There are journals, and then there are artisan handmade journals. There are leather journals, fabric journals, paper journals and artisan clay journals. Clay? That’s right. Clay. How cool is this?

This journal was designed and created by the artist, Pat Pearson. Each journal is unique to its owner. Pat lists these as custom pieces as you can choose your own colors and any possible significance you would like. I chose to let Pat do whatever she wanted. I told her I like all colors and showed her a photo (in my bio on ArtFire) of my mosaic back-splash I did with broken china just to assure her. I told her I looked forward to seeing what she would do as a surprise for myself. I kind of like the thought of buying something to surprise yourself, don’t you? I mean I had seen her samples in her studio photographs and couldn’t possibly go wrong trusting her artistic endeavor…and I was right.Pat got to work molding her clay and binding pages and all kinds of magic things in the next few days. She updated me about 3 days later to let me know the status and then a couple of days later to let me know my journal had shipped. I couldn’t wait for the package to arrive because of course…it was a surprise. A delightful one at that! I marveled at the beauty of this handmade journal and couldn’t wait to show everyone I know. It’s so cool and almost too pretty to write in.  I say “almost” because I certainly don’t want to mess it up. I think I will just jot down very special notes in it. Like what I’m grateful for or when something amazing happens out of the blue. I’ll keep it tucked in my purse and when it is full, I’ll place it on my dresser for someone else to keep someday.

My lovely journal has a collection of charms on it, one of which is a teeny tiny journal. I’m quite certain I would have gone mad before I could ever have put this little darling together. I can see it now, glue everywhere, pages stuck together and a general mess. Not Pat’s little journal charm. Oh no. It is exquisite! I think I’ll write “I love you little journal” on its pages inside. Sweet. As you can see below, my grown-up journal is a very nice size. Pat says one could even sketch in it. I’m not that one…but, it’s certainly the right size to carry in your purse. She also makes a larger version for those that have more to say, or those that like to sketch.

Pat Pearson’s Studio is not able to create any of these in time for Christmas now as her hands are full with other orders. However, if you would like your very own artisan journal, you can always contact her through her studio on ArtFire. I’ll include a link in the final photograph below. I do hope you’ll check these out because I’m in love with mine and I think everyone should have one.

Celebrate artisan handmade goods…and if you can’t do it yourself find someone like Pat Pearson, who can. ;->

ArtFire unique gift guides for the holiday season got me thinking. How many people go to ArtFire to shop for the holidays? Etsy was once ArtFire’s size and people spread the word and did the work to make Etsy what it is today. As a jewelry artist and crafter, I long for the day ArtFire becomes as big as the The Big E.

Like Etsy, many unique gifts can be found in the gift guides and this year I hope thousands more people are looking. I see some of the unique items on ArtFire and realize that people probably don’t even know some of these artists exist, much less that they want or need what they’re offering.

How’s this for unique? Have you ever seen anything like it? I marvel at the fact the a person made this. With blown glass. Mind boggling. To me at least. Did you have any idea you could adopt something like this?

Kelly Lowe Glass also has blown Christmas ornaments at a very reasonable price. A great idea for collectors of unique ornaments and absolutely perfect as Hostess Gifts.

Save the wine and give a unique bottle stopper instead. Kelly has those, too!

This year, try something different. Shop somewhere different. Check out ArtFire and find a unique gift for the person on your list that digs artisan handmade or vintage cool.

Lisa

I searched and searched for a way to add my favicon to Market theme. My host is Go Daddy and Market theme online support forums suggested I go there to upload the file. Well. OK. It does not work. I read countless threads and tried entering the code in the header.php…and just for fun, tried adding it in different areas and keeping my fingers crossed. Still a no go. Just when I was resigned to the fact that I would have an odd gray globe forever, I found this…..

Multicons  plugin for WP.

You can thank me later.  Thank them right away. ;->

I’ve been working on my ArtFire studio lately and still have lots more to add. As we near the Christmas shopping season it reminds me to get busy! The lapis necklace, coral branch and vintage coral necklace are new, along with the sterling silver Hill Tribe earrings and handmade bobby pins.

The handmade bobby pins have been a life-saver. I’ve made myself 3 pair of them as I started growing out my bangs in June. Currently they’re at the stage where they won’t quite go behind my ear…but I will not cut them. I will not. I really won’t cut my bangs.  No matter what.  This time I’m sticking to it. I’ve impressed myself because for the last decade, my bangs have never gotten below the tip of my nose before I pulled out the scissors and started hacking away at them.  Thank goodness for bobby pins.

Oh to paint. Period. Just paint. I love painting a piece of furniture, even a wall in the house. Unfortunately, I have never been able to paint a portrait, a landscape or even a stick figure. Watching this guy brings a whole new meaning to painting. Fun, creative and super talented. Enjoy!