Thursday, July 21, 2011

For the Love Of Craft and Book





Sipping cocktails, crafting up a storm is not all we Petaluma Craft Mafia do around here ya know.
Many of us are avid bibliophiles. When I first moved to what I now affectionately refer to as my "hometown" of Petaluma, I immediately ran smack-dab into Copperfield's Books because books and I are inseparable and have a date with destiny. Connecting with one's local bookstore, for me at least, was a way to ground myself and settle in. For those who have never visited Copperfield's Books, it is an independently owned bookstore with stores in Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, Sebastapol, Napa, Calistoga and of course Petaluma. As if being a bookstore wasn't enough, they also host a gallery dedicated to local artists and businesses, a comfortable meeting spot and act as an all-around community supportive bookstore. I have an ongoing love-affair with Copperfield's. The Petaluma store also boasts a rare and used book collection downstairs that is sure to get your tender bibliophiliac heart thumping.

Copperfield's has long been supportive of the local literati, as well as the arts and crafts arena. They always graciously lend us a spot in their much coveted window to dress it up as craftily as we please. This year we decided to go for a paper mache theme based around taxidermy paper mache mounted heads. It was hecka fun, and interesting to see our crafty compatriots all came up with.
We decided to go for a clean kraft wall-papered background (Greta's staple gun is my new best friend) and contrast the kraft with a clean and graphic white for total pop! My love of painting came in handy as I painted my antique fireplace mantel, and too many picture frames to count a vivid clean white. I think I've still got paint under my fingernails. Greta made a sparklelicious unicorn, Jenna made a sweet doe with the longest, sparkly lashes, and I made a ram-bull skull... kinda of Georgia O'Keefish style. Jenna's Petaluma Craft Mafia banner and Greta's delightful origami tweets are the final touch.

The Copperfield's Book Fairies (aka amazing staff) then came out and dusted our window with all kinds of glorious books related to Craft. By the way, Copperfields has a helpful and knowledgeable staff - Many thanks to Patty and Alan for their kindness and gracious hosting of the Petaluma Craft Mafia.
We're really pleased with how it came out. My photos do not do it justice. We got oodles of great feed-back from the community about the window and hope we helped inspire you to get in touch with your inner crafty self!



Copperfield's Books Petaluma
140 Kentucky St.
Petaluma, California 94952

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