Be not simply good, be good for something.

Even after 200 years, Thoreau still stirs thoughts and imaginations in all who read his writings.  You can hardly go a sentence without stopping to think about what he has said and apply his words to your own life.  Not only was Thoreau a writer, he was a naturalist, an abolitionist, a surveyor, and a philosopher to list just a few of his many passions.  His words also greatly influenced the Transcendentalist movement in the 1830s and 1840s.

This hand carved stamp is my homage to one of America's finest thinkers.

Card Set 

 Moleskine Cahier Journal

New hand carved stamp

We love Steinbeck.  We love him so much that we once arranged a vacation in California around being able to see Cannery Row in Monterey and visit his hometown of Salinas.  East of Eden is by far my most favorite, cherished book, and Grapes of Wrath is a close second.  If you have not read either of these (or if they were forced upon you in school before you could appreciate them like I was), then you are in for a treat!  And while you read through any one of Steinbeck's many great novels or non-fiction, grab up one of these nifty little journals featuring a hand carved stamped portrait of the man himself.  :)

Oh, these dogs...

I would venture to bet that most dogs are like mine...they don't know any tricks, they make messes and don't clean up after themselves, and they rarely give themselves a proper bath.  Yet, they always want a treat as if they have done all of those things.  And we relent, give them the treat.  Why?  Because they are just too dang funny for words!  My two dogs, Punky and Scout, are constantly play fighting with each other, making more noise than their little sizes should be able to make, and are always, always, always tracking in dirt, mud, grass, leaves, bugs, sticks, etc., etc., etc...  But they have one quality that outshines all of these terrible habits - they always make us smile. 

So here is my latest item in the Etsy shop...a begging dog journal!  You need one of these, right?  :)

Butterflies!!

Another new design has hit my shop...BUTTERFLIES!  I hand carved this new little stamp yesterday and was so excited to get this into my shop!  I love it!  Take a look...

Single Butterfly Card

Wraparound Butterfly Card

Butterfly Journal


And here is the carved stamp.

New in the Etsy Shop - Wilderness Card Set

This little set of cards is the first item in my shop to use my newly developed band!  I am not sure if everyone gets as excited about packaging as I do, but I couldn't wait to post these pictures with the new band!  Jeff and I worked on getting this design out over the weekend, and I think that it is just as cute as can be.  Take a look...

New to the shop - the osprey!!

I am really excited about this latest design. I always love to watch the design break free from the rubber block, a slight bit of anxiety running through me as I hope I don's slip and completely ruin what I have worked so hard on. Thankfully, I didn't slip with this osprey and I think that it turned out really well. :)

So many new things!

Yay!  Fresh items are now sitting in my shop just waiting to be shipped!  Take a peek at them when you get a chance...you know back to school is just around the corner!  Also, these would make terrific stocking stuffers!

Idea Bulb on Black Moleskine

  Exploring Bear on Red Moleskine 

Chalkboard Scissors on Black Moleskine

New goodies in the Etsy shop

Today was a good day to post a few new journals to my shop.

This is my Loblolly Pine design, a stamp I hand carved in honor of the trees that surround my home.  When I was a little kid, I would spend hours making pine needle houses, which basically consisted of crafting a 3-inch tall outline of a home floor plan. I was also convinced that if I buried a whole pine cone and watered it every now and then, I would be able to grow a gigantic pine tree.  Needless to say, that never worked.

The rocket in this picture is a bank that once belonged to my husband's grandfather.  As a child, my husband loved launching pennies into the rocket using that little slide and red button. It still works, but I have no idea how to get the money out, which I guess makes it a fairly secure penny bank.  Given that the original design for this light bulb was for my sweet husband, I thought that the rocket bank would be a perfect pairing for this journal.

I have always loved koala bears, and would be very disappointed to find out that they are not as cute and cuddly as they appear.  I just cannot imagine them being anything but impeccably sweet.