Readers Digest Condensed books

Baines Books & Coffee

My little town of Scottsville has a great coffeeshop called Baines. I’ll be showing some art on the walls throughout November.

Come for the friendly vibe, have a muffin or grilled cheese, listen to the LPs on the phonograph, meet yer friends. Oh and drink coffee, buy new and used books!

I’ll be at Baines for the reception on Saturday 11/14/15 from 3-7pm-ish.

485 Valley St., Scottsville, Virginia (434) 286-3577
Hours? Hmmm, I think… Sat-Sun 9-4, Mon-Fri 7:30-4. Good to call.

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Bookboxes at the Gift Forest, ho!

I donned my craft snood and fashioned some gift items for sale at the Gift Forest, an annual pop-up holiday gift shop hosted by The Bridge gallery with 60+ Virginia artisans and vendor wares. Runs December 1st to 24th, weekdays 12-8PM and weekends 10AM-6PM (Christmas Eve opened 10AM-4PM), 209 Monticello Road in Charlottesville, by the Spudnuts.

I had made and tucked away (forgot and lost actually) two prototype bookboxes and decided to make more with my favorite source material, recycled Reader’s Digest Condensed Books. Uniform in height and depth, with faux leather spine, sturdy case binding and attractive graphic print covers, I have a collection of nearly 600 covers to choose from.

Reader’s Digest Condensed Book covers.

The bookboxes have sturdy, contrasting print sides and mini magnetic closures. Perfect for desktop display or to cache treasures deep in the bookcase. I raided my sewing basket for vintage buttons, ribbon scraps and leather tabs.

The six bookboxes and four bookbags pictured below are at the Gift Forest and available for purchase: $25 each bookbox and $45 each bookbag. Have a favorite book you want transformed into objet d’art or unique whatnot? I take commissions.

4 little bookbags: Seahorse, plum gold floral, brown plaid and blue quatrefoil.

I popped in opening night, the first of December to check it out. Strange day, nearly 70 degrees. Yet, it is that time and we will shop in sandals or boots. In my heart, I covet and would add 86% of what I saw there to my wish list. Like that neon sign across town saying, Get In Here: go to the Gift Forest, get in there. But save a few things for me, please.

Outside looking in.

November 17, 2014

Bookbags, kimchi and CSAs. Say what?

We’ve had a CSA (community supported agriculture) vegetable share with Bellair Farm for three years and reupped for 2015. Can’t compliment Farmer Jaime, owner Cynnie and the crew enough. Besides the abundant fields and ability to choose what you take home in your weekly bag, there are pick your own fields with sunflowers or hot peppers, you can hang out and bring a picnic lunch on Saturdays, hike the walking trails, play with the bunnies and just be on the farm. Our challenge is in eating enough veggies! Always leftovers from each week’s share. At the season-end potluck supper in late October, they provided even more abundance… and with that additional bag, my fridge actually exploded.

Sifting through the vegetable carnage, I know that pickling and canning really should be something I do, but don’t. However, I enjoy fermenting. I made my first pseudo kimchi with gorgeous daikon radishes, carrots and everything but the kitchen sink. My husband commented on the stench, not knowing it was fermenting beautifully and soon to be plated with dinners ahead.

Our other CSA experience (community supported art) is with The Bridge in Charlottesville. In 2013, I was one of four artists invited to produce works for this inaugural offering. Here are images of some of the 50 bookbags I produced from all recycled materials. They’ve expanded the CSA program in 2014 with six local artists and shares are still available.