geraldine newfry

why i've been quiet

Image by sweetmadness via Flickr

i've been quiet.  i know.  there are two reasons.  the first is that publication project.  i really bit off more than i can chew.  i decided to make not one, but three books.  with content.  and in materials out of my comfort zone.  my husband thinks i'm crazy.  and that's basically what i've been working on.  so i've had no pictures to share.

i will tell you a little bit.  the book is authored by tammy kushnir.  the tentative title is "repurposed journals."  we were to make a journal (not necessarily three!) using upcycled materials.  and complete the journal pages inside.  i made one book out of cabinet doors (it's really large!), one out of a bit of a drop cloth, and the last out of upcycled wool.  i have about half the journaling done.  the drop cloth book is filled it with spray painted stencils.  i found out that i really only need to do about 2 spreads of journaling per book, so that's great.  i should be done soon.

but the second problem is that my depression has returned.  i've spoken about having bipolar disorder before.  but i've pretty much been symptom free for a while.  just the past two weeks i've been feeling depressed again.  it affects my motivation and my ability to concentrate on my artwork.  everything feels like an effort.  so it's been hard for me to work and hard for me to blog.  i'm just hoping this is a short lived break through set of symptoms.

i managed to paint some book board, like in the picture above, and spray paint them to offer in the shop.  it will probably be a little while though.  i have to finish journaling, bind them all, take pictures, etc.  i'll let you know when they're ready.

just a quick note

less herger of comfortable shoes studio has been writing several posts on background techniques and other relevant techniques for journalers.  take a look here.  she has several other posts too, but you can go back a ways to see the videos she's added.  do take the time to look at her other posts as well.  she has journal pages and books to see.

i'm currently working on a couple of books and journal pages for an upcoming publication.  i'm pretty much spending all my time doing that.  i suppose i can't show that work here.  so i've pretty much been stumped on what to blog about.  here are some more journal pages from june to keep you company.

 

 

 

Related articles by Zemanta

• How to get the most from your journaling habit (ismckenzie.com)
• When mom and teen couldn't talk, they wrote instead (timesunion.com)

1000 artist journal pages

more good publishing news!  i have several spreads in the new 1000 artist journal pages:

 

some people are afraid to write in my journals, but i say, "use them up!"  aren't your thoughts worth a lovely handmade book?  in 1000 artist journal pages you can see what i do in my books.

i was also fortunate to be featured at polymer clay daily yesterday.  what a nice surprise.

i'm busily working on binding for the holiday season.  soon i should have pictures.  i wait to do a bunch at once because i have to get out the lights and light box, etc.  and find horizontal space for it all.  usually i use my polymer desk, so i have to get all the bits of polymer off of it.  i do have a lot of space in my studio, but i fill it up very quickly, especially if i have more than one project going at a time.  even if i'm working just with polymer i have an area for that and then an area for painting and for gluing.  i really take advantage of all the space.

happy halloween!

back in business

i think i'm back.  my health is much better, finally.  i'm working on books but i have something else to show you today.

i've been published in 500 handmade books.  it's a beautiful book and i'm proud to have four pages in it.

if you love handmade books, you have to get this one.  it's full of wonderful, inspiring images.

that's clever

it's been just about a year since i filmed a segment for that's clever.  i haven't heard a word from them since they were here.  i have no idea when the show comes on.  hopefully it hasn't come on already.  that would be a shame.  i guess i will have to email them.

the day they were here it was so darn cold.  everyone but me was wearing their coat down here in the unheated basement studio.  fortunately i had the lights on me and i was nervous, so the cold didn't bother me as much.

i didn't think the filming went nearly as well as that for craft lab.  the producers didn't give me as much direction for preparation.  things could have gone much more smoothly.  i was in tears when they left.  i got to show a lot of polymer clay, but they sped me up for the bookbinding because they were running out of time.  this is the project i made.

i knew it was far too complicated, but that's what they wanted.

i hate that i couldn't show all the bookbinding.  the binding is really important to me.  if i had known, i would have made more step outs of the binding.  as it was, i was too cold to even thread the needles!  it was horrifying spending a ton of time while people watched me not threading needles.

sadly this book is lost.  i last saw it at art & soul in virginia in may.  i've looked everywhere to no avail.  i hate to think that someone brought it home with them.  i've lost a lot of tools, but never a whole book!

did you see??

my television debut!  i was really excited to see the show.  several friends came over and we all watched it together.  my husband even stayed home from work in the morning.

i thought it turned out really well, so i'm thrilled.

i updated my website with the help of my friend, jen worden.  i also added books to the etsy site.  and you should see the new page on the craft lab site.

woohoo!

preshoot meeting

today the director and producer for my episode of that's clever came to visit.  they needed to check out the space, wardrobe and step outs.  the good news was that i didn't need to make any more step outs!  i do still have some finishing touches, and some rearranging of furniture to do.

i guess my work table is too white, so we'll be working on the table at which i usually paint and glue.  it's pretty dirty (with paint and glue), so i hope it looks ok.  i also have to hang some work on the walls behind me.  i'm trying to figure out how to add in a book case so that i can display books instead of something random that i've made.  they suggested that i could put a quilt on the wall, but i think books would be better.  john thinks the bookcase i've put up looks silly, but i'm going to get a second opinion from francine.

i also went out for a manicure.  i'm really unhappy with it.  i'm going to look at it again in the morning, and decide what, if anything, i will do about it.  i'm thinking though that if even john can see that it doesn't look too good, it must be really noticeable.

off to get a good night's sleep!

good news!

My Audobon book was selected for That's Clever!  I'll demonstrate this book on the show, which they will be filming this month.  I have tons to do to get ready.  Whew.  And I need several small birds nests.  Does anyone have some lying around??  I have to make several copies of the book.  Here is the inside.

I guess I need a few feathers too.

And I'm still looking forward to my episode of Craft Lab on DIY at the end of the month.

Did I mention I was deconstructing my studio?

Busy, busy, busy.

television!

it looks like i'll be on tv on january 30 at noon EST!!

craft lab

i just found out that my sister doesn't get DIY.  i hope my mom gets it.  my brother lives with her and he works for the cable company.  they usually get everything.  i wonder if she'll take the day off?!  no, probably not.  :)

craft lab

ooooh!  look what i just found!  a description of my episode of craft lab on the diy network.