Join me on Wednesday April 12 from 6:30pm – 9:30pm for a beginner class in bookbinding!
Everyone will hand bind their own notebook using traditional bookbinding techniques, and then letterpress print the cover on one of the vintage presses at the museum.
Sound like fun? Go here to register: bit.ly/2o7hQEx
Today I’ve decided to share one of my favourite posts about using your journal. It’s a link way back to the beginning of my Use Your Journal series, but it’s timeless.
This post explains a simple use for your journal, but it’s proven to be a favourite of mine as I have more than one book dedicated to this use. Read on to see what it’s all about!
***Note: If you prefer to read the original post, no prob! Just go here to see it.
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As you may have noticed from my previous post, I’m on a bit of a hand-lettering and calligraphy kick these days. I’m also enjoying the idea of a few posts that promote journalling, sketching and using journals in general.
When I first had this idea I immediately pulled my quotes journal from the bookshelf, and decided to share a few of my favourite pages. 
I will admit that this is a big step for me, I don’t usually share the contents of my journals and sketchbooks. But these are just quick, pretty little notes that I jotted down in less than 10 minutes. And that’s the idea, you can do it too!
You can find quotes all over the place: online, via a ‘quotes’ app (there are many!), at the library, etc. Sometimes the best are snippets of conversations overheard in passing, or by looking at groupings of book titles on shelves to see if they form a sentence. It’s also fun to pick up a book and open it to a random page and see what you get, like a box of chocolates! (Well, maybe not quite like chocolates, but you get the idea) 
Fun pens and markers are also a welcome addition. A bit of colour or shading can give your page just the right tone.
If you want to try this yourself here are a couple of tips:
-Choose a quote that isn’t too long, make sure it fits on the page and that there’s room for a border to be drawn around it.
-Make sure to jot down the author of the quote so you can give credit and search for more inspiring words by that person.
-You can put a ground of colour down first with markers (as in the last photo above), and then write your quote on top.
-Feel free to use a simple, minimalist border or to get more creative and swirly. Really whatever you feel like is what goes!
-Don’t try to make it too perfect, this is meant to be a quick exercise that is fun and enjoyable!
Do you have any other tips for quick quote-taking? Have fun!
Today I’m talking to all the folks out there who have found their perfect, ideal journal and are holding on to it, waiting for inspiration to strike. Today I’m travelling back in time to a post I wrote a couple of years ago that still holds true.
It’s all about slowing down, paying attention to yourself and your surroundings, and taking your time. I’ve got three exercises for you to try that should bring some focus and invite eagerness to begin using your journal.
Read on for the article, or click here to view the original post.
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After the conclusion of a large project, or the close of a busy holiday season I often find myself searching for what’s next. Obviously I’ve got all the ‘business’ things to keep the left side of my brain busy these days. But what about the next steps for the creativity that drives Sprouts Press, what will the next collection of journals be? What function will they serve or what questions will they answer, if any? Will they just be pretty objects that also happen to be books or something else?
I’ve found myself circling around a few topics and activities over the last couple of weeks that seem to be influencing these decisions. While I’m not going to share what they are, (yet, sorry!) I’d love to tell you how I reached them, with the hope that other kindred spirits are also on this type of quest and might find it useful. 
So, this is what I do:
1. Go to the library. Take the library bag. Spend around 2/3 of the time in the non-fiction section and 1/3 in the fiction section. I like to choose books that are a combination of inspiring and instructional, and books on things that I’ve never tried before (ie. traditional Norwegian knitting!! So beautiful!). And while I probably won’t actually learn traditional Norwegian knitting, I will certainly enjoy the craftsmanship and detail of the pieces in the book.
Gather enough books to max out your library card. Seriously. (It doesn’t cost anything, unless you don’t return them on time. I *may* have done this once or twice). While it’s nice to know exactly what you want to look at, it’s so great to just wander the stacks and see what pops out, what titles catch your eye.
2. Drink tea in the sunshine. This one requires a bit more patience, for me anyways. To find a sunny window and really enjoy a cup of my favourite tea while not thinking about anything else, just the tea. I will be honest, it’s rare that I can do this for an entire cup of tea. Usually it’s just half the cup, then I get sidetracked/eager to look at my library books. I still enjoy the tea, but more in a gulping look-at-that-awesome-piece-of-artwork kind of way. In the summertime this is an outdoor/backyard/cafe patio activity!
3. Tidy up the workspace. I’ve said this before, but a tidy workspace really is so inviting when starting a new project. Everything is easily found and nothing needs to be moved out of the way to clear another corner of the desk. I suppose it’s the same idea with a journal; the blank page is uncluttered and prepped for your ideas and creativity.
On days when I do these things in the morning, I find the rest of the day just flies by with me working away and before I know it, it’s time to start dinner. I get completely lost in designing or creating or researching, and I love it! Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
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I’ve been adding a lot of new journals to my etsy shop lately. One of my favourites, this time of year, is this little wintery gem. I love the soft icy (ice-creamy?) colours and that the gold is metallic.
DETAILS
This book is part of the Fancy Coptic series, in size small. As always, the closure features reclaimed leather and brass hardware. Along the spine a thick protective paper is sewn for durability but also to keep any bits of paper you save between the pages from falling out. As with all my coptic bound books; it lays flat when open. Sketchers and left handed folks rejoice!!
See it here.
After a bit of a break from it all, Sprouts Press is back and ready for a new year!
To start things off I’d like to introduce my newest retailer; Twist Creations in Quebec!! This is a lovely boutique, with two locations, that I’m so thrilled to be a part of! They have both sizes of leather journals, in all the colours.
In other news the first Sprouts Press Newsletter for 2017 will be going out this week. If you’re not already a subscriber why not give it a try? I send one email per month about bookbinding, upcoming classes & shows, latest projects, ideas to use your journals, and sometimes contests or giveaways. Sound like fun? Go here to subscribe!
Hello folks!
Things around the studio have been quite hectic lately, lots of freshly handbound journals off to new homes, workshops being taught and holiday show prep. While I won’t go into details here, instead I’ll redirect you to my eNewsletter sign up for a more in-depth look at what’s next for Sprouts Press holiday shows and such. Go here: http://eepurl.com/Xyh4z *Next newsletter goes out this week, so sign up in the next couple of days to be included. 
This saturday you can find Sprouts Press in Hamilton at the Makeology Holiday Show!! So excited for this show, I’ll have handbound books, journals, albums, sketchbooks and a few holiday-themed book items!
What: Makeology Holiday
When: Saturday, November 19, 11am – 5pm
Where: Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology, 900 Woodward Ave, Hamilton (my booth is in ‘The Woodshed’)
For more infomation, please see the show website here.
Sprouts Press 