Day 153/365
If you’re like me you might like to plan ahead! Today I’m giving you a heads up that NEXT weekend I’ll be a vendor at the Parkdale Flea here in Toronto!
When: Sunday March 15, 2015
Where: Goodfellas Gallery 1266 Queen St. West, Toronto
I’ll be there with a great selection of my handbound journals, sketchbooks as well as some book jewellery and my bookbinding kits! Many other talented artisans and makers will also be there, so check it out if you can!
Day 145/365
Today’s post is all about some screenprinting I did a couple of days ago! I did 115 prints for the Wayzgoose Anthology. If you’re in southern Ontario and into printmaking, book arts, and the like, then you should check out the Wayzgoose Book Arts Fair in Grimsby at the end of April!
I always mix my own colours because I enjoy it, and it gets me the exact colour I want.
Just a sneak peek at a corner of my print. And also the wonderful zebra print duct tape I usually use. (It gets the job done and puts a smile on my face!)
I’ve been practicing calligraphy on a fairly regular basis. So when it came time to come up with a design for my print, I naturally turned to ink, but this time to brush and ink rather than my calligraphy pen. I decided to draw my design right on my screen rather than use photo-based techniques.
This is my small, portable setup to screenprint. It works really well and stores away neatly in a minimal space.
If you’ve ever wanted to try screenprinting you should! It’s fun and not too invasive, take a workshop or a class if you really want guidance on how to get started.
Day 112/365
In case you didn’t know, I’m currently having a blog giveaway! So I thought it would be kind of fun to do a little feature on the goodies that will go to the lucky winner.
Postcard Pad, a set of 7 original, hand decorated postcards to tear out and mail, pictured above. Each postcard in this set is different, so don’t be afraid to send them all to the same person/your Valentine! They make a great companion when travelling or on trips to your local cafe.
Hand printed Ex Libris Bookplates, a set of 4 in Coral, pictured above. These are linocuts, my own design, which I cut and hand printed on self-adhesive paper. Simply write your name on the lines provided, and maybe put in a date or who gave you the book if it was a gift. Then peel off the backing and put the label on the inside cover of your book. Never lose a book again!
Mini Faux Leather Button Book in deep burgundy, pictured above. This is a cute, chunky little book with a button closure. There are 122 pages (244, front and back) and it measures 3″ x 4 1/2″ x 3/4″. Inside, find a mix of pages; blank, lined, and colours, with a surprise map thrown in for fun!
And of course, all these goodies come in a cute book bag hand sewn by yours truly.
To enter the contest just go here for instructions and details. Contest runs until January 31, 2015.
Good Luck!
Day 105/365
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love writing letters, sending letters and receiving letters, the snail mail kind. Valentines day around the corner and since I know several people in long distance relationships, I figured that now is a good time to showcase some of the items I make that are designed to be letter-mail friendly. These are items that are perfect to pop in a cute lovey-dovey card, maybe with a fancy bag of tea tucked in too!
From the top left going clockwise:
–Ex Libris bookplates, handprinted in gold.
–Quick Notes notebook, with handpainted two-tone red covers.
–Ex Libris bookplates, handprinted in coral.
–Quick Notes notebook, with handpainted covers in pink and gold.
Of course there are a few larger options; Bookbinding Kit in red & grey, red & cream, perfect for the crafty valentine.
Lastly, this is my last Starburst Journal in red Florentine. This was the first design I bound using my starburst stitching along the spine. It’s a special book that makes a very special gift either as a journal, sketchbook or a fancy album, for a special someone.
Day 100/365
In honour of the 100th day of my 365 project, I’ve decided to devote today’s post to all things golden!! Here’s what I’ve made in the shiny, sparkly colour everyone loves:
Quick Notes Notebooks: Handpainted black & gold, handbound with black linen thread.
A medley of golden delights (top left, clockwise): Fancy Coptic Journal in Gold Florentine with matching vintage golden button, handprinted Ex Libris bookplates in gold: Set of 5, handpainted Quick Notes Notebooks in Gold, Small Fancy Coptic Journal with matching gold vintage button.
If you’re hooked on gold, head to my Etsy shop to see what else there is!
Day 95/365
This is one of the books from the ‘Journeys in Winter’ series, from a couple years back. When winter in Toronto was more mud and gravel than snow. It was a bit disappointing for me as I do love some winter sports, but I didn’t mind the milder temperatures (mostly it hovered around 0 degrees celsius, give or take).
There were several books in the series, and I have a few left. They are based on the idea of combining printmaking, painting and bookbinding, which I’ve discussed here. But I also really like the structure of the book; a matchbox! 
The binding is a Japanese Hemp Leaf binding, which is great for single sheet pages.
You can see from a side view just little snippets of the page papers: maps, graph, lined, blank and colours! It really is a great little book for a winter journey!
Since I hand paint/print the covers, every book is different. Even the front and back covers are different on the same book.
Day 78/365
Day 77/365
There was a festive party at Paperhouse Studio last weekend! And you know what that means . . . 
There was paper to be made as ornaments, prints to be pulled as gift tags and a few other crafty activities revolving around paper. My kind of party! The lovely Pam from Graven Feather was also there to guide us on using this cute little table top press.
A view of the many paper ornaments and garland, all made in house and by collaborating artists. And some other paper drying on the windows, because that’s the proper way to dry gampi paper. (seriously, it is. I’m not kidding). 
It was really nice to kick back and enjoy an evening with fellow paper artists and printmakers! Also, Paperhouse hosts workshops throughout the year, check out their website to see what’s next!
Day 57/365
Day 41/365
Sometimes I indulge myself and combine mediums. Such is the case with this series of blue painted and relief-printed Longstitch journals. I’ve done this before with other painted journals, but recently came across these photos and felt the urge to share. 
Details are everything, matching beaded closures is a thing of beauty (to me anyways).
As many bookbinders and other makers of handmade items know, creating in multiples is key. These books are no exception. But make no mistake; each is unique in placement of the cover patterns and images. Designing these books, the covers and crafting these pieces is the sort of project that keeps me happy!
Sprouts Press 