Purty. Purrrrrrty!

Here's a shot Rachael took of the journal I made for her birthday.  Her skills make mine look purty!

Surprise!

Today is a special day for my friend Rachael, the founding artist with HopeinArt.  When I was first introduced to Rachael, I was living in California, and she lived in Pennsylvania--cross country interactions are so fun!  We are a part of an online social networking group and we started discussing a custom journal as a sign-in book for one of her art shows.  (See that amazing drawing above?  That's her.  She's got skills, huh?!)  Rachael's request broadened my book-making horizons and I'm so glad she did.
I love getting things in the mail, and my mom was always so good about mailing cards and packages.  I cannot tell you the excitement and joy that would wash over me when I opened my mailbox and found a card with her return address.  (Even better were the times I found a key to one of the larger PO boxes--which meant a package had come.  I would do a heel click in the post office lobby!  Not really, but I'd think about it!)
I decided to surprise my friend with an unexpected package of her own.  Right now, an Atelier JOIE journal is on it's way to help Rachael celebrate her birthday!  This blog post might ruin the "unexpected" part of the surprise, buuuuuut, what can you do?  It's still incredibly fun to get packages in the mail.  And aren't joy and fun supposed to accompany a birthday?  Yes indeed!
If you'd like to see more of Rachael's goodness, you can find Hopeinart on facebook, and you can also view her website at hopeinart.org.  Go check her out, you'll be glad you did.

Happy birthday my friend!  I'm wishing you extraordinary amounts of joy today, and enough wonderful memories to make you smile through your upcoming year!   ~Timmery