Just returned from the weekend in Sedona. We stayed at the Briar Patch Inn. What a wonderful place. Brings me back to the days of growing up at the lodge.

Great time~And it snowed! Here are the pics. The last are my favorite of my sketches…

On a recent trip to New York I was surprised to discover… not much. Now let me say before y’all get on me about not looking hard enough, that I go to New York to discover indie brands and crafters gone start-up. In Manhattan I was hard pressed to find the usual funky shops filled with hand-made goodies found nowhere else in the country. I wanted to see what the hipsters were up to, and while there were plenty of them hanging out and walking around, none seemed to be keeping shop in the city. After three days of scouring Soho, the Warehouse district, Chelsea, the West Village and everything in-between, I stopped a totally adorable 20-something who I secretly wanted to be and asked her where she shops. After explaining to me that no one can afford the rent in the city anymore, the place to find the goods is now out Brooklyn way. So, I hopped the next train under the East River to Brooklyn Flea, this awesome craft fair (pictured above and below) is held every Saturday at the corner of Lafayette and Vanderbilt Avenues.

I bought a bracelet made out of a old record album that was spraypainted and screenprinted (pic to come!), a few ceramics and a woven blanket. I was able to get most of my Christmas shopping done in one day too. After stocking up on crafts, I ran over to Grand Street (in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) to a shop called Bird.

Now we’re talking! This is what I came across the country to find: Groovy clothing, sweet shoes (check out that one on the table!) and great design everywhere you turn. I was charmed by the sign overhead, the little details including fun paper masks and scarves I couldn’t live without. Inside and out, this place is my new fav. Walking around more I discovered life:curated (another favorite!) where I bought the coolest tea towels, a fine cashmere wrap on sale, and several gorgeous letterpress cards. By this time we were hungry and thristy ~ time for dinner…

Friends who recently moved to Brooklyn met us out at Calexico, a quick cab ride from Grand Street. The place was packed and for good reason. This modern taqueria serves fresh food, tasty margs and stocks a cool bunch of peeps. We sat at a large table near the window and enjoyed the last few hours of a great day of discovery.

I was heartbroken to have to choose between CHA and an opportunity to hunker down and finish my novel. While I will miss my dear crafty friends (especially the Mixology Girls) I was offered a beautiful getaway in Boulder for the next several weeks where I will have the peace, quiet and inspirational surroundings to complete the final revisions of the book before it is released to the wolves of the editing world.

I brought my sewing machine and a pile of fabric as my only respite from the rewrite. That’s not to say I don’t love the process of writing (most the time)~I just know there will be times my brain will need a break and my crafty hands will be hankering to make something. My plan is to create bags from canvases I painted several years ago. I’ll be reporting on both things as they progress

The “How to” is forthcoming…