happy christmas

we hope it is fun and safe and full of
beautiful memories . . .

from all of us at paper boat press
we want to thank you for your
kind words and ongoing support through twenty ten

life can be random . . .

this year i've looked up a lot . . .
at ceilings
at the sky

here are two of my favourite ceilings . . .
in the most different of places . . .

above, a room in the rodin museum in paris
worth the visit just to see the camille claudel collection

and below the historic and facsinating hotel corones
in charelville where we stopped for a whiskey (or two)
on the way home from my grandmother's funeral . . .

it does pay to not just look at your feet
and where you think you are going . . .

it makes the picture bigger,
the journey wider,
the sadness briefly scatter . . .

where does the time go ?

i don't quite know

all i know, right now
it is time to
down tools for the year

phew . . .

i have to say i am looking forward
to a break
it has been a mighty big year
here at paper boat HQ

today was scrub the studio floor day
( luckily with the help of my brother )
and last, last minute shop top up
order sent . . .

a few more things to share before the year ends
in the mean time this is a shot of some of my studio tools
taken earlier this year
by talented photographer russell shakespeare

the shot is so beautiful that despite my tiredness
it almost makes me want to pick one up and use

pages . . .

my new journal range,
both in my online store and in the stores that stock them
seems to be a big hit !

it seems people are filling the pages
with the breathings of their hearts . . .

above is a beautiful shot sent to me
by my friend lou, a fellow collector of words and whimsy
from looseleaf.paper

fill those pages people . . .
send me photos of the pages you fill if you like

write

wander

wonder

c e l e b r a t e . . .

the other night i took all my studio peeps
out for dinner . . . all in all a bakers dozen !

they really are the best !

we have had such a big year
and the number of helpers has grown to cope
with the growth of this little business

the best thing of all is the friendship though . . .
the kinship
the place we have created
in each others hearts
( it sounds sappy but it is true . . . )
we help each other through the tough parts of
our day to day
creating a space of refuge and solidarity
where it is ok to come to work
and cry . . .

but don't get me wrong
there is a lot of fun too, a lot of laughter and
( especially the 'wednesday girls' )
a lot of chocolate

and as each year ends
i feel grateful personally and professionally to have this
circle in my life . . .
this team who work so very hard for me and paper boat press
but who have formed friendships within that space too

this friendship i know
just makes the work we do
full of even more love

it is amazing what can happen when your
heart is in the right place

thank you to my 11 gals and 2 boys
who make my work
not seem like work !
who make each day easier to get through
and make the creative life i live continue to flourish. . .

merry merry !

recently . . .

i've been in sydney for a couple of days
i visited one of my favourite stockists . . .
high tea with mrs woo
and had a great dinner
with the fabulous gals ( 3 sisters )
behind it all !
we've all felt like friends for so long ( via email )
as i've stocked both their stores for a few years now . . .
it was so nice to share the kindred journeys we've been on
the similarities ( despite the medium )
the hard work
the vision
and ethos of things we do . . .

walking into their store on oxford street
felt like home
full of beautiful touches . . .
a wall of their designs mixed with collections of
old frames . . .
and behind the counter a blackboard with their signature
quote . . . ( see top photo ) ,
one which i have made into a tag for them this year
( exclusively for them )

i purchased a very special
sculptured-pencil-thing
while there
which i'll share at a later date
it is just too beautiful not to share
and not to use !

i also had a long overdue visit to the
donna hay store
( did you see they have a brand new online store now )
the bricks and mortar store
is in a beautiful old sandstone building
and again lovely to meet karen, donna's sister
who has been my email work friend for the last few years
since i've started stocking the store

below are a few photos, one of the display at the counter
with this years ornaments . . .

it is always so great to see all our hard work
sit in a store . . .
in it's second home
before it heads to the next . . .

and finally amongst other outings
i was lucky enough to have lunch with some very dear friends
at this amazing bondi restaurant . . .

with star spotting to boot . . .
he arrived to have lunch just as we were all
sharing dessert . . . and with his arrival
i don't know if we really paid attention
to the sweetness we were eating . . .
it was a pretty swell few days all round really
which was just what i needed in this crazy time of year !

ok enough rambling . . . back to the clay now . . .

samples . . .

sample one :

from anthropologie
seeing the samples in the flesh
was surreal and wonderful . . .
this is the small dish,
i will reveal more when i get the ok too . . .
and they are released . . .
but it all feels very real now . . .
i can't wait to share what poems we used,
and what the vessels as a whole look like !

sample two :

pamela from pamela's pantry
made lots of these shortbread biscuits
as a swap for the biscuit press's
i made for her . . .

the biscuts were on our refreshments table on the weekend
with all the money raised
going to the orphanage in thailand we support . . .
so it all goes around really . . .

that, and the shortbread tasted great . . .
and of course proof that the biscuit press's work too !!!

...from a beautiful day

some

snaps

from

saturday last . . .

we had a lovely day at our annual christmas show on saturday
meeting some new customers,
and catching up with some long time ones . . .
thank you to all who came along and supported this
special day in the calendar of paper boat press . . .

and an extra thanks to
lisa
and sarah (who took these photos)
tiffany
teresa
selene
and luke

all who made the day so effortless and calm
x