new thoughts + a.b.k. leather

new thoughts.

I like organization. I like things that flow. I like little boxes and little jars. I like the container store. These things make me happy. so, this is why I want to organize the blog a bit more. now, granted, creativity does not always fit into these nice little white boxes I have all lined up in my head, but it's a skeleton that I hope to splash with color, beauty and ideas. I hope to give you inspiration. I hope to start a conversation.

so...

monday: lief happenings.

mondays will be for sharing liefdesign happenings: projects. creative endeavors. sales. new excitements. lovely people.

wednesday: that of inspiration.

wednesdays will be for sharing what has inspired me in hopes to inspire you.

friday: a few of my favorite things.

fridays will be "thing day," where I will choose something, such as a lamp, and post interesting, creative and inspiring images and ideas of such things.

well, here goes. eeep!

wednesday: that of inspiration.

{a.b.k. custom leather craft.}

{image via}

i stumbled upon this website of abknyc and can't stop drooling over this gorgeous leather craft. i want it all. but instead I'll just blog about it.

these are my favorites:

{these shoes.}

{these boots.}

{this bag.}

and

{this purse.}

sigh. oh so beautiful...

thank you + congrats!

first, thank you for all of your support. I am humbled and joyed by this.

second, a big congrats to shawn campbell for winning a lief goodie bag (filled with notecard packs, notepads and a lief coupon) from the email list drawing from GRunveiled.

here is a picture of the liefdesign stitched notebooks that the first 50 registers for GRunveiled received in their goodie bag.

a picture of the beginning stitches of the lief banner. that is one big embroidery hoop!

and a new picture from the studio. screenprint thanks to delicious design league. and to my dear friend suzy for working there...

enjoy your sunny (hopefully it is where you are too) Tuesday.

GRunveiled booth.

GRunveiled was a treat to be part of, thank you to all who came out to support! It was great to meet you all!

valentines day cranes + endymion

happy valentines day! although I am not one to get super excited about this hallmark filled holiday, it does get me thinking about love. and today I love paper cranes {tons of them!} and the movie bright star. (a movie based on the life of poet john keats) so to celebrate these two I post the image of my graph paper crane and john keats' poem endymion {first stanza}. enjoy!

The First Stanza Of "Endymion"

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness; but still will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth,

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways::

Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,

Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon

For simple sheep; and such are daffodils

With the green world they live in; and clear rills

That for themselves a cooling covert make

'Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

We have imagined for the mighty dead;

All lovely tales that we have heard or read:

An endless fountain of immortal drink,

Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

"proficiency in knowledge of linen"

today I have been reading a lecture by W.H. Webb regarding linen. He was the president of the Irish Linen Merchants' Association and deemed it imperative that the people selling linen had a deep understanding of this beautiful product. it's only 28 pages long [hehe]. the salespeople even had questionnaires at the end in which they could be granted the diploma of "proficiency in knowledge of linen," if passed. awesome. I printed it out and will continue to swoon over it for the next couple of days. this quote did make me smile: "Germany, France and Czecho-Slovakia are producers of flax [linen comes from flax] but chiefly for home consumption. Holland also produces flax, and Dutch flax-seed has been famous for years." (Webb, pg 8) leuk!

and some pictures of the linen I hope to incorporate into my booth at GRunveiled. oh what fun it is to stitch with some gorgeous yards of linen.

going to the meet 'n' greet last night was very exciting! it was great to see joy'l and aletha and see where my booth is going to be -- right on the top of the stairs. come check it out! even if you're not a bride, you can still come! there will be treats for you too! :)

ready, set, bodice. yup, made a bodice from this. confused? I was too! but I finished it. now for next week: arms, skirt and jean pants. woah!

I sure do love winter. a picture from the blizzard last week.