Put it on your wish list...save your pennies...you NEED this...

Finally, after I don't know how many years of waiting, it's HERE. Taschen Books: Peter Beard a.k.a. "The Working Man's Edition". Every visit to Book Soup in West Hollywood, had me lusting after this version which I could neither lift nor ever afford ($2,000 now priced between $6,000 and $15,000). I would spend most of my visit flipping through the pages. The damn book was so big, I could almost wrap myself in the pages. I hemmed. I hawed. I thought, "Why the hell won't Taschen put out an edition *I* can afford?" Well, they have and it arrived yesterday:
There are several pages like this due to the voluminous amount of journals that Peter Beard has kept. I love the two page spreads with journals spread out across the fold:
Seriously, I think this is one of my favorite parts of the book. Check it out, it's the very edges. On some of the photos you can see the edges of the rest of the journal that is being photographed. I love shit like this. It makes it look like (and almost feel like) the behemoth that you are holding is his actual journal.The book is available for $63 (and free shipping) on amazon. I know it's a big chunk of change. I was lucky enough to get a gift certificate for amazon for my birthday and the book cost me $13.

I'm thinking of doing a post one of these days of my favorite books, you know, the ones I think you need and the ones I know I can't live without. This is definitely included in the "can't live without" list.

More on Beard here, here and here.

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Get out and VOTE. In CA-No on 4. No on 8.

Remember, most of us, regardless of our political affiliation or parties, want the same things: education, health care, jobs and a good standard of living. Regardless of who wins, we need to come together and work to make sure that the politicians work for us and pass laws that benefit us collectively and not big business.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

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I am leaving early Wednesday. I'm not sure if I will have computer access or not! I will be teaching my Triple X Stitch Book Wednesday night (tomorrow) at Frenzy Stamper in Scottsdale. This Friday through Sunday, I will be at The Artist's Nook in Fort Collins teaching FIVE classes. Samples are in the store and online. There is still space in all of the workshops if you're interested, sign up! If you know someone who may be interested, please spread the word!