Back and Forth press!

Sorry for the delay on posting about Kathie's work. I've been racing the fed ex clock for two days now and I don't have access to my pictures of her work. But! Back and forth is receiving great press. Poppytalk posted about back and forth project. "Poppytalk is a canadian design blog collecting inspiration and promoting emerging design talent." Jan has built her blog up to be a HUGE support to the design and art community and has been good to me from the very beginning of Round Robin Press. A big super-duper thank you to Jan!

And Average Jane Crafter was kind enough to blog about us AND include us in the Stitch Lab newsletter. If you are in Austin, sign up for this great stitchy newsletter from Leslie Bonell and Rachel of Glitzkrieg. Thank you Leslie and Rachel!

rio bravo shirt- back

rio bravo shirt- back
Originally uploaded by ramonster cowpoke swankwear

One of my favorite Ramonster custom shirts.

the first drawing!

I got to see the first drawing yesterday but by the time I arrived at kathie's to photograph it today, she had gessoed over it. A good example of how this project is going to change and change and change. But you get the gist! This is the beginning of experimenting with character drawings to nail down the style, what the girls will look like, textiles, backgrounds etc. Very exciting. We've decided that we will share a LOT of the process because, well, we think it's interesting to see the beginning as it morphs into the end.

On Wednesday I will post a few shots of Kathie's work, the majority of you have not seen, and some pics of her swankwear.

Friend Friday - Call for submissions

In honor of Ruby and Esme's crafty long distance friendship, Kathie and I want this blog to be a place where ALL friends can come together for a little fun. We'd like to build a tribute to the physicality of moving something back and forth between two people- and utilizing the internet as a means to document the beauty of getting back to a more multi sensory, visceral experience of staying connected. We have been bouncing ideas back and forth about crafty handmade ways of celebrating friendship, and we'll be posting updates on our own adventures of rediscovering the world of paper, pens, stamps and envelopes (along with various other media as the mood strikes!). So! We invite YOU to submit a project you and a friend will make and pass back and forth through the mail as you each embellish it.

As the weeks go by we will provide some suggestions of possible projects, but please feel free to contact us with your own ideas as well.

Select submitted projects will be posted on Fridays! Make something for someone you love. The sky is the limit!

Submission guidelines:
To participate -All ages are welcome!
Email submissions@shannonlowry.com with the subject line SUBMISSION
Send a photo -72 dpi jpg -of the beginning efforts and we'll let you know the date it will be posted.
Give us a short description/significance of your project - 150 words or less
Include your web page or blog if you have one
Then simply send the http://www.backandforthproject.blogspot.com link to your friend to get the ball rolling
Be sure to keep us posted so we can follow your progress
All we ask is you create with the spirit of sustainiblility in mind- re-use, reduce, recycle, friends!

Ruby and Esme's doll

This is our Ruby and Esme topsy-turvy mascot doll made by the oh-so-
talented kathie Sever.

Little Ruby and Esme has been keeping me
company in my studio for over a year now waiting patiently for her
debut! So, world, here she finally is!

Topsy-Turvy dolls have been around since the early 1900's.
They have long been used for story telling and as friendship
dolls. I don't know a single little or big girl who doesn't utterly adore topsy-turvys.

In our book, the characters Ruby and Esme also love this
doll as she plays a major roll in their friendship. In homage to Ruby and Esme's doll, we've tucked away a surprise project in the book. I can't wait!

Inspiration for Ruby and Esme

Ruby and Esme is a story about a treasured friendship between two girls that is full of crafty reciprocity.

When I first wrote it I had just moved away from Los Angeles to Austin leaving behind one of my best girls Kimb. The story's inspiration was about me missing Kimb and thinking about what kind of friends we would have been at seven or eight. Above is a picture of Kimb and I with our babies right before I moved seven years ago. There are some friends you meet that you immediately know you were friends for a long time before you ever met.

Still missing you Kimbiny!


And here is what a couple of friends have been so kind to say about the story:

Shannon-
I love your story. Your story makes me think about the
best friend every girl wants (and maybe had or doesn't have) and how having
the doll can give that girl something to hold onto and something to pour her
love into - even if she doesn't have the friend to share it with.
Lynn


Shan-
Jeez- I am bawling! The story is so great!!!!! Makes me
realize how much it killed me when my elem school Best Pal -Cat Smith
moved to the city school-all of 15 minutes away but not the same school.
Brilliant! Fantastic! Wonderful! Gloriously girl in feeling, action
and word!
xo
Sarah B

The Beginning of Ruby and Esme

Alrighty folks, this is a very important blog entry. The blog for a project that is extremely near and dear to my heart is officially launched! In 2003, I wrote a children's story called Ruby and Esme, and I've been re-writing it ever since. Yes, I'm slow. I've worked it over many many times and even took a class with my very accomplished author friend Liz Garton Scanlon to try and re-work the story, as well as to reinvigorate my enthusiasm to submit the manuscript. For one reason or another I kept it on the back burner.

Time went by. The handmade revolution exploded and DIY began to invade the publishing world. I began to get excited about the concept of publishing this little ditty myself- in my own way. As Dr. Seuss once said, the waiting place is no place to be! I shared the *MS* with another dear friend Kathie Sever, who loved the story and was super excited with the idea of collaborating. I am so honored to have Kathie aboard. And the best part, Kathie can cast a belly laugh spell on me like no other!

So, after lots and lots of back and forth conversations with friends and mentors, 2008 is going to be the year of Ruby and Esme's debut. I have been intrigued and inspired by other artists' public collaborations in the blogosphere and I'm excited by the prospect of following suit here. I really believe in the concept of this book; to provide a little treasure for all the separated friends out there longing to strengthen connections. And if some big whopping publisher wants to help us, we wouldn't say no!

Who knows what will happen, what changes will be made. Ruby and Esme might become Clarence and Clementine, who knows?!! Check back often to see the back and forth progress as we hash this puppy out.

Wish us luck,
shannon