Hitting a New Note

     Earlier this week I was contacted by a college student with a request:  could I design a notebook to use in her music theory class?  It would need music staff lines, as well as space to take notes (bwaaaahahaha!  Too funny, right?!).  So after a morning of tinkering and designing, this is what is now heading to a college campus!
     Except when I say "now", I mean tomorrow.
     Postal business hours, ya know?

Before...

     I'm currently working on a special order from a sweet friend whose father works for Disney.  These five plain, uncovered, rough journals are about to be transformed into Disney-inspired journals!  I had so much fun compiling quotes for this project.  My friend directed me to a site with all sorts of sayings from Disney characters like Winnie the Pooh, Kuzco, Jiminy Cricket, Aladdin, Remy, Snow White, Dumbo, Cinderella, and so many more!  Some quotes are cheesy, but make us smile because of the nostalgia that surrounds them.  Others are witty, profound, and sassy.  I giggle every time I see a quote in a very serious looking font--looking all kinds of official and wise--and it turns out its something ridiculous like "Hmm.  Don't know.  Don't care.  How's that?"  (Kuzco, The Emperor's New Groove).  The juxtaposition between the words and font makes the sassiness pop even more!
      What's your favorite Disney movie quote?

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

Shipping Today!

These two custom pieces are packed up and ready to find new homes!  A while back I created a journal to use with the book "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.  Like the title suggests, the author looked for 1000 gifts from God to grow her awareness of God and his goodness.  The book chronicles her journey of thankfulness.  I loved the idea of taking one of my journals and adapting it to be a record keeper of one thousand observations, so I too could be more on the lookout for the blessings in my everyday.
A few of my "gifts"...
...The brightness of my neighbor's flower garden...
...The tinkling of a bell on the collar of a cat running across the drive...
...A warm cappuccino with a heart in the foam...

What are some of your gifts?