"Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turned upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?" -Rumi

This quote sums up much of my past year. I've described it to some as having been turned upside down, everything shaken out of my pockets, and then put right side up, looking at everything with new eyes. It has been jolting (in a good way) and has reorganized my life- inside and out. Its rather incredible when these times happen. The fog begins to clear further, and we can see more honestly what IS as oppose to believing the illusions that we tell ourselves. Journaling is one of the catalyst for me. When I know I need to, I will sit and start "free writing" for 15 mins. This means that I just start writing whatever comes to mind and can't stop and check the internet or my phone or be distracted for 15 mins.  By then, I have broken through to where I will keep writing until everything comes out that needs to. Once I've emptied myself, I can better listen and the answers and insights come.

 Thank you to Artisan Made Decor and Gifts for sharing this! You can see the full article and photos here.

"In a world filled with lots of external noise coming at us from all directions, it can be difficult to listen to that inner voice that is trying to help you find your way. Our next Maker heard that voice, and heeded it’s call. Meet Melissa Oesch, the creator and owner behind Re-Imagined by Luna. She tells us of her story... “In college, someone asked if I wanted to learn book-binding. I have always been drawn to books. I read them voraciously growing up — as a way to travel, escape and imagine. I've also kept a journal since I was six years old, using it to reflect and process, even at that young age. So, the idea of creating a book to write in was appealing. The invitation was to an evening workshop where we learned to bind using the Coptic stitch. When I finished, I swore I would never make another book. It took more patience than I anticipated and was the floppiest book ever. Little did I know…. I started entertaining the idea of beginning a book-making business while I was working on an organic vegetable farm. I remember thinking, "What if I could DO this?" I knew the only way to find out was to try. The name for the business had already been given to me. It came one night when I was reflecting on the past few difficult years. A lot had happened that made me fearful of the future. I felt like I had been holding my breath waiting for some relief. It was that night that the word "re-imagine" was given to me. I had the poignant thought that I needed to re-imagine the way my life could be rather than assuming that it would always be the way it had been. It could be more wonderful than I had ever thought. I could not shake this concept. At the time, I was creating journals out of vintage book covers and recycled paper. The word "re-imagine" continued to echo inside me even in regards to beginning a business. It shouted to me that I was capable and quietly reiterated my desire to be eco-friendly through "re-imagining" my materials."

Here is a brief break-down on how to make a leather book (and a peak in the studio)...

Every book is made up of multiple signatures (folded pages) of paper that is either hand-cut or hand-torn.

The covers are then created.  They have to be cut and sewed and any decorative additions are added.

The next step is poking holes in all the signatures and cover. This is done using an awl.

One of the final steps is binding the book. Once that is complete, it just needs a closure and any finalizing touches.

"Reflect on the world you carry within you. Your innermost happenings are worth all your love." -Rilke

It's that time of year where many of us tend towards more refection and intention than usual.  We carve out time in the New Year in a way that is easily filled with many obligations and distractions as the year goes on.  However, underneath it all, there continues to be a whispered prodding:  remember, remember...

"Our great human adventure is the evolution of consciousness.  We are in this life to enlarge the soul, liberate the spirit, and light up the brain."
-Tom Robbins

We thankfully have this time and symbolic reminder to look forward and see the areas of our lives and ourselves that we want to raise up.  I can't help but wonder if we have some of it backwards.  What if instead of trying to do more or be better, we stripped some of that away and remembered our Real selves...the one before the conditioning and the doing and the perfecting.  What if we peered beneath all the identities and stories we've picked up and made up over the years...and let go of guilt and perfection to see what we Are?  It seems that may "fix" so many of the aspects of ourselves we struggle with.  Stop the presses, so to say...

"Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization."  
-Tom Robbins

But everyone is doing it, and it is a little hard (until it isn't) to be different.  We are bombarded with commercials and media and friends and family who tell us all the shoulds and all the ways we must improve.  There is always room for improvement...that is part of the growing.  But, the way we beat ourselves with it and become such head cases about it makes it difficult for any other information to be received.  When we operate in these extremes, we miss all the more subtle queuing that can be essential.  What if we took all this reflection and intention we are in right now, softened it a bit around the edges, and went through each day with a bit more awareness?  What if that became the "new normal"?

She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self
which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world.
—Kate Chopin, “The Awakening”

As I was working on finishing up a stack of journals this morning, I was thinking of all the wonderful people that I know they will be going to. And I am so grateful...to be able to put good into these books for you, for all the journeys and inspirations that I hope they will help you with, for all the paths I get to cross while doing this...and so much more. Sending you all love as we go into this holiday season!

My tent in the morning before other artists had shown upThis past weekend started off early Friday morning with 30% chance of rain all day.  The plan was to drive to Midway, KY to set-up for Francisco’s Farm Art Festival.  The show was moved back to Midway College’s campus this year, which is where it was held originally.  This was going to be my first year participating, and while I was excited, there are also so many unknowns when setting up at a show for the first time.  I was one of the first artists to arrive and was warmly welcomed.  I set-up quite quickly, and the rain held off.  By noon, I was enjoying a nice lunch at one of the local places on Main Street.  That was when the day shifted.  I got a call from a friend who is also an artist and was informed that a “freakish gust of wind” came and blew my tent and weights and everything with it.  I quickly paid and made my way back to campus, which was thankfully only a half mile away.  By the time I showed up, volunteers and other artists had collected all my display and things and piled it all under my tent roof, which was no longer part of my tent, to keep it all dry from the now lightly falling rain.  I calmly checked everything underneath the canvas-my product was safe and only one piece of display was destroyed.  My tent poles were another story.  Two corner poles were completely bent so that the tent would not work.  One of the volunteers called in a campus maintenance man.  This guy was incredible!  He took my poles down to the college tool shop.  He and a bunch of other guys tried bending the pole back using a vice.  When it broke, he still refused to give up.  “Oh, we can probably just rebuild it…we are use to finding ways to fixing all these old buildings here.  For example, the boiler downstairs is older than me, and I’m 68,” he said with a big smile.  He was right-they were able to rebuild my poles and make it so that my tent could stand again.  I was so appreciative and told him that they were magicians who had magically made my tent work.  He laughed and said they were engineers.  They are magicians to me.  Of all the places for wind to mess up my poles, it happened on a college campus where there were willing guys and tools to fix it.  I kept thinking how lucky it all was considering what had happened.  Throughout all of it, the volunteers were attentive and helpful, making sure I was ok on all levels.  I was incredibly taken care of.  Once the tent was standing upright with walls and a roof once again, I began re-doing my display.  I hung the curtains with a whisper in the back of my mind “begin again.”  This is a phrase that I’ve heard from a local yoga teacher.  As I slowly and carefully re-did everything that I had just done that morning, it was like a mantra in my mind—“begin again”.  I recalled how when I first showed up one of the volunteers commented, “Props to you for not being stressed out by this…”  I have learned that stressing out and being upset is not particularly helpful.  To be honest, I was too focused on trying to think of a solution to get stressed out.  It was more in the aftermath of it as I reflected on how my day had shifted completely out of my control that I thought “just begin again”.  There was no need for upset or frustration…just be gentle with yourself in the midst of the shifting and the re-doing…just begin again.  

A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who were so awesome all weekend long-- and a really, really big THANK YOU to the magician maintance men of Midway College who helped my tent to stand again :)

Because of the excitement on Friday, I was interviewed and made a brief appearance in this article about the show.

Last weekend, I participated in the Governor's Derby Day Celebration.  I made extra horse and KY journals to contribute to the festivities.  The weather turned out beautifully, and we had the whole spectrum of people come through, including Governor Beshear and his wife.  There were races of all sorts, fancy hats, and lots of families out enjoying the day.  The photos below capture a small bit of it (thanks to Ed Lawrence) and includes a few young boys who stopped by.  They each write and keep notebooks with different things, though it seemed to be a bit of a trend to keep a "fact book".  One of them even showed me their fact book, which was filled with information and mathematical equations and diagrams.  What a fun and interesting day it was!

Spring finally came!!  I feel like we can take a collective sigh of relief that we all survived the long winter.  I don’t mind being a bit of a hermit and going into deep internal work mode for a few solitary months, but I do miss the sunshine and all the bright colors that come with this time of year.  For me, spring means jumping into outdoor art festivals, which I officially kicked off a couple of weeks ago.  It was the most fabulous beginning of the season at Cherokee Triangle Art Fair in Louisville with gorgeous weather and winning an honorable mention award.  There was something incredible redemptive about this for me.  I love that show—the location, the ease, the friendly people.  However, I’ve had a few hard times with it.  A couple of years ago, my tent was literally mangled by a storm that came through, and last year, I wasn’t even able to make it as my car overheated on the way out of town.  I cannot fully express my gratitude as I drove my new, reliable car to the show this year with my sturdy tent in tow.  I do not take these things lightly as you can see I have gone without.  Doing so has deepened my appreciation.   I’m looking forward to several fun shows coming up and a couple of bookbinding workshops this summer.   Hope to see you around!

"The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor; he took my measurements anew every time he saw me, while all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected me to fit them."
-George Bernard Shaw

It’s interesting how the way I write or what I write continues to change.  In grade school, it was very much a diary, pretty factual—this is what the day held and this is how it made me feel.  In high school, there was much more poetry, and, yes, even song lyrics.  The poems were generally raw and vacillated between being incredibly overt to vague and symbolic.  It was all deeply personal.  I moved on in college to writing quite frequently in third person.  If you happened upon one of my journals, you may have thought I was writing a series of short stories.  These actually happened.   They were my life and those of you who were a part of it had nicknames.  I distinctly remember the pretty boy, the best friend, and the activist.   And then I just began to write. it. all.  I wrote what happened, how I felt, how I thought others perceived it, how I hurt, what made me happy, what I wanted to do, what I wanted to quit doing, what my waking and sleeping dreams were, who I wanted to be and how I thought I could get there and on and on.  I included gratefulness and grief, hopes and rude awakenings.  The writing still continues to change.  The journals as of late have become deeply contemplative.  They are frequently filled with words that others have written—numerous quotes, advice from sages of many cultures and times, thoughts from a variety of topics that pique my interest.  I write bits of gratitude, persistent questions, vivid dreams, curious prayers mostly consisting of "You know better...Thy will be done", and subtle whispers that I’m learning to listen to.  I record the details of life that I feel like the Divine continues to use to get my attention, to wake me up.  I want to take note and not forget these small steps that I am trusting are leading me to Source.  I am breathing all the lessons in deeply and breathing out the heaviness and history that I once thought I had to carry.  Everything is new.  Each moment is new.  The writing remains a reflection of change, a reminder of growth, and motivation for deeper discoveries.  How have you seen your writing change?  How has the way you reflect and record changed?

SOWING LIGHTNING

Seize
Bolts of lightning from the sky
And plant them in fields of life.

They will grow like tender sprouts of fire.
Charge somber thoughts
With unexpected flash,
You, my lightning in the soil!” 
― Visar Zhiti

This design was a custom sketchbook that a couple wanted to gift their friend with.  The recipient loves purple, and Lady Gaga (hence, the lightning), and has peace, love, and equality tattooed on herself.  While it was a delight to create, I couldn't shake how large these lightning bolts were.  They definitely felt electric!  It began these ongoing thoughts regarding electricity and charge and shock.  All of these can be quite helpful in waking someone up....like REALLY waking someone up...on a deep, deep level.  I am grateful for these moments, the ones where I'm forced to see truth and deal with reality.  When I allow it, it urges me back to my center where I am ultimately wanting to live from anyway.

Happy New, Super Moon and New Year! May it be bright and real as we transform into yet truer, better versions of ourselves. Many Blessings!

 I have been selling my books at Artique at Lexington Green in Lexington, KY for a few years now.  It was one of the first stores I started selling in.  I grew up in and around Lexington and remember going to this store when I was little.  I would ooohhh and ahhhh at all the beautiful artwork.  It was exciting to be able to be a part of it.  They asked if I would do some demonstrating outside the store this past weekend, and I gladly agreed.  I even got to sit in the butterfly chair (Yes, I have pics from over of the years of me sitting on this!).  I sent the photo to one friend and said that I finally grew my wings ;)

So much of my business has been changing and growing.  I've been expanding my wholesale and am in lots of fun galleries and boutiques around the U.S.  It is not only my business that has changed this year.  There has been a lot of growth within myself.  One goal this year was to not slip into a “work trance” and to stay more balanced.  Do you know what I mean by this?  It is so easy since I work from home and have a lot to do to simply work constantly…like all the time.  I made this a habit for years.  I would literally get up in the morning and begin work within half an hour and work non-stop until I would collapse into bed.  Sometimes, this is necessary.  However, I don’t want making books to be my whole life.  I want to be more balanced than that.  Annie Dillard wrote,

“How we live our days is of course how we live our life”. 

I love this.  Making books and filling orders is definitely a large part of my life…but it is not all of me.  I’m learning balance and the continued importance of rest and play and dance and reading and simply being with people.   It has made it all so much more fun, including the “work”.  I’ve even begun to look at “work” as more “play”.  It lightens up the load and the pressure…it lightens me up.  When I feel the stress of deadlines and upcoming shows, I’ve found myself saying “I have all the right problems”.  I am so thankful for continued work and support and creative opportunities.  All of these slight changes in perspective allow me to take deeper breaths and relax into my days so much more.

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

“Let silence take you to the core of life.”
― Rumi

It is all too easy to get swept away with business and constant going, going, going...especially when you are growing something.  This year, I had a wholesale show in January, February, and will attend one in March.  I am keeping up with orders, but am working long hours and seven days a week.  One of the things that keeps coming to mind is that these are "growing pains".  I am growing and am learning how to push myself to more capacity as well as keep other aspects in my life in some sort of balance.  For me, it is necessary to take a time out now and again.  It is particularly helpful if I can get to the woods and just sit.  Being still and quiet helps me ground and re-center, enabling me to work again with renewed energy.

I found this fortune on one of my hikes in Berea!!  So true!

All it takes is a little faith and a lot of heart...

-The Weepies

Taking a bit of a breather from the internet, but am sending you all peace-filled New Year wishes. I'll be exiting this year softly and welcoming this new year with an open-heart. Here is an excerpt from my new journal:

"Very little grows on jagged rock. Be ground. Be crumbled, so wildflowers will come up where you are." -Rumi

“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

Happy Holidays to all of you! May it be restful, fun, and full of peace!