Small Meadow Press

the door is beginning to open....

2011-12-27T14:19:00.000-05:00

Just popping by to say that, as I mentioned in my last post, I am soon opening the door to my new endeavor. I've just created a page here which explains it all and has a sign up at the bottom of the page to let you know when the doors will be flung wide open. I am hoping to be ready before the Twelve Days of Christmas have passed, which we are just beginning to settle into. Guests have returned to their homes and we are restoring ours to order and peace...and long, quiet days of creativity and rest.

Sending you good wishes for a Bright New Year!

closing a window, opening a door

2011-11-19T11:56:00.001-05:00

I know it's usually the other way round...but as Small Meadow Press feels so very insubstantial right now, and the possibilities of what I am creating online seem so spacious...it fits. Besides, I so love all that opening a door evokes.

But first, to the closing of a window...

I've been uncluttering to the deepest level in my studio, and found yet another little stash of things, tho' this is truly the last of it. And as I have made the decision that I can't manage any printing and designing this year, including my calendar and planner-to-be, this will be all I have to offer in the way of papery delights. It felt so sad to come to that decision, but the relief that accompanied the sadness convinced me that it was right. I hope that the calendar making isn't over for good, so will wait and watch and see how life unfolds.

So in the next few weeks,

I will be doing a bit of cutting and folding, lots of sorting and plan to have a number of envelopes of Small Meadow Press miscellany for sale-here-in early December. Each envelope will be filled with an assortment of notecards, prints, little cards, bookmarks, letter paper, envelopes, Easter and Christmas things...all that I have found, parceled out into equal portions. It has been really lovely to have little piles and boxes of my old creations sitting here and there around the house. I am so fond of them and grateful for all they represent...what grew between me and each of you, in our common love of beauty and usefulness...

And I hope we can continue that journey when I open the door to my latest endeavor in the New Year. Just a glimpse I've shared above, a tiny taste of what I have been working on over the past months, sure to change as I continue to learn and figure out and play with words and images and ideas. I think...I hope...I am past the worst of the nuts and bolts part of it and can get on with the heart of it...the pages, the corners to fill and adorn, the tasks and topics to plan and arrange. And with any luck (not a word I usually use, but honestly, when it comes to computer-y things, it seems appropriate!), New Years Day will find me waiting by that door, ready to welcome you in.

If you are not already subscribed to receive an email when there is fresh news here, you might like to sign up in the upper left corner of this post. Then you will most easily and quickly be informed of the details of my last little sale and then more glimpses and news of the next chapter...

*the sale has now come and gone, but I've left this post up and will be posting about my new creation very soon!*

thinking, dreaming and doing....

2011-08-09T22:55:00.000-04:00

Back in February, when I last wrote here, I was realizing just how little I could take on beyond tending home and family and looking towards the Summer to figure out about Small Meadow Press. Well here is August speeding along and I see no sign of anything papery coming out of my studio...beyond my calendar that received a proper cover after my last post and goes with me everywhere now.

I did alot of thinking at the beginning of the Summer and realized that my heart and mind don't go towards the making of "beautiful and useful papers for everyday life" any longer. The paper stays tidily stacked on the shelves and the printer is turned off and blessedly quiet. And I am content for it to remain so. I may still make my calendar, or more likely, a new version of it that will be slightly smaller and include lots of pages for planning and keeping things in order.

I am still pondering that possibility.

But my heart hasn't lost any of its fascination with Everyday Life. Quite the opposite...and all that I used to pour into papery creations-the simple beauty, the celebration of the seasons and banner days, the nourishment to be found in books and poetry, the particulars of homemaking and staying connected with others and the earth...well, I am pouring all of that into the making of a lovely online place. A private and lovely place of inspiration...and beauty...and gentle tasks...that will add up over the days and months to what I know so many of us are longing for....more simplicity and peace and contentment in our homes and our everydays.

I've been dreaming this for years...remember telling my dear customers about it at my very last show in December of 2009...and have been working on the nuts and bolts of it for the past few months, with much more work to do. But I shall write here again soon, with more news and perhaps some glimpses. If you are not already signed up to be notified when I post here (top left column), you might like to sign up now, so you will know just as soon as there is news to tell.

I wish you very summery end-of-Summer days...and please leave your thoughts here for me to find. I miss you all!

making do

2011-02-11T02:24:00.000-05:00

Just wanting to leave a little note here
for you to find should you come visiting. Life is flowing on with its gentle ups and downs, and I know well and truly now that any Small Meadow Press creating and offering will wait until the summer.

There is so much to fill my days, guiding my younger son through his last months of study at home, helping my elder son who is experiencing all the normal challenges of life in this complicated and confusing world, holding my mom's hand (literally and figuratively) as she makes her way through her much-smaller-but-just-as-confusing-world, tending friendships and our home and so much more...you know?

And more than ever I was needing a place to hold and keep all of my thoughts and plans and scraps and appointments. Last year I had made a mock-up of a planner with my calendar pages (made smaller) as the heart and many useful pages and dividers behind them. It was my intention to make a complete version for myself for 2011, with a vintage book cover on the outside and all of the pages I wanted to stay organized on the inside. And then to make some for sale (it has a name! and each section planned out! and I bought reams of paper for it two years ago, before life started making detours!) But several hours into wrangling with the margins the printer would allow for the smaller version (not the margins I would wish for, of course!) of just the first month in the year, I knew I didn't have the patience or the time to see that project through to the end....however nice that end would have been.

So I gathered together some of my regular calendar pages left from all the trial-and-error that goes into printing, hole-punched them, added some pretty, blank pages, a cover from a misprint and a pocket at the back made from an old sign I used to use at show, bound them together with simple binding rings and-voila! I hole-punched the back page/pocket incorrectly the first time, the pocket scallops are not precise, the pocket itself is really too short, and the whole thing is too floppy...but...it is a helpful and pretty (if not perfect) planner to see me through until I can spend the time and find the persistence to bring my vision into reality. Maybe this summer. Maybe not.

I am learning not to press. And that is very different from the old days, when I would stay up until all hours to see a new creation through. But that doesn't work for me any more and I am learning to make do. Sleep is more important now than perfection. And having a place to slip my son's new prescription for contacts for safe-keeping there at the optometrist's office, or to immediately jot down the next appointment at the dentist's office has made me feel quite friendly towards my makeshift planner.

Friendly towards making do in general.

the sale is over....

2010-12-08T13:25:00.001-05:00

...and I send deep thanks to everyone
who ordered.

I will be making one last batch of calendars,
and continuing with the packaging up of all
the orders and sending them on their
merry way to you this week.

And it will probably be awhile before the
next sale...as I knew when I took a hiatus when
my mom came to live with us, it is a bit of a press
to take good care of her, homeschool my boy and
everything else. Tho' I am so glad I had the sale!
It is wonderful to experience again all the familiar
rhythms of making and designing. And it makes
me happy to think of my calendar companioning
so many of you throughout the year, and the
cards being sent out these Winter days with
love and hope.

By next summer, my son will be graduated from
our homeschool, the addition for my mom will be
long done, and I can imagine a new season
of homelife (not that I want to imagine the
part of it without my son here each day...I am
having to play Scarlett in that area and will
definitely think about that ages hence!)
with more time for making.

But for now, I again send my gratitude
and also my dear wishes for a lovely
month ahead for all of us!

all good things must come to an end....

2010-12-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

....and this is just a note to let you know
that my Advent sale will be ending at midnight
on Tuesday the 7th of December.

Tho' many of the one-of-a-kinds have sold out,
the "shop" (the post just before this one)
still has some notecards, Christmas cards
and A Calendar of One's Own filling
the shelves.

a little advent sale

2010-12-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first little sale at my blog!
Below you will find all the offerings that I have
at this time, with the quantity I have of each
(except the calendar, until I run out of paper,
I will gladly make as many of these as you
would like).

After you browse through the offerings,
please send me an email at:

lesley@smallmeadowpress.com

with your wishes.

I will be here, receiving the emails, adjusting
inventory, keeping the kettle on the boil for
restorative cups of tea and coffee...and just
generally feeling grateful and happy to be a
tiny part of your hopeful Advent days.

I would appreciate it if in your email you let me
know how quickly you would like to receive your
package of lovelies. The packaging up of orders will
be done during my mom's naptimes and bedtimes,
so time is limited and I would like to get out the
orders first that need to be somewhere soon
for gifting.

And for those who might be new to my wares,
please know that everything is made with 100%
recycled or tree-free papers, vintage ribbon, and
earth-friendly packaging. Also, I have reduced
most of my prices...just because.

BOOKS & READERS NOTECARDS

My most popular set of notecards.
One each of six designs (with matching
envelopes) in a pretty
envelope package

$9

I noticed that on my laptop, these photos look like
the cards actually do. While on my studio computer,
they look overly bright. Rest assured, the cards in
reality are warm and softly colored.

many in stock!

WINTER HOLIDAY CARDS

Just four designs for this year...it took
so long to adapt each one to the new printer
that I couldn't conceive of doing all 10.

I chose those which speak of
Peace & Light.

These come in bundles of a dozen (with matching
envelopes). You may order bundles of all one kind, or
the assortment. Each bundle has a pretty wrapper
with a wax seal. These are made of french-folded
laid paper-creamy white.

$12

Blessing of Light
(blank inside)

Sparkling Peace
(it says "Peace" inside)

Starry Hen
(blank inside)

Lanterns Glowing
("Merry Christmas" inside)

Peace & Light
(assortment of 3 each of the 4 designs)

A CALENDAR OF ONES OWN 2011

"Comfort & Joy"

I designed this last year, but was unable to offer
it because of many printer problems. Those are
happily solved and I have changed all of the dates
for 2011....so now you may have the lovely
words and images to see you through the year
ahead.

In case you are new to my yearly calendar,
it is bound like a book with vintage cream
silk ribbon, two page spreads for each month
with large squares and images in soft colors
on a flecked thick paper. 8 1/2" x 11" when closed.
The front section is the calendar pages for
each month, the back is 24 blank pages
with occasional pretty images scattered
here and there.

$22

I should have enough paper to make as many
calendars as you wish...tho' after the first 36 or
so, the covers will be printed on a soft brown
cardstock, instead of the cream.

very nearly there!

2010-11-29T21:16:00.001-05:00

I am happy to say I have many lovely stacks of
Books and Readers notecard sets, many bundles of
four of my "Christmas" card designs (and an
assortment-for the first time ever) and by the
time the sale begins on Wednesday, I will have
many a calendar printed and assembled.

Tomorrow I will take photographs
and begin to print the calendar (this will take
many days) and the sale will begin Wednesday
afternoon at 3pm. I think the first of December
is a lovely day to begin. Don't you?

In addition to the notecards, holiday cards
and calendar...I have unearthed a few odds
and ends that I will also put up-some notebooks
and one last rare box of A Token of My Esteem.
It has been a few years since I offered the set
in a box-I found it wrapped in brown paper in
my show bins...from the days of abundance when
I thought nothing of using it as a prop in my
booth! And a few other finds.

It has been really satisfying to make things
again, and play with designs....but it has been
a challenge, too. Especially at this time of year.
But it has worked well enough that I plan
to continue to use up all the papers and
cardstock I have over the months to come,
whenever inspiration strikes...so there will be
other little sales in the future.

I am a bit concerned about this working
smoothly (the rummage sale this early Spring
was intense!)...but I know my delightful customers
will understand that everything is rather limited...
for this go-round anyway. It will have to
be first-come, first served and if everyone orders
in moderation, there should be joy all around. And
since I have lots of calendar paper, and if you are
getting the calendar for yourself and can wait a
little bit to receive it (for I will try to get out
gift orders and Christmas cards first), I am
willing to make as many calendars as I
receive orders for.

So, I shall post again on Wednesday at 3ish
(eastern time)...hoping that moms take naps at
the usual time and everything else falls into
place.

Please write if you have any questions.

P.S. And, again, in case you missed my previous
post, we are keeping this simple and you will be
able to order from this blog by sending me an
email with your wishes, I will keep track of
inventory on this end and after the sale I will
contact you via email with totals + shipping.

so far, so good

2010-11-20T17:50:00.000-05:00

So good to have received all of the
warm comments and emails in response
to my last post...

...so good to have had an entire day
on my own to organize my new studio-and to
actually accomplish it...

...so good to find out that my printer
works beautifully with my old designs...

...and so good to stand outside the door,
early the next morning looking in through
the glass, and pausing just a moment before
turning the knob to go in...

(and then racing back to the kitchen to get my
camera...pretty leaves! happy moment! drat those
menfolk of mine with their messy spray-painted
circles on what is now my threshold!)

Well then....so it looks as tho' I will, indeed, be
able to make some calendars, some holiday
missives and I want to make some notecard sets,
as well. The Books and Readers set, for sure,
perhaps another. It will take some time, because
tho' the printer prints well, all the colors are off.
So, lots of refinements to make in the
days ahead.

I would like to keep it simple, simple...need
to, in fact. So when I am close to having a goodly
amount of things to offer, I will make an
announcement here with all the details. I will post
the quantity I have available, keep track of sales as
they go along, and take down the various offerings
when there are no more. And since I can't accept
credit cards any more, we can do the things the
old-fashioned way with checks
and envelopes and stamps.

How does that sound?

If you aren't already subscribed to be notified
just as soon as I make a new post here, you
might like to fill out the box at the top left. It is
a very easy way to stay up-to-date.

getting there....

2010-11-14T17:43:00.000-05:00

...tho' where "there" is, I can't say.
My aim is to make my room as beautiful
and useful as I am able and then patiently
wait and see if it will be mostly my creative
retreat or if I will offer Small Meadow
Press-ish things from within its
bright walls.

But my old studio is now all moved into my
new studio, tho' little more than the actual
transporting of the books, furniture, suitcases,
and bits and bobs has been accomplished thus far.
I am so looking forward to Tuesday when I will
have a day free of other responsibilities and will
spend it sorting out my lovely new space.
Can you see the possibilities?

On Tuesday, in between all the sorting,
I am planning on experimenting with the printer
I bought after my trusty one died just at the end of
the Christmas season last year. That was such a
stressful time, when I couldn't fulfill all the
calendar orders and other creations as both of
my printers gave up at the same time. I have gladly
stayed away from the printer since then, except
for necessary household/ home-learning tasks.....
but I am ready to give it a go again.

Should the experimenting be successful, I want to
make as many calendars as I have paper. I would also
like to make alot of my Christmas and Holiday card
bundles....tho' I wonder if it would be too late for
most people if they weren't available until early
December?

I would appreciate your thoughts on that
and what else you might like-if I do find the time
and have a cooperative printer!

a room of ones' own

2010-08-17T13:41:00.002-04:00

Six months ago I closed my business and pretty much closed the door on my studio for quite awhile as I took care of other things. Four months ago we had the architect's plans for my mom's new "wing" (as we like to call it!) with the hallway to it carved out my studio. So, a smaller studio, but the same dear room and view over the western fields. One month ago, those plans had changed my studio into my mom's new bedroom and I was trying to bravely accept that it would be back to a table in our bedroom (where the paper Bower started some thirteen years ago).

Thank goodness my clever and caring husband came up with the new idea (because it was rather hard to be that brave) of a little studio in part of the garage. We are still working on the design, but it will have the high southern windows that are already there, and new french doors opening onto the gravel driveway and the bank of forsythia bushes and the eastern sky. I am already picturing the potted bay tree that I have always longed for outside it's doors....and I will be right down at ground level as I have longed to be since I first clapped eyes on old English cottages...and I will have a long, thin, funky studio-just down the stairs from my bedroom. So...a room of my own again. I am grateful.

Before all of this building drama started (I am sparing you most of the drama), I had pretty much settled on offering a calendar every year as a certainty....perhaps the planner (that was so close to fruition), as well. But that was as far as I was able to see. Since then, I have thought many different things....from giving up entirely to offering online versions of things to just handmade one-of-a-kind creations (which is calling to my heart the most). Truth be told, tho', it is still hard to find any time in the day to spend in whatever studio I might have.

Even now, I don't know when I will have my new space and I can't seem to settle into the old space as I know I will soon be disassembling it. All this to say...the direction Small Meadow Press will take is uncertain. When my new studio has become a reality, I will see if there is time left in the year and time to be found in my days to bring the calendar into being for the New Year. I would like that so much.

All I know for certain is that I am looking forward to having a room of my own again in the future...I need it more than ever. And in the meantime, we can keep "meeting" in the little rooms I have created here and there in this webby world. Thank you for keeping in touch.

welcome!

2010-07-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

...you have arrived on the doorstep of the new
little home I have created for Small Meadow Press.
Since I am not quite sure what the future holds for
me in the way of creating lovely things out of paper
and ink, the old website was more than I needed to
keep and maintain. And tho' this space is a bit bare
at the moment, it has all the rooms and furniture I
need to share news, offer things for sale now and
then and just be a pleasant place for my dreams to
reside while I am still settling in to the newest
season of my life.

I wish that I could give you an inkling of the
direction I hope to take with Small Meadow Press
in the months to come, but at this particular
moment it is all up in the air. We are still trying
to figure out if I will be able to keep my studio, as
we look at ways to make my mother's life more
comfortable here. I have high hopes...but it is a
challenge to make all of the pieces fit sometimes...
and sometimes it is impossible. I will know soon
and will post the news here when I do.

If you want to know when I do have some news to
share here, without having to keep checking back (as
I probably won't be posting very often!) please
subscribe to this blog by following the "subscribe"
link in the left sidebar or become a "follower" by
clicking the link, also to the left. I will be
phasing out my newsletter, but this will be a simple
way to keep in touch. Please leave a comment
to say hello and to tell me how you are...I do miss
all of my dear customer-friends!