1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse

I am excited to announce that Secret Leaves' work has been published in a design book. And not just any design book. The book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse is one in a series of my favorite design books, the 1000 series from Rockport Publishers. In my opinion, Rockport is one of the best, if not the best publisher of books on graphic design. I already have 1000 Graphic Elements and 1000 Greetings in my personal design library.

 
The Scrap Journal, a perennial Secret Leaves favorite, scored a full page (page 19) in the book, which features all manner of quirky, beautiful, useful and ingenious recycled products and art.

  
1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and other fine bookstores.

Sharon

What happens in Vegas...

Just got back from visiting my dear friend Kelley in Las Vegas. We have been best friends since fifth grade...and without going into how old we are, that's a l-o-o-o-n-g time.


That's me on the left, Kelley on the right.

I don't have a single picture of the Strip to show you. Frankly, I was kind of appalled by it. It is pretty--in a way--but I just kept thinking that only in America could there exist this kind of excess, extravagance and over-indulgence. Still, I think everyone should see it at least once.

Kelley treated me to LOVE, the Cirque du Soleil show set to the music of the Beatles. I have to admit that when the show first started I thought 'I'm not going to like this.' But it just got better and better (and more and more trippy) as it went on and I wound up absolutely loving it. And of course, the music was amazing. There is a little video clip on their website that hints at how cool the show is. If you ever go to Las Vegas, I highly recommend it.

Image courtesy of MGM Mirage

On Sunday, we drove to Zion. I didn't realize that Zion National Park, along with the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and others, I'm sure, are just a few hours drive from Las Vegas.

Now I ask you, how can the Vegas strip compete with this?

Sharon

Tagged by Tyler of periwinklebloom

I have been tagged by my dear friend Tyler at periwinklebloom. Ten random things about me:

1. I have a pathological compulsion to not follow directions. The recipe says shallots, I add garlic. My GPS tells me to turn left, I turn right. This is something I have only recently come to realize about myself.

2. I don’t like sushi.

3. I have, at various times, had red, blonde, black, brown and burgundy hair. Currently, I am a brunette.

4. When I was younger, I used to say ‘No husbands, no children, no pets, no plants.’ I have all but the children.

5. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up (I’m 48).

6. I have a scar on my chin, one on each knee, one on my calf, one on my eyebrow, in both of my eyes, one on my butt cheek and one on the small of my back.

7. As a general rule, I am not a fan of romantic comedies.

8. I have amassed a good-sized collection of dead bugs.

9. Although I am pretty good at it, I dread public speaking.

10. I just got a new kitty named Snowpea.

I tag Ria at My Mommy Manual, Julie at Bricolage, Sparrow Salvage, Millie Motts and Beverly at La Paperie & Cozy.

Sharon

Brooks Salzwedel

Look at this artist's work:

Little Anacin Tin - Brooks Salzwedel

High Forest Tin - Brooks Salzwedel

Broken Wires - Brooks Salzwedel

Home Like Me - Brooks Salzwedel
Graphite, acrylic, resin

Hanged #2 - Brooks Salzwedel
Graphite, resin, pipe end

Found via the excellent Bioephemera blog. Many thanks to Joe Allgren http://twitter.com/thedarkengine for alerting me to this artist's ethereal, evocative work.

Sharon

Map Photo Album

Below are pics of a custom-designed trip photo album I completed recently. It is to be a wedding gift for a couple who are traveling around the world for their honeymoon.


The cover was a map of Central Europe taken from a 1924 World Atlas. The back cover was a linen-textured handmade paper.

The album was tied with two pieces of vintage French seam binding.


The endpapers were from an old 1950s atlas and said Occident and Orient--fitting for a trip around the world.

I included old-fashioned picture corners that matched the heavyweight, cream-colored interior pages. The packaging coordinated with the album's endpapers. One packet had a European postage stamp and one had an Asian postage stamp.

I hope the couple likes it.

Sharon