Daily Courage

Finally there is a little fall chill in the air here in Southern California. I’m going to get my first real taste of fall when I head up the coast this weekend to Remnants of the Past, October 10th in Nipomo. I remember when this event was just a dream Judy Watkins had. It has been wonderful to watch her bring it to life. Down a country road you enter the Dana Powers property and step into a delightful world far from the hustle and bustle of everyday. This one day event has hosted some amazing guests. This time around, my friend April Cornell is the featured VIP. She will have loads of her signature linens and a smattering of the soft romantic women’s and girl’s clothing she is known for. This is the first time April has done a show like this. It’s a lot of hard work getting there and getting set up. But I am confident that once she feels the energy and warmth of the people who are drawn to this delightful event, we’ll all feel it was worth it. So, being as the glamour never stops, I am off to Home Depot to pick up a few things we need to set up the booth. If you are in the area, I really hope you will stop by!

Deanna Garretson is the Design Chicky, and she has another identity too – she is the Apronista. Her blog is a gathering place for Apron devotees. I am sure you have noticed that aprons are all the rage. One of our favorite books is A is for Apron from Lark Books.

Today marched the beginning of Apron Fest ‘09, a blog tour of wonderful sites participating in apron giveaways. My dear friend April Cornell decided to get in on the fun on her blog. This is the first time she has participated in a blog. What a fun day. There were so many great comments and visits from the women Deanna brought together. Truly a fun day in blogdom! 

The giveaway continues through the week, so be sure to stop by April’s blog and share your favorite memory of cooking together (preferably wearing and apron of course) with someone you love. The winner will be chosen by a random number picker and notified on Friday.

To lean on an old cliche, “It took a village.” When Tara Frey contacted Red Lips 4 Courage with the concept of creating a book about blissful blogging, we loved the idea. She was onto something big, and we felt it in our creative hearts. What Tara and our team did not understand at the time was just how big the movement of blogging for artistic expression had really become. There is a lot to know and many, many talented women out there doing some incredibly creative things in the blogosphere. Seasoned editor Rebecca Ittner took the reins and led Erika Kotite, Cathy Risling, Jocelyn Foye and I into the wonderful world of blissful bloggers. What Tara didn’t know, Rebecca researched and found out. We all learned a great deal and fell in love all over again with why we love working in the world of creative women. The book is just starting to ship and already the response is wonderful.
Surely many new blogs will be brought to light over the coming weeks. Please help us share them with others by telling us about them here. Look forward to hearing from you!

Sterling booth at BEA

No one knew what to expect at BEA in New York City this time around. The bloodletting has been long and deep in the book industry. Reading the daily publishing trades has been more like being immersed in endless obituary pages of late. So, it was with a slightly faint heart that we set out for Book Expo this year. 

We were thrilled to see that our latest project, “Blogging for Bliss” by Tara Frey for Lark Books/Sterling had perfect placement in the Sterling booth. We are optimistic about this one in particular. We believe in the importance of creativity, especially in trying times. Spread the word, positive attitudes and creative pursuits trump negativity and pessimism every time. We hope you’ll try blogging for your own bliss.

You have to know courage to recognize it. In today’s case, creative courage knows no age.

I knew I had met courage square in the face when I rang the bell and Freddy Moran opened her front door. There she stood with her white hair pulled back, and brighter-than-ruby-red glasses crowning her face. In spite of white hair, and at that time a borderline portly figure, she seemed much younger than I was at the time. (Quick note: she decided to “lose some weight” and lost about half of herself which you see in this shot. That pretty much says it without words.) If we’d have swapped driver’s licenses to check ages, I think we’d have discovered about a 28 year divide. But her demeanor, enthusiasm, and whole ‘tude’ made me feel stale and kind of stuck. Entering her house, you are blasted with color.  :)  The inside is painted about 47 1/2 different vibrant hues. (She loves telling you that hers is a perfect marriage, her husband, Neil, is colorblind.)

 She read my energy – or lack thereof. I was there to direct a magazine cover shoot. We quickly raced through the niceties, and were seated in Neil’s office (bright orange and teal, but he doesn’t know the difference). She pinned me emotionally, and called me on being at a creative crossroads. She recommended some reading that I have referred to in previous posts – “The Artist’s Way”. When Frederica speaks, you to listen. She told me she didn’t start quilting until she was past 60 years old. “I had said, I don’t do threads,” she proclaims. Her daughter-in-law invited her to take a quilting class.

The rest is history in Technicolor. Freddy has broken many rules along the way, and while doing so, she teaches us that its better to ignore conventionality and to follow your muse than to conform. In her case its about vibrant color and pattern and not worrying about all the points coming together in perfect symmetry. The best part is that she a world class quilter, author and teacher. And she had not even thought of it until she passed her 60th birthday. 

We give Freddy the Kiss of Courage!

Just shipped Malka Dubrawsky’s fabulous book “Color Your Cloth.” Blogs and mags love her dyeing and quilt techniques. check this blog o …

Being a fan of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, I try to take myself on an Artist’s Date from time to time. Because I enjoy scouting for the work of new artists and crafters, I have convinced myself that shopping counts. Not far from my office is delightful Old Towne Orange (CA). The area looks like its out of a small town movie. Actually, it is. The Tom Hanks movie That Thing You Do along with many others. The plaza and intersecting streets are home to many wonderful shops and antique stores. Recently, I discovered Heavenly Hostess, a gem of a store that sells among many wonderful things fabulous aprons and tea towels. THere is an array of gifts, bath products, entertaining accessories, and my favorite–books. 

The best part of meandering the shop was coming upon a display with two of our books: Crowns & Tiaras and Paper Mache Treasures with Teena Flanner. Oh happy day! It was a surprise that made the Artist’s Date just perfect. Heavenly Hostess has been added to my list of favorites.

It’s a pretty spring day, and birds are going nuts flitting from tree to tree. Mother Nature is in full bloom. It made me think of this beautiful crown that Ashley Carter created for Crowns & Tiaras: Add a Little Sparkle, Glitter & Glamour to Every Day. Ashley has a touch that is her trademark. I’ve enjoyed making quite a few crowns for friends. I have found that an old light rim make a great base. I keep an eye out for them at flea markets. I am sure people wonder about me when they see me testing the size on my own head when they walk by. In a pinch a wide headband works great too. 

Everyone is the Queen of Something. Which is exactly why every woman deserves a crown. She may not be inclined to walk out in public in it, but you can be sure it will be cherished and displayed in a special spot. Now more than ever, we can each use a little royal treatment. Plan a Coronation for the Queen of Extremes, The Birthday Baroness, or the Sorceress of Secrets. By all means, celebrate and make merry. It beats the alternative. And there is far too much of the latter going on these days.

Myrah Brown Green is a multi-faceted woman with some very impressive credentials. She is formally addressed as Dr. Myrah Brown Green. In addition to her teaching credentials, Myrah is an accomplished quilter. She brings a love of cultural anthropology to her quilt designs. The cover proof of Myrah’s upcoming book “Pieced Symbols: Quilt Blocks From the Global Village” arrived today from the printer in Hong Kong. Your mother may have told you not to judge a book by its cover, but we can’t help it. We do. And we love this one!

Myrah has gathered cultural symbols from all the world’s continents, shared their meaning and translated them into quilt block patterns. She teaches readers how to use the symbols to tell their own cultural stories in quilt design. This book explores global consciousness, and inspires readers to learn about a variety of cultures and the symbols that express different beliefs and emotions, many of which are common to all people no matter what their background or demographic may be.

The glory of Easter Sunday lies ahead, but before we get to it, there is a quiet Friday pondering the meaning of the celebration. Blessed with a large extended family, it means over 30 people at our house on Sunday. It’s not exactly intimate, which is why I’ll need to some quiet time between now and then. I love the feeling this shot gives and and how tempted I am to sit right down in one of these chairs and enjoy a quiet corner of the room. Layering  several tablecloth adds color variation and warmth to s small round table. In fact, I think I’ll set a couple of tables dressed like these and put then in some of the main rooms of the house to encourage small,quality conversations among our guests on Sunday. 

Whatever you celebrate at this springtime season, we wish you calm, relaxation, and quiet time with those you love.

(Photo courtesy of April Cornell)