Autumn in Virginia

October in Virginia has been absolutely gorgeous!  The leaves are starting to turn and there's a nice crisp feel to the air. 

Justin and I have spent the last few nights in the newly renovated (thanks to Justin's hardworking hands) camper, where we're kept cozy by our woodstove... look for pictures coming soon!

The Sly Raccoon has been stocking up on products in preparation for the holiday season, so keep an eye on the Etsy shop for new goodies!  Hope you're all enjoying a super-lovely autumn! 

Project Mail Art: From Virginia with Love

So, this post is long, long overdue.  I have to admit, I've been a little caught up in the day-to-day, and my poor little blog has been feeling the effects.

To all of my friends and family who have missed reading my entries, all is still well in Virginia.  The autumn days are becoming cooler (nights are downright chilly), and our leaves are starting to turn. 

A couple of weeks ago, I made some fabric scrap postcards and shipped them off with my love to some muchly missed friends in Idaho.

Raccoon Meets Possum

I've always been interested in leading a simple, more back-to-basics life.  This may be mostly because I'm in love with the idea of being self-reliant and not having to rely on the present day nine-to-five.

Even when I was living in a busy downtown city street apartment, I did all I could to work as little as possible at a traditional job; I saved on gas by riding my bike everywhere I went, I made nearly all of my food from scratch, most of my clothing and possessions were thrift store finds.

Last year, I read this post on the Etsy blog:  How to Live Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money:  Possum Living.  I was intrigued and inspired by the article, which discussed a young woman, Dolly Freed, and the book she wrote all about independent and frugal living.  A few months after reading this Etsy article, I quit my office job to work part time and spend more time with The Sly Raccoon.

It wasn't until this summer, though, that I actually picked up a copy of Freed's Possum Living.  Justin and I took turns reading it to each other (the kind of thing you do for entertainment without electricity), and we gained a lot of insight and even more inspiration.  If you've ever (even just for half a second) been tempted by a simpler, more independent lifestyle, I highly reccommend that you check this book out.

Mail Art Received

My lovely friend Merin - who I miss very, very, very much - sent me a great letter the other day.  I adore getting a good letter in the mail - who doesn't?
Along with the thoughtful note, Merin included a Shrinky Dink so rad that I just had to share it with all of you!  It's a tiny plastic version of one of my very favorite photos - the two of us dancing like maniacs.  I love it!  Thanks, Mer!

Back in Business!

The last couple of days I've been busy unpacking and organizing everything Sly Raccoon - yay!  A huge "thanks" to Justin's sister Serena for letting me occupy her spare room; now I won't have to start the generator every time I work on a project!

So keep your eye out for new Sly Raccoon products to be rollin' out!

The Sly Raccoon Shop is Open!

After what seems like a lifetime, The Sly Raccoon Shop has re-opened!  While I'm still in the process of finding a studio space in my new Virginia home, you can get your Sly Raccoon fix on Etsy.

So swing on by the shop for some upcycled goodies.

Project Mail Art: Notes From the Road

Driving accross the country with my sister has been a blast!  Pizzas and beers in hotel rooms, wandering around St. Louis, oh - and who could forget - getting pulled over while flying through the very flat Wyoming landscape.
While on the road, I made some upcycled postcards from old textbooks and found paper.  Virginia, here we come!