New from the studio:

Introducing the first of my new “vestiges” pieces … practical items made from scraps. These are the first two I have made, each one is double-sided! They are created from cradle panels which have been hanging around the studio for quite some time! I took each panel, cut it in half, joined the side together and voilà, a lovely little pen/pencil caddie for your desk.

Now, the thing about these pieces is, they are NOT meant to be perfect. I am sawing them by hand, they have gotten a little beat up over the years of being shuffled from here to there … but this is the quality that I like. Especially when I contrast it with the “fineness” of the finished mandalas on either side. For me, they become less “precious” … meaning people might not be so afraid of using them every day.

Of course the whole idea for “vestiges” comes out of my desire to use up everything around me, the accumulated stuff of many years. But it also comes out of these pandemic times. In the early part of all of the shutdown, suddenly you couldn’t just dash out and pick up stuff you needed. That’s when I truly started to assess what I had and how I could use it.

To say that this has been an incredibly creative time is a bit of an understatement! And although others might not see how it has manifested, trust me, my brain is having a riot in a good way!).

Also an important realization through this time is, my default response to not having something I thought I needed was, “I’ll just run out and pick up ___”. Even though, if I dug a little into the stuff I already have, I will probably find what I need or something that will work. This time has forced me to stop defaulting to what was easiest.

A very interesting time indeed, and a change in attitude is one that will carry on well into the future I think!

I am still finding treasures to be transformed …

This piece is an antique “sugar mold” which I recently discovered at an antique shop. I also think these would make AMAZING pen/pencil/desk accessories, but people have also used them for candles and vases.  You can see more about this, and another one that I have transfored as well …  in the shop … or click here: compendiumshop.ca

Working with what I have …

Almost 30 years ago, I was given the gift of this box of veneer samples. Constantine and Sons, Inc. 50 Samples of Cabinet Wood Veneers, 4” x 9”  

Over all of those years, I have used NONE of the pieces . That is about to change. These are going to “show up” in new pieces. No, I am not deciding to take on marquetry or anything … I will use these pieces in their “whole” form, as much as possible. Their grains are simply fantastic and they will offer me a whole new “canvas” on which to create.

I look forward to seeing what emerges from working with this “new” material!

How slowing down is letting me get more stuff done!

As I have chatted with friends – especially my creative ones – about this pandemic time and what effect it is having on their lives and work, slowing down seems to be the theme. And slowing down also seems to bring about its own form of conscious intention about how things are done.

Is this because our brain isn’t full of other stuff?

Is it because we can only handle one thing at a time?

Is it because there is nothing to “rush” too?

Is it because the energy level of the world around us is definitely “turned down”?

For me, I think it is all of the above. And the bonus is, I am actually, after months of adjustment, getting into a routine that really works and allows me to get things done. Hooray!!!!!!

People have been asking me about compendium …

Yes, there will be another compendium … number 7. It is in the works in my head, and a little bit on paper, so maybe in September sometime it will appear. Stay tuned.

Asking for help … it’s a good thing
(Thank you Martha Stewart)

Many have come to rely on the internet for answers or “help” with a variety of things, and for sure, it’s a great place to find a lot of stuff. But what about asking a friend?

Well, I have finally done just that. After scouring the internet to learn about the best ways to photograph my pieces, I decided to get really smart, and ask my friend, neighbour and AWESOME photographer Wendy for some help.

Why might this be BETTER? Well, for me it means that I am asking Wendy to be a part of my creative process, to help me share my work in the world in a way that feels honouring.

It also recognizes and honours the incredible talent that Wendy possesses with a camera, lighting and creating compelling images. It allows us to celebrate each other, and I don’t think it gets better than that!

See some of Wendy’s amazing photos at: liveyouradventureimages.com

In case you didn’t notice how the world is changing …

The magnolia in the front garden bloomed a second time this year. That is not something I’ve ever seen happen before, nor has our head-of-all-things-gardener, Peter. And he pays attention to this sort of thing.

I wonder what it means in the BIG PICTURE of things? Hmmmm. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

May the blooming of our lives continue in magical ways!

~sarah

A renewed love affair

I thought my love affair with pens was contained to the pens themselves … but I was wrong … my love has now firmly extended to the inks that go in the pens!

Silly me, I know colour changes things, and each colour expresses a different emotion/feeling … but up until fairly recently, I never really applied that practical idea to the ink in my fountain pen.

Well, that has all changed. I have discovered new colours that allow me to express my written words more fully.

My favourite right in this moment is: Ancient Copper from Diamine. It is a beautiful deep orange. Much darker when you see it in just words, but the sample shows how rich it is.

I discovered this particular ink while browsing at one of my very favourite online shops, wonderpens.ca, where they have sample swatches of each of the inks they sell. Best of all, they have what they call “sample” size of 2ml vials of ink that you can test out before committing to a larger bottle. These are very affordable ($1.75-$2.25 each) and allow you to try a lot of different colours to get just the right one, or two or three …

Gouletpens.com in the U.S. also has swatches of inks on their site and they sell “tester” sizes too! You will enjoy extensive tutorials about inks and pens here. 

Friendly Warning: both of these sites are rabbit holes and you may end up there for several hours. Totally worth it if you like fine writing instruments and in-depth information!

The samples here are screenshots from the Gouletpen.com site, which show them more clearly than I can show them myself.

Fountain pens are on the comeback, for sure, and I couldn’t be happier!

New to compendiumshop.ca

In keeping with my desire to “use what’s in the studio” … I have taken some mandala plaques which have been stored for awhile, and in some cases I’ve reworked them, in others, I did my signature “apply black paint” and start all over again. As always, it has been such a relaxing and joyful place to be, working on these pieces. I hope they find the perfect homes for all the best reasons!

Appreciation

If you are anything like me, when you find something that has inspired or enlightened you, like a book or article, you love it and maybe share it with others, but rarely do you take the next step and write the author. My take on this is, we think the author already knows what a great piece it is, and that it is influential. Or that they won’t ever read your email.

We would be wrong, for the most part. People who write books and articles thrive on hearing how their work helps/influences/informs the world.

So, taking that into consideration, I wrote a quick email to Austin Kleon, author of Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, Workman Publishing, 2019, which I mentioned in my last blog post. He replied with thanks.

I did it because Austin, like so many other writers and creatives out there, give SO MUCH to the world … and recognition for that is really important.

Now I want to make a list of other people who have inspired, enlightened and helped me, and write them a thank you too!

Coming Soon to compendiumshop.ca

I thought the newest pieces for the compendiumshop would be ready this week … but they aren’t quite, so I will post the beginning of a “new” line of pieces next week. They are what I call “vestiges”, which means: “a  mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence”. This definition comes from my handy-dandy Random House College Dictionary, a gift from my mother in 1975.

Stay tuned!

Wishing you a week filled with fantastic creative energies!

~sarah

NEW from the studio this week …

a whole series of mandalas for the wall … soon to be available from compendiumshop.ca

Mary Ann Moore has a new guide book!!!

See her new guide book here. 

My creative and talented partner Mary Ann Moore has a wonderful new guide book fresh in the world! Twenty years in the making, Writing to Map Your Spiritual Journey is brimming with inspiration and practical writing practices to help you go deeper with your own story.

This is rich, deep and beautiful work, and I am delighted to see it finally available to the whole, wide world to enjoy and be inspired by.

Please take a few moments and check out the link, which will show you the contents and give you more in-depth information.

“Mary Ann shares her expansive knowledge of earth-based practices and goddess spirituality to connect you more deeply to your writing and your own story.” Writing to Map Your Spiritual Journey is a digital PDF available from the International Association for Journal Writing (IAJW).

To learn more and to purchase, please visit: iajw.org and look under Products: Journal Writing Tools or access from this direct link:
International Association for Journal Writing

Austin Kleon

Keep Going ~ 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad,
by Austin Kleon (Workman Publishing, 2019) is a diminutive book that packs a large dose of inspiration between its covers.

Released late last year, I picked up my copy in the midst of our new crazy, unpredictable times, and I am very glad I did!

Each of Austin’s books are based on “10 Things”, which is the same format he uses in his weekly newsletter. This format means he has taken the enormous time and effort to “whittle” things down to their core ideas, and I must say, he does it quite brilliantly.

I’ve been a fan of Austin’s since his first book, Steal Like and Artist ~ 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, (Workman Publishing, 2012). That’s when I signed up for his newsletter at austinkleon.com, which arrives every Friday morning and is one of the creative boosts for my week.

He is a man of books and ideas, play and exploration, and music … there is ALWAYS something in his newsletter that makes me smarter, feel better or want to try something new.

His second book, Show Your Work! ~ 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, (Workman Publishing, 2014) is a most direct and inspiring guide to getting your work out there in a practical and sustainable way!

Yes, Austin Kleon, who lives in Austin, Texas, is a creative cheerleader, in good times and in bad times. I love having him right there on my bookshelf, where I can refer back to his creative inspiration anytime I need it!

austinkleon.com

Diana Beresford-Kroeger

To Speak for the Trees: My Life’s Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest

I LOVE this book, and the film that came from it. Diana Beresford-Kroeger writes so beautifully and shares her unbelievable scientific knowledge in a lyrical and heart-felt way that makes you want to keep reading and reading and reading … and then start it all over again.

She LOVES trees, because she truly and deeply understands the depth and breadth of their importance as the basis of life on this planet. “I want to remind you that the forest is far more than a source of timber. It is our collective medicine cabinet. It is our lungs. It is the regulatory system for our climate and our oceans. It is the mantel of our planet. It is the health and well-being of our children and grandchildren. It is our sacred home. It is our salvation’”.

To read the story of how she became a scientist is truly inspiring. Literally, she was raised by an entire community, and educated in ancient Celtic ways. She is brilliant at making connections and staying curious, all the while, explaining it as if she was writing poetry.

For me, this was an uplifting read and I am so very, very thankful for the work Diana continues to do, each and everyday, from saving heritage trees species on her farm in Ontario, to sharing her vast knowledge to help the world understand trees with greater insight.

See an excerpt here.

See: Call of the Forest – Film Trailer here

Common Foundry ~ Cory and Laura

This is my new favourite shop in Nanaimo … they carry fine writing pens, pencils, paper and other lovely, useful, essential items for people who still gravitate toward analog! It is a tiny shop beautifully laid out, clean, calm and a pleasure to be in.

The owners, Cory and Laura are both graphic designers, and it shows in all of their curated choices of product.

Yes, this is going to be a regular stop for me. Some might say an indulgence, I think more in terms of nurturing my creative soul.

See what they are up to on Instagram here

My New Daily Practice Pack ~
exclusive to my website!

compendiumshop.ca

Using What I Have (new core practice)

This is going to change EVERYTHING. In fact, it already has.

For many years I have worked with the principle of using up what I have in and around me, as well as “repurposing” things I have found. Well, I have to say that this wee pandemic we are in, seems to have ramped that up to a whole new level.

What surprises me most is that I wasn’t aware until now, that my default mode was to notice I needed something to do what I wanted to do, and so would run out to the store and buy it. HAH … that became seriously impossible during the deepest part of the pandemic. So, I had to make do with what I already had in my possession.

This not only presented me with new creative challenges, but it has sparked a whole new way of thinking and doing. I am talking about a serious shift in creative forces, which will help me to create a wonderfully new vision of what I do and why I do it.

Turns out, in the nooks and crannies of my home/studio, there is a ridiculous amount of “stuff” to be used up. Oh yes, I have been an expert at neatly stowing things away, so that we do not live in clutter or catastrophe, but it’s still a lot of stuff that needs to not be neatly stored anymore.

So, in the coming weeks and months, you will be treated to a myriad of things coming out of the studio, which I promise will all be practical, functional and beautiful … all while clearing out some interesting things that have collected over the years. Stay tuned!

Please enjoy a wonder-filled week ahead!

~sarah

 PS … if you haven’t signed up to receive this blog in your email, I would love to have you along for the journey … just pop up to the top of this page and on the right side you will see the SIGN UP area. Easy!

After an extended absence from writing my own blog, I have decided to bring it back to life! It is just one part of a whole revamp of my website and online presence. 

The most notable change to my site and my emerging world is my little online shop called compendiumshop.ca, which will house all the new things coming out of my studio … and there will be LOTS of new things emerging in the coming months!! I am working on a whole new selection of one-of-a-kind, hand-painted pieces that will represent three areas that are very important to me ~ salvaging, function and beauty. So some of the future is completely new for me, and I am pretty excited.

What has emerged from our pandemic times for me is a need to change what I am doing, and how I am putting it into the world. Three shops that carried my work pre-pandemic, have either closed completely or downsized their inventory all around. This has left the Salish Sea Market, in Bowser, BC, as my single outlet for furniture pieces. Ahhh yes, a shift is in the works. Reinventing myself and my work, and although it’s taken me months to get to this point, I now feel much more prepared to move forward. I am so very thankful to everything and everyone who have helped me get to this point.

I have re-energized much of the website, adding, removing and updating throughout. I am most intrigued about my little shop though … trying to create what I would like a bricks-and-mortar store to feel like, but here, online. It will definitely be a work-in-progress, and will be updated with new pieces regularly. (Hopefully weekly!)

My internal wisdom continues to tell me to move slowly and intentionally through these times. No Rush Required. So far, this wisdom is working perfectly for me.

In deciding to reactivate my blog, I want to share a variety of aspects of my world, once a week, on Sundays. It’s my way of sitting with you and having a little visit. So, if you aren’t signed up to receive this in your email inbox, I hope you will  join me on this curious adventure called LIFE … with all it’s peaks and valleys, joys and wonder!

I promise to do my best to inspire and inform.

My desire is to create a community here! I hope you will join me.

Welcome to my new world.
~sarah