Toni Creates

Twisted Vintage

There's something that's been happening behind the scenes over here for a while. If you don't know, I am an avid fountain pen user. I have a collection of pens, and I use them daily. And I have struggled for years with the fact that many well-known journal brands aren't designed for fountain pens. They bleed through the paper, or there's significant ghosting, making it impractical to write on both sides. So, I finally got mad enough to just start making my own journals and became addicted to it.

For years now, I've just made journals and given away the extra ones.

In addition, I've been gradually trying to reduce my footprint on the world, and, when I had a few silk skirts I no longer wanted to wear, I began upcycling fabric to make bookcloth rather than buying it, which stuck. My bookmaking practice evolved to feature upcycled fabrics and premium papers suitable for a fountain pen user.

Recently, my friends have been buying these off me, so I'm now launching a line I'm calling Twisted Vintage: Luxury handmade stationery.

I'll be doing this informally while I figure out marketing, selling, etc. You can email me if you're interested in buying.

Here, I'm featuring a journal I made for the lovely Gaia from Pica Dominus, from whom I licensed her amazing pattern, Surreal Tea Party. Her pattern is printed on Noori Hanji paper from Korea, made from sustainable mulberry fibers. The cover is 100% silk from an upcycled Sari in purple with a lovely gold-embroidered pattern, and the paper is from Neenah, premium classic crest in natural white, bound as a blank book.

Toni writes

Lifting my Pen

Three years ago, I put my 7th novel aside and stopped writing. After the grueling pace of research and writing that came with acquiring my Master's of Fine Arts in Fiction, I just didn't have it in me. I needed space and time to recover.

This year, I again felt the urge to lift my pen. And, yes, I do mean literally lift my pen. 80 to 90% of all my novels are all written in longhand and then transcribed. When I exclusively type, I cannot remember what I wrote (There is science to back this up).

So, a few weeks ago, I began my next novel, A Murder of Crows. It feels really good to be writing again. I'm not rushing to complete this novel, but it will be an ongoing project for me over the rest of the year.

toni teaches

Go Beyond the Task List

Ever put “Create course” or “Write book” on a to-do list and then… mysteriously avoid it all week? Big, vague tasks are procrastination traps. In this article, I show you how a simple project management tool—the Work Breakdown Structure—turns overwhelming creative projects into clear, doable steps.

PODCAST

We're back!!!!!

This month we are talking taxes and how the OBBB impacts creatives. We're also chatting with Lisa Bardot about finding time to be creative among the chaos of life.

If you haven't tuned in to Two Cranky Creatives yet, I hope you'll connect with us and listen wherever you get your podcasts!

Join the Cranky Club

You can now join The Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts, where you get every episode a week early, can listen ad-free, and have access to the archive of episodes forever. Carrie and I decided that, in an era of rising prices, we are going in the opposite direction, so you can join the club for a mere $3.99 a month. You can also try it out for free for one month. We hope to see you there.

WANT TO WORK WITH ME?

• 1:1 Project Management Coaching & Consultation​
  I help creative entrepreneurs turn big, chaotic ideas into finished projects.
• 1:1 Course Design Coaching & Consultation​
  I help creatives design online courses that are clear, intentional, and actually teach.
• Freelance Design & Commission
  ​I specialize in freelance illustration and graphic design.