I often have trouble making time for art & crafting projects, which is why I love my little sewn books. They are like little appetizers. So easy to play and experiment; just dip into the paper stash and go. No shopping required. No excuses. Just enough structure to let you get started without having to think your way out of having time to make something.

Some people keep their memories in journals and scrapbooks, but in my case they sometimes turn into journals and scrapbooks. A lot of my printing and collage experiments end up being returned to the stash to be incorporated into other projects, where they might come together with another scrap from another project from another time. These particular books use some of the materials from our wedding invitations — the linen book cord and the lokta paper.

I like the idea of storing the memories in the vessels themselves. It reminds me (obliquely, but it does) of that Steven Wright joke, where he says “I have an extensive collection of seashells, which I keep scattered on the beaches of the world.”

“Maybe you’ve seen it.”

Christmas cards are done, and ready to go in the mail. For the inside, I used greetings recycled from a batch of cards I picked up last year at the Salvation Army.

Some of the other card greetings are getting recycled as gift tags. Little pieces of collage are one of my favorite things to make. I like finding bits of my paper stash that look sort of seasonal and sparkly, even though they aren’t Christmas motifs as such.

Our place is now decked out for Christmas. We had a few neighbors over on Saturday, so we got everything gussied up. Its nice because we’ll be away for a bit before Christmas, so we’ll come home to our dog and a nice cozy house.

Sometimes its good to make things without a set goal. Just go by instinct and your emotional response. I was pretty stressed out during September. I think its the long days of running around trying to meet deadlines. By the time I get out of there I’m way more wound up than I should be. When I got a little down time during the past week, I didn’t think about what I wanted to do. I just knew I was going to do some sewing.

I cleaned up my workspace a bit, then I set up my sewing machine. Sewing isn’t really something I do that well, or that neatly, but I do find it really calming, if not exactly relaxing. I used soft, previously loved fabrics. Some sheets I picked up at the thrift store a while ago, so soft to the touch. And my favorite linen pants that wore out last spring, suddenly developing irreparable in inconvenient areas. Just a quick knitting bag that I knew I could start and finish quickly.

I’m also enjoying the tactile satisfaction of knitting simple cabled socks with some silky, pretty Debbie Bliss cashmerino. The pattern is from a Debbie Bliss book called “Home.” I currently have that and her “Celtic Collection” book out from the library, looking for future project ideas. Some of the celtic sweaters look like my future first-ever sweater, but the sizes are a little small for me and I don’t think I want to try sizing up a cabled cardigan for my first sweater project. Too much heartbreak potential.

That’s okay. I’m just enjoying knitting my socks of the moment, curled up on the sofa with the October rain falling outside.

I only squeezed in one morning of studio time last week, and worked on this collage using this map of the Gulf of Mexico.

Oh, my poor neglected work table! I haven’t spent much time there lately. Starting a new job has kept me busy, as well as good things like working outside in the yard and garden. I am eager to get back to this project. It’s my first “tweet” design. That’s what I’m calling the handmade items that I’m designing using re-used materials. This is a covered notebook with vintage fabrics and thrifted papers. More on that when I have a few finished pieces. Just a couple more busy work days to come, then I’ll be back at the work table.

I did find a couple of them, along with some really sweet, whisper-soft cotton sheets and pillowcases with a pink rose pattern and pink trim. The sweater on the left may actually be spared the wash cycle this time; its huge and bulky and I’m going to try recycling the wool for knitting projects. Maybe it will become the sweater I’ve been meaning to start, or a whole array of slippers, mittens, and hats.

I know that thrifting is nothing new to most of the crafty community, but I’ve just embraced it this year. Maybe it was the horrifying carloads of stuff that we purged when we moved, but I’ve been very cautious with my purchasing since then. I still love browsing through new fabrics, yarn, paper, and art supplies, but more and more I am turning to recycling and renewal to fuel my projects. Some lovely detail like this trim, or the faded shade of green that colors the leaves, provides the spark of an idea. Sometimes its easier to create when the process feels more like discovery.