full blast

or as full as it gets for me...
 so before i left for portland and the big atlantic
 i tried several ways to make my envelope for the new book
even knowing it wouldn't be ready 
for the book arts bazaar
it felt right to keep that work going
 i pulled out some of my map fold samples
from learning with pam spitzmeuller
 and came up with something that might work
(the finished one won't be red)
 this book never got sewn
 before i left.
there were several of these not yet done things.
fortunately there were 
many things that did get done!
long winters are good for some things...
but leave i did 
on friday,
and made my way to portland,
to visit with hannah
before setting up for a whirlwind, huge workshop
full of absolutely delightful folks.
book arts people are awesome.
 portland has a 'bit' of that
maine wit about it...
i did also encounter two irate and downright annoying women
one in a vintage vw microbus with a license plate that proclaimed 
something like "strider" or "hiker" or "walker"
and bumper stickers that said things like 
"practice random acts of kindness"
and at the tool booth when the driver stopped and backed up 
almost into me
i beeped politely,
and got an irate holler, a fist raised and shaken.
anyway, it was just odd,
as was the table browser at the bazaar
who proceeded to tell me what i should do with my work. 
too much "you should"

~but~
 the bazaar was well attended and full of good work
lots of student work
and beautiful papers like katie macgregor's
 i obtained and was given or traded some loot!
 one of my 18 students, farrin, made me a gift
a tea book
a way to remember her,
and my wonderful students,
and full of tea. 
easily replaceable for traveling.
 todd and sharon brought me some leftovers
from their letterpress stash
for printing. 
 i found a dodo or two
 rebecca goodale, 
a professor at university of southern maine
(and book arts bazaar organizer)
makes wonderful work,
playful and connected to place.
much of it is about endangered species
(and the occasional extinct one...)
 she is an artist saying "WAKE UP"
quietly and with beauty in her bookworks.
 a lovely little book of photos
called finale
 a map fold book about 
slugs
 jill osgood's work also pleases me
 todd pattison and i did a little trade
 i have a nice tiny leather bound book
and he insisted that the paperbound one join it
 the paper is harvested from
the original papermaker-- 
a paper wasp nest
abandoned at the end of the season.
these two are precious and beautifully made.
when i was unloading the car
a huge surprise pulled up behind me in a pickup
carol blinn and perry smith.
so of course i finagled 
(with permission)
our tables so we could be neighbors.
it was such a gift to see them.
i met so many folks, 
including the amazing lee thompson
(who came for my class)
and saw many many friends.........
i can't remember all that i was going to write about, but i do know this:
all of this would have been
nigh onto impossible
without my amazing daughter
hannah's help.
portland, rebecca, book arts folks, hannah, my amazing students all
a HUGE thank you.
what a great weekend!

weekend stuff

aimee met hannah years ago, 
and now she's met ian.
all the way over in portland!
yes, he is tall; aimee is not short.
i love this picture!
and they had it made
just for me!
hugs to you both.
~~~
and
~~~
friday afternoon i taught the second
of two classes at st lawrence university's
sustainability semester
there's a lovely post here
and maybe a picture or two when 
i get to it!
i was very impressed with this
amazing group of students