Thank you sandi for sending in this LINK

I’ve just discovered a wonderful, easy-to-make, personalized gift idea for the end of the school year! The Floating Ink blog always has terrific art projects, but this one can really be a life-saver at this time of year, when suddenly you have your kids’ teachers to thank for their patience all year long (and for not keeping your child in detention for the time he threw the baseball through her car window).

most creative people I know keep a note book or visual diary of some sort – sometimes its online – but I love the feel of pen and paper. For me – its a hodge podge of sketches, and notes – I rarely take the time to stick in ephemera – but when I do it triggers ideas. My note books from my Uni days are filled with a visual feast of ideas – and while I do collect a lot of ephemera I rarely have the time to do anything with it.

I love the article from design observer about his notebook obsession – some lovely truths – I really related to it. [via craft]

Weeks Ringle, one half of the dynamic duo that make up ‘fun quilts‘ has just started a blog of her own. She says that she hopes to “focus on helping people find the time and energy to make things, even small things”. Weeks will also be writing about projects and ideas to inspire making after the kids go to bed or when they get home from work.” Its going to be a little like the series that weeks wrote for whipup a while back – and if you want to learn more about Weeks Ringle and Fun quilts – read the interview she did with Kim at True up last year.

Check out Fun quilts line of fabric ‘Wild Bunch by RJR Fabrics’ and free quilt pattern available here.

A Simply Enchanting Crafts: Over 30 Delightfully Delicate Projects For You and Your Home by Lila Force, published by David & Charles (September 8, 2008).

A sweet book full of delicate and adorable projects for you and the girls in your life. Full of enchanting and glittering projects, all magical or fairy related, such as raindrop necklace (dew drop beaded necklace) – a floral crown (using felt flowers), delicate bells (made from lace and ribbon), hair daisies (fabric puffs and beads), there are also secret notebooks, lucky charms, fairy dolls, elf clothing and lots more.

The projects use a range of mediums, skills and materials, from beading, to sewing to collage and papier mache. Its a sweet book for children and grownups who love a little romance and magic.

Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings by Kelly Rae Roberts, published by North Light Books (September 2, 2008).

Find your creative wings with author and artist Kelly Rae Roberts, she takes readers on a journey of self discovery, using creative prompts and inspirational stories, literature and people to guide you down the path. Topics covered include: discovering your life long goals, unearthing your dreams, facing your fears, finding the sacred in the ordinary, speaking out the truth and embracing the journey. Each section contains an interview with a guest artist, a creative prompts and crafty activities to ‘help you soar’, inspirational quotes and more besides.

This is a lovely book to get you on the path to creating and discovering your dreams.

ah the ever changing face of the inspiration board – as you remove or hide something to make way for some new treasure that you love… Some inspiration boards are simple and sparse, some crazily cluttered with colours and textures and others beautifully artistically arranged – but they all do the same job of inspiring and reminding us of beauty and interesting unique goodness…

if this in not enough – check out the inspiration boards flickr group – where all these images came from