did a couple years ago. I managed to scare up a few copies (see what I did there?) so they are also available. I have limited copies, so if you want one, I suggest you act fast!

                  

I also really excited that my new advocacy business cards from MOO have arrived! For some time now I have been wanting to make some specific to the work I do as an advocate for NMO and MS. I finally got around to it. I've ordered business cards from Moo for years and have had nothing but exceptional service. Seriously, they exceed my expectations each and every time. I decided to order the rounded corners on my cards and to go with the standard business size this time, instead of the mini cards which I love so much. (And can't stop ordering!) They were in my mailbox this morning and they are GORGEOUS! I am going to be so proud to hand them out!

If you'd like to order some for your very own, you can do so here. By clicking the link, you will receive 10% off your first order. Can't beat that!

So..that's the latest news. I am looking forward to Autumn which will be here soon-I'm counting the days!

Operation Etsy Restock A Success!

 Hello everyone! I've been holed up in my studio, nose the grind stone & fingers flying, for the past few days, making journals! They are now listed in my Etsy.

At the urging of friends, I've created the very first set of gelli print journals. I do believe I'm the first person to list anything like this on Etsy, so if you see them after today, I will officially be ahead of the curve and perhaps even a trend setter! *grins*

I picked my most favourite prints to include in these journals, which means there are a rich and vibrant collection of colours and textures. The pages are just waiting for your art and words!

I also got a request to restock Remains of the Day journals. These are truly a work of heart, as a significant amount of time goes into making them. I've used a couple treasured fabrics from my stash and a whole whack of ephemera, washi tape and bits & bobs to make them special. Please see the listings for a more complete breakdown about what's inside!

Edit: Holy WOW! The Letter ROD Journal has already been snapped up! That was lightening fast! *Boggles*

While I was at it, I decided to refresh my store banner:

I used a photo I took when I was up in Whistler last summer. I love how this looks! There's something very satisfying about being able to use your own work to design things like this. It makes me happy!

So, there you have it, the mercantile is now open for business! I am hoping to add a few more things over the next couple of weeks, but if you see something you love, grab it because when it's gone, it's gone!

An Art Date

 

It's been an artful weekend so far. Yesterday my pal Carol came over for an art date, to try her hand at Gelli Plate printing. While she was busy playing with paint, I put together this journal for myself using some of the prints I've made. I absolutely LOVE it!

Here's a quick flip through video I made to give you a peek of what's inside. Several friends have encouraged me to make similar journals available in my Etsy shop, so I've decided to do it. The one in the video was a prototype so there will be some improvements to the ones I will be making for my shop. I'll let you know as soon as they are ready! 

I wanted to try printing on labels yesterday. I think these would be fun to add into my journals. I bought a box of labels, so I have plenty left to experiment with.

Carol had a great time creating. She ended up printing about 30 pages and she said she could see why I said bring a whole package of cardstock. Once you start, you can't stop! She made some great papers and I think she will be hunting down textures to use for next time!

We had a nice lunch-I made my favourite chicken, brie and fig jam sandwiches and Carol brought a yummy chocolate cream pie to share. It's amazing how quickly 6 hours can fly by when you're having fun!

Journal Love!

 Hello! I hope you are enjoying the first days of Autumn! I'm just waiting now for the leaves to start turning-we've had sort of a late summer. September has been pretty warm, so the trees haven't quite begun to transition for fall yet. Any minute now, though!

Meanwhile, I've been keeping busy in the studio. I decided to make a couple of journals and use up some of the yummy bits that I've been saving. One (pictured  above) is an ROD style journal. Don'tcha just LOVE the fabric? It has two things I love-circles & aqua! It's one of my favourites and it's the absolute last piece I have of this print. 

The other is a journal made from the cover of a rescued vintage book* and more lovely doodads I've been saving for a rainy day. Both are one of a kind, lovingly made by my hands and available in my Etsy shop. I recommend popping over there right now if you'd like one for your very own, to avoid being disappointed! Once they're gone, they're gone!

*The Rescued Book Journal is SOLD! The ROD style journal is still available!

There's Something Happenin' Here...

Things have been so crazy lately, I figured I'd do a catch up post. First of all, I've been busy tidying up my blog some. As you can see, the sidebar is much less cluttered now. I've tucked all the info that was there into the "Pages" section and added a few more tidbits as well. I've finally gotten around to posting a bio on the "About" page. It's only taken me 8 years!

 There is also a page housing the links to the fabulous e-courses I've taken and highly recommend-photography classes with Vivienne McMaster and mixed media workshops with Mary Ann Moss. I love them both and you can't go wrong if you sign up for any of what they have to offer. You can click on any of the class icons on that page and be connected directly to the information for that class. Anyway, poke around if you like-it's all there.

You may also be interested to know that there are a great selection of postcards, created from my original photographs available in my etsy shop. I just uploaded a couple more new ones on Sunday afternoon, but this is the first chance I've had to mention it here. Maybe you'd like to treat yourself or a friend to a little mail love? (They are also great for framing or sewing into a journal if you can't bear to part with them.)

Other than that, I've had my nose to the grindstone, working on an interview, writing articles and chasing deadlines for art projects. Saturday, I managed a whole day away from the studio, art supply shopping and lunching with my art partner-in-crime, Penn. She made me a really cool birthday gift, which I haven't had a chance to photograph yet, but I love it! (THANKS PENN!) I'll post pics soon.

Yesterday marked two years since I carried the Paralympic flame through the streets of Vancouver. It's hard to believe that much time has passed and harder still to believe it really did happen. It still seems like some fantastical dream. I am continuously in awe of the amazing things I've gotten to do so far in my life and I'm deeply grateful for each and every opportunity I've had. My friend Carrie lovingly teases me about the never-ending "life list" that I keep crossing things off of. It's become an ongoing joke between us. Every time I share what big thing I am doing next, she mimes a giant tick mark in the air. Little does she know this just eggs me on. *grins*

Oh and one more important thing before I sign off:

Next week, on Wednesday, March 21st, Seth Apter, will be hosting a Twitter Launch Party from 9-10 EST (6-7 PST) for his beautiful new book.

 As a contributing artist, I will be participating, along with many others whose work is included in The Pulse of Mixed Media. On Monday, I will post Seth's handy-dandy instructions on how to join us-it's super simple and I hope you will! It's going to be a good time!

Okay! That's all I have time for for now. *waves*

121 Days

Copyright Lelainia Lloyd/Tattered Edge 2011-2012

So this is what an entire course of Getting Through the Grey looks like for me. This is four months worth of work which yielded a total of sixty-six completed images in 121 days. It's really cool to be able to look at it like this and see just how much I managed to accomplish.

A good number of these images are available in postcard form in my Etsy Shop, so if you saw something you liked, it may just be available for purchase!

So what's next? Well my plan is to take a second round of Swan Dive. Since my beloved Picnik is shutting down in mid-April, it's time to make friends with Photoshop and I think with Vivienne's gentle guidance, it may just be possible. (And I'm always willing to keep an open mind when it comes to what's possible.)

Onward!

New In My Etsy Shop!

Urban Landscape

Just a super quick update to let you know that I've got some brand new handmade postcards available in my Etsy shop this morning! If you liked Legacy, which appeared in my last post, it's now available to purchase, along with a whole host of new images, including Tapping In , Urban Landscape (pictured above) and more!

Hope you're having a good weekend in your neck of the woods.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mail Art

So I've been running my own little postcard factory the last couple of days. I've printed some of my most favourite images I created in Wading In, Light Hunters, Swan Dive and Getting Through the Grey and made them (by hand!) into postcards.

My friend Deb and I were chatting yesterday and she told me that she's got a bunch of them tacked to her inspiration board in her studio. She said that she contemplated sending them as postcards, but then decided that she couldn't bear to part with them. *grins* That made me hugely happy!

The good news is that I've packaged them into sets of four and have them available for purchase in my Etsy, so if you love them just as much, you can always order a set to keep and one to send. Just convo me if you want two identical sets and I'll hook you up! (I'm making them as fast as my hands will let me.)

It's been dark and rainy here the last while and I've been busy with the 2012 Olympic Women's Soccer Qualifying Tournament, (GO CANADA GO!!) so I haven't had the time or energy to shoot photos. Hopefully I'll be back on track by the weekend. There are only 5 more weeks of Getting Through the Grey left!

Leap of Faith

So for awhile now, I've been making handmade postcards from images I've created in the photography classes I've been taking. I've always thought I would love working with a card company, but since that hasn't happened (yet) I've been content to start making them on my own. I love postcards and I've made a few sets to exchange with a few of my classmates in Getting Through the Grey.

My friend Pip got the packet I sent her in the mail this week and encouraged me to put some of my postcards for sale in my Etsy shop. I hemmed and hawed about it and then she emailed me again yesterday, giving me another gentle nudge. This morning, I took a leap of faith and went ahead and did it. Sometimes it's hard to put yourself out there, but honestly, what do I have to lose? No risk, no reward! (Thanks Pip for your vote of confidence! xo)

I have three different sets available, with plans to offer more, once I get prints made, which hopefully will happen later today.  Until then, you can find my first three sets here, here and here. You can send them to a friend or to keep for yourself. They'd also look cool sewn into your journal, or you could always frame them-it's up to you! Pip said she plans to frame hers.


**Mary Ellen & Sherry, please email me your snail mail addys so I can send you your winnings! Thanks!**

Zines A-Plenty!

 I've been quiet the last few days because I've been working on finishing zines! Yes, I've finally completed 71 Rue du Maison, the second in a series of limited edition mini house zines!

 12 full colour pages of artsy goodness!

 Each zine is lovingly (and painstakingly) made by me, using my own original design.

They are available in the Tattered Edge Mercantile right now! If you missed the first zine in this series, 78 Rue du Maison, and want to collect the whole set, I still have a couple copies left, but once they're gone, they're gone!

Now the really exciting part: in addition to finishing these mini house zines, I am also in the home stretch of completing issue #3 of Manual Dexterity! Yes, it's true! By this time next week, I should be posting that they are available for purchase! WOOHOO!!

If you'd like to order both new zines at the same time, just message me through Etsy and I will set a copy of 71 Rue du Maison aside for you until copies of Manual Dexterity are ready.

Thanks to everyone who has been supporting this small press adventure. It's so happy-making to be able to self-publish and have people embrace it!

 In other zine related news, got an email recently asking if I would be willing to donate copies of my zines to be a part of a brand new zine library at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Copies of everything I've made so far are winging their way to Missouri right now. The university has a FB page as well as a blog. If you're a zine maker and would like to donate your zines to the library, you can get in touch via either of these links. Tell Jenn I sent ya!

From the Magic Mailbox

 A couple weeks ago, I posted about this amazing fabric that enchanted me so. It was printed with vintage Viewfinder reels, something that spoke deeply to me from my childhood.

I manage to track down a shop on Etsy (how I love Etsy!) that was selling it and ordered myself a delicious half yard. Then, as I do most times, I forgot all about it. That is, until this week while watching the horror of what was happening in Japan unfold and it suddenly, it dawned on me that my order was coming from a sweet woman named Frances, who lives in Tokyo.

I logged onto Etsy, not knowing what I would find when I got to her shop, but hoping that somehow I would be able to know if she was okay. I am happy to report that she and her family are fine. They have left Tokyo for now and are staying with friends in the West.

I sent her an email to let her know I was thinking about her and everyone in Japan and praying for their safety. I offered her words of encouragement and told her that the world is in awe with the exceptional grace and dignity with which the Japanese people are handling such a chaotic and frightening situations-there is no rioting or looting, everyone is being patient and helping one another as much as they can. I told her that we care and that we are sending help via the relief agencies.

And within an hour of sending that message, the fabric she had mailed out before life in Japan changed forever, arrived.  I will always think of her when I see that fabric, whatever I make from it.

The Canadian Red Cross

is accepting donations to aid the relief efforts for  

both New Zealand and Japan

You can make a donation here.

 I haven't a decent segue from that into this, so bear with me! The magic mailbox was chock full of goodies this week. Everything came at once. I'd ordered this really cool roll of tape about 3 weeks ago and I am so glad I did. It's a substantial roll and I really loved the print. I'll be using it in my RODs.

 Also, last month, Teesha had free shipping on all orders, (which is the kind of intel you get from being on her mailing list!) so my husband said I could order some goodies as my Valentine's present. (Thanks sweetie!) I've long been coveting Teesha's 4 journal book set, so those were the first things that went into my cart.

 They are so yummy! They measure just slightly larger than 1/2 fold, so they are pretty much zine size and full colour, 40 pages each. MMMM!!

 Here are the 4 books. It's the kind of thing you can pour over for hours and always see something new.

This is one of my most fav pages, for obvious reasons-DOGS!! I remember seeing this image and falling in love with it even before I really knew who Teesha was. Funny to think I loved her art long before I'd ever met her or gone to Artfest!

I also ordered a few pieces of rubber I wanted and a couple collage sheets. I debated buying her post card set and then for some crazy reason, didn't. Silly me! If you're interested in checking out her work, you can find her shop here.

Off to peruse those journal books!

Eyecandy

1. ice blue winter heart, 2. Syncopation: all done, 3. side one, 4. pincushion mania 001, 5. selvedgewristlet2, 6. pods, 7. RotD Journal II, 8. january-17-2011, 9. Grunge Chic Journal - Teal, 10. paper wrapped spiral stratum ring, 11. Primarily Detail Journal page, 12. Harry's cushion, 13. inside my bag, 14. RotD Journal II, 15. DSC_0011, 16. above.

Oh my goodness do I love vintage aqua! I was going through my Flickr favourites and realized that there's a dirth of this hue in my collection. I figured I would share what's inspiring me of late.

I don't know about you, but I enjoy looking at other people's mosaics-it's a good way to discover other artists. It also lets you learn a bit about the person who posts it. You get a glimpse of what makes their world go 'round. 

See that pillow with the View Master reels on it? Well I had one of those toys, a red one when I was really little. My grandparents bought it for me and they would travel all over the US, a good part of the time with me in tow and buy reels for it. They'd get them at touristy places like Disney Land, Carlsbad Caverns and such. It was cool seeing where they had been and having reels to remember our trips together. I also had cartoon reels from various Disney movies. I wish I still had it. I'd love to have this pillow because reminds me of these good memories.

There's a story behind why I like each thing in this mosaic, but I'll just let you enjoy it for yourselves.

*EDIT: I tracked down that fabulous fabric via Etsy and bought myself some. YAY! It's called Ruby Star Rising. If you have to have it too, you can find it here. The shopkeeper, Francis is super nice and I've never ordered fabric all the way from Japan. Fun! What ever did we artists do before the internet?!

Speaking of eyecandy, over the weekend, I was busy in the studio working on zines of all sizes. We got some sneaux here on Saturday (highly unusual) and so it seemed prudent to just hole up and get creative. My mini zines have been flying out of my Etsy shop. Thank you! I am just finishing up some copies of Manual Dexterity Issue #2.

 I had a couple copies of issue #2 left over from the zine exchange which I posted for sale and they were snapped up, pretty much instantly and then I never had the chance to restock. I've finally gotten around to it now. (It's pretty labour intensive, so I needed to wait till .I had time to work on assembling them.) This will be the last run of issue #2-there are only a half dozen copies and once they're gone, they're gone! If you'd like one for your very own, please visit the Tattered Edge Mercantile. I'm now beginning work on issue #3!

Art On the Sly

 I've actually been doing a fair bit of art in the last few months, but haven't been able to share a good chunk of it, for various reasons, so it probably seems like nothing's getting done. I assure you that's not true!

Yesterday I completed this pixel heart for a project my friend Melissa is doing. She wanted to create a paper quilt of hearts to go above her bed in her new home. I made one "block" for the "quilt" using squares punched from various art magazines. I thought that would be meaningful for her because she writes for one. I mounted the heart on a piece of anaglypta I had and I'm pleased with the results. It's packaged up and ready to go int he mail when I go to the Post office on Friday.

I also did a small exchange with friends Michelle and Penelope for Valentine's Day. I can't show you (yet) what's inside because Michelle hasn't opened hers yet. I'll post pics of the gifts once they've all been exchanged. I don't want to ruin the surprise.

In other news, my new friend Carol has opened an Etsy shop. She's begun stocking it with some of her cool photographs. I love the one of the bunny noses. So adorable! You can find her shop here. Please show her some love and "favorite" her! (Thanks!)

Okay, must run-I am working on some mini zines and time's a wastin'!

Zines for Sale!!

Just before the holidays, I designed this wee zine, 78, Rue du Maison as my swap for our ATC groups birthday exchange. It was fun to make and I decided to create a few more and put them in my Etsy shop, Tattered Edge Mercantile.

Also available in the shop are the last issues of Manual Dexterity issues #1 & 2. If you want to have the complete set (I've had alot of positive feedback on the first two!) then now's the time to snap them up-once they're gone, they're gone! Future issues are in the works, so keep watching here for info on their release.

EDIT: Issues #1 and #2 of Manual Dexterity have sold out. Thank you!
You may still purchase 78 Rue du Maison!

In the meantime, I am busy packing up to have a weekend away with friends dedicated to art-making. It will be nice to get out of the studio and commune with "my people". More on that when I return. In the meantime, I will leave you with this image of the winter sky, dawn breaking over Mount Baker on Monday.

Textiles & Miracles

I've been haunting the local bookstore for the last week looking for the latest edition of Sew Somerset. Why? Well aside from it being one of my favourite magazines at the moment, my sweet friend Pilar emailed me to tell me that she had an article coming out in it, in which I was mentioned. WOW! That was a lovely surprise! (*Love* the colours on the cover, by the way. This issue is fairly brimming with great content!)




Awhile back Pilar sent me a parcel. I can't tell you how deeply touched I was when I opened the package and found a milagro created just for me. Pilar works magic with needle and thread and her textile work is always so enchanting. I guess Stampington thought so too because they asked her to write an article about her latest inspiration.



The milagro she sent me looks much like the ones pictured in the article but each one is unique and mine says "Healing" and has silk flowers on it. It's been carefully tea dyed and infused with love and her good wishes and prayers for my health to improve. It hangs on my inspiration board right above my desk, so I see it each and every day. I smile every time I look at it.



If you're interested in having one of Pilar's gorgeous milagros for yourself, you can find them here in her Etsy store and there are also some here in her Art Fire store. She even has some with hand etched brass icons in the center. They are amazing.



THANK YOU Pilar for the blessing of your friendship and congratulations on your article. You are a gem! xox



*FYI: Pilar is currently offering free shipping within the US and to Canada! Hurry to take advantage of this savings!

The Sweetness of Friendship

There was good stuff in my magical mailbox this week! Pilar sent me a Yule pressie! She made me the beautiful textile bracelet with a beaded, felted heart layered on the front...

...and stitching that says "sweetness of life" beside. It's just gorgeous and feels so nice on my wrist. I love it for several reasons: it's from one of my most treasured friends; it's RED, my favourite colour; it's soft; it has tattered edges; it's a heart, which Pilar sends me as her way of letting me know I am loved and it has a beautiful glass button (I LOVE buttons!) in the center.

It totally amazes me the amount of control she has to be able to coax the words out of her sewing machine and onto the fabric so that you can read them. I am guessing that she uses a darning foot and having been a quilter for about 16+ years, I can tell you it's a testament to her skill as an artist! I couldn't do it-it would be this hideous tangled rat's nest that I would probably have to use scissors to yank out of the feed dogs. Seriously!

Pilar has an Etsy shop, which she working on restocking, so go now and bookmark it. You can click on her "sold" items and see the scrumptious goodies that have already been snapped up to get an idea of what she has to offer. I promise you, they are fabulous! Also, I want to share with you that a little birdie told me that Pilar's going to be appearing in an upcoming issue of Sew Somerset, so be sure to keep an eye out!

The sweetness in my life comes from the people I am blessed to call my friends. Each of them has their own endearing qualities and Pilar has the kindest heart and a gentle soul. She lifts me up in her own special way and every time I wear this bracelet, I am going to feel the warmth and love of our friendship wrap around me. Yes, I know that's mushy, and terribly sentimental, but it's true!

Thank you Pip. xox

Puppies & Art

Copyright C. Lloyd 2008

The blog that has gone to the dogs....okay not really but I couldn't resist showing off my pup Indy (the black Lab) and his buddy Bosco. My son took this pic last week. Bosco belongs to a friend of his and they get together most evenings to walk the puppies.

Bosco and Indy are the same age, only a day apart. It's amazing the difference between them in terms of their builds. I love this pic and how they are sitting mirror image to one another. I wish you could see in photos just how shiny and beautiful Indy's coat is. He really is gorgeous and he has the most dear personality.

I had a bit of a rough week last week and ended up having to spend part of it on the couch, watching really old episodes of Survivor and The Amazing Race with Indy curled up beside me. I did some damage to my knee and had to keep off it for a few days. It was an ugly, ugly mess, but it's finally starting to heal. Needless to say, I didn't get much art done. I am playing catch up this week.

In lieu of my own art this week, I suggest that if you are in need of some eyecandy or perhaps want a bit of the old west for your very own, you visit my pal Deb Trotter's Etsy Shop. She's got some wonderful Buckaroo bags along with some Cowboy's Sweetheart/Maverick Rose pendants. Being the proud owner of one of each, I can tell you they are beautiful! I wear my pendant all the time. It's a design made from a piece of art Deb did for me in a RR we were in a couple years ago. It's so cool to have the original piece of art and have the pendant as well.

The Buckaroo bag Deb gave me was an Xmas gift last year and it's perfect for toting all my essentials. I love that it's one-of-a- kind!

If you are just starting to think about holiday shopping, why not check out Etsy? It's a great way to find interesting and unique gifts at affordable prices. The part that I really like about it is that it gives you the chance to support hard working artists, rather than big box retailers. The gifts you can buy on Etsy are handmade and often one-of-a-kind, created with care by people who love what they do. Who wouldn't want to support that?!

I have done a fair amount of shopping through this site and have always been very happy with the quality of the items I've bought and the speed of the shipping. (Which has mainly been from the US to Canada.) I can't say enough good things about Etsy! It's a treasure trove of all things artsy!

So what are you waiting for?! GO! Check it out!