Midori Style Traveler's Notebook

"We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are".
                                                       - Max Depree-


I have an old messenger style leather purse that I loved dearly. Unfortunately, I loved it so much I wore it out. So what do I do with it? I'm still emotionally attached to it and can't throw it away, but I don't want to put it in the closet and have another thing cluttering up the house. Solution...take it apart and recycle the leather into something usable.

I've always admired and wanted a Midori Traveler's Notebook but I could not justify the cost of the leather notebook and the inserts. However...I now have the leather to make my own beautiful handmade traveler's notebook and I have all the papers I enjoy using to make the booklets. I also love the idea of repurposing something "old" into something "new" that I can use every day.

Follow along as I show you step-by-step how I used the leather from my old favorite purse to make a Midori style traveler's notebook. I break it down into easy steps and give you all the measurements to create not only the leather notebook but also the booklets to insert into the notebook.

Of course, if you don't have an old leather purse to use, you can purchase new leather from the craft store or fabric store. Then you can make the booklets from your favorite choice of papers.

Try making one for yourself, I know you'll love it as much as I love mine.

How To Make Your Perfect Sketchbook

"I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen."
                                                 - Frederick Franck


The most important thing for an artist is their sketchbook. It's where we work out ideas and get our practice, but most importantly it's where we express ourselves. Every artist has their particular preference about the size of the sketchbook and what kind of paper is inside.

We go into the art stores searching for our ideal sketchbook. Many times we either come up short and can't find it or worse yet we find several sketchbooks with different types of paper that meets our needs. We can't haul around all these sketchbooks so we end up restricting ourselves to the sketchbook we have on hand.

What if you could have one perfect sketchbook with all the different types of paper in it that you enjoy using? Would you choose sketch paper for working out that intricate design? Perhaps toned tan or gray for your portraits? How about watercolor for that spontaneous landscape?

Now you have that option. You can create that perfect sketchbook in the size you want with all the different kinds of paper you adore using. Best of all you can carry this sketchbook with you where ever you go and have the option of using any of these papers whenever you want.

It gets even better... you can remove the pages of this sketchbook and draw or paint with whatever medium you choose and then photograph it or place it in a scanner and then put it back in the sketchbook. Yes...you can remove the pages, move them around and put them back into the sketchbook in any order that soothes your mind.

It's not a fantasy, that perfect sketchbook does exist and I'll show you how to make it.

Summer Vacation

A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking.
                                                 - Earl Wilson

The best part of working in education is summer vacation. Especially this year. I didn't think I would make it to June.

When I first started this job our school was just a small country school. It consisted of 20 classes and I was the librarian with a library collection of 8000 books. I loved my job and arrived every day with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe I was being paid to do what I loved.

As the years progressed so did the school. The enrollment increased, requiring additional classes and textbooks were added to the library duties. Shortly after that we began a new program called Dual Language Immersion and I not only had more classes but the number of textbooks doubled and were available in both English and Spanish. Recently we began checking out Chromebooks to the children and starting next year I will be converting a section of the library into a MakerSpace area.

I'm no longer a librarian. I perform multiple duties and the school has grown significantly. I now have a library collection of over 17,000 books, an additional 6,000 books are checked out to classroom libraries, over 100,000 textbooks, consumable workbooks and teacher's resource materials in English and Spanish distributed among 44 teachers and...953 Chromebooks.

I definitely need a vacation!!!

I'm looking forward to spending time this summer with my grandchildren, family and......my art materials!!!

In case you thought I was exaggerating!

Lessons I've learned from my mother.

Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.
                                           - Robert Browning



When I was a little girl my mother took me everywhere with her, whether it was running errands, on personal visits or when handling business transactions. She took me places where children were usually not allowed but because I was a quiet, well behaved child they would allow or tolerate it. She would always tell me, "Bethie...this is a wonderful lesson for you...watch...listen...and learn."

I loved watching my mother because she was a remarkable woman. She was intelligent, loving, beautiful, brave and she had great passion for everything she did. She also had the most amazing people skills and could hold a conversation with anyone on any subject.

Like most women of her generation she put her family and home first. Her children's needs and desires came before her own and she was responsible for holding the family together, solving problems and maintaining a happy, healthy home.

As I grew older our bond grew stronger. I knew I would never have the people skills my mother had but I did develop a different talent...a creative talent...and we balanced out each other. My mother taught me not to be afraid of hard work, that if you wanted to accomplish something great you had to take chances and no matter what...you have to have a dream.

So we worked hard together, laughed at our mistakes together and dreamed big dreams together. We were supportive of each other so we felt braver...safety in numbers I suppose. Time passed quickly and my mother's health began to decline. We didn't take on new projects or work as hard and our dreams were replaced with health concerns.

When my mother passed away a part of me went with her. I lost my sense of direction, my balance and my best friend. I felt so empty and alone inside.

I'm in the process of learning how to live without her...and that is the most difficult lesson of all.

I love and miss you so much Mom.

Dedicated to...Violet Elizabeth Franks (August 19, 1925 - October 22, 2014)

Sundays at Grandma's

"Think of your family today and every day thereafter, don't let the busy world of today keep you from showing how much you love and appreciate your family".
                                                       - Josiah

When I was a little girl we lived a long distance from my grandmothers, so I only saw them on holidays and special occasions. They were both remarkable women, amazing cooks and a wonderful combination of warmth and kindness, laughter and love. I wanted more than anything to live near them and see them more often.

When my first grandson was born I decided I wanted a closer relationship with him. I wanted to be part of his life... every day. When the twins were born it became almost a necessity in order for their Mom and Dad to get a moment of rest.

We have settled into a routine where I visit them during the week, but every Sunday Daddy brings the boys over for breakfast and playtime. It gives me a chance to treat them to their favorite foods and spend some special time with them. The twins are almost two years old and are tornadoes of energy. They are constantly moving, touching and exploring every thing in the house. That's fine with me, the house is child proof.

After several hours of endless play, the twins are winding down, about ready for their afternoon nap. Daddy packs up the car, buckles them in their car seats and as soon as he pulls out of the drive they are fast asleep. The sign of a good, active day.

My oldest grandson stays behind for an extended visit. We spend the rest of the afternoon drawing and painting, building Legos and, now that the weather is getting warm, working in the garden together. This is our special bonding time.

I love my time with my grandsons. I can't imagine a day without talking to them and with the magic of technology we can video chat several times a day. My grandson can't wait to call me after school to tell me about the spelling test he passed, or to show me a picture he drew, or to tell me what color his behavior was that day. I want to wish him a good day at school in the morning and sweet dreams at night before he goes to sleep. The twins are now beginning to talk and they wave to me on the phone. These are all the important and special moments of their lives and I love being a part of it... I don't want to miss any of it.

I don't want to be a long distance grandma...I want to be an every day grandma.

Dolce far Niente

"I use this time to think."
     - Anthony T. Hincks


It's raining today. A soft, gentle rain. The kind of rain that makes you want to curl up in a chair by the window, with a hot cup of tea, and watch it coming down. That's exactly what I have been doing this morning.

Well...that's not entirely true...I started watching the rain, but then my attention turned to a snail crawling up a large, leafy bush. I have been watching this snail for the past half-hour moving it's way along the wet, green leaves. It's in no hurry to get anywhere or do anything. Unlike me, I need to write a blog and draw or paint a picture to go along with it and instead of doing that, I'm sitting here watching a snail.

Am I procrastinating? No...I'm "pausing". I'm allowing my mind and body to take time for a break. I'm taking time to reflect on the past several weeks. Work has been extremely hectic, the flu has passed through every member of the family and it only rains for a brief time in Southern California and then nothing for many months. So...this is the perfect opportunity to "pause".

My Grandmother used an Italian phrase, Dolce far Niente, which means "how sweet to do nothing". That's exactly what I am doing this morning...nothing! So like my little friend, the snail, I'm in no hurry. I'm going to let my mind and body rest, regroup, and prepare for the next onslaught of life's daily happenings.

In fact, I'm going to make myself another cup of tea, curl up in the chair by the window and watch my friend crawl down the large, leafy bush.

Why keep an art journal?

"Inside you there's an artist you don't know about..."
                                                                - Rumi -

The other day my grandson, Emmett, and I were drawing when he asked me when I started to draw in an art journal. I told him that I started when I was very young, probably about his age. Upon hearing this, his curiosity took over and he wanted to know what got me started and why I continued doing it.

Truthfully, I don't remember thinking about it ... I just felt a need to do it. However, how do I explain that need in a way that a 6 year old will understand. So instead, I took him into my bedroom and we sat on the floor in front of a wooden chest that holds all of my finished journals. We began to flip through the pages of each journal.

There were sketches of his twin brothers, when they were born and how he became a big brother. There were earlier sketches of him when he was a toddler. Sketches of him with his Great-Grandmother, who is no longer with us, and they are reading books, napping and playing together. Sketches that brought back memories of special moments they shared with each other. Then he was able to see sketches of himself as a baby that he couldn't possibly remember ... but I do.

As he looked through these journals I explained that each sketch told a story about special moments in our lives. They were captured with a drawing and a few choice words so that I wouldn't forget them. How drawing a picture gave me time to savor that moment longer than merely snapping a photograph. How it helped me see the value of each of these moments and how blessed I am to have them.

I also explained that keeping an art journal was a form of meditation. I'm not one who likes to sit still for very long, this was something a 6 year old could relate to. I'm always on the move and have multiple projects going on at the same time. Drawing is my way of meditating. When I'm drawing I'm unaware of anything around me, all my senses are focused on a single subject.

After seeing the journals and talking about why I made them, he looked at me very seriously and said, "I would like to keep an art journal too." Another special moment. So ... we went to the shelf where I keep a variety of sketch journals and he picked one he liked. Then he opened it, and without hesitation, he began to draw the story of his life on the first page. It was one of my proudest moments, not only as a grandmother but as an artist.

So ... no matter what your age, whether you're 6 years old or in your 60's. No matter what your drawing ability, pick up an art journal and a pencil and begin to draw and write about the special moments in your life that tell your story.

You'll never regret it ...