New Stuff!

At the last Open Studio, one of the gals suggested making placemats in the fashion of my question books.  I thought it was a great idea because it will prompt interesting dinner conversation.  I decided that they must be washable, so the top is vinyl.  And the bottom is felt to protect the table.  They are in lots of colors, some with original prints and others have my digitals.  Here are three sets:

Oh yeah, most of them have feathers or other surprises in the collages.

I'm hoping to have coordinating coaster sets as well.

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The weeds outside were calling as the showy fall leaves blew away because they have such glorious and interesting seed formations.  I found myself collecting seeds, and then the fronds, and pretty soon they became a Pass It On Gardener's Gift.

It has some of the 14 plants in the arrangement.  All the weeds have been sprayed with hairspray so that they don't fly around!  in the drawer are 14 envelopes with pictures of the plant in summer, a short note about the plant's habit and personality, and the seeds collected from my garden this fall.  In the top compartment is a small book with pages to write your impressions and ideas about the plant with small envelopes to collect seeds.  I think of the book as a Pass It On idea, as you can give the book to someone else with the seeds from your garden next year.  Of course there are plant stakes with the height and growth requirements. 
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I've made three Toys for those with Desks.  They're cubes that spin around showing you 4 small books on one side and a drawer on the other.  The books have jumping frogs in one, quotations in another, questions in the third, and Jacob's Ladders in the last.  The drawer either has shiny things or blanks to make more frogs after people wander off with them (they do!).  Here's one.

I believe in fun...and work needs to be fun!
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Today I'm working in leather making wristlets that light-up and folios with my epoxied prints on them.  I'm not sure I'll let any of them go because I think they're gorgeous as well as fun.  I'll post them later in the week.

And because my feet were cold this weekend and my back hurts today, I made up a whole mess of rice bags. So if you come to the Open Studio, stock up!  There are lots of shapes and sizes. 

Hope to see you this weekend between 10AM and 4PM.  Whatever is left I'll put up on my website at http//www.laurirockne.com

Enjoy this glorious season.
Lauri