I'm not a big Andrew Lloyd Weber fan, or a big love nut, but I happen to love this song, and I believe it is true.  I've dug this valentine up from my archives, and realized that I've been playing around with hearts -- making them thorny, furry, mosaic'd, paisley'd and cracked -- for decades now. 

Just in time for Valentine's Day, a journal that recognizes how much we have to say.  The new Beyond Her Love Journal starts with the phrase of our age, "It's complicated," but it leaves the rest to you.
   Silkscreened kraft stock covers with love quotes on the inside front and back covers.  High quality recycled paper stock inside, with light inkjet hearts printed on every 5th page.  50 pages, 8.5 inches by 5.5 inches, coil bound. 
   Encourage others, or yourself, to wax  poetic!  $18

Click here to buy

In places like Texas, we tend to drink a bit of water.  Mostly because we tend to sweat it out the next day, while doing strenuous things like walking to our cars.  Sort through the mail.  Smiling at the neighbors.

Over the years, I've accumulated hundreds of vessels from which to drink water.  Being from Texas, the first priority was size -- something with the capacity of an aquarium was ideal. 

The next priority was thermal properties.  I like bottles that keep hot things hot, cold things cold, etc.  And third, the carrier must not "sweat."  Working around paper and textiles as I do, and losing my drinks as much as I'm prone to, the last thing I need is a tell-tale ring.

So, ta-da!  Meet my new favorite thermos vessel, the Tervis.  Apparently I was the last to know.  You see these things everywhere, decorated with horrible university insignias and team flags.  But look beyond that. There are many features that you have to love, and they do come in basic colors if you're a sports agnostic.

They hold the temperature. The lids fit. They don't leave wet marks or ripple paper. And the pop-up lids don't bonk you on the nose when you tilt them up.  Oh, imagine!

All these features make them worth a pretty fancy price, when there are so many imposters. Insist on the original!

The only thing is, they could be bigger. With my giant-size needs, 24 ounces is just never enough.

Waxing Poetic

Beyond Her has always had a fascination with totes.  And by fascination, I mean my personal, relentless, compulsive quest to locate the right tote to imprint with my designs. 

I've probably produced about 10 different totes -- all sizes, shapes, purposes.  I'll spare you the details, but it's not easy finding a size I like, in a suitable color, using a natural fabric, and having all the features I believe are essential in a practical bag.

Finally, this idea popped into my head:  "Life is not complicated enough.  Why not make my own totes?"

And so that adventure began.  I printed several designs on several types of linen fabric and actually hired a sewer to construct the bag to my specifications.  They were indeed beautiful -- but too expensive for real production. I keep these bags mounted on a wall in front of my desk.  They are my "art collection."

And so the quest continued.  Somehow the idea of waxing the fabric to give it more structure came up. And I loved the idea of making it waterproof.

So on to the trusty Inter-web, where I found Chris Franks of xray love, right there in Austin!  When it came to fabric waxing, whether for outdoor camping gear or his own signature backpacks, he seemed to know it all.

The rest is history.  Or at least it will be.

After a few conversations, I printed several more yards of fabric -- both canvas and also linen, which would be a new venture for Chris.  We made a trial run, and Hallelujah!! the results were just what I had hoped for:  A very durable, water-resistant fabric that remains easy to sew (so Chris insists) with just enough "oomph" to stand up and represent.

Turns out that Chris is also a mad leather guy, so we incorporated a few details that add both design and practicality.

To see the final results, visit my etsy shop. What fun, to see a dream come true! 

. . . . And Speaking of Austin

A new vendor for Beyond Her is the very cool Parts & Labour in Austin, Texas.  Located on South Congress, this curated collection of artisan wares includes much of Texas -- at least the best parts of it.