5 new books and a sale!

Well I've been busy getting ready for my latest Uni submission (due tomorrow) but that hasn't meant I've been doing nothing else. I've carved out a little spare time to make some more sketchbooks/journals. I chose this bunch from my stash of old books with interesting titles, or some other feature and have rebound them with beautiful papers into something special. I've detailed all their special qualities and their secrets in my Etsy shop and to save repeating myself I've rigged it so if you click on the pictures here it will take you over there where you can read each story for yourself. I hope you will because this bunch is really special.This one, My Confidences has a ticket I found hidden in the pages, a lost bookmark from a time long past.

Rough Justice is the next little beauty. Because I let each book 'speak' to me of what they would like to have when rebound, each book is really different. This little one has the most features of any I've made so far. And it is on special until December 1 as part of Etsy's Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion.


Those were the days! Our Hearts Were Young And Gay - this amazing title is now an amazing journal for you to record...
...well, record whatever you like! The book was so popular they made a movie about it and this book has photos and illustrations to prove it!
Growing Up has a tape measure page marker so you can keep track of how much you have grown while you journal in this rebound book.
It also held a forgotten fragment of a time past, lost within it's pages for 60 years and now bound firmly into the book and no longer over looked. Click on the photos to take you to the page that will tell you the story.
By Word Of Mouth was just crying out to have it's Library past reinstate and now it has the envelope to prove it.
Turquoise, white and black pattern make this book really gorgeous on the outside while the inside holds yet another secret. If you'd like to know what it is, click on the pictures to visit the Etsy page that tells you all about it.

This is my Christmas stock in the book department of my Etsy shop so if you were considering getting one for someone special, or better still, for yourself for Christmas, this is the time to buy. And as I mentioned before, for the next 4 days they are on a 10% off sale. I've been thrilled with how popular my rebound journals are so have a little look.

I've also Gocco'ed up some Christmas cards which I hope to list in my shop as soon as this Uni assessment is out of the way. I'll try to post some of my work from it here too.
Cheers!

I love paint!

When I first started this blog I had a little sentence at the top that said I like to paint, draw, make things, sketch, paint... yes, I like paint! It was there up until only a couple of months ago when I was finally too embarrassed by the references to paint in a blog where there are practically no paintings. You see I have called myself a painter for over 15 years, but shortly after starting this blog I just stopped painting. Lots of reasons, and none. Just stopped. And it's true - I love paint!

"He's a Suitor"

To my relief my desire to paint has been building up for the last few weeks and finally spilled out of me, onto the pallet and then onto the canvas. I have been inspired by William Kentridge (no I will never stop mentioning him!) and wanted to have a go at Goccoing on the canvas too. These three paintings are the result, silver gocco prints of pattern combined with acrylic paint, ink, collage and real silver-leaf.

"Helping Hand"

I combined my own drawings with those from the books "The Wide World Story Book for Girls" (1937) and "Ideal Book for Boys" (no date but similar vintage). Oh, the risks one takes in the name of art!

"The White Glove"

In this one I used the old pages of "Complete French Course" and "Electricity in the Home - Teach Yourself Guide" to create the tones and form of the face. Acrylic paints in silver and reds allow the guy I saw in the coffee shop one day to come alive on the canvas.

"Under Influence"

With these 4 paintings I've re-opened a new department in my creative life and a whole new section in my Etsy shop. They're all available if you like them enough!

I think I'm getting closer...

I finished my print of the cute little brown-eyed beagle Suzette. She is right in the middle of her dinner dance. She is disguising her power with delicate curls and gold and silver embelishments, but don't be fooled! She has you in her power and she will get exactly what she wants and when she wants it!
I printed Suzette with three Gocco screens and then overprinted with my current favourite - dance steps - in gold.
A flourish that I drew and then printed in silver just finishes her off.

And speaking of finishing... my plan for today is to finish off the Moleskine pages for the exchanges I'm in and get stuck into my other collaboration with ninox.

And speaking of ninox, she tagged me again!
Thanks Jenn! How nice! I think you are brilliant too but I can't give it to you because you've already got it. So here's what happens now...

The rules of accepting are as follows:

1) Put the logo on your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4) Add links to those blogs on yours.

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So here are mine..

I Linda at Freyed Edge. I love her blogs subtitle and the diverse and interesting content.
II Hanna at iHanna. She shares some good web finds and her journal book is on my wish list.
III New blogger Jennelaine at On This Side of Things might be new but her blog is interesting and she draws maps!
IV Walter Logeman as finished his thousand sketches and is still creating.
V Christine at Yarn about Yarn does yarn about yarn and also yarns about some other really cool creative stuff.
VI Karina at Magic Jelly. Everything over there is yummy!
AND (you know how in movies and TV shows after they run through all the fabulous stars they have another one to blow your mind and they are listed after 'AND' - well this is that kind of 'AND')
VII Sara from Double Elephant, The Daily Drawing and Complicities. How does she do it all? I guess I have to choose just one of hers so I'm going with Double Elephant.

Well, what a round up! I hope you all enjoy this little bit of link love. Oh, and Suzette in 'Dinner Dance' is available now in The Little Shop of Horus if you just love her.

Edited 17th July
I forgot to add the image of the original painting I did of this cute little beagle. You may notice that in the painting I tried to show her dastardly side by emphasising those cute little bumps on her head, making the shadows of them just a little more prominent... they almost look like devils horns...

Creativity Central

I've been busy since I got back from Sydney. I'm working on a new dog print, this time with a beagle as the star.
I'm also making a quilt. It is my second ever quilt and it is satisfying my need to sew at the moment. I don't sew much these days as I find it sucks up so much of my time, but I love sewing, it's just that I'm not that good at it. Anyway, this quilt has a greater level of difficulty than my first one and I'm loving being immersed in the 1930's reproduction prints I've chosen. Colour and pattern! I'm happy.
I'd also like to draw your attention (again!) to Eric Maisel and this time to his newly vamped up blog Eric Maisel Creativity Central. He has set up this blog as a place where we can get our info fix about creativity with Eric Maisel and his guest blog correspondents from around the world writing on creativity, creativity coaching, and the creative life. I'm thrilled and honoured to say that I am one of the blog correspondents. In fact my previous post here (on the Sydney Biennale) was also my first post on Creativity Central. From here on, every week or two I will post an article about the art world in coastal NSW and my own creative journey. I will also be posting the same article here, but if you click on over you can read the very interesting articles from people all around the world who write, compose, paint, dance, draw and watch TV! As the blog develops it will have photos (it's hard for me without them!) and imbeded links. There are even bigger plans for it down the track, so keep an eye on it and make sure you scroll down - there is heaps there already.

But wait, there's more news! Today has seen the unveiling of www.janallsopp.com.au
It is still under construction at the moment, so it is another thing that will develop in the future. Right now it can take you to my shop and here to my blog. It will gain gallery and information pages as it grows. I'd like to thank my friend Melanie Cook for all her patient assistance in getting the site up.

There is plenty more happening here today and this week, but more about that later. Have a great day!

Two for Taking

In a recent post about my progress on my artist book I mentioned that I layered the lino prints over gocco prints. The gocco print I've titled Thoughts.

I've printed it alone onto these Moleskine Cahiers. The busy drawings in the Gocco print look fabulous printed in soft grey ink against the black covers. I printed each one with a different section of the screen so each one is unique.
And now it seems I just can't leave lino alone. I've been printing away with my new handpress. I originally made his particular lino block for another artist book. Naked, I also discovered, looks great on Moleskine covers.
I've only printed two of these and both of them I also used a different part of the block, so each one these is unique too. (I'll have to show you the other one another day.)
Both of these are available in my Etsy shop now.

Two for Tea

I know I've shown my cup prints before, but I have such a lot of fun changing each one a little when I hand colour them, and this is the first Cards and Cup Converge print that I've coloured with these colours, caramel, cream and strawberry.
These two cup images vie for my number one favourite position. It usually comes down to do you like cards or pattern best? I don't know. I think I've just chosen the cards over the fabric patterns simply because they have faces and therefore make a better avatar.
This is also the first time I've used this colour scheme on Fabric and Cup Converge. Purple and indigo - ahh, how nice. I've been building up my shop lately, adding more as often as I can. These two prints are listed now. And I've got more newies to add soon.

Did you know I love books?

Probably you did. I love making them, reading them, hoarding them, collecting them and looking at the pretty pictures in them. For quite some time now I've been enjoying another aspect of books - bookplates. I've been hanging out in bookplate groups here and there and visiting the link you may have noted here Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie.
I've been dreaming of making bookplates for most of my life. One day I'll...
Now with my trusty Gocco available, I came face to face with the means to make them. That's when the stress began - what will I put on them?
I especially love the old bookplates on the Bookplate Junkie site, but I just don't create in that style.
Then I recently disclosed my intention to a friend and fellow book junkie. She confessed to me that she has bought some bookplates recently. "What's on them," I asked? Star Trek on one lot and Celtic designs on the other! That is so her!
Well, if she gets bookplates that scream of her taste, then that made me think I can simply put images on mine that scream me.
And here they all are. I think they would be perfect for those how-to art books we all collect, because they all have a how-to vibe. I've printed this lot on high quality bright white acid free paper. Other sets are on parchment paper. I've made them easy to use by making them self-adhesive - acid free of course. They come in packs of 12 (2 of each design)and I've designed a cute little pouch for them to be safe in until the right book comes along. Available now in my Etsy shop.

What's been happening in my shop

Well firstly, I've changed my banner. I've had such lovely feedback about my 'Suppertime' print that I've used those eyes in my banner. I've sold one of these prints to Clare who is also an artist I'm collaborating with in a Moly exchange. I wonder whose home my next puppy will go to?
I have been seduced by how-to images for years and how-to-dance charts have been something I return to again and again. And this time they come in cards. I gave Mallory one of these for her graduation, but I think I could use these cards for just about any occasion.
And for the first time I've added some ACEO's to my shop. Above is A Very Happy Unbirthday. Below is Beware of Black Balloons.
One of the things I've loved most about using my Gocco printer is the layering of prints, the test prints and the just plain old playing. With lots of unfinished prints lying around I just couldn't resist turning them into something unique.
It is the unique nature of each Gocco print that was part of the reason I originally became interested. But now that I can play with this quality, add other snips of paintings and ephemera and layer colour with both simple and complex techniques I'm having a ball! Above is Playing Games. Tiny little artworks - what a great idea whoever first thought this up had!

Suppertime!

I always loved Snoopy's suppertime dance! Roly does a spectacular suppertime dance. So does every dog.

Meet Buster. He really has some suppertime moves!

Buster is my new Gocco print, my first one using so many screens (4). I loved making this print so much I've decided to do a series of dogs dancing for their supper!
Above is a shot of Buster in progress. And below is the painting I originally did of Buster, acrylic on two canvas panels.

Both are available. 'Suppertime' Gocco print is in my Etsy shop now. Contact me if you are interested in the painting.

Front page news!

Yes, I was lucky enough to be included in this delightful Etsy Treasury page which made it to the front page of the Etsy website!  I didn't get to see it there, however, but it must have looked just fabby because my handprinted retro 'sticks and balls' design card sold!  Thanks Jaidub (from nowherespecial) for including me!  

Click here to see the Treasury page at Etsy.

Click here to see the other goodies in my Etsy shop.

Ah, Gigi!

I love this image!
I just sold the last Moleskine Cahier I have in stock.  I will definitely have to get printing!
Gigi limited edition art prints are still available though.  Above is 'Glamour Girl'.
And this one is of Perry who is REALLY hopeful of becoming Gigi's 'friend'!

Available in my Etsy shop.

Only Good Things Happen to Me!

That's my newest affirmation. I've maintained an arms-length interest in affirmations over the years, oscillating between belief and flat-out disbelief. Lately I've come firmly back to the belief side of the spectrum. I think it all has to do with intention. So, how nice is this affirmation!?! Only good things happen to me.  I'm actively testing this one!!!
I've actually been away for a few days - only three really, but it feels like I've had a real break away.  I wanted to show how good life can be - and for me that means art supplies and stationery to the max!  I'm putting these photos on Flickr with notes to tell you exactly what I splurged on.
Bookbinding supplies (I'm working on my first editioned Artist's Book), printing supplies (for that book) and books books books!
And!!! we all went to see Rocky Horror Show!!! iOTA, who plays Frankinfurter is excellent! As are they all!  A must see, if you can.  Thanks to Caitlin and Paul who gave me my ticket for Christmas!
And I managed to get envelopes the EXACT silver as that in my Gocco printed cards.  So I've been able to finally package up my first bulk order and I'll deliver it tomorrow.  Now that's good too!  This is a bad photo.  These cards are IMPOSSIBLE to photograph!

It was a good three days away.  It's true.  Only good things happen to me.  I strongly suggest you try that affirmation yourself!