Tulips

Posted on May 9, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 214/365

Enjoy a medley of red handbound books, inspired by all the tulips blooming across the city!!

Some of these are items that have sold, and some are available online on Etsy. Read on to learn about them.

Starting at the top left, going clockwise:
Red Florentine Starburst Journal, Ex Libris Bookplates Hand-Printed set of 5, Paper Moon Book Earrings, Quick Notes Notebook Hand Painted in Two-Tone Red, Secret Belgian Journal in Florentine red, Large Fancy Coptic Journal with Vintage Button, Pocket Notes Mini Book, Red Watercolour Sketchbook.

Show Announcement

Posted on May 4, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 209/365

Announcing the next show for Sprouts Press: Heirlooms Artisan Market! Held amongst the greenery and flowers of Vermeer’s Garden Centre, this show will have a great variety of vendors, including myself, jewelry, body care and even food trucks!

What: Heirlooms Artisan Market
When: Saturday June 20, 2015 10am – 6pm
Where: Vermeer’s Garden Centre, 684 S Pelham Road, Welland

Mothers Day Gift Collection No.2

Posted on April 28, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 203/365

A couple of weeks ago I put together a collection of items for Moms who love to draw and sketch. With Mother’s day just around the corner, I’ve got another group of items perfect for the mom who loves to read books, collect books, make books and everything in between!I’ve tailored this collection to inspire people who love books, but might not necessarily write or draw in them. This is a group of items for the book lover, the collector and the art appreciator.

From the top left, clockwise:
Starburst Journal in Garden Sage: Sage colored bookcloth adorns the spine and showcases the spine stitching, with green and brown floral covers. Makes a perfect garden journal or outdoor adventure album. More details.

Mini Book Necklace: A cute little handbound journal made from reclaimed leather! Opens and you can write in it, keeping your ideas and dreams close to your heart. More details.

DIY Bookbinding Kit: For the person who already has everything; give them a new skill! Beginner kit teaches the basics of bookbinding and comes with everything you need: materials, tools and step-by-step instructions. Various colours available. More details.

Red Florentine Starburst Journal: A lively and bold journal perfect for recipes, special memories or someone who loves the colour red! (any fellow leos out there?) Because the spine is wide, there’s enough room to adhere papers to the pages, like some photos or recipe cards in your grandmother’s handwriting. More details.

Queen Anne’s Lace on Linen: A perfect catch-all, coin purse or beach pouch. Hand drawn images of thistles are screenprinted onto brown linen. More details.

Ex Libris Bookplates in Green: For the book collector! A stylish way to label your books and build your library. Hand printed in various colours and self-adhesive, comes in a set of 4. More details.

See you at the Leslieville Flea

Posted on April 26, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 201/365

Today I’m vending at the Leslieville Flea. It’s the last indoor show of the year, in the Fermenting Cellar at the Distillery District here in Toronto.

I’ll be here all day with my handbound journals, bookbinding kits, book jewelry and hand printed fabric items. Stop by and say Hi!

For more information, check out the show website, go here.

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.

The Studio On a Sunday

Posted on April 19, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 194/365

DSC_0716 - Version 2

It’s paper-dying time! Believe it or not, I used all my hand-dyed paper from the last session! This batch focused on shades of indigo, as opposed to last time where I also used greens and browns.

Huge thanks to everyone that showed so much enthusiasm for journals with this unique and one of a kind cover! Stay tuned for more indigo journals!!

SpringPop!

Posted on April 17, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 192/365

Today marks the start of the SpringPop Pop Up Shop & Maker Mart!

The show is located in beautiful downtown Burlington, right by the lake. Sprouts Press will have some items there: lots of styles of journals and sketchbooks large and small, some mini book necklaces, ex libris bookplates and bookbinding kits! There are so many talented artisans, artists and makers showcasing their work at this show, go and check it out if you’re able!

Where: 408 John St., Burlington, Ontario
When: April 17 *Opening: 6pm – 9pm, April 18: 10am – 6pm, April 19: 12pm – 5pm.

For more information, directions, etc, please go here.

Handkerchiefs

Posted on April 16, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 191/365

It’s allergy season here in Toronto, and who knows where else! Time to ditch the tissues and get some reusable, eco-friendly, handmade Hay Fever Hankies!! For a bit of wit, I’ve printed each hand sewn hanky with an image of a plant that causes allergies. You can choose from: Ragweed, Timothy/Hay or Crowsfoot!

Hayfever Hankies are on sale in my Etsy shop, here. Or in person at Freedom Clothing Collective on Bloor St West here in Toronto.

Mothers Day Gift Collection No. 1

Posted on April 14, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 189/365

I’ve put together a sweet little collection of journals for all the Mom’s out there that love to write, sketch, doodle, collage and, of course, make brag books about their kids!

I know my Mom has at least 2 journals on the go all the time. She has been one of my biggest supporters since the beginning of Sprouts Press! So, I’ve decided to put together a couple of collections of items that I think Moms like her might like. Everyone is different, of course, which is why I’ve planned for more than one collection, the second is coming out next week.

You can find these items online and some only in-person, for all the journalers/drawers who prefer to skip the digital transaction. See below for details.

From the top left, clockwise;
Fancy Coptic Journal: Light green florals and distressed text with vintage button and reclaimed leather. Has a surprise map page! Available exclusively on One of a Kind Online, go here for details.
Fancy Coptic Journal: Colourful and gold Florentine covers with golden vintage button and reclaimed leather. Only available in person at SpringPop, a pop up shop in Burlington: 408 John Street, Burlington, Ontario. April 17, 18 & 19, 2015. Go here for details.
Fancy Coptic Journal: Sweet florals in lilac and blue with matching vintage button and reclaimed leather, great size to fit in a purse or day bag. Has a surprise map page! Available on Etsy, go here for details.
Indigo Starburst Journal: Hardcover journal featuring hand-dyed indigo paper with ‘starburst’ stitching down the spine. A bit larger than the previous three books, also makes a unique and gorgeous album or scrapbook. Available on Etsy, go here for details.
Black and White Handbound Journal: A tall, handbound journal that features hand-dyed washi paper covers. A modern journal with a mix of page papers, great for sketching or writing. Available on Etsy, go here for details.

The Studio On a Sunday

Posted on April 12, 2015 by sproutspress

Day 187/365

It’s photo shoot day! This is something I only do once in a while, so it’s pretty exciting for me.

I love the challenge of framing a shot to best showcase my work. I find myself often taking photos that tell a story about each piece. Perhaps it’s because of the 5 photos allowed in etsy listings, but it gives definition and an end goal to a photo shoot that would otherwise go on forever in my studio! And yes, I use only natural light, diffused (indirect).

Happy Sunday!