The Wayzgoose Annual Book Arts Fair

Posted on April 20, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 195/365

It’s the best time of the year; time for the Wayzgoose!! I’m not even going to try and hide the fact that this is my most favourite show of the year, anyone who’s attended will understand.

This is an annual gathering of bookbinders, book artists, papermakers, printmakers, paper marblers, and anyone who makes things to do with these things. We all get together for the day to show our work, engage in shop talk and be inspired! It’s the best.

Traditionally a Wayzgoose is a feast held by a printing house for it’s employees. Today the Wayzgoose is a day-long fair, plus a gorgeous letterpress printed poster (like the one above by Graven Feather, of course!). And it’s also when the Wayzgoose anthology comes out, which is bound in a limited edition of 115 copies each year, with signatures from the vendors of the fair and local printmakers. Like I said, it’s pretty incredible! Check it out if you can, details below.

When: Saturday April 25, 9am – 5pm
Where: Grimsby Public Art Gallery, 18 Carnegie Lane, Grimsby, Ontario.

For more information, please visit the gallery’s site here.

See you at Graven Feather!

Posted on March 5, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 149/365

This is the last call, the final reminder, the almost last chance to join me this saturday at Graven Feather for a bookbinding workshop! There are only one or two spots left so act quickly!

However, if you miss out this time around, there is another workshop scheduled for Saturday April 11, same time and same place.

To find out more about both workshops and to register, go here.

Use Your Journal No. 4

Posted on March 3, 2015 by sproutspress

147/365

Time to use your journals!!

Today I’m taking a trip down memory lane and sharing a journal I haven’t worked on in years. There are still several pages to go, but that’s the nice thing about journals: they don’t expire or require the latest download to function properly. You can pick up a journal anytime and continue where you left off.

Today I’m going to talk about keeping a dream journal! And yes, I totally went down memory lane when putting together this post. I even searched my bookshelves for my old dream dictionary, which was right beside my well-used but very dusty book on palmistry, and my old tarot cards. If you’re into all of these things then this is the journal for you!

My little dream journal is a small case bound book I made while in art college. The dark and inky colour palette was inspired by Edward Gorey. Six tips for keeping a dream journal:

1. Keep your dream journal, with a pen or pencil, beside you when you sleep. On a bedside table is good.

2. Choose a fairly small journal so it doesn’t take up too much space on small bedside tables.

3. When keeping a dream journal, the idea is that the memory of the dream stays with you for only a few minutes after you wake up. By keeping the journal and pen beside you, everything is at hand when you wake up for an easier, more enjoyable journalling experience. I’m a visual person, so the main image stays with me longer than the details of the dream, so I write first to get it all down. Then I do a quick sketch if it adds to my entry/if I’m awake enough.

4. It’s most likely not going to be pretty; it’s utilitarian and a record-keeping practice. Don’t worry about it.

5. Sometimes I start to lose the memory of the dream and details fade away while I’m writing (it’s kind of like taking notes during a lecture with a very fast speaking prof who does not slow down). When this happens I just make a note that something else happened, but I don’t remember the exact details, instead of trying to remember all the details.

6. It’s fun to look into the meanings of your dreams as well! There are many different interpretations of dreams and their meanings, find a dream dictionary that suits you!

This is a fun and easy way to keep a journal. It’s also quite interesting looking back and recognizing patterns and recurring dreams. I’d love to hear about your experiences keeping a dream journal.

Sweet dreams!

I don’t usually pick favourites, but this one is my favourite!

Posted on February 28, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 144/365

This journal is #3 in a series of the hand dyed washi cover journals. I posted about the other two journals in this series a little while ago but felt this one deserved it’s own post. It’s my favourite in the series. I think it’s purely aesthetics, but I love the way the covers turned out. They are simple yet beautiful.

To read more about the process of hand dying washi paper, read about it here and here. Each paper comes out a bit differently than the other, making each book one of a kind and truly unique!

Workshop Time!

Posted on February 26, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 142/365

In less than 2 weeks I’m instructing another bookbinding workshop at the awesome letterpress studio and gallery Graven Feather!

It’ll be a fun morning of creativity and journal making. Everyone will leave with a finished project and the skills to make more books!

If you’re interested in joining me, act fast as there are only a couple of spaces left!

For more information and to register, go here.

Use Your Journal No.3

Posted on February 24, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 140/365

Today I’m going to tell you about a fun way to use your journal/sketchbook. It involves paring down your implements (pencil only) and taking your journal with you. You may have already guessed; today it’s all about sketching at the art gallery! Woot!! Here in Toronto there’s the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). I’ll be talking mostly about this gallery because it’s such a large place and there seems to be something for everyone. But there are so, so many other galleries both large and small to explore and discover.

When I was in art college, we were told to go to the AGO and practice our sketching skills. There are so many things there to sketch: sculptures, ceramics, paintings, patterns, portraits, and the list goes on. Here are 7 tips for basic art gallery sketching etiquette:

1. When sketching at a gallery, it’s always best to get in touch with them ahead of time to confirm that sketching is allowed. (At the AGO they have specific guidelines stating what is and isn’t allowed. Here it is: “Sketching is permitted in the Gallery except where indicated. Sketchpads must be 35 x 25 cm (14 x 10 in.) or smaller. Please use pencil only (no pens or charcoal)”. If you’re nervous about a pencil sharpener falling open and sharpenings going everywhere, just take a mechanical pencil instead. Much easier! (Especially if it’s the kind with the little eraser on the end).

2. Don’t sketch other people without their permission. (Obvious, but still needs to be said).

3. If you’re a bit nervous sketching in public, find a less busy wing of the gallery or a quiet nook. You could also just do quick sketches or gestures, rather than longer more developed drawings so that you only have to stop for a couple of minutes.

4. If you’re working on a specific project, check out the gallery website to see what’s showing so you can plan what section to go to. Or, just wander until you find something that catches your eye.

5. Always write down what the work is that you’re sketching. Record as much information as you can; artist, year, medium, influences, etc. If a piece really sticks in your mind maybe you’ll want to do further research or discover what else that artist has created. You can also write down which gallery you sketched at, even what section – especially handy if it’s in the permanent collection.

6. As you can see by my sketches, I tend to write a lot. Sometimes its just impressions of the art and sometimes it’s more practical. Often my trips to go sketching at a gallery are either to research for a project (practical notes) or they are unplanned frenzies of inspiration (impression notes). Either way, writing and drawing go hand in hand.

7. After your gallery sketching trip, treat yourself to a cup of tea or coffee at a nearby cafe and admire your work. I cannot explain just how satisfying it is to spend even an hour or two sketching at a gallery and immersing yourself in art. Taking some time afterwards allows you to develop any lingering ideas and make notes for your next visit.

As an added bonus the AGO has a section on their website stating how to get in for free! The most widely applicable way is to go on wednesday evenings. The gallery offers free admission to the collection galleries on wednesdays from 6 till 8:30pm.

If this has you planning your wednesday evening (that’s tomorrow!!) and packing your journal and pencils, then my work here is done! Feel free to share your favourite galleries for sketching below in the comments.

Happy Sketching!

February Blues

Posted on February 23, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 139/365

A collection of items rounded up for their wintery and icy blue tones! I love winter and the beauty of fresh snow on evergreen trees, or a cross country ski day, or even just a walk in the calm of a snowfall. And of course a cold winter day is the best kind of day to stay inside with your journal and a cup of tea! Here are my most wintery items I’d like to share with you.

Starting clockwise from the top left: Indigo and Silver Quick Notes notebooks, Blue and White Starburst Journal, Thistles Pouch Screenprinted on Linen, Pocket Notes Mini Book in Florentine Blue, Wintertime Bookbinding Kit, Indigo Starburst Journal with hand dyed paper, DIY Bookbinding Kit in Aqua and Grey, Watercolour Sketchbook in Navy Bookcloth.

While the intention of this post is to share some of my blue and winter-themed items, I do realize that the Winter Blues are a real thing that affect many people. To learn more about Winter Blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression, click here for a video put together by CAMH.

Use Your Journal No.2

Posted on February 13, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 129/365

People often refer to journals as vessels. Vessels for words, ideas, thoughts, sketches, etc. But sometimes they can actually be vessels, the kind that hold things. I’m talking about journals, books, sketchbooks that are designed to hold things like photos, paper ephemera, ticket stubs and other collected (flat) tidbits.

However, not all journals are designed for this and there is a trick to recognize a journal that is meant to hold things and one that is meant to hold only your brushstrokes or pen scribbles. The secret lies in the difference between the spine thickness and the thickness of the pages/text block. The difference between the two indicates the thickness of flat items (stacked) your book can house.

For example, if the spine totals 1″ thick, and the pages total 1/2″ thick, then you can potentially add 1/2″ worth of photos/other paper ephemera. It’s good practice to add items at intervals throughout your book, rather than all in one spot. If you put all your photos in one section of your book (or you put too many photos in your book) you’re likely to get the dreaded costanza-effect. (This is when you cram too many things into your journal/wallet, making it impossible to close properly and the source of much ridicule and many jokes . . . If this makes no sense to you then you probably didn’t watch tv sitcoms in the 90’s. My apologies). Basically, don’t add so many things to your journal that it no longer lies flat when closed.

Anyways, that’s about it; put paper ephemera into your journals and write or sketch about it! Maybe you did some sketching while at an outdoor concert (and saved the ticket stub). Maybe you were inspired to write poetry while at a live reading event (and snapped a selfie with the author!) Incorporating ticket stubs and collected items adds new elements and textures to your journal pages and makes for great memory books and albums.

Pro tip: you can even apply this theory to guest books at milestone events!!

Hand-Dyed Washi Journals

Posted on February 12, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 128/365 There are some new journals in my Etsy shop. I’m pretty proud of these journals, they are beautiful and functional. I love how they feel in hand; substantial and serious. Housing 220 pages (front and back) these are working journals, meant for your thoughts and ideas!A close up shows attention to details; like the pop of colour on the spine covering. Who doesn’t love a bit of blue!? Each book is unique, a natural result of hand-dying the washi paper covers. No two are the same!