J.J. Boyles

2012 The Year of Wide Open

2012-01-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

Happy 2012! I know I'm a couple weeks behind but the time has come to step fully into this new year and embrace all it's going to offer. I've spent the last few weeks thinking, planning, strategizing, and thinking some more. I'm calling 2012 the "Year of Wide Open" because that's the feeling I want to keep with me for the next twelve months and beyond.

As you can see, I have quite an agenda. I could have narrowed it down a little, but each of these possibilities holds so much promise for my business and family I couldn't bring myself to leave any of them out.

In 2012 I want to continue growing this business, but with more focus on what I believe in the most... Journals and Writing. I've said many times before I believe in the power of writing things down. Even with all the electronics we have at out fingertips, we still reach for pen and paper a lot. You're going to see many more journals this year starting with these

I did a little digging through my files and one thing was abundantly clear. Every 4 out of 5 messages I received asked if the pages of my journals could be replaced when they were filled up. I started designing some leather journal covers for Moleskine and Field Notes journals during the holiday season. They received a fantastic response! So sketchbook and ruler in hand I created the Refillable Leather Journal covers you see above. The designs will look familiar since these have historically been some of my most popular hand bound leather journals, but now they're refillable. I have just as much fun making the journal inserts as I do the covers!

And then I went one step further and designed this

A refillable journal and leather cover just for Left Handed folks like me! I made one of these for myself to try it out and I LOVE it! It doesn't have all that bulk on the left side, and is so easy to use. If you know a "lefty" I'll bet they've been looking for something like this for a long time. More colors and leathers are coming soon in all these designs. I'll also have some hand bound journal coming in the next few weeks. This is going to be a great year!

One quick note

I'm taking a break from making the iPad cases and Kindle cases. I have a few left that I'll be listing in the next couple days and that will be all I'll have for the indefinite future. I'll go into it a little more in a future post, and may resume making them at some future date. But for now the focus of my work will be on journals and some new leather gift/home items

Meet The Family

2011-11-16T13:00:00.002-05:00

Holiday Collection 2011

You're going to find it a little difficult to pick a favorite out of this bunch. There's so much delicious, leather goodness packed into this collection, it's hard to know where to begin!

I'll start with my favorite of the day.

Ok seriously, this is one amazing leather journal cover. I made one of these for myself this summer to test it, and it hasn't left my side since. The leather cover is sized to fit a Moleskine Cahier journal, or a Field Notes Journal, but most 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" journals will work. I'm in the process of making my own refills for this cover, and they'll be available in my jjboyles.com shop in the next few days.

How many times in a day do you reach for paper to make a reminder note, or to jot down an idea? (I'm talking to YOU - Post It Notes people)

This journal is just the right size to carry everywhere with you and keep close at hand on your desk. I'm telling you, once you try this, you won't believe how you ever lived without it, AND you get the added benefit of a clean, organized desk. What could be better?

I'm glad you asked!

The Leather Journal Box Set

I found myself using about one of these journals per month. It quickly became clear I needed a place to archive these pieces of my history. I looked around for some pre made alternatives, and finally decided to make something myself. The Leather Box

This piece has become my new favorite to make. The leather is the same as the journal cover; a substantial, full grain bridle leather. It's a dream to work with, and always-always turns out beautiful products. I think of this box as a sculpture. (you'll be seeing a lot more things made from this leather in the New Year) Even though the box can be used for many purposes, I like it best as a home for all my filled journals. It sits on my desk along with the journal since I refer back to those filled ones quite frequently. It's a conversation starter for certain.

The Leather Journal Box Set comes with the Leather Journal Cover, The Leather Box, and 12 Moleskine Cahier Journals. This set will last a lifetime and get better with age. You can find them here:

Leather Journal Covers and Box Sets

Up Next:

What is this and why you might need one.....

Holiday Collection 2011

2011-11-14T15:35:00.000-05:00

Wait no longer! My Holiday Collection 2011 is now released and ready for you! Take a look...

Open publication - Free publishing

Holiday 2011 Collection Preview

2011-10-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

They're coming at us like a fast moving train...... The Holidays! I've got your back for the upcoming holiday shopping season. My new collection of holiday gifts and gadget cases will be released on Tuesday November 1. Here's just a couple quick previews..........

I thought a lot about you when I was designing the pieces for this collection. I wanted to create things that you would like, and the kinds of gifts you love to give. Special, meaningful, and something really cool for that one guy on your gift list that has everything. Oh my, I can't wait to show you! Come back next Tuesday for the big reveal.....

2011-10-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

Thank You Steve. For the inspiration, and for the MAGIC......

Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.

-- Steve Jobs

Two Quick Things

2011-10-02T15:16:00.000-04:00

Two quick newsy things to start out the week!

Last week Amazon announced their new family of Kindles, including the new Kindle Fire. I had the designs ready for these, and was just waiting on the dimensions. I'm happy to say I've got the prototypes in development and will have the new Kindle cases in the shop within the next week or two! Check back for the release.

I'm so fired up about this new Holiday Collection! There's something for everyone, especially that guy on your list that has "everything". Some really cool new stuff coming out for the season! Check back on October 24 for the big reveal.

Have a great week!

Stitching

2011-09-27T11:25:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we were doing some projects around the house and I wanted to switch out my living room curtains. I needed to update some old sheers to fit on the rods I had so I broke out my pins, thread and needle. I did a hasty job of it, and thankfully no one will see it under the valances; but it made me think of the hand stitching I've been using on my "uncompromised" line.

I've been sewing since I was 9; including 12 years of 4-H, during college in Tailoring Classes, and in my professional life as a owner and manager of two different alterations shops. One thing I know for certain; stitching by hand is important in construction, and it adds elegance and interest like nothing else can.

A couple little rows of hand stitching can make an ordinary design element like a flap closure into something extra-ordinary. These rows of stitching on this iPad case attach a hidden strap and keeper underneath. This would have been much quicker and easier with a machine stitch, but it's so much more done this way.

The work horse stitch of this line is the Saddle Stitch. This stitch is what holds the pieces of the case together. Two needles are passed through each hole then the thread is tightened by pulling both sides equally.

I enjoy doing this stitch. The rhythm and cadence of sewing these pieces together is soothing and natural.

Then there are the specialty stitches. I use these as design elements and to make my work stand out. The Baseball Stitch is one of these.

You already know this is my favorite! It took a little time and effort to learn this stitch, how to adapt it to making cases (instead of baseballs) and to build the equipment in order to make it work. (see the Behind the Scenes page for a look at my husband Benny making me a stitching pony specifically for these cases.) It's all worth it though. I've been working on some new things using this stitch, and I think you're going to love them!

I also use hand stitched elements as part of the design, like the epaulette stitched straps you see here.

You'll see this design element throughout the whole "uncompromised" line; from the iPad Cases, Kindle Cases, and even the journals.

I bet you noticed all the holes. That's because you can't just poke a needle into leather and sew like you can on fabric. The hides are tough, and either have to be pierced with a special leather awl or holes have to be punched to get the needle and cord through. We punch all the holes by hand. (by "we" I mean "I" or sometimes my son helps. More on that later too....) Each hole is punched out, then coated with an edge coating. The coating isn't necessary, but I prefer the finished look instead of seeing the raw leather inside the holes. Just a little quirk of mine.

The last thing we do before stitching, is recess the stitching lines. This helps the thick cord lay flush with the leather. Again, not a necessity, but it looks so nice, I can't resist this step.

I like to think my 4-H leaders and college professors would be proud of what I've done with this simple skill they taught me years ago. This "uncompromised" attention to detail is part of what makes this line and these cases so special and irresistible. I hope you'll agree!

*Be sure to hover your mouse over the images. I put some extra little notes in there!

New iPad Case

2011-09-20T00:45:00.000-04:00

I've been using this burgundy latigo leather since the very beginning. When I was creating this Baseball Stitch iPad Case with this beautiful burgundy latigo, it felt like "coming home" The feel of this leather is amazing. It bends and molds into shape so well, is sturdy and strong, and I know it's one of your favorite colors just like it is mine. The two button closure design is also one of my most popular case features. I wanted to bring all the best elements of my iPad case designs together with this new "uncompromised" leather iPad case. What do you think?

(hint) mouse over the bullseye buttons for some additional features and behind the scenes details.

9/11/01 - 9/11/11

2011-09-11T13:55:00.001-04:00

"uncompromised" Fall 2011 Line Launches August 15!

2011-08-13T07:27:00.003-04:00

More...

2011-07-27T21:58:00.004-04:00

On August 15 I'll be releasing my new fall line of Leather Journals, iPad Cases and other leather accessories. But this launch is more than just new products. It's a whole different philosophy and experience for you. In the coming weeks leading up to the launch, I'll be sharing some announcements, secrets, and behind the scene stuff here on the blog. So check back every couple days and you won't miss anything!

Double Needles

2011-07-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

Prototype

2011-07-15T21:33:00.003-04:00

In the process of designing my new fall line, I came up with this leather box to hold all my electronics chargers and cords. It's 4" x 4" x 3" deep and is just perfect for this purpose! I've even put a loose leather piece inside to keep things divided the way I want them. I've been using this box for a couple weeks now for my iPhone charger, iPad charger, camera charger, and a couple usb cables. My little point and shoot camera even fits in there. I love it! It can sit on my desk looking beautiful and I always know where my chargers are. No more, "Have you seen my phone charger?" When we go to the lake, I can just throw it in my bag and I'm ready to go.

But I want to know what you think! Is this something you might use? What about the size, bigger or smaller? Can you think of another purpose this little box might be used for? This prototype doesn't have a closure on it yet, but I have a good one planned. Do you think it needs some kind of strap? Let me know what you think in the comments. I'd really like to hear your thoughts!

Before We Know It.....

2011-07-15T21:29:00.000-04:00

All too soon the summer will move into its' last days and fall will be here. I've been spending a little bit of my vacation time getting ready for the release of our 2011 Fall Line of leather journals and cases. The big launch date is August 22, and I think you'll be pleased with the new items. In the meantime, here's a couple teasers.... (I'm only showing the black and white photos- the colors are a surprise!)

New Today.....

2011-06-01T13:56:00.000-04:00

We took the classic iPad2 Memo Envelope style case and upgraded it! Our signature Baseball Stitching up the sides make this case special. Heads will turn when you carry this case! Available at jjboyles.com

What do you think??

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T10:41:00.000-04:00

The last couple years I've written about what Memorial Day means to our family. This year I couldn't think of anything new to add but didn't want to let this day pass without saying anything. This morning in the quiet before anyone woke up, I remembered this movie.

It's my wish that every American could see this film. If you see a soldier today (or any other day) please thank them for their service. Sometime during this Memorial Day, please take a moment to remember our Fallen, and the sacrifice they made for our freedom.

"Taking Chance" is available on iTunes, Netflix, and most likely at your local video store.

Milestones, Perspective, and a Thank You

2011-04-28T13:24:00.001-04:00

Milestones
Three years ago today, I listed my first journals in my Etsy shop. This was one of the first ones I made.

I remember in those early days trying to find my "voice" in making my journals. What could I do that hadn't been done before, what kind of book could I make that would set my shop apart from all the others on Etsy. The answer eventually came when I started making something I LOVED. The basic journal I wrote about here was the beginning of the journey I'm still on today 3 years later.

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but this journal I made in 2009 is to this day my very favorite to make and to use.

This journal was the best of both worlds - a hardcover journal combined with hand binding - This is the book I love to hold in my hands, and my Go To journal for personal writing. Unfortunately, it was very expensive to make, took a lot of time and didn't sell very well. I only made about 6 of them before discontinuing them. But, you just might see them make a comeback in the future. Now that I have more experience, better suppliers and more awesome tools, I could re introduce them. Hmmmm.......

The future of journals here at J. J. Boyles are going to look something like this-

I'm saying a fond farewell to my beloved Burgundy and Black Latigo leather and moving in the direction of these hand colored leathers. The leathers I'm using for these journals are rich and tactile. The colors are delicious (really I could go on and on about them....) and in the end, these things combined will make a journal that is more personal, and unique for just you. There's lots more exciting products to come in the next few months. I'm deep into planning new lines that will be released soon....

Perspective

Making these things, running my shops and taking care of my family fills my days with happiness. (mostly) But the bottom line is this isn't rocket science; we're not changing the world with these things I make with my hands. I try to remember the words and thoughts behind my tagline: "It's What's On The Inside That Matters" Writing in your journal just might change your world, having a cool case for your iPad that you use to change your world might be making a difference. My hope is always that these things you order from me will become a big part of you, and how in some way you're changing the world, and those around you.

A Thank You

As I was preparing this post for my anniversary, I tried to think of the most satisfying part of having an Etsy shop for these last 3 years. Making journals and iPad cases is fun, all the things I've learned about working with leather has been invaluable, developing new designs and systems to get them made has been very rewarding, but all these things aren't the best part. The thing that makes me anticipate each day, and continually work to improve is YOU! I get such a kick out of talking with you, answering your questions, working with you on something special for your loved one; it makes this job not really work. 3 years ago when I listed that first journal, who knew I would still be having so much fun - all because of you. Some of you I just get to say "Hello" and "Thank You", and others of you I have the privilege of getting to know a little better.

You may not know this, but sometimes when I'm sewing the buttons on your iPad case, or wrapping the strap around your journal, I think about you. I imagine you opening up the box and holding your journal in your hands, or putting your iPad in your new case for the first time. In my heart I hope it takes your breath away, just a little bit, or that you say to the person next to you, "Wow! Take a look at this!"

I wish I could send each one of you a thank you note, and mention all of you by name, but that might be a little long. So from me, Julie to you, my sincerest Thank You for 3 great years. Each one of you have made a huge difference in my world! You're the best, and I hope you'll visit again soon......

Milestones

2011-04-27T12:13:00.000-04:00

I can't help it, I just want to shout about it! Tomorrow will be my 3 year Anniversary of opening my Etsy shop. Doing this one little thing in April 2008 has changed me, my family, and burst wide open a whole new world of possibilities for us. I'll have a little retrospective tomorrow, but today I would like to announce....

Yes, you read that right. I've never had a sale in my shop, but tomorrow sounds like as good a time as any! For tomorrow only (starting at midnight tonight....I'm sure I'll still be up!) take 20% off any item in my Etsy shop. That includes the great new items I'm adding today.... a Leather Moleskine Cover, One Year Journal, Memo iPad case Saddle Tan Baseball Stitch iPad Case and MORE. You will use the coupon code -- 320 -- when prompted during the payment process. So come shopping today, and snatch up your favorite tomorrow! See you then......

Spring Collection 2011

2011-04-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

Even though there are a few more pieces to be added, our new Spring Collection 2011 is ready to be released! I've worked and waited all winter to show you these new pieces.

First, we have "shoes" for your iPad!

The idea for these designs came to me during the busy holiday season last year. After the holidays, I did a lot of research and looked at A LOT of men's shoes. The Penny Loafer, The Kilt Flap, and the Wingtip are the final results. The Saddle Shoe will be the final design in this series and is on its way soon.

I'm very fond of this design, not just because of the unique added "shoe" pieces but the basic flap style and hidden closure is like a blank palette for me. It leaves an open space for all kinds of new and interesting options. The hidden closure is a small strap and keeper just under the flap.

The hidden closure is also featured in this Riveted design.

These iPad cases feature a flap that is a little longer and 3 antique nickel rivets. Just the right amount of spark!

Our signature Baseball Stitch pieces are the highlight of this Springs new looks.

I took the two most popular elements of all my iPad Cases and teamed them up. The button closure is so classic for iPad cases, and finishes this look beautifully. There's also an iPhone case!

A Baseball Stitch Kindle Case

And one more leather iPad Case with a Baseball Stitch feature on the back side rounds out this series.

I'm really excited about this Spring Collection. All the iPad cases fit the iPad2 -with or without the Smart Case- and the original iPad. These photos all show a baseball red thread, but are also available with Brown Thread. Expect to see these popular cases for more platforms like the Macbook Air, and Macbook Pro. Those are coming very soon as in the next few weeks!

But the biggest news of all is..........

you'll have to check back in tomorrow!

Opening Day

2011-03-31T12:02:00.000-04:00

It's FINALLY here! Nothing says SPRING like Baseball's Opening Day. Blue skies, fresh cut grass, the sound of the crowd singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch... We've been patiently (or not) waiting for this day all winter. Now the spring and summer can begin.

Check back here often to see our celebration of the "great American pastime" along with our fantastic new Spring 2011 Collection!

New Commute

2011-03-25T00:42:00.002-04:00

This week I began my commute to our brand new workshop.... but I didn't have to drive!

Even Max came by for a visit.

An Incredible Find

2011-03-09T14:08:00.000-05:00

Ok, one more video for you to see then I have some exciting new leather stuff for you to see.

This is a video of a recent TED talk that took my breath away. Without going into too much detail, I've been searching for a way to help my kids with school. Something that will keep them engaged and allow them to learn and re-learn what has been taught in the classroom. There are just some principles that take them longer to learn than the time allotted in school. I'll be looking into this program in depth and will report back on the results we achieve. In the meantime please watch this video to learn more about the Khan Academy. The video is 20 minutes long, but is time very well spent. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

To see the Khan Academy go to their site:
http://www.khanacademy.org/

Warmth

2011-03-06T10:49:00.001-05:00

It's been cold, gray and rainy here for days. Hopefully spring is just around the corner and I wanted to hurry it along a little bit. Check out this video for some warm sun, awesome waves and the Beach Boys...

See, now you're warmer aren't you! :)

Did you know?

2011-01-21T22:01:00.001-05:00

I'll bet you didn't know this beautiful leather iPad Case

Starts out like this

If I had one wish.......

2010-12-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

Oh how I would wish for a couple of these! Just saying..........
Have a beautiful day!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T11:55:00.000-05:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year. All week I've been trying to create a beautifully written post about how blessed I feel, but ended up with a list instead.

So this Thanksgiving I'm thankful for these things big and small:

~Benny's summer of unemployment. I seems like a weird thing to be thankful for, I know. But the time we were able to spend with him was so wonderful.
~We're also thankful we made it through that time financially and that Benny has a great job now. One that he likes, and is suited for him.
~For my 4-H advisors from many years ago, Kay DeWeese, Vivian Brelsford, and Joyce Bricker. As I've been designing all the new products this year I'm reminded of them and all they taught me. How else would I have known to wrap the thread around the button to make a shank? I hadn't realized until recently how much these women really shaped the path I would take.
~For my family of course. We're all healthy, happy and have great friends. What else could we want.
~For my customers and friends I've met through J.J. Boyles Leather. This has been an exciting year and I have great things planned for 2011 as well. Because of you I've stretched myself into new directions I never thought I would take. It's thrilling and nerve wracking at the same time, like a roller coaster. Thank you for being there with me, and your continued support and encouragement!

Have a wonderful day today and tell the people you love you're thankful for them!
xo Julie

Now I'm in the spirit!

2010-11-18T11:49:00.009-05:00

I have lots of news to tell and some great new journals to show you. But not today. This video brought tears to my eyes with memories and made my heart sing. Hope you enjoy it!

The Great Holiday Gift Wrapping Dilemma

2010-11-08T09:51:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again. These are the days when I become obsessed over my holiday packaging. This is the big question I've never been able to answer.(Much like the chicken and egg question) When you order a gift, either from me or another handmade maker, do you open the package if it's wrapped to see your item, or do you leave it wrapped until it's time to give the gift?

All through the year I send out my packages wrapped in brown Kraft paper and white string. I've always liked this look especially for the journals; it feels nostalgic and just seems right. But the Holidays are a different story. I like to be a little more festive since I know so many of these journals and accessories will be for gift giving. This will be my 3rd Holiday season in business and I've never been able to put a rest to this mystery.

The first year I sent out all my journals in drawstring muslin bags. These were extra nice.... but costly! I would have liked to continue these, but in the end thought it just wouldn't be sustainable in the long run. Last year I just used the brown paper and red string, or some nicely colored yarn. I know, I know, you're thinking, "How imaginative, Julie." Well, I knew I was going to be the featured seller on Etsy for a few days in December so that was my focus last year, so I didn't obsess as much about packaging. As long as the journals were made to the best of my ability and they were wrapped in something, I was happy.

Now this year is different. I started obsessing earlier and found this lovely Baker's Twine in red, cream and white. I think it looks so nice with the brown paper and is just the right thing for the upcoming holidays. As of this week I'm officially ending my yearly Holiday Gift Wrapping dilemma. The choice is really yours whether to leave the wrapping intact until you give the gift, or to gleefully unwrap the package as soon as it arrives on your doorstep. I know what I would do....... Never has a package arrived at my door without me tearing it open to see what's inside. (even if it's not mine... I know, I know...) It's not a matter of trust for me; I'm very confident of the quality of the products I order. I just can never resist the temptation! Here's what you'll see when you open up that USPS Flat Rate Box from J. J. Boyles this season

I hope you'll like it! It's earth friendly, cost effective, and good lookin'. Really when it comes down to it, it's what's inside that wrapping that matters the most. Right?

Coming this week: Special Edition 2011 One Year Leather Diaries, and oh my are they special. I can't wait to show you! Stay tuned......

New in the Shops!

2010-11-04T12:58:00.003-04:00

I was going to say "New Stuff in the Shops but my family scolds me when I call my lovely handcrafted leather journals and iPad cases "Stuff". :)

I have many, many new items in my shops just in time for Holiday Shopping. I've been so excited all summer getting these designed, made, photographed and listed. So grab a cup of your favorite beverage and take a look at what we've been working on for the last few months. Here are a few of my favorites...

Leather iPad Cases and Sleeves

This one is really special! A leather iPad case with our signature baseball stitch up the side, and a really unique closure. The case is made from a single piece of leather, coated in black on the inside, and hand rubbed with antique patina on the outside. It comes in Antique Tan, Antique Saddle Tan, Antique Brown, and Antique Black. Now traditionally, black isn't a big seller in my shops, but this black has undertones of dark brown that show through and it is so beautiful, I had to include it for this special iPad Case.

These are the Antique leather iPad Envelope Cases. They're designed like the Office Memo cases, only these are in landscape format. Available in 3 colors. Even though I'm very fond of the Office Memo style, this is a great alternative, and I might be making one of these for myself!

The leather iPad sleeve is simple, classic, and has an interesting curved feature at the opening. It's designed to be easier by having the curves where your thumbs and fingers naturally go to pull out your iPad. It's available in 6 colors and made with premium, full grain veg tan leather. Incidentally, this iPad sleeve in Antique Saddle Tan will be making a television appearance after Thanksgiving on a MAJOR TV Network!!!! Stay tuned for more details on this.

Leather Kindle Cases

These Leather Kindle Cases and Sleeves also fit the Nook and the Kobo. I've used both the Kindle Sleeve with the Strap and the basic Kindle Sleeve, and can't decide which I like best! Have I mentioned how much I love my Kindle? No? Well, I do love it! It's so easy to read, and one of the most interesting things happened when I got mine and began using it. All my kids loved it too! Everyday they ask me, "Can I read the Kindle, Mom?" Anything that gets my group to WANT to read more is a good thing in my book. (pun intended) Hmmm, might be a good gift idea in there somewhere.

Anyway, these Kindle Cases come in 6 colors and are just the right thing for your device. Almost all the Kindle cases you find on the market are the portfolio type that open like a book. In my way of thinking, the Kindle is great all by itself. It's light and easy to carry around or hold. Why would you want to put it into a case that adds bulk and makes the device more difficult to use? I designed these cases for you in mind, just pull your Kindle out of the sleeve and READ!

As if all these new things aren't enough, I've got more! I'll be adding some new iPad cases soon and one very special style journal that will be a Special Edition and will only be around until Jan 31, 2011. Stay tuned....

You can find all these new J.J.Boyles Leather items in my Etsy Shop or my Website

Poppytalk Handmade Market Holiday Market One

2010-11-02T22:35:00.000-04:00

Please enjoy this beautiful lookbook created by Poppytalk Handmade for the first of their Holiday Markets.

Open publication - Free publishing - More holiday

I've had a table at the Poppytalk Handmade Market for several months, and must say Jan and Earl at Poppytalk are some of the kindest, hardest working professionals I've worked with. I'm very honored to be a part of this market. You can find my table here: Julie Boyles Table 57
Be sure to look at all the tables, you'll find some very special items for the gift giving season.

"Songs That Get Stuck In Your Head" Friday

2010-10-15T10:55:00.000-04:00

It's Friday! Remember Fun? I'm starting a new feature today. "Songs That Get Stuck In Your Head" Friday. It's easy to play. I'll start by posting a video or song that will have you singing it all day long. You post your own favorite videos/songs in the comments and we'll all get a whole day of great songs stuck in our heads.

Here's mine. Snoopy vs The Red Baron. I dare you not to sing along!

Ok, now post yours in the comments...

Meet Tara

2010-10-10T16:54:00.000-04:00

This is Tara. In my mind, she's the greatest thing to come along since sliced bread. That's no exaggeration either!

Tara and I have been friends for quite a few years now. She's watched my kids grow from little kids to teenagers, and now I have the joy of watching her little ones grow. It's often the highlight of my day when I get to go visit them.

Tara is an independent contractor and since this summer has been helping me out with my shops. She does the prep work of cutting and punching most of the leather items in my shop as well as folding and punching paper. She also handles some of the communications and customer service aspects of running the shop. This has been an important development for my business. Admittedly it was a little nerve wracking to take this step, it's hard to let go of that "do everything yourself" mindset. But like most things, once I took the leap I wondered why I didn't jump sooner. Tara is very good at what she does and I consider myself very blessed that she was available for this contract!

From the heart Tara, Thanks! You're the best!

Remembering Baseball

2010-10-07T12:37:00.001-04:00

When I wrote about Baseball last week, the floodgates opened and a lot of memories came rushing back. They were some of those sweet moments of childhood that remain dormant until just a word or phrase brings them all back. When I mentioned my brother playing baseball every chance he could get, I thought of the games he played, being at the baseball fields, and the way the summer sunsets looked and felt watching a night game. What I didn't remember until later was the love of Baseball was shared by my whole family. Most especially Granny, my great grandmother.

We grew up in Piqua, Ohio, (just about an hour or so north of Cincinnati) in the 1970's. Naturally, we were Cincinnati Reds fans. Granny would pronounce it "Cincinnatuh" Reds. Anytime we would go to her house, if there was a game on, she would be listening to it on her radio while she worked on her latest needlepoint project. Conversations would revolve around who was winning, how the Reds were doing that season, and all other things Baseball. (Truth be told, I only half listened. Granny had some cool stuff at her house to investigate!) But win or lose, Granny was always a loyal fan. Even into her 90's you could still find her listening to the radio on game nights.

Those were the days of the "Big Red Machine" They were unstoppable and we watched and listened as they hit their way into the history books. I remember many, many nights falling asleep listening to Joe Nuxhall and Marty Brennaman calling the game.

So with wave after wave of nostalgia coming over me last week I got busy and did what I do best. I took the cell phone cases and gadget pouches I introduced last week one stop further.

These cases and pouches are my own way of Remembering Baseball. Natural leather that will age beautifully just like a baseball, and red stitching using our signature Baseball Stitch. I like this theme so much, you might even see a couple more things from me next year on Opening Day!

I've so enjoyed making these and awakening old memories as I cut and stitched. Maybe they'll bring back some good memories for you too. Enjoy!

Coming next week: Kindle Cases!

"Centerfield"

2010-09-29T09:44:00.000-04:00

I had a light bulb moment yesterday. I'm talking a great big "spotlight bulb moment"! I'm off to buy a couple new supplies and will be back later to show you what the mystery is all about. In the meantime for your viewing pleasure watch this video and listen "Centerfield" by John Fogerty. I dare you not to smile while watching...

Leather iPhone Cases

2010-09-27T09:29:00.001-04:00

Summers were spent at the baseball diamond when I was young. My brother played on any and all the baseball teams he could. As a dutiful, loyal sister I went along to cheer him on. The fact that there were a LOT of cute boys at the same place certainly made it more appealing.

In early June of this year I saw a beautiful, simple painting of a baseball. Waves of nostalgia hit me and I began to wonder if I could incorporate this feeling into some of my work. The baseball itself is the key, or more specifically, it's the stitch.

After much practice and trial and error, I learned to make this intricate baseball stitch. Visions of a new line of leather cases featuring this stitch began to take shape. Several different prototypes were made before settling on the final designs. The first case to be introduced is the iPhone case!

First an admission. Up until a couple of months ago I didn't carry my cell phone in any kind of case. There is a pocket just right for a phone in my purse so I didn't think I needed a case. But once I completed the first prototype for this cell phone case, I started using it. When I started hearing comments like, "Wow, where did you get that?" and "That is so cool!" I knew this was the right design. These cases are built to fit the iPhone 4 and 3 and most other types of cell phones. They will also hold your iPod Touch.

These leather cases use premium veg tan leather substantial enough to have a lot of body, but not too thick that it won't bend and shape. They are hand rubbed with the favorite Antique Patinas in Tan, Saddle Tan, Brown and Mahogany. The Antique rubs give the cases a used, worn look as well as bring out all the grains in the leather.

The cases are cut from one single piece of leather, making them very sturdy. The protective flap slides into the strap closure keeping your phone safely inside. This closure will be tight at first, but will loosen up just the right amount with use. Just like a new pair of quality leather boots or shoes. Monogramming is centered on the bottom portion of the flap and at no extra charge!

The last detail to be added to this case is the little thumb notch on the inside. When my phone would ring I was having a little trouble pulling it out of the case in time to get the call. This notch solved the problem.

The real star of the case is the baseball stitch. Strong, sturdy braided cord is woven in and out of the hand punched holes to create the well known stitch up the sides of the case.

You can see these leather iPhone cases in my Etsy Shop, or on my Website. I hope you'll take a look!

As the week progress more leather cases with this look will be released. Stay tuned!

The Workshop

2010-09-26T09:40:00.001-04:00

As you stand in the entryway of our home, you can tell right away this is no ordinary house in the suburbs of Indianapolis. The enticing smell of leather, waxes and oils lingers in the air as you walk into the open living space. The walls are lined with stacks of paper and rolls of leather, along with assorted machines and tools. In the center of it all is the workbench. Everything needed to craft our leather journals and accessories is within arms reach.

The sounds have become familiar to all of us. The kids hardly bat an eye when the sewing machine is clacking at a furious pace, or the hammering sounds of punching holes is non stop. The volume of the television and conversations ebbs and flows with the noise from the workspace. I never hesitate to pound or stitch into the early hours of the morning. No one wakes up, not even the dogs. They've all grown accustomed to the sounds of "home".

This is the center; the hub of our family business and our home. In the last few months we've been considering moving the workshop to a different location. To take more of our living space back, work normal hours and be able to entertain again without putting everything away. The decision, made by a family vote, was to stay put for now. Each member of our family plays a vital role in the running of this shop. Even teenage friends that stop by will lend a hand if asked. This place works for us. Here in the suburbs of Indianapolis we have the very definition of a comfortable working home.

In the next week we'll be releasing a whole new line of leather accessories. We've worked hard all summer to get them ready to show you. Today the final preparations are being made. We hope you'll join us this week each day for a close up look at each item. We think you'll be glad you visited.

Fast Days

2010-09-22T13:19:00.000-04:00

Did you see that? That's the sight of these days flying by so quickly I can't keep up. It seems like I just wake up and before you know it, it's time to start all over again!

Is it only me, or is this phenomenon occurring to you too?

Anticipation

2010-09-15T13:09:00.001-04:00

The waiting is killing me! I'm so excited to get these new things in my shop. I've worked hard all summer making prototypes, refining them, and finally getting the stock ready. My new collections are having their photos taken tomorrow so it won't be long now. Keep checking back to this spot for your first look!

What's In Your Journal Today?

2010-08-26T09:47:00.002-04:00

What's in Your Journal today? Hop on over to my Facebook Page and share a tidbit of what you're writing about today. I'll start....

We're officially into the second week of school. I've got kids in 3 schools which is a new frontier for me and is proving to be quite a challenge....

So what's the topic in your journal today? Come on over and share JulieBoylesJournals

Poppytalk Handmade Market

2010-08-04T16:53:00.002-04:00

I joined the Poppytalk Handmade Market this month for their special Back to School Market! This is a little look into some of the cool new things for Back To School!

Open publication - Free publishing - More vintage

I've been quiet...

2010-07-25T23:01:00.002-04:00

I've been pretty quiet lately. There's a good reason for that. This summer for the first time since beginning my business, I've been seriously planning for the second half of the year. Since introducing my iPad covers last month my business has turned in a great direction!

I'm still making journals, in fact I have several new, really cool journals to release soon. But the big change will be the new line of accessories I'll be launching in the next month. Be on the lookout for refillable journals, card wallets, cell phone cases, portfolios, and laptop cases. I've done a little shopping and have some absolutely fantastic new leather for all these things. There will be more of the antique colors that you love, along with classic shades of leather. All of them will be ready for your Back to School shopping as well as the upcoming holiday season.

I'm so excited to show you what I've been working on. Check back often here and in my shops to see the latest Julie Boyles leather journals and accessories. See you soon!

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T18:27:00.001-04:00

This is a video presentation of the reading of the Declaration of Independence read by several celebrities. It's a little long and sometimes dry, but on this very important day for our country I thought it appropriate to share it. Enjoy!

A Big Day

2010-06-24T20:02:00.001-04:00

Very quietly today, and without a lot of fanfare (unless you count all the high five's and woo hoo's here at Julie Boyles HQ) we had our 1,000th sale on Etsy. I say "we" because it is only possible with the incredible support and patience from Benny and the kids. Thanks Family!

I have met (virtually of course) some of the kindest, most interesting people since beginning this Etsy journey 2 years ago. If any of you are reading, I would like to thank you again for choosing one of my journals to write in or give as a gift. When I hear from you, or you write to tell me your loved one really liked the gift, I am humbled and grateful. Thanks!

We have some exciting new products coming out in the next couple of months. I hope you'll stop by and take a look!

On Teaching Our Kids To Be Entrepreneurs TED Talk

2010-06-18T02:56:00.000-04:00

This video made my heart soar tonight. Take a look!

Memorial Day 2010 Remember....

2010-05-31T20:30:00.001-04:00

About a month ago our family had the opportunity to go to French Lick Springs Resort for a large Indiana National Guard convention. Each of us had different programs we were to attend. I went to the Family Support Group workshops. These are my memories and thoughts of that weekend.

During the whirlwind of events that weekend I met a lot of extraordinary women. Many were younger than me, and some were older. The one thing we all had in common was we all had a family member that was serving or had served in the Indiana National Guard. More than I could count had husbands that had been deployed somewhere in the world; mainly in Iraq or Afghanistan.

I met a young mom whose husband was able to be home for the birth of his son, then had to go back to Iraq 2 days later. She carried on and her husband returned safely almost 1 year later.

I met another young mother who endured taking her children to the emergency room on several occasions all by herself. (If I remember correctly she had young boys... you know how that goes!) We've had our share of emergency room visits and I cannot fathom doing it alone, not even being able to tell Benny about it until days later. This mom withstood all this with grace and a spirit that astounded me.

I had the pleasure of meeting a grandmother that had raised her grandson. He had been deployed to Iraq and thankfully come home safely as well. This young man had a lot of hardships in his life, and his grandmother was glowing when she told me how he had turned himself around by being in the military.

And then there is the young lady I can't get out of my mind. I happened to see her as I was leaving the conference. She was outside alone. I almost walked by, but decided to just go out and get a moment of fresh air before going back to the chaos of my family. This young lady had tears welling up in her eyes, hands shaking and she said to me, "I didn't sign up for all of this." She knew her husband was in the National Guard when she met and married him but really had no idea what it was about or the toll it would eventually take on her. I smiled as I listened. I have been in her shoes. 16 years ago when we were married I thought the National Guard was something Benny went to one weekend a month and for two weeks in the summer. (He would also take half the house with him to annual training so it seemed more like summer camp than military training) At that time I had no idea the impact this service would have on our marriage and our family. Her husband is in Iraq right now, and is scheduled to return in June. As we were talking some other women came outside with us with offers of help and advice. This is what we were there for... Family Support.

There was one other moment of the weekend that will stay with me forever. During a formal dinner and ball, before we were served our meals our attention was drawn to a table that was set up in the front of the room. This table was set with all the serving pieces, a vase with a red rose, and an empty chair. The speaker reminded us that the table and empty chair were there for us to remember those men and women who weren't with us that evening. They are serving and sacrificing for us. There was a beautiful poem that described each element of the empty table and chair. It was a moment I'll never forget.

At each event we attended the Pledge of Allegiance was said, the National Anthem was sung
(a capella... every time). Our family went home with a renewed sense of tremendous pride in our country and our National Guard soldiers.

On this Memorial Day, it's my hope you will remember our fallen soldiers from all wars and conflicts. Remember the men and women bravely serving today. You see, the sacrifice they make is not just of themselves. They leave behind spouses, children, parents, family and friends. We call them "Homefront Heroes" If you meet any of these family members ask them how they are doing? How can I help you? Tell them you'll pray for them and their loved soldiers. And thank them for their service.

Benny has been retired from the National Guard for a couple of years now but still plays an active role in several organizations tied to the Indiana National Guard. We are working on a plan to tie Julie Boyles Books into a program that will benefit our deploying soldiers and their families. It may take us a little while, but it's important to us... we'll find a way.

Here are some links for more information about the Indiana National Guard Family Programs, and a couple others that will touch you and give you more insight about our servicemen and women.

Indiana National Guard Family Programs

The Pioneer Woman Images with the theme "Coming Home" (get your tissues out!)

Family Print One Family's Unique Reflection During War

Thanks for sticking with me on this long post. Remember....

Memorial Day

2010-05-30T12:24:00.004-04:00

On this Memorial Day Please remember the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

If You Get Seasick, Hold On To Something!

2010-05-11T11:30:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how many times Abby and I practiced singing this "in echo" in the car, and we never could get it right. These kids did a great job. Notice how they stop swaying when it starts to get hard.... So Cute!

This is so cool!

2010-05-11T01:06:00.003-04:00

More thoughts on "Writing It Down"

2010-04-09T02:17:00.005-04:00

Megan thought this night would never arrive. For two months they'd been working 16 hour days to get this store open. Managers and sales people had cleaned construction dust, lugged around fixtures, steamed and hung merchandise, and polished every surface. They would all meet in the loading dock first thing in the mornings, coffee in hand, have a cheering session, get their assignments, then start the days work, and keep going until late in the evening. This was a huge undertaking and a very important one for the southern department store chain opening its' first flagship store in the north. The management team had come together and became fast friends. They came from Birmingham, Atlanta, South Carolina and a small group from Indianapolis. The cohesive nature of this team could directly be attributed to the well known, likeable store manager.

Megan's own group of seamstresses and tailors had come from all over the world, a couple of them didn't speak English. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought of the day Diana came in for an interview with an interpreter, and had cried because she wanted the job so badly. Megan still couldn't believe how they had worked so well together to get the alterations department ready to open. If you wanted a little entertainment you could walk into the alteration room, see and hear people from 7 different countries, each using a different language, talking and laughing like they were old friends. It was amazing... and wonderful.

Opening night was finally upon them. This was to be a VIP night, and many dignitaries from around Indianapolis would be there to see for themselves what all the buzz was about. Two hours before there was a last flurry of setting things just right before they had been told, "Go home, shower, and get back here quickly. Make sure you look good, and have your very best smile on." As Megan put on the cream and pastel silk shantung suit she had just finished making, she couldn't hold back the excitement. This was a life changing experience. She finally felt like a grown up, and a professional. The values this company stood for and taught had empowered her to finally be true to herself. The ugly days of her previous management job were gone and this was a complete fresh start in every way.

Back at the store Megan took her place with the other managers up and down the escalator in the middle of the store. There were beautifully dressed people everywhere! They lined the railing that circled the open second floor, and stood at the foot of the escalator all around them. The ribbon cutting ceremony began, there were speeches, and loud cheers came from all directions. Megan closed her eyes and thought, "I can't believe I'm here and part of this. I hope I never forget this feeling." ........

This again is my story. It was almost 17 years ago when we opened the first Parisian department store in Indianapolis. It really was life changing for me, not only was the job one of the best I've ever had, but I met my husband during all this chaos. I remember that opening night like it was yesterday. Dreamy, glittery, opulent, and joyful are all words I would use to describe what I saw and felt , and wanted to hold on to from that evening. I wish I had kept a better journal during those days, as it is I have to settle on my datebook to remind me of the events of November 1993. So let this be a lesson to you! Write things down on paper, describe your feelings, write words that will remind you of sights, sounds, and even smells. You will never regret the time spent doing this. I'm going to go print off what I wrote above and stick it in my journal, then I'll never forget!

The "Write It Down" Special Event continues in my Etsy Shop. A big thank you goes to all of you that have been reading here the last few days and have taken the time to take a look at my shop. I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment with a special memory or feeling you would like to leave in a journal!

Until next time,

Julie

The "Write It Down" Special Event Has Begun!

2010-04-05T10:34:00.000-04:00

Ready, Set, Go! The "Write It Down" Special Event has begun in my Etsy Shop! Go take a look!

Julie Boyles Books on Etsy

I'll have another post this evening, but in the meantime, Go Shopping!

"Write It Down" Special Event Starts Monday April 5!

2010-04-04T18:38:00.004-04:00

"I tried my best, Mom; sometimes it's just too hard. I can't sit still, and it takes me longer to get my work done." Blake's voice wavered as the tears in his eyes threatened to fall.

The school had called again. Marci tried to compose herself, fighting tears of her own. The teacher told her Blake hadn't turned his homework in again, and had failed another test.

"Blake, I know it's hard, but you at least have to show you're trying. Not doing your homework and turning it in makes it look like you don't care. If you needed help, you should have told me."

This was the same conversation they had been having for many days, weeks, even years. After all the meetings at the school, study interventions, and summer school Blake had been given a basic screening test for a learning disability. The testing took a long time to complete; there just aren't enough resources in the school system. Finally the results came back, and there had been another meeting.

"From the screening tests we did, we think Blake has ADD. We'll make some accommodations for him and see if things will get better." The counselor looked weary, there was only so much he could do. "In the meantime, you could try setting a timer while Blake is doing his homework, or sometimes it works really well to have a reward system in place."

Marci barely made it out of the school before the sobs broke loose. How could they have known she had tried timers and rewards years ago when the problems first started? She remembered when she set a timer in front of Blake, and instead of working hard to finish the work before the bell went off, he took the timer apart. Nothing she had tried had worked so far.

Now he stood in front of her wondering if he would be punished, and how long he would have to endure the same lecture. She turned away for a moment so he wouldn't see her struggle. She only wanted to hug him and tell him it would be alright, but she had to keep pushing him, or he might give up. Marci knew in her heart that this boy was special, intelligent, and had a kinder heart than a lot of adults. She needed to tell him she believed in him with her whole heart, at the same time not letting him off the hook.

"Mom! Are you mad?" he couldn't take anymore, and the floodgates opened for both of them. Marci put her arms around her son and held him for just a moment.

"Come on; lets get started with this homework," she said as they made their way to the table....

Does this sound familiar? This story could have happened in any home across the country. It just so happens to be my story, taken from several of my own journal entries over the last year or so. I normally wouldn't get this personal, or share this much, but I have an important point to make. I had to get these thoughts and feelings out somehow, or I really might have fallen apart. When things got frustrating or I was so sad I could hardly bear it, I wrote in my journal. Once I started I couldn't write the words fast enough. (I don't use third person in my journal, I just used it here to make the story easier to tell.) I wrote for pages and pages, and for many days. After I got it all written down, I felt better; lighter somehow.

That's what the "Write It Down" event is all about. Let it out, write it down on paper. It's not the same to just talk about it. When you make a journal entry that's just for you, and you can write anything you want without fear of someone talking back or giving unsolicited advice, it is so freeing. The release is almost always immediate. If you already keep a journal, you know what I mean. If you haven't started one yet, this is your chance!

This year the Write It Down journal is bigger and better! It is my standard 5" x 7" size, unlined writing paper, in an "on the go" wraparound style. The leathers I've chosen are amazing! Gorgeous Brown and Classic Black Utility leather will call to you to use them again and again. I really lucked out when I found these hides of leather. The Brown leather is a medium shade with some darker and lighter areas. It is soft to the touch, but will wear like iron. The Black leather has a uniform color and a slight shine to it. Both are sueded on the under side. The wrap around closure will keep everything nice and snug if you want to keep cards or little momentos inside.

In 2009 I made 14 special journals for the first Write It Down event. They were gone in a little more than 2 weeks. This year I've made 30! I have 18 brown journals, and 12 black. When they're gone, I won't be able to make more. It was a one time deal on this leather! I waited until April this year to hold the event, because I wanted you to be able to take advantage of this opportunity for Mother's Day gifts, or any special occasions coming up this spring.

These journals will be priced at $24. plus shipping! The normal price for them would be $48, so you can see what a significant savings they are!

BUT WAIT! THAT'S NOT ALL! When you purchase one of these special Write It Down journals, I'm going to send you a "Spare Journal To Share" Hey, life can be tough for a lot of people right now. I'll be you know someone that could really use a journal to help them make it through. This spare journal is a refillable one, and is 4" x 6" big! It is made up of 25 pages of light weight chipboard pages. 2 silver book rings hold it all together. Once all the pages are used up, simply refill it with some 4" x 6" index cards, and it will be ready to go again. I use one of these too at my desk, and don't know how I would get along without it. The spare is yours to use as you wish. Keep it for yourself, or give it to someone you know that can use a little pick me up! I hope you'll enjoy them both.

Journaling isn't just for those times when you're down. There are lots of times when your joy is overflowing and you need to get that out too. In the coming days I'll be sharing a little of those moments with you also. In the meantime leave me a comment! Tell me what you use your journal for, or why you like writing in a journal. I've shared some of my story... now it's your turn!

Until next time,
Julie

This is me

2010-04-01T20:02:00.000-04:00

So this is me, Julie, the face behind Julie Boyles Books. (literally!) Ok, I edited out some of the dark circles, and bags under my eyes, but on a good day, this is what I look like. I know in the past couple of years I've shared a little about myself, but now I'm going to share a little bit more just in case you were wondering.

Don't let the gray hair fool you! I'm not as old as you maybe think I look, but again, on a good day I can be pretty wise. I'm a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and aunt. My days are spent divided between making journals, spending time on the computer taking care of my shops, doing Mom duties, and then usually back to making journals. I have 2 sons ages 15 and 13, and my daughter is 10. Just take a good look at those ages...Need I say more? My husband is retired National Guard and now is a civilian contractor for the National Guard. I've talked about him before here.

Lets see, other notable tidbits,

Even though I make my home in Indiana now, I'm still a Buckeye at heart
I love playing in a handbell choir, and would really like to play the large chimes
My favorite reading is fiction. Any time I hear about a non fiction book I would like to read, I secretly hope my bff Lisa will read it for me and just tell me what it's about
My oldest son is so much like me when I was his age, it scares me!
I'm left handed
Someday when we retire, I hope Benny and I can find a little house in Zionsville Village that's just big enough for the two of us with maybe one extra bedroom for the future grandkids.

Phew, that's enough for now! In truth, I'm not all that complicated. God, Family, Friends, and work just about sums it all up!

The thing I would rather talk about is journals! Here's the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, are you ready......

The Annual "Write It Down Event"

starts Monday April 5!This year is going to be even bigger than last year. I'm so excited about the special journals I have planned. They are beautiful, and the Spare Journal to Share is even better too. I'll share more details tomorrow.

I hope you can sleep tonight since you're so full of anticipation.

Until tomorrow..........

The Evolution of a New Journal

2010-02-24T20:32:00.014-05:00

It all began with a mistake. Back in early January I had ordered a new piece of VERY thick black latigo leather for something special. Well, it turned out that I didn't really need it after all, so ever since then, I've been racking my brain about what to do with it. At first I thought I could use it for my regular journals even though it was thicker. I was determined to make it work so I gave it a try. It soon became evident that this stuff just would NOT bend to my will. So back in the leather closet it went until I could come up with something else.

Fast forward to earlier this week....I was doing something random like playing Bubble Breaker on my phone, and all of a sudden the idea hit me! I started right in on a prototype and it turned out great. I was so excited about this new style I made the first journal and showed it off to everyone that would look (the kids, my husband, even the dogs... they were impressed!)

Then I decided I liked it soooo much, I made two more in different colors. Well all this was going swimmingly except for one thing. I wanted this new style to be a regular feature in my shops but it was a little more time consuming than some of my other journals. Visions of doing all this hand stitching in November and December were giving me nightmares so I sought to make some adjustments.

Since the two pieces of leather have been glued with a very strong glue then stitched, I tested the glue to see whether it was going to be strong enough without the stitching. These pieces aren't going anywhere! This glue is very sturdy, and durable. My one concern was for the corners. With a lot of use, there might be some extra stress placed on the inner and outer corners of the quarter binding piece. With another look into my supplies, I came up with some antique brass rivets...PERFECT!

So there you have it. The process took a couple of days, but I think it is well worth it. These journals will be a standard part of my journal selection and I couldn't be happier. This black leather is so nice, it's almost like a hardbound book, but has all the beauty of handbinding. What do you think??

These journals will be available in my Etsy Shop, and through my Website! I hope you'll go check them out!

Brand New Recycled Paper Journals!

2010-02-21T12:23:00.010-05:00

Don't you just love it when a great idea finally comes to life! I've been thinking about these new eco friendly journals since before the holidays. Several prototypes were made, and I'm so excited with the end result! These journals with the name "ReWrite" are made of Kraft colored Chipboard pages and covers. They are perfect bound with a strong glue and quarter bound with fabric scraps. (which I have a seemingly endless supply of)

I didn't want the fabric to ravel so I treated them first with a fabric stiffener then used pinking shears for the front and back edges. Not only are the edges more sturdy, they look great too.

ReWrite journals boast 100 pages (counting both sides) of chipboard. The pages are thick, but not too thick....just right for writing with a marker, or sketching.

I hope you'll go check out these great earth friendly journals in my Etsy Shop, and very soon to be on my Website!

A Sneak Peak

2010-01-26T13:22:00.011-05:00

Well, the New Year is here and I have a lot of new journals I'll be adding to my Etsy shop in the next few days! Here is a sneak peak...

New Enclosed Ring Binder Notebooks in 3" x 5" and 4" x 6" sizes. These will be available in Burgundy latigo leather for now. I'll be adding black soon.

Beautiful Photo Albums that can also be used as a Guestbook

Leather 3 ring binders! These are fantastic! They will be available in Burgundy and Black Latigo leather, with 1" and 2" rings.

These are just a few of the things I've been working on lately. Stay tuned for more surprises, and check my Etsy shop for more information on these new journals!

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T23:52:00.005-05:00

I will be putting up photos of the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat musical in a few days, but I couldn't let this day go by without saying something about Veteran's Day.

As this day rolls around each year I always think of my Great Uncle Joe Brookhart who served in WWII. At my Great Grandparents house there were multi colored stones embedded in the concrete beside the garage with his name and the year he went to war. I was little so the explanations as to why those stones were there went right over my head. I never heard him speak of his experiences during the war until later in his life. I still marvel at the courage that he had at such a young age...... He was the one to give me my nickname, JJ. I miss him.

I also think of my wonderful husband Benny. He has served for 24 years in the Indiana National Guard and retired 2 years ago.
He spent time in an Artillery Unit, Recruiting, and a Finance Unit. This career has meant so much to him, and is such an integral part of who he is that it's hard to imagine the kind of man he would have been had he not signed up as soon as he was 18. When we first married, I didn't really know much about military life, or the impact it would have on us throughout our marriage. I know now. Words really can't do justice to what I think of this accomplishment of his..... Simply put, I'm proud of him.

I also think of several friends we have that are now deployed in Afghanistan and around the world on missions unlike any we have seen in history. We miss them, and hope they are safe.

My heart and prayers go out to the soldiers at Fort Hood, and their families, and to all the men and women that are serving our country all over the world. Tonight when I lay down my head to sleep, I will remember them, and remember that we are free because of what they do everyday.

It doesn't seem like nearly enough, but from my heart.... Thank You!

A Non Journal Entry

2009-11-04T12:16:00.010-05:00

I've got Donny Osmond on the brain this week...... Ok, I know I'll be dating myself here, but let me explain.

When I was young, Donny was my first love. No doubt about it.
I listened and sang along to all these songs for hours on end. Admit it, you did too! Who could resist singing "Puppy Love" or "The Twelfth of Never"? I'll bet my mom got sick of hearing these songs over and over........ I'm sure my brother "no singing at the table" did.

Ooooh, this was my favorite album! When Donny sang "This Is The Moment" from Blue Hawaii, I would ask "who's Elvis??"

Ok, enough of that reminiscing! Now Donny is on Dancing With The Stars, and I have enjoyed watching it so much!
I used up all my votes for him this week! I like it that he is only a few years older than me, and he can still be dreamy as we get older.

But the real reason I have Donny on the brain this week is this:

My son's school, Brownsburg East Middle School will be putting on their production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" this weekend. Now, the kids and I have been watching the movie version of this musical for about 8 years now, ever since Abby was still in a playpen. Sometimes when there's nothing on TV I would say, " Put the Joseph movie in" and we would watch it again.
So needless to say, all of us have this musical memorized from start to finish, all the words, expressions, the drama, the WHOLE thing! When we found out that the kids would be doing this musical this year we were more than excited. Patrick signed up for the chorus, I volunteered to help with costumes, and now the time is here. We are all excited to see the final production this weekend. The kids have all worked so hard, and a lot of parents have helped out to make this thing really happen. If I remember to take my camera to practice today, I'll show you a few shots of our version.

Stay tuned!

By the way, if this all sounds a little loopy, and not at all like my serious manner, it's because I've been up too many nights making costumes, attending rehearsals, and still trying to make a lot of journals! Not enough sleep!

Oh, man!

2009-10-29T12:56:00.003-04:00

On this fine fall day, all I have to say is...

I need more of this

And much Much more of this....

Just sayin' .......

Ooooh, this one is Sharp!

2009-10-04T11:29:00.006-04:00

I just listed this one in my Etsy Shop, and it is really a sharp one!

You can read more about it here! I've got some more like this coming in different color combinations too. Stay tuned!

How Can It Be Fall Already???

2009-09-27T22:11:00.014-04:00

Wow, the summer went by quickly didn't it! It's supposed to get nice and cool here this week, so fall will definitely be in the air! These next few months are my favorite time of the year! This year we will have a lot of new things to look forward to, as well as the traditions we keep up with every year! The boys are participating in a school musical for the first time, and my daughter and I are helping out with the costumes. We'll have Thanksgiving in Ohio again, and then there's the exciting Holidays! I'm sure it will all go by all too fast, just like the summer!

Since we're getting ready for the Holidays, I've been busy adding some new things to my shop! I've got some smaller size pocket leather journals
I had some paper cut a couple months ago, and made a mistake with the size. I didn't think I'd be able to use it, but it turns out it's just perfect for these pocket journals.

For all of you that like a refillable journal, I've got these new ones

I get asked a lot if I make refillable journals, and really wanted to come up with something special for this type of journal. I worked for quite awhile to get these just right, and am really happy with the way they are constructed. The paper in the journals is loose paper, not a premade journal. The pages are punched, and tied with a leather cord into a riveted piece of leather on the inside of the journal. The inner leather piece has been glued, and stitched to the outer cover. This really makes the journal look like it is hand bound, plus gives added strength!

Another great thing about these refillable journals is that the papers are standard sizes, so they will be easy to refill. The largest size (yet to be listed) is 8 1/2" x 11", the medium size is half that at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", and the smallest size is a quarter sheet at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I will be offering refills for these, but they will be easy to do it yourself too!

The newest journal added to my shop today is this really cool Belt Buckle Journal! New territory for me, but I'm excited about how it turned out!

Even though the belt buckle is functional, if this were my journal, I would use the easy to open snap closure on the back! I will be making a few more of this type using different buckles!

That's about all the news for now! I'll be updating you as the season progresses. I hope you have a Happy Autumn, and enjoy all it's pleasures!

The Basic Leather Journal Anniversary

2009-08-14T01:24:00.008-04:00

One year ago today I listed in my Etsy shop a Basic Burgundy Leather Journal. It sold the same day. . . . talk about Exciting! For most of the summer last year I had been trying to come up with something that was my own version of a Moleskine Journal. If you've never heard of them, the Moleskine journals are wildly popular, and have a huge following. I just wanted to create something of my own that was "simple, beautiful, and basic. This is the very first one I listed

This basic journal has gone through several upgrades-changes during the year, and here's the final version I've settled on
This has become my most popular style of journal, and I think it's just about my favorite one to make! It is my Go-To journal for many different occasions. I've used one myself, given them for gifts, made them in more colors than I can count, and sometimes have made them in different sizes and leathers.

So fast forward to January of this year. I made so many of these during the holidays last year, I thought I would challenge myself to make something new, and tried my hand at making hardcover journals. They turned out really well, but I really wanted to make some out of leather. I had quite a challenge finding leather that was thin enough, and gave me the look I was looking for. I found that I missed the exposed stitches on the binding. So I began figuring out how to make a leather hardcover journal, with the same binding I use on my basic journals. During this summer, I really put my nose to the grindstone and came up with what I thought would really work well. I tried several leathers and treatments, made several practice journals, and have finally come up with this
Meet the new Basic Hardcover leather journal! It isn't meant to replace the one year old Basic journal, it's just a "more" alternative. I've been using a prototype of this book for about a month now, and Oh My Goodness this is a NICE journal! I wish you could all just hold it in your hands and feel how special it is! You can find this in my Etsy shop, and I have more coming. This color is a Mahogany stain, and I have Brown, and Black stained ones coming this weekend! This one has unlined paper, but it will also be available with LINED paper! Did I mention that almost all my journals are available with LINED PAPER now! It is my hope that this journal will fulfill that same wish to be "simple, beautiful, and basic" just like its predecessor! I think it does, what do you think?

Rampin' It Up!

2009-08-03T13:27:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year. August brings the beginning of the end of summer, school stuff, and ramping up journal production for the upcoming holiday season! The kids and I are finishing up old projects, cleaning the house, setting up study areas for each of them (in hopes that they will use them), and I've been very busy preparing journals.
There are about this many more on the other side of the table too. It's exciting isn't it! After the first of the year I got tired of being isolated in my studio all the time so I moved most of my work out to the kitchen table, then that got to be too much also. Now I have a large table set up in our living room off to one side so I can be a part of everything that goes on. It's really worked well for us (except if I have to watch one more episode of Hannah Montana, or iCarley, I think I might lose it!)

I have some really exciting things in the planning stages for fall and the holidays! A hardcover, leather exposed binding journal, refillable pocket calendars, and refillable planners are just a few things in the works here! I'm trying to stay on top of the game here because I also have more exciting news!
I have recently re-joined the CCA Gallery! This is an exciting development, and I couldn't be happier to be back there. This time instead of joining the gallery with my paintings, I'll be offering journals. I've been looking to grow into the "real world" with my journals instead of only online sales and this will make a great fit! The CCA Gallery is moving to the Brick Street Mall on Main Street in Zionsville which will be a great thing for the gallery and for Zionsville! We're having a grand opening on Friday Aug 7 during the First Friday Gallery Walk. If you're in the area, stop by and see this new space, it is going to be fantastic!

So with getting ready for school, fall, the holidays, and filling up my space for the CCA Gallery I've been working night and day to get enough done. I have great hopes for the next few months and I'll try to take you along for the ride! I'll post some photos of the new gallery later this week!

Back to work!

Finally!

2009-07-22T22:18:00.009-04:00

It was just about one year ago that I started working with leather for my journals. Ever since I began, I've been trying to figure out how to achieve a "stained antique" look. I've tried a lot of treatments, dyes, colors, and some of them came really close. But I just couldn't get exactly what I wanted. Until yesterday! I've finally found an antique patina that is suitable for leather and really achieves EXACTLY the look and feel I've been searching for.

Finally! Talk about an exciting day at Julie Boyles Books! I hurried up and made some and they are available in my Etsy Shop. The color choices are brown, and black, and they are beautiful!

As if that wasn't enough excitement, I've also started carrying LINED paper for all my journals. I'm only listing a few right now, but the lined paper is available for all the styles of journals I make.
This may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it has taken quite a while to work out all the details. Lined paper is an often requested feature for journals. Well, it isn't readily available to buy pre lined paper that can be used for handbinding journals. Up until now, I've been taking special orders for them, and printing my own paper. I've recently been in touch with my wonderful printers, D&E Printing of Brownsburg and in the future they will be printing lined paper for me! There will be an extra charge for the lined paper, because it has to be printed, but for those of you (like me) that like some lines on your paper, I have it now!

Coming up later this week, I've got a very special blog post about some recent happenings around here. I've just got to get the photos straightened out and will write about it soon!

A Whole Bunch of New Journals!

2009-07-16T12:39:00.011-04:00

I've been working hard to create some new, fresh journals for my Etsy Shop! Along with these, I have some great gift type things planned for the holidays! Stay tuned for more updates.
Index Card Ring Binders! 3"x5" Just the right size, and I use mine everyday!

Full Notebook size Ring Binders! These are impressive! Free Monogramming is available on all ring binders, index size, and full size.

And finally, a selection of Special Edition journals. There will only be 10 made of each style. These are truly nice journals! Check out my Etsy Shop for lots more!

Glory

2009-07-08T23:05:00.001-04:00

Sometimes words aren't needed!

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-04T11:52:00.010-04:00

233 Years ago today, our nations founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
Following is an excerpt from the beginning of this important document...
Some of the phrases that jump off the page for me are:

Endowed by their Creator
All men are created equal
Unalienable Rights
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness
Consent of the Governed

On this day, I am very grateful to the men that forged this document, and the countless men, boys, and citizens of the 13 colonies that fought and died for my freedom to be able to celebrate today.

How are you enjoying your freedom today? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear what you're doing! We're working in the yard ;0) Whatever you're doing, going to a parade, picnic, watching the fireworks tonight, I hope you will enjoy it to the fullest, and remember the courageous convictions and bravery, of all those that have stood for freedom!

Legendary Plants

2009-07-03T21:03:00.007-04:00

Earlier this spring I decided that I wanted to grow Castor Bean Plants. (Well, really it was my mom's idea, and I just joined in.) If you're not familiar with these plants, they are very large plants. I mean GIANT! They can grow anywhere from 6-8 ft in one growing season, and they start with a seed about 1/2" long. My daughter would call this a family tradition. All the women in my family have grown these monsters, and it was about time for me to take my place in the lineage of the Castor Bean Planters.

So shortly after Mother's Day my friend K gave me some of his seed pods and we split them up with Mom. The kids and I got them planted sometime around the middle of May. As of this morning here's our progress...

At this point I'm getting a little nervous. Keep in mind these are supposed to grow as tall as the house, and as of now they don't even reach my boy's knees. I was just at Mom's house earlier this week and hers are a little taller than this.

But here's the kicker. My great grandmother (Granny) grew these plants and they were the stuff Legends were made of. (Actually Mom's were too, but I don't have any photos of hers) Granny would plant these Castor Bean Plants in the same spot every year. Just take a look, and you'll see I'm not kidding...
That's me and my little brother c. 1970.

Oh man, I've got some work to do! I'm off to give my little Castor Bean babies some food...

Important Lives

2009-06-27T01:51:00.003-04:00

It has been a really sad week hasn't it? The loss of three "cultural icons" this week seems to be the main topic of discussion in the last few days. Although it may be necessary to mention the passing of these celebrities here, I tend to think the news media is doing their usual job of keeping these headlines alive. They don't need my comments added to keep the stories going. And while Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson may have been important people to our culture, and will be missed, I think it is important for our family to keep things in perspective.

There were countless other people in our country that fought and lost brave battles this week. There were also many others that left us too soon, and we are still in shock of the suddenness of their passing. We may, or may not know their names, or have relationships with their families, but their lives were important as well.

Our community of Brownsburg Indiana lost a few important lives this week. Their families will be greatly impacted, and our little town will be as well. The two young Warnock girls watched as their estranged father crept into their house and ended their mother's life in front of them. The Ophoff family lost a teenage daughter to an auto accident, and another young man lost his life in a fast burning fire. These three lives were important. . . equally important as the three celebrities that passed this week, maybe just not as well known. In the eyes of The Lord, all lives are cherished and important.

So after looking at the 9000th photo of Michael Jackson and "Thriller" tonight I just wanted to say to the Warnock girls, the Ophoff family, and the family of the teenage boy in the fire, on this night you are being remembered by our family. We are thinking of you, missing you, and praying for you. Your loved ones lives were important.

A Little Story For Father's Day

2009-06-21T16:23:00.010-04:00

A Father's Day Story in pictures. . .
Once upon a time, ok not THAT long ago, I was born. That's me and my dad. c. 1964. I was the first born, and was loved very much by Dad and Mom. It wasn't long however, before the truth about the plans my dad had for me started to come out. Here's proof:
Do you see that? He was planning early on to show me the love of what I affectionately call "dirty work" You know what I mean, yard stuff, raking leaves, picking up sticks etc. He has always had a tremendous work ethic, and still does to this day. So I know deep down, he was just trying to pass this on to me like all good dads do. My Grandpa even joined in on the action!
(By the way, at the age of 12 or 13 I wasn't allowed to mow the grass anymore. I would mow about 5 feet away from the trees and Dad would just have to re do what I did. Smart huh?!)

So I grew and a couple of years passed and Dad continued his quest to teach me the value of hard work. Not only did I have to learn by watching his example, I had to actually DO the work in order to get the full effect. Unfortunately, the opposite reaction started to take effect

Do you see that look on my face? That was the expression I had throughout much of my childhood everytime I had to go outside and "help" with some "dirty work" By the time I was in my teens, I had a great system going, where after I had worked for awhile I would say, "I have to go to the bathroom" and hurry back into the house until he caught me, and made me go back out again. My skill was legendary, and our family still talks about it today. I thought no one would ever match up to my finesse of getting out of work. . . Then this happened
Meet my oldest son. The ultimate shirker of hard work. I just know this child is my payback for all those trips back in the house to get out of my duties!

All I can say is that I'm so glad my brother came along a couple of years after me.
He likes all that dirty stuff! He even wrestled in mud to try and catch a pig and a cow once. But that's a story for another day. Here's my Dad and Brother more recently
They are farmers, fathers, and very hard workers and I couldn't be more proud of them!

I asked my kids to tell their Dad today some of the things they had learned from him. Their answer was lame. . . "How to mow the grass"

Here are some things and famous phrases I learned from my dad

Don't turn your back on a Ram sheep (ouch)
Dragging and throwing branches on a brush pile, and splitting wood in the dead of winter didn't kill me after all
School work is important
Girls aren't supposed to call boys. The boys are supposed to call the girls!
"Nobody said it would be easy" (the main one I heard in college)
And, "Don't pick the first apartment you look at!" (and I did, every time!)

In all seriousness, I have really learned some of the most important life lessons from my dad. He showed me what a great husband was (and I have one), and he taught me how to "think" and be smart. He is often silent and really thinks things through before acting. I'm so glad to have inherited this trait from him. It has served me well throughout my adulthood. And about that work ethic, this week I worked about 60 hours in order to get all my work done. So I guess some of his efforts sunk in after all!

So Dad, when you read this, I hope you are relaxing, not working too hard today, and are having a great Father's Day. I love you, and wish I could be there with you! Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-18T00:27:00.004-04:00

What's that you say, "No blog posts since March?"
Well all I can say for myself is that like most things in my life, I'm just hit and miss. I get going on one project then skip from one thing to the next leaving a trail of unfinished, not updated things in my wake. As always, I'll try to be better at posting more often. Now, on to better things...

One week ago today was a pretty tough one here at the Boyles homestead. Oh, it was nothing that serious, just one of those early summer days that starts out great then goes downhill as it progresses. I had made a couple of big blunders that impacted the whole family and made for some pretty ugly inconveniences for all of us. By that evening, I was ready for the whole day to be over. Keep in mind that the first week that school is out for the summer is always challenging. The kids fight over everything, I'm not used to them being home and wanting my attention every waking minute, it's just a whole mess of trying to get re-adjusted to each other.

So when Mr Boyles came home and said, "JJ, you've got to come outside and see this," my first thought was, "oh great, now what!" I dragged myself outside to the front porch to see what was so important. Well, the night before, we (he) had divided up our Morning Glory plants and tied strings to the pillars where they are supposed to be climbing. I knew they were ready to start vining and needed the strings, but I didn't know it would be that soon! There they were, little tiny vines, timidly making their way up the strings. That was surely a good sign our (his) efforts were worthwhile. AND, as if that wasn't enough, I turned around to check on the other plants we're growing and immediately saw this-

In that instant, the whole rotten day was transformed! (Actually my first thought was to hurry and get the camera before this lovely sight disappeared!) We called all the kids out to see it, because who wants to miss a Rainbow! After sufficient ooohs and aaahs everyone went back inside, but I stayed out for a little longer. As special as a rainbow is, this one was definitely more significant for me than other ones in recent memory. To me, it was my very own personal reminder that the Lord was watching over us through our whole crazy day. Really I had known that all along, but to have a tangible reminder was.... well, I can't really put it into words. Whenever I see a rainbow, I'm always reminded of Noah,

"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth"
Genesis 1:12-16

What a beautiful display of His love and Grace! So now when the days get rough, or I have another big blunder (I'm certain there will be more!) I'm going to look at this photo I've put up on my wall and tell myself, "It's only money," or "the kids won't grow into adulthood fighting like this." I'll be gently reminded that The Lord is always with me, no matter what.

Have a great Thursday!
Julie

2009-03-07T09:07:00.006-05:00

Writing To Relieve Stress. . . . sounds like exercise doesn't it? You know, you hear it from the doctor, on tv. . . eat less, exercise more (blah, blah blah) So the last thing you want to hear from me is that you should start writing stuff down to help you with your stress level! Well, humor me for a little bit, and I'll give you some good reasons to do it, and also some easy tips to get started, or to start writing regularly!

First of all I hope you won't be intimidated by the thought of keeping a journal. It isn't nearly as scary or as boring as it sounds. My journal, which you saw in the last post is a whole mish mash of stuff. I'm probably the only one in the world that could decipher it (which is as it should be!). I started keeping a journal because I was so frustrated with all the little scraps of paper I had lying around that had phone messages, notes for my calendar, to do lists, and on and on. So I made myself a journal and have been using one ever since. You might associate keeping a journal with the old "Dear Diary" days of your youth. Mine certainly isn't like that! Only every once in a while will I write a "heartfelt" entry where I write about something for a whole page or more.
That's where the benefits of keeping a journal comes in.

An article written by Griff, April 2007 states:
"A new report in the news today will interest all writers out there. According to a new study just released, writing can reduce stress.

The study says if you are having stressful experiences, you should not keep them locked up inside. Instead, you should pick up a pen and notebook, and let it all out on paper. The researchers found that by writing about their lives, people tended to visit their doctor less, sleep better, and had a stronger immune system. The idea of writing about things in your life that are causing stress is called expressive writing"

You can read the whole article here. (It's a good one!)

So, writing can help to relieve stress, especially if you don't let the writing itself stress you out! It's not about pouring your heart out every day on paper. That could be very difficult and cause stress in itself. It's about having an outlet available for when you DO need to pour your heart out! I'll be posting more about this subject and some good journaling tips I've found, in the next week.

But in the meantime, I'll bet you want to know what the second part of the big announcement is don't you!

My "Write It Down Special Event" doesn't just include those special leather journals I made, I've got something else to give you. (drumroll, please. . . )

A spare journal to share! My hope is to spread this stress relief as far as it can go, so I'm sending you an extra journal with your order of the special "Write It Down" journal. You are welcome to keep this extra journal, OR, you might just know someone that is going through a rough patch and think they could use something to write in. This little bonus is yours to keep, or give away, it's up to you!

These envelope style journals measure 5 3/4" x 4 1/2" and have 80 pages in them if you count both sides of the page. None of them will be this exact print, each one will vary in color and print. They are bound with a ribbon and have an envelope closure. If you're thinking of giving this little journal to a man, please let me know. Alot of the prints lean toward the feminine side, but I can include a more masculine one if that is your choice.

So there you go! A great "Write It Down" special leather journal AND an envelope journal to share! These journals will go on sale in my Etsy shop, Monday March 9 at 9:00AM. I will have available 13 black leather journals, and 2 burgundy ones. I hope to see you then!

I would love to hear from you in the comments, if you have anything to add on this subject or if you have any great journaling suggestions!

Until Monday! Have a great weekend!

Thoughts on Writing AND a Big Announcement

2009-03-05T13:58:00.011-05:00

Can you see it on people's faces? -Stress- As I go about my daily errands, I'm keenly aware that the facial expressions on the people around me have changed recently. Furrowed lines on brows and foreheads reflect worry or concentration and there just aren't as many folks smiling as before. You can even see it on my face as I go through the grocery store with my carefully prepared list. Oh, I start out pretty friendly looking, but as I go through aisle after aisle adding up my items on my phone calculator, I know my demeanor gets more somber.

The fact is that we just can't ignore what is happening in our country. It's all around us. I truly think that for the most part, we try to stay positive and hopeful. But, when we have a friend, loved one, or even ourselves out of work, or afraid of losing our jobs or home, the stress will eventually take it's toll.

As I was thinking about all of this last week, it occurred to me that during difficult times in my life, it has always helped me to write about it. Whenever I've had a problem in my life, like most people, I go through many ways of trying to deal with it. I'll mull it over in my mind for days, talk about it with my friends -ad nauseum- and even play out solution scenarios in my mind. When I finally get desperate enough, I'll go to my journal and Write It Down! This always helps! Usually this simple act helps so much, the anger/ worry/ intensity of the problem will seem a lot easier to deal with. It helps to clear my mind and set a course of action.

I began doing some research and found some really interesting articles on the advantages of journaling. Over the next few days I would like to share with you some of the things I've learned.

I've also been thinking that there must be something I can do to ease some of this pressure even if it's in my own small way! I started digging around in my supplies, made some sketches, did some calculations and came up with something pretty special!

A couple of months ago I got a great deal on some very nice black leather. I've been kind of holding it back for a time when it was really needed, and now is that time! I've designed and made a limited number of this lovely black journal and will be offering them at a very special price while they last. I used the whole hide of leather so there are about 13 black ones, and I threw in a couple of burgundy leather ones that I will have for sale. I am going to be offering them for sale in my Etsy shop beginning Monday, March 9 at 9:00 AM, and will be selling them for $20.00 each. After those are gone, I will be using this design in other leathers like the latigo and dyed leather, but they will sell for $31. so this is a significant savings.

The journal is made of Black, premium grade, thick utility leather and has a wonderful feel to it. I've filled it with 240 pages of a nice weight brown Kraft paper. If you haven't written on Kraft paper, you really should try it. . . it's great! There is a self attached wrap piece that comes around to the front of the journal and is held together with an antique brass snap. The leather cover and wrap around is all one piece which will make it durable and help protect the pages. The size is approximately 6" x 4" x 1 1/2" thick. It really is a great journal, and I've been so excited making them all week, and also so glad that I can offer them to you at this really good price!

BUT WAIT! There's more! I've got a little bit more to add to this special event, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it! I'm going to keep you in suspense! In the meantime, take a look at some of the other views of this great journal!

Until tomorrow!

Dear Winter

2009-02-21T21:50:00.002-05:00

Dear Winter,

I just don't know quite how to say this without hurting your feelings. We have really enjoyed each other the last few months. The hushed quiet when your fresh snow is falling, your howling winds outside when I'm all cozy and warm inside the house, even the 12" of snow you graced us with last month, all were quite wonderful. But I'm afraid now, dear winter, it's time for you to move on. As much as I have admired you, I am now growing weary of your presence.

It's not you, it's me. . . . I would really like to be outside more, and to be frank, I'm getting tired of my winter coat and having to wear the big, bulky thing all the time! Oh, it was quite charming when we were anticipating your arrival in November, getting all the coats, mittens and boots together, ready for your first big blast. But now, sadly, the mittens have been mismatched, the hats have mostly been lost and the boots outgrown. We're just trying to make it through until you depart.

We are ready for warm air, going for walks without fear of frostbite, and the joy of not having to warm up the cars on those frosty mornings. We are ready for this

Early spring Crocus's popping up through the frozen ground, and the buds on the trees are just waiting to show us what they've been doing while you were here.

So, my dear winter, it is time for you to go. Don't be sad, for I know we will look forward to you arriving as the holidays are approaching. Your wind and snow will be welcome then once again. But until then we REALLY would like to wish you . . . . Farewell!

The Front Porch

2009-02-19T12:36:00.009-05:00

To anyone else it might seem just like an ordinary house out in the country. Some folks driving down the seldom traveled road might say, “ Oh look at how nicely that house is landscaped,” or " Wow, those people have a sheep pasture in front of their house.” But for myself, this place is one of the two places I call HOME.

This is my parent’s house. I didn’t grow up here, in fact it wasn’t even built until 1997 and I had already had two children by then. My childhood home is two towns away and I have really wonderful memories of growing up there in the woods, by the pond. But this is the home of my adult-hood. My mom and dad have somehow made it a special place for my brother and sisters and I along with all of our children.

Just as most homes have a gathering place, this one does also. It isn’t the kitchen as you might expect, it’s the front porch. There is plenty of room for everyone to stretch out (when it’s warm out!) and lots of seating. As I look back I can see my parents, brother sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and all kinds of neighbors gathered here for just as many different kinds of occasions. The kids flock out to the yard for pick up football games, examining the creek for frogs and snakes, or just to have a catch with the baseball. There’s a nice breeze that comes from the west and keeps it cool even on the hottest summer day and when evening comes the sunsets can take your breath away.

This is where we discuss things. Sometimes the conversations are full of teasing and laughs. The cicadas chirping are the background music to all the talking and the birds sing along as we reminisce about earlier times or joke about how goofy the kids are acting. The circle of life goes on all around us. Bees circle the flowers my mom has lovingly planted and tended, sheep quietly graze in the pastures surrounding the yard, and corn and bean crops grow as far as the eyes can see.

There are also a lot of serious conversations that happen here. Big and small decisions have been made here by all of us. We all closely listen to the wise counsel of my dad and the loving reassurance from my mom. We teach the kids about life, morals, and love in this place. We try to help them to know all the things life might bring. It somehow seems easier to do here because there is a peace surrounding this porch that we don’t find at home. There are no distractions, no tv, no computers or video games. There is just the comfort of the porch swing and nature all around, and it’s one of my favorite places in the world.

Wow! Service Learning

2009-02-16T21:01:00.008-05:00

Are you tired of all the bad news these days? Worried about the economy? Wish you could hear something uplifting for a change? Well, here you go! This story will make your day, it did mine!

(Really pretty gift bags ready for Brownsburg Meadows)

One of the things I'm well known for around our house is telling the kids what great schools they go to and how awesome their teachers are. Really! OK, sometimes after doing 3 hours of homework in one night the occasional, "I can't take it anymore" might slip out, but on the whole I think Brownsburg has some of the finest schools, administrators, and teachers around! Well, now they've outdone themselves in my book.

For most of the year the seventh grade students of Brownsburg East Middle School, Team Pathfinders have been working on a special project. Along with their teachers, they have been busy writing a grant, planning, making lists, shopping, and putting together a whole lot of special things for some really wonderful organizations in our community. Months of work culminated in a truly heartwarming night, Feb 5 when everyone. . . parents, teachers, students, community members, really everyone, was invited to help the students and teachers wrap up the project.

The students and teachers wrote, and applied for, a grant from the State of Indiana in order to get the funding they needed - and GOT the grant - (no small feat, I'm sure). Then they got busy! The organizations they chose to help out are Sheltering Wings Center for Women, Brownsburg Meadows Senior Citizen Community, and Hendricks County Animal Control.

(Mrs. Rosebrock (right) and a parent with the handmade totebags for Sheltering Wings)

The kids went on shopping trips to buy supplies, collected donations, even did a few sewing projects like the tote bags above, all to get ready for the big night. My kids and I went to the school that night, and I didn't really know what to expect. (Anyone with a 14 year old boy will understand what great communicators they are!)

I was blown away!

The organization that all this took seems almost insurmountable to me, but they did it! There were 5 stations set up that we rotated around to complete the jobs needed to be done. We filled the handmade totebags for the Moms and women at Sheltering Wings, stuffed Gift Bags for Brownsburg Meadows, and more totebag stuffing for the Animal Shelter. There were 2 tables dedicated to the children at Sheltering wings, one for making Valentine Cards, and another with, you guessed it, really cute totebags with kid supplies!

(My own "Ice Chip", and "Cottonball" making Valentines)

My favorite activity, and a lot of others it seemed, was cutting, putting together, and tying up blankets and pillows for the kids and Moms at Sheltering Wings. This was fun! I'm telling you, there were all kinds of blankets spread out on tables, floors and even the stage, all in various states of assembly. What a sight!

(Doesn't that look like fun!)

As we left the school that night I couldn't help but be really proud of the job that these teachers and this school are doing to educate our kids! One of the other things I'm famous for saying is, "I want my kids to be "whole" children. Life is not just about grades, or sports, or achievement. It's about all those things, plus so much more!" So a great big "Thank You" and "Great Job" goes out to all those that took a little time on February 5 to help out and a special "Way to Go" too all the kids and teachers of Team Pathfinders for doing something so incredible and memorable!

To see an article about this project and more information visit this link:
Hendricks County Flyer

Meet Max

2009-01-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

Meet Max, or as I affectionately call him "Big Black"! I caught him this morning in a rare moment of peace and just had to snap some pictures of him.

We got him a year ago on Benjamin's birthday, but make no mistake, he's MY dog! Oh the kids will each tell you that he loves them more, but I know different. Wherever I am, there he is. With the exception of my work studio, he's not allowed in there, but sits outside of my door waiting for me to come out! When I do emerge, he sits on my feet so I won't move to far away. We also have two other dogs, Mary Lou and Molly but Max is the baby of the bunch!
Our days are filled with, well you know. . . outside, inside, eat, play, sleep for hours, outside. . . and on and on it goes.

Pets add another dimension to our lives. Unconditional love and all that. I especially appreciate them because I don't have to get them up and remind them fifteen times to brush their teeth, help them with their homework, or worry about what kind of adult they'll be. And most importantly, they don't talk back to me! Ha! What a blessing! Max has an affinity for chewing up any kind of paper he can find, (a great hazard for someone that works with journals!) even school books, much to my dismay! We love him anyway! How could we resist this face??

Front Page of Etsy tonight!

2009-01-22T22:52:00.000-05:00

This lovely treasury was on the Front page of Etsy
tonight featuring my New Sunny Leather Journal!

Exciting huh!

Stretching!

2009-01-17T20:27:00.001-05:00

As 2008 was running smack into 2009, I began to think about expanding my brain a little and trying something new. Actually, if I’m honest, the itch to change started back in mid December. It was right in the middle of the holiday season and I was stitching up journals as fast as I could. I was so elated to be reaching so many people and so grateful for the relationships that we were building. Each book sold was special to me, because it meant that someone would be using it for something that was meaningful to them. “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” isn’t just a tag line to me, it’s really the reason I make journals by hand!

Anyway, back to the “expanding my mind” part. As much as I have loved making the kinds of journals I’ve been making, it always felt like I was missing out on something. I had been looking at the hardcover books longingly, wondering if I would be able to make them. Would it be hard to learn? How much more equipment and tools would I need?

So after the Christmas holiday, and when I could take a little break from packaging and running to the post office every day, I set about learning to make hardcover books. I ordered a few tools (with my Christmas money), bought some supplies and began reading all I could find on the internet. I found some wonderful tutorials and websites and got to work. The books you see above are just a few of my first, best efforts. Make sure you check out my Etsy shop to see more!

The paper blocks are hand stitched, the covers are made using thick binders board that feels almost as solid as wood, the cover materials are luxurious suede, beautiful leather, and some fantastic fabric prints. Then all the parts are put together lovingly, and with anticipation of the words, sketches, and stories that will be put into them. After all, It IS what’s on the inside that matters!”

It is my hope that you will be as excited about this new line of journals as I am. I have big plans for future journals, and most of them are already in the works. I’ll be updating the blog as I finish them.

See, sometimes expanding and stretching is a good thing! Happy 2009!

2008-12-24T12:07:00.000-05:00

♥*¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*´¨)
(¸.·´ (¸*´¨(♥ To my treasured customers and visitors,
(¸.·´ (¸.·´♥

It has been my true joy to have met you this year. Thank you for a wonderful first year on Etsy, and for letting me be a small part of your journaling time.

There are some exciting new journals coming in the next few weeks and I hope you'll check back in often to see what's new!

~*~I wish you a very Happy Holiday and a New Year full of great things and thoughts!
All the best,
Julie

Stocking Up!

2008-11-18T13:50:00.001-05:00

I'm stocking up some more journals in my Etsy Shop! Red, Ruby and Gold leather basic journals are coming in the next couple days so stay tuned!

Fresh Journals!

2008-11-15T10:28:00.001-05:00

All new journals in my Etsy Shop this weekend! Go have a look! Coming soon: Refillable planners,

New Items just in time for the holidays!

2008-11-06T01:44:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the holidays, I am so excited to be presenting this item to you! I know there are many of you that keep more than one journal at a time (you know who you are!) and even more of you that like to start a new journal as soon as you're finished with one. Well this boxed set of my Basic Leather journals is just for you! This would also make a great gift for the journal keepers in your life.

This set includes 3 Basic Burgundy Leather journals and a beautiful fitted box to store them in. The blank journals are made from a rich burgundy latigo leather, and it is my favorite of all the leathers I use. The leather used in these journals is already soft and pliable, but will get even more so as you use it, making it a wonderful choice for journaling.

Each basic journal measures 5 1/2" x 3 3/4" (14 x 10cm) and is 1" (3.5cm) thick. The perfect size to carry in your purse, pocket, or throw in a backpack. It is filled with 240 pages or 120 sheets of beautiful 70 lb text weight paper. The color of the paper is a light cream with very small specks sprinkled all over it. A very sturdy longstitch binding will hold the pages securely and there is a knotted thread place holder. I couldn't resist a little decoration so I've added a hand tooled detail line around the whole book.

The box is made from a very nice black matte board. There is a matching piece of leather on the front of the box with the same hand tooled detail line as the journals. The box was made by me to specifically fit the three basic journals. It is very sturdy and will fit nicely on a bookshelf or table.

As an added bonus, I'm offering personal monogramming on all these journals at no charge. What better way to make these books all your own or to add something special and personal in a gift.

Check my Etsy shop for this and many other journals available for the upcoming holiday season!

2009 Planners Are Here!

2008-09-27T13:48:00.001-04:00

Available now in my Etsy Shop

I'm so excited to be presenting my line of 2009 Planners! This planner is organized into 12 sections, with monthly pages, and weekly pages within the months. There are also enough blank pages in each section for one page per day to take notes, journal, or just make to do lists.

The cover is made of premium leather which has been dyed a rich, dark, Rust color. I also handpainted this button that started as a plain wood disc. The button is 2 3/8" in diameter and was painted in shades of rust, red, and gold. The planner is wrap- around style with a snap closure in the front. The snap is hidden under the button. The edges have been professionally finished, and the it has been given a very soft sheen protective coating. The inside of the planner is dyed a rich dark brown.

This planner measures 8 3/4" X 6" (22.5 x 15.5cm) and is
2 1/2" thick. (6.5cm) The paper is a wonderful 70 lb. text weight and is cream color. There are tiny colored flecks speckled throughout the paper. I have also included a thread place holder. Very strong black waxed thread was used for the longstitch binding.

Now you can keep it all together in 2009 with this one of a kind planner. You can be sure no one will have one just like this!

Fresh Journals

2008-08-31T14:09:00.001-04:00

Just a quick update, it's been a while! These are some of the new journals in my Etsy shop!

Something Pretty and New Journals

2008-07-25T13:35:00.001-04:00

These lilies are from my backyard. Every year I think they aren't going to bloom because I expect them too early. Then mid July comes and WOW! There they are! Beautiful huh?

Also, my latest journals added to my Etsy shop. Enjoy the weekend!

So you have a journal, now what?

2008-06-11T12:40:00.001-04:00

New Red Suede journal just listed at my etsy shop today!

Some of you are faithful journal writers and have a regular routine with when and what you write. But for those of you that have a blank journal or are thinking about getting one, this is for you! Since I began making these journals I've had lots of questions and comments like, "I don't journal," or "My days aren't very exciting and wouldn't make interesting reading for anyone."

Here are just a few ideas on what to write in your journal.

1. A Scripture Journal- I don't do this yet but it's on my to do list. Take any scripture from the bible and write about it. Write your interpretations, and questions. You can explore your feelings about these scriptures and your knowledge and faith will grow.

2. Thoughts on things you've seen- Write about something you've seen recently and the thoughts you had while experiencing it. For instance, maybe you saw something on Oprah yesterday and it impacted you in some way. Write about it! Or what if you overheard a wonderful or even disturbing conversation while shopping at the grocery. Get it down on paper and write how you reacted or wish you would have reacted.

3. Use a photo- Maybe you have a favorite photo that makes you feel all warm inside. Take that photo, put it in your journal and write about it. I recently did this with the photo of my kids. (see entry below from Mother's Day) It could be a photo from your childhood or even a family picture. If you decide to use a photo, make sure to add some writing on the page. This will add meaning to your entry and it will be great to look back on!

These are just a few ideas. I'm going to be adding more each week. If you have other journaling ideas I'd love to hear them!

Happy writing,
Julie

More Journals!

2008-06-04T18:19:00.000-04:00

More journals added to my Etsy shop today!

All New Journals

2008-06-03T08:38:00.001-04:00

The above journals were added to my Etsy shop yesterday 6/2

New Supplies

2008-05-17T13:28:00.001-04:00

Well I finally saved up enough to stock up on some new supplies! It was a happy day yesterday! I've added 5 colors of suede and it is so soft and elegant. The blue is my favorite so far. I also got 3 little bundles of fabric for some cute new journals. Be sure to check back next week for some NEW finished products in my Etsy shop!

Just Pretty

2008-05-15T22:39:00.000-04:00

Fresh blooms on my new Magnolia tree. Beautiful huh?!

In My Journal Today

2008-05-13T20:15:00.001-04:00

My little ones about 6 years ago.

What It Means To Be A Mother. . .

It was the night of Mother's Day, all the kids had gone to bed and the house was quiet. I was reflecting on what a great day it had been. We had attended our lovely church service, had the most fantastic nap, a delicious dinner and talked to my wonderful Mom to wish her Happy Mother's Day. The kids were even well behaved and attentive. . . a banner day all around.

I began thinking about what it means to me to be a Mom, after all, I've had 13 years of experience now, I should have some wise thoughts! I suppose that Motherhood can be summed up by one word: Contradiction!

There is a joy that is really beyond words in having these children in my life. And I'm not just talking about the big moments either. So much happiness can be found in little snippets of time like when Abby(8) said something funny to Benjamin (dad) the other day and we all laughed hysterically, or when Eddie (13) comes home from school and can't get enough hugs, or that sweet way that Ricky (11) cricks his neck when he is sleeping. Contrast all these memorable things with the bickering, spending too much time on the computer, eating me out of house and home, ignoring my requests. . . well you know. . . . I've posted my all time favorite photo of the kids above. It was taken about 6 or 7 years ago while I was doing a photo shoot of Ricky for a portrait of him. They all look really happy here don't they? Well, right before the click of the shutter, they were all fussing at each other and generally unhappy. I said, "Boys, kiss your sister" and poof, I got one of the best photos of all time! Talk about contradiction.

Then there is that never ending battle between over-protecting and letting them grow in their independence. Wow! This is a tough one for me, but in my defense, I am getting a little better. When Eddie was a baby we had gates everywhere and constantly had our eyes on him. By the time Abby came along we just let her roam about the house freely. Now they're older and letting go is more important, more worrisome and all I can say is "I'M WORKING ON IT"!

There are many other contradictions to being a mom, way too many to mention in this post, but of course, we can't forget the happiness that comes with spending time with these kids doing all the fun things we do as a family, and the happiness that comes from spending time ALONE while they're at school!

Motherhood= Contradictory- you bet! But the Lord had blessed me so richly with the care of these beautiful children and I will always be so thankful for them!

I adore you Eddie, Ricky, and Abby! Love Mom

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T08:48:00.000-04:00

A very Happy Mother's Day wish for my wonderful Mom, Grandma, Sisters, Aunt, Cousin, and all the other fantastic Mom's out there! Enjoy your day! X O X O

Why I use Kraft paper

2008-05-08T09:30:00.001-04:00

Hmmmm. . . why do I use Kraft paper in my journals? That's a pretty good question and bound to come up once in a while. When I started making journals earlier this year, one of the biggest decisions I had to make was what kind of paper to use. Well, I tested many kinds of paper. Some were too heavy, some not heavy enough. I tried several colors and sizes too. (I now have quite a bit of all these test papers!) My testing priorities were, "how does it feel to write on", how does it lay and fold", "is it environmentally friendly meaning recycled or partially recycled", and finally "is it cost effective?"

So I finally decided on a couple different types of paper. The first is a white 100 lb. text paper. This is a nice weight, wonderful to write on and is at least 30% recycled. I like using it for my round journals and for the odd shaped ones. The other paper I'm using more and more is plain old brown Kraft paper. It is heavyweight (75 lb.), and is really great to write on. I love the textured feel of it and all the tiny spots and splotches that make up the paper. It really has an old world feel to it. It is hands down the best paper to tear and produces a wonderful deckled edge and is very easy to cut. And also important is it's cost effectiveness. I was really searching for a great paper at a great price because it's important to me to be able to keep the prices of my journals at a reasonable price. This paper fits the bill on all counts and it is recycled! This is the paper I've chosen for my personal journal. I hope you'll give it a try. I think you'll really be amazed at how much you'll like it too!

A New Beginning

2008-04-30T21:00:00.001-04:00

After all those long winter months of snow, wind and ice, it is the perfect time for a new beginning. I have re-vamped this blog and my website to a whole new look. And for the big news, I've opened a shop on etsy.com! You can find it here: www.julieboyles.etsy.com. My painting style has changed a bit over the last few months also. I haven't done away with my favorite still life style altogether, but am exploring color and all kinds of combinations. I am now making journals, hand painted and all kinds of other ones too. You can see them on my etsy shop and on my website very soon.

I will also have a new feature on this blog titled "In my journal today". I have a lot to say these days and this will be just the right place to say it!

Thanks for hanging in there with me as all these new changes unfold. See you tomorrow!
Julie

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-23T03:23:00.001-05:00

Wishing you a very Happy Holiday and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog! Hopefully I'll do better in the New Year!

Standing Out From The Crowd

2007-07-29T18:31:00.000-04:00

"Standing Out From The Crowd"
Oil on Linen
36" X 36"

I finished this painting yesterday and delivered to the Indiana State Fairgrounds and with any luck it will be on display for the Indiana State Fair Fine Art Show from August 8-19.

All my paintings have special meanings for me in some way or another, but this one is even more so. When setting up the composition for this, I really wanted the red, white and blue marble to be the focal point. You see, my wonderful husband retired from the Indiana National Guard earlier this year with 24 years of service to our country. Our family is very proud of him and this great accomplishment and of his selfless service. I painted this painting to honor him in my own small way. So congratulations to Sergeant First Class Benjamin Boyles!

I would also like to give a big thank you and Shout Out to Davis Marbles and their family. All these magnificent marbles came from them and are the start of my collection. The craftsmanship, beauty and attention to details really makes these marbles unique! The service and professionalism is fantastic too! Thank you Davis Family!

Another Preview

2007-07-25T13:07:00.000-04:00

Here's a preview of my newest marble painting. The title will be "Standing Out In Front of the Crowd" and it is 36" X 36" on linen. There's a lot more to come on this one, but I just wanted to share what I've done so far, it will keep me motivated to finish it quickly. These marbles are so beautiful, I hope I can do them justice! Stay tuned for the finish!

2007-07-17T12:29:00.000-04:00

I just had to add one more painting to the exhibit! I have several framed prints but wanted another original painting or two. I hung this one at the last minute. It has one of my unique frames that I will show a picture of once I get one. This is titled "Plop" for obvious reasons!
It measures approximately 13" X 17" and is oil on linen.

Thanks to everyone who showed up for my reception Friday night. It was a great turnout and wonderful to see all of you!

The Big Show is finally here

2007-07-04T02:36:00.001-04:00

Well we finally got everything ready for the In The Round show (just in the nick of time) and everything is in place at the CCA Gallery.
The exhibit will take place the whole month of July with artist receptions on July 13 and 27.

Above you can see some pictures of the show as well as the finished painting of "Pool Refreshment". If you're around Indianapolis during the month of July, stop in and see the exhibit!

The Countdown is ON

2007-06-28T22:07:00.001-04:00

Well, we hang my show on Sunday and this painting will play a major role in it. As you can see, it's only about half done so it's going to be a loooonnnggg night! This is just a little peek at this one. It's obviously pool balls but I'm not giving any more hints at the composition. It is
48" X 48" on a raw linen gallery wrap panel. I'll post it finished as soon as I can.
Wish me Luck!