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Welcome !

Hi Everyone!

I began working on this newsletter thinking I didn't have much to add, but that seemed to change as I started writing! Hope you enjoy it!
There seems to be lots of new products!

Here is what's in this months newsletter:

Quietfire Retreat
Suzanne's Calendar |  New byhand Products
What came in the Mail! | Valentine Mingle
New rubber preview | Stolen Moments
4th Anniversary Celebration

Please drop into my other website: It changes every month!
http://nourishment.usana.com

While you nourish your creative spirit by reading this newsletter, don't forget your creative body needs nourishment inside and out!
Join my new Yahoo Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/nourishment/

Books to Inspire

By using the links to Amazon supplied on this site you are supporting the byhandnewsletter production. Our deepest thanks!

Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life by
Jeanne Carbonetti

Review by Cathy Highland

I just picked up Jeanne Carbonetti's book "Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life" I don't know if other's have this book but she uses reference of being creative by nature because we were created by God. And this leads to the process by which we create - similar in nature as to how an oyster creates a pearl. The stages it takes are much the same as an artist going through the creative process. It is an excellent read! Anyways, I think how each artist views their own creative process would make for a great topic and could be used on the pages of someone's journal, too. Just another idea...... Cathy

General link for Amazon.ca customers

If you are an Amazon.com customer, please click on this link!

CRASH TEST MOMMY

In October, I was lucky enough to participate in an episode of Crash Test Mommy, a new reality series from the Life Network - you can see some of the photos I took in the November newsletter.

The latest update I have of the episode featuring Leanne Bishop from RubyDog's Arthouse and I is that it will air on the Life Network the week of March 12, 2005. Here are a list of times the episode will appear. Now there is no mention of us in the write-up, so you'll know at the same time as us if we hit the cutting room floor!

Our real mommy was Kim, here on the left and Leanne is on the right. We didn't meet Suzette, the Crash Test Mommy! Here is the schedule as printed on the Life Network website.

Suzette Laqua, Saturday March 12, 10:00 AM EST Suzette Laqua, Sunday March 13, 9:00 PM EST
Suzette Laqua, Tuesday March 15, 3:00 PM, 9:00 PM EST
Suzette Laqua, Wednesday March 16, 2:00 AM, 9:00 AM EST
Suzette Laqua, Friday March 18, 11:00 AM EST

Suzanne is a member of the

Nadine M. - Victoria, BC

Join the supporters of byhand and become a
Premium Subscriber!
As well a supporting the maintance and creation of this newsletter you will receive a limited-release rubber stamp:

The width of this stamp is approximately 3.5"

For more details, go to the
Premium Subscriber Membership
page. This membership will be $12 CAD or $10US for the remainder of 2005.
As a Premium Subscriber, you will receive a limited-release unmounted rubber stamp as well as first notification of new rubber and new byhand products!

If you wish to contact me, my email address is:
suzanne@quietfiredesign.com
Quietfire Design, Box 1231, Port Alberni, BC
V9Y 7M1  Canada

To unsubscribe: send me an email saying 'unsubscribe'. I'll live.... (sniff)
To change your email address: send me an email with both your new and old address. Thanks!

Don't forget if you'd like to share some artwork that you have stamped with a Quietfire Rubber Stamp, please send me a copy and I'll be delighted to put in the Stamping Gallery.

Don't be shy!

Site Siting

Somerset Studio
March/April 2005

Although at the time of writing this I have not seen the issue, I have it on good authority that my Stolen Moments journal has taken up four pages in the Lively Art of Lettering Section! Gee, thanks, Stampington!!

Suzanne's Schedule

2005

4th Anniversary Celebration!

Next month the byhand newsletter will celebrate its 4th anniversary!
And to think that before I started it I was worried that I wouldn't have enough to put in it to keep it going....
So many artists have contributed to this newsletter. I can't begin to thank you! I love the challenge of producing byhand and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Quietfire Retreat

June 11 & 12, 2005
in the beautiful Alberni Valley!

Have a fabulously relaxing weekend in the Alberni Valley, meet some new friends, pamper yourself, go shopping and make a copper covered book filled with inspiration!

This retreat is more than half full! Don't wait too long!

This weekend will include
Copper Book Workshop including book materials
A goodie bag
Catered breakfasts & lunches, all day coffee, tea and snackies on the days of the workshop
Spa evening (oh, so relaxing and fun)
Field trips & Shopping Opportunities (other than Quietfire Design!)
Fabulous Scenery (if it doesn't rain...)
And you'll be just over an hour away from the incredible Long Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

If you're interested in coming to play, please email me at retreat@quietfiredesign.com and please put Retreat in your Subject Line! Thanks!
It's going to be a fabulous weekend!
Hope to see you in June 2005!

Here are some amazing examples of what students have created in the Copper Book class. You can see more in the Class Photos section of my website.

New Rubber on its way!

Here is a little sampling of what's coming soon!

There are 23 new images or sets of images! Come shopping at Stampers Celebration and get them hot off the press!!

Thanks to Cathy H. for this quote - she receives a free rubber stamp!

New Goodies!

approx. 6"x9" Cutting Mat
- these mats are perfect for taking to workshops and for using when working in Altered Books

3 x 18" O'Lipfa Ruler
I was so happy when I saw these! I've had a big one for many years, but this size is perfect for taking to workshops and doing those smaller jobs.

45mm Fiskars Rotary Cutter

This classic and easy-to-grip tool is perfect for cutting cloth, felt, paper, and bookboard. There are no small washers, so blade changing is easy. The gray, soft plastic handle is contoured for comfort and control.

What a fabulous tool! You have to have one in every size!

ahem, you can see I've used this one quite a bit! Some of the original lettering for my rubber stamps was done with the Parallel Pens.

The nib of the Parallel Pen consists of two parallel metal plates between which the ink flows smoothly and evenly with no gaps or skips even in the largest sizes. The hairlines are so fine! The basic pen comes complete with one nib, two long lasting ink cartridges, a convertor for flushing ink from the pen, and a nib cleaner.

You can also produce color-blended letters by touching ink from one pen to a second pen loaded with another color. You can refill the cartridges with your own ink using the byhand pipettes!

Available in four sizes

These are my favourite favourite markers! They don't chip or spread and if you're a good little calligrapher and keep them capped, they'll last for ages! Did I say they were my favourite markers???

Staedler Calligraph Duo, comes in red, violet, green and blue (black is on its way!)

One end is 3.5mm and the other is 2mm.

E-6000 glue

new buttons & charms

Beeswax
for waxing unwaxed thread. Pull the thread quickly through the slots, so the friction melts a thin layer of wax on the thread. It reduces tangling and the thread bites on itself preventing slipping.

Kai Scissors
Makes cutting rubber like butter- it's incredible! I've tried lots of scissors on rubber, but these beat them all. If you have unmounted rubber, you need these!

Vintage Women 2

Vintage Children 1

Vintage Winged Things 1

Back in Stock!

Spatulas - I love these!

I use this spatula for so many things! I apply glue with it, I undo staples with it, I fish bits of paper out of my punches with it.... You get the idea! I'm lost without it. Now you have the opportunity to have one, too! It's a sturdy one, made of stainless steel. It's here at a new improved price, too!

Winter Challenge Swap!

Vintage!

Wow, what a thrill when I opened up these ATC packages! They were marvelous! A lot of the artists did more than one style and I've included several of their versions. Thank you all so much!
Click on each image to view it larger.

Stolen Moments

Try decorating a T-Pin!
I looked at these T-Pins and knew they were waiting for something to happen to them! They just looked so naked!!

So, I grabbed some byhand buttons, cut the shanks off the back and used E-6000 glue to stick them to the T-Pin! Viola!

Cut the shank from the back of the button	Here I used the Spatula to transfer the E6000 glue to the head of the T-Pin, then I pressed the shankless button onto the T-Pin
It's probably a good idea to use waxed paper under your project in case the glue seeps onto your work surface!

It's a great way to add texture to an altered book or fabric book!
Try using charms that you have on hand or scraps of this and that.
Now any ideas what to put over the sharpy bit? We could make tons of pins for everyday wear!
There is no end to the fun you can have.

This is a page from the journal I'm using for the Journal Project. I used the Compass Button for the travel theme.

Ever had trouble cutting your bookboard straight?

Here's how I do it!

I use the O'lipfa Ruler and a Rotary cutter. The O'lipfa ruler has a lip on it which allows it to "hook" onto the edge of your cutting mat (or onto the edge of the bookboard) and makes it easy to cut a straight line at 90 degrees to the edge of the board or paper. It's a good idea to have 2 cutters - I have one that has an "F" (for Fabric) on. These blades just don't work very well on fabric after you've cut bookboard!

Valentine Mingle

On the spur of the moment, the byhandartists decided to have a Valentine Mingle! We made a list and the person on top sent one Valentine-themed ATC on to the next person on the list and that person made an ATC and sent it to the next person and so on. Each of us just had to make one ATC but if we just happened to have an ATC or two left over from our creative blitz, we could RAK other members of the list.

There are quite a few in last month's newsletter Here are some more of the wonderful results!

Karla

Kathy L.

Linda T.

Nadine's Envelope

Nadine W.

Therese M.

Vicky M.

If there is any information you would like to see in this newsletter, let me know. Each month I will email you to let you know the new issue is published. If you know someone who would like to receive notice of byhand, just have them email me and I will put them on the list. Bye for now and thanks for visiting!

suzanne@quietfiredesign.com
(250) 723-0321 Quietfire Design

The original title lettering of byhand was done with a Mitchell's Roundhand Nib, size 0, and Higgins Eternal Ink. Quietfire Design Rubber stamps were used to create the other designs.