This past week was a whirlwind of "crafty" activity with only a small portion of it spent on my own solitary endeavors. I've feel so lucky to be included in a group of artisans who meet up in person every month over various hot and cold beverages with no expectations other than to share experiences, advice and (sometimes stuff) and to provide support and feedback on life as an entrepreneur in this particular market.
In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting hosted by Melissa and Mimi, I also volunteered to be a tester for (another) Melissa and Jen.
This was by no means a sacrifice - they are both so talented in their respective fields: Mel as a maker of handcrafted books and journals and Jen as the creator of a fantastical world of plush toys for children of all ages.
Five of us (including Jen pictured above) gathered to help Melissa test a workshop she will be offering on making travel journals. The workshop like her other work was meticulously well thought out, organized, presented and executed. For the first time in quite a while, I got to be the one in the class everyone had to wait for: That's what happens when everyone is a professional crafter I guess. But I figure this was good research material for Melissa, cause somebody's gotta be last, right? We made a set of 4 pamphlet style notebooks and a case for them and then building on that experience a 4 signature expandable book with various pockets and a closure. I learned so much from this workshop. Now I just need to plan a trip, but my first stop was at my sister's house to show off (she's been yearning to learn how to make books and well it's just a sister thing). I touted Melissa's workshop to her and to you, if you are in the Boston area or can get there. I highly recommend the experience.
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