Details, details

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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.DSC_0729

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.DSC_0728

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!

DSC_0727 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!

Learn the Linkstitch

Day 111/365

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There are still a few spots left in the Book Making Workshop I’m giving at Graven Feather.  This is the class to take if you’ve always wanted to learn how to make your own journal.

I’ll show you how to hand decorate covers, and then how to bind it into your very own journal!  Everyone leaves with a finished project!

When: Saturday February 7, 2015  10am – 1pm
Where: Graven Feather, 906 Queen St. West
Cost: $65, materials included

*You must pre-register to participate.
**Can’t make it on February 8?  No problem, more dates have just been booked!  The workshop is also running on March 7 and April 11!

***And if none of those dates work, just keep an eye on my Workshops page.

For more information and to register, please go here.

The Studio On a Sunday

Day 110/365

DSC_0707 Today is all about finishing details on some new coptic journals – with lined pages!  DSC_0752These are fairly new for me and something that I’ve been working on for a while.  I couldn’t be more pleased to share them!DSC_0708The first batch went quickly, so I’ve produced more and am just finishing them up with sewn-in bookmarks.  They will have coins and beads on the ends, to keep your place and look stylish too.

Valentines Day Blog Giveaway!

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As a Thank You for all the love you’ve shown me over the last several months, I’ve decided to give back and return the favour!  I’m holding my first ever Sprouts Press blog giveaway!!

DSC_0720_fotorTo participate all you have to do is:

1. Follow Sprouts Press blog here on WordPress.
2. Leave a comment below about why you love to journal/sketch/doodle/brainstorm; what is it that draws you to pen and paper?

Contest runs January 24 – 31, 2015.  One winner will be drawn randomly from comments below (you must also follow Sprouts Press blog here on wordpress) and announced on February 1, 2015!

The Loot:
-Postcard Pad, a set of 7 original, hand decorated postcards to tear out and mail.
-Hand printed Ex Libris Bookplates, a set of 4 in Coral.  Label your books!
-Mini Faux Leather Button Book in deep burgundy.
-Hand sewn floral and corduroy book bag, to carry all your loot!

Good luck!

Water + Colours

Day 108/365

DSC_0716I recently added a handful of journals to my online shop that I’m incredibly proud of: Watercolour Sketchbooks!  These are books that I’ve been working on for myself for a while now, I particularly love the clean lines and tidiness of this journal; it is simple and understated yet highly functional.

DSC_0706Handcrafted in a series of four colours, they all house 140lb watercolour paper, cased in hard covers wrapped with bookcloth made by yours truly.  And a select few showcase brass corner protectors, for the truly adventurous sketcher!  (That’s me!)
DSC_0719Another treat: matching ribbon bookmark!  These books are case bound, so you will need to work them in, but they will open flat with use.  The case binding has been spun on it’s end given that a landscape orientation is more practical than portrait for a sketchbook.
DSC_0722The Watercolour Sketchbook makes a great gift and once filled it becomes a cherished keepsake!

Shop them online here or in person at the Arts Market on College, in Toronto.

 

The Studio on a Sunday

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It’s technically wintertime here in Toronto, though you might not be able to tell today since it’s raining.  So it seems appropriate that I’m drinking many cups of tea (milk oolong today) and putting together more Wintertime Bookbinding Kits.

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Look at the selection of fancy papers – the deep indigo floral chiyogami makes me swoon!

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This winter-themed bookbinding kit is packed to the gills with goodies.  A selection of fancy papers, heavy-weight cover papers, page papers, linen thread, simple tools and embellishments (not pictured)!  Once you’ve completed the two books in the kit (and the super cute mini book!) you can start adding your own materials and keep going!

Pictured above I’ve added in a few things from my own collection to inspire you: two spools of linen thread (you could use cotton thread, but linen thread is stronger and more durable), tiny scissors, beeswax and my trusty wooden awl!  What other crafty supplies would you use?

Wintertime Bookbinding Kits are available in my Etsy shop, at Freedom Clothing Collective and now also at the Arts Market on College.

Inside the Journal Adventure Kit

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Today I’m taking you on an insiders tour of the Journal Adventure Kit!P9121643_fotor

If you’re like me, you love packages of paper products that have an air of mystery to them.  For instance, the Journal Adventure Kit.  It is sealed and thick with paper and ephemera surprises.  So, today I’m going to open one up, at random, and show you what’s inside.  However, please note that they are all a unique combination of papers, colour palettes and other tidbits.
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First off: handmade tags.  Some with reclaimed vintage dictionary pages and fancy papers.  Other tags are stamped, punched, washi-taped or feature hand drawing or mark-making.  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Inside there’s also a handbound notebook with label, origami creature, and a stack of papers: vintage, maps, Florentine, fancy printed, ephemera papers, etc.  This is a nice thick stack of papers for you to play with and really decorate your notebook, inside and out.

Hint: it’s also fun to wrap a strip of paper from the inside of the front cover to the outside and paste it down.

Lastly, and possibly my most favourite, is the cutie pie mini envelope!  Yes, it is cute on the outside, but on the inside you’ll find a handful of Shakespearean insults!!  Also tucked inside are some super mini letter-writing papers, for secret notes to be pasted in your notebook or given to someone special (or not so special if you include the insults!)

Want your own Journal Adventure Kit?  Click here!

Cityscapes

Day 97/365il_570xN.398380225_j50z It’s that time of year when folks who live in places like Ontario dream of warm places with beaches and palm trees.  Did you know that Sprouts Press makes custom travel journals?il_570xN.398379613_mgma

I hand-stitch the covers to depict a cityscape of your destination, making it a perfect keepsake when you return!il_570xN.398387540_fa5s

Usually I put watercolour paper inside, to encourage creativity when travelling, but if writing’s your thing you just prefer thinner paper, I’m happy to help.

Use Your Journal! No.1

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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. photo 1 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! photo 4 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)  photo 2 Fun pens and markers are also a welcome addition.  A bit of colour or shading can give your page just the right tone.
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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!

Smorgasbook!

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It’s a book smorgasbord!  A smorgasbook, if you will!

Take a look some of the lovely handbound books that have found new homes over the last few months.  Maybe one of them is now yours?  I’d love to hear your favourite journalling topics and techniques!