My magnum of avian delirium

Dear Everyone ~

 Last September, Zak and I visited his family in the U.K. We also traveled around the countryside a bit, including Lyme Regis, on the Dorset coast. I mentioned Lyme Regis in my blog post about my papery pursuits of the trip, including a long-anticipated visit to Molesworth & Bird, the seaweed queens… While I was on my way to visit Melanie Molesworth (Yes, it’s her real name.), I popped into a lovely little shop called Ryder & Hope on the main road.

A delightful notecard caught my eye, bearing an image of a Rock Pipit (per the caption on the back), delicately drawn in graphite. The illustration reminded me of another bird I had just spotted, on the fly, while we were en route to Lyme Regis, called a Wagtail. I’m not a birder per se, but so love learning about them. Plus, the two textures of the notecard & envelope made for a dreamy combination. I bought the card and tucked it in my tote, planning to send it to my dear husband once we returned home…but then found myself not quite ready to part with it. So….

A few weeks after arriving home, I sent word to the artist, James Winrow, to see if he would ship his cards overseas. He responded promptly in the affirmative, and we Zoomed to confirm the particulars. And then we continued to chat about many things nature & paper. 

I logically asked if he knew Melanie of Molesworth & Bird. He knew of them, and where the shop was located, but had not been. Later that week he ventured over to meet them, and it turned out that Melanie had bought one of James’s notecards as a Valentines Day card for her husband! I love this kismet!

This past week, I received my order from James, a totally tidy parcel. The cards were “nesting” in cotton wool, so much softer & sweeter than kraft paper—not to mention birdlike. The unexpected (but, I admit, hoped for) enclosures were every bit as delightful as the cards themselves. He included a handwritten note on what I would consider a “vintage postal artifact”, a fold-over Carte Postale. The tiny feather that James attached to the card is from a Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), and he explains that “this is what they create their ‘drumming’ noise with.” My heart pitter patters.

I am beyond delighted to formally herald the arrival of a quartet of James Winrow’s charming illustrated notecards; Dipper, Rock Pipit, Pigeon, and Quaking Grass. On the back of each card, James has written a beautiful little description for each drawing, including where and when he drew it, along with the Latin name.

They are available as a set of four, with envelopes that have a laid finish and a deep V-flap with rounded tip.
 
James Winrow notecards
 
Cooing, Bari

It looks like a bookbinding tea party!

Dear Everyone ~

This past Friday, I had the extreme pleasure of a visit with Raquel, a dear friend and bookbinding pal from Brazil. We had first met back in 2018. She was visiting Chicago and introduced herself to me via Instagram. Once she knew what her itinerary was, she sent word to see if she could schedule a private workshop to learn the limp-vellum binding. She could, she did, and you can read about that serendipity here. 

During that visit, we had managed to muse about all things paper & bookbinding. Raquel had brought to show me a book that she had made especially for her trip. It was a Long-stitch-link-stitch book with hand-folded envelopes. I was familiar with all the individual elements but I had not yet combined the three—binding style, signatures, and stitched-in envelopes—into one delightfully useful ephemera book à la travel diary. Raquel’s visit was inspiring to say the least, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.

The timing of her visit last week was awesomely auspicious, as I was in the throes of assembling the kits for my upcoming workshop via Zoom: Long-stitch-link-stitch with Hand-folded Envelopes! Whilst I was trimming paper-backed bookcloth, winding thread & organizing the combinations of materials for each kit, Raquel reminded me of a moment during her original visit. When she first showed me her L-s-l-s book, I said to her, “That’s a very happy book!” My heart smiled from ear to ear when she reminded me of that!

This visit, Raquel brought me something else she had made: a double chocolate cake—from a Brazilian recipe, made with American ingredients. Double happiness is imminent!

Long-stitch-link-stitch with Hand-folded Envelopes, a two-part workshop via Zoom—debuts in a little less than three weeks, on Saturday, March 18. Students will make one L-s-l-s book in the workshop, and a second book on their own, with the live recording to keep them company. Both books measure 5½ x 7½ x 1¼ with 12 pages (24 serendipitous sides) and a pair of bound-in hand-folded envelopes with string-and-button closure. You can read more about the workshop, the book structure, and the kit of materials here. And if you’re contemplating joining us, it’s not too late! I will be delighted to ship your kit post haste!

As always, I will live record both workshop sessions, and these will be available to you later the same afternoon to watch and rewatch at your leisure. No previous bookbinding experience is necessary; a bit of glueing experience is a plus. You will have ample time during each step to ask questions while we work. If you have any questions now, please feel free to call or e me to discuss!

I’m looking forward to hand-folding envelopes, glueing & stitching with you in this 8-ish hour two-part workshop!

Long-stitch-link-stitch with Hand-folded Envelopes

Zoom zoom, Bari

Welcome spring with a workshop fling

Dear Everyone ~

I am delighted to debut two workshops via group Zoom: Glueing Happiness Season 3 and Introduction to Drop-spine Boxmaking. 

In the earlier incarnations of Glueing Happiness, students made two different structures: a hardcover padholder and a medium-sized clip-board, each accessorized with a freshly wrapped butterfly clip. Students used three different materials: Japanese decorative paper, hand-marbled paper & paper-backed bookcloth. Glueing these diverse paper surfaces allowed students to experience their distinct personalities.

My inspiration for the new workshop, Glueing Happiness Season 3, came while I was experimenting with covering a few pencils with Tassotti papers from Italy. They are the thinnest decorative papers I stock in the shop (Wanderlust papers being the heaviest). The Tassottis are excellent for many paper crafts, but lightweight papers typically can be more tricky to glue—but they also can be incredibly charming on a book or a box. So, I paper-severed. And I believe  it’s always well worthwhile to experiment & experience  firsthand how papers behave before starting on a more complex book or box. By making the same structure from various materials, we will be able to discern their differences—and discover our preferences on the path to ultimate glueing happiness.

In Glueing Happiness Season 3 you will make a trio of identical structures—three hardcover padholder-folders measuring 4½ x 8 x 1¼—using a quintet of bookbinding materials. In the process, you will learn & actually feel how grain direction impacts the way paper will curl when you are in the midst of glueing. For dessert, we will beautify butterfly clips and wrap pencils. You will be able to emulate my technique for trimming & glueing your pencil-covering papers perfectly. 

Whether you are a glueing novice, a budding bookbinder, or merely in the mood to make a trio of hardcover padholder-folders accessorized with beautified butterfly clips & wrapped pencils to delight your desk or someone else’s—this gluetorial will be educational & entertaining.

Introduction to Drop-spine Boxmaking is my first boxmaking workshop via group Zoom! Students will make a twosome of drop-spine boxes, one in the workshop (the smaller, 4½ x 6½ x 2) and the larger (5½ x 7½ x 2) afterwards on your own. This particular box structure was my introduction to making a box over 30 years ago, and it has been my springboard for adapting this foundation to various box styles. It is ideal for practicing the fine points of trimming decorative paper for wrapping around the visible edges, corners & seams to create “seamless edges”.

The drop-spine structure is an elegant way to encase cherished volumes and ephemera; it is also a great home for photographs, postcards… or even a collection of washi tape. Your duo of boxes can stack chic-ly on a desk, or stand up on a bookshelf, where they look very much like books!

The materials I’ve selected for the kits are a colourful array of Japanese papers & bookcloth. I look forward to assembling each kit individually with a complementary combo.

As always, I will live record all workshop sessions, and these will be available to you later the same afternoon to watch and rewatch at your leisure. No previous boxmaking or glueing experience is necessary. You will have ample time during each step to ask questions while we work. If you have any questions now, please feel free to call or e me to discuss!

Glueing Happiness Season 3 
Introduction to Drop-spine Boxmaking

Zooming into spring, Bari

For the love of hand-folded envelopes!

Dear Everyone ~

Today is a confluence of things we love: Valentine's Day and the second birthday of MORE Art of the Hand-folded Envelope, which debuted on February 14, 2021, which you can read about here. In honour of the occasion, Alyson Kuhn (my postal muse, envelope mentor, and creative collaborator) and I have refreshed & plumped the companion kit.

The updated kit includes supplies from several newish-to-me sources. I’ve selected cover stocks from French Paper (a wonderful all-American papermaker in Niles, Michigan; “French” is the family name) in four earthy colours: brickish red, blue butcher, krafty orange & deepest blue. There are also address labels from Portland Stamp Co., in Oregon, that are not only red bordered, but also perforated. They are assorted size-wise, from petite (for initials or a return address) to spacious. They welcome all manner of writing implements, including typewriters. If you order your MORE Art of the Hand-folded Envelope kit with tools, your official pencil (No. 2B) will be wrapped in a Tassotti paper pattern, from Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region of Italy. 

 I am aswoon when my daily mail includes a hand-folded envelope (or two!). And even when I’m not the recipient, I am still always curious to see photos & hear more about the envelope folder’s inspiration & process. Speaking of which & whom, I recently received a handful of lovely envelopes—details and inspiration  below—and a visit from Pat Kilduff, a longtime customer who took one of my very first envelope hand-folding workshops in the studio back in 2016. The timing of her visit was auspicious.

Pat sends out Valentines instead of Holiday cards. She has been doing so for the past 10 years. And after learning to hand-fold envelopes, Pat now ensconces her handmade Valentine cards in a one-of-a-kind handmade envelope. This year she sent out 70! I would have loved to see & share with you her tabletop whilst she was in the midst of folding, scoring and cutting, but by the time we met last week, she said, “I have already swept up the evidence”. But she did send me a few photos of her envelopes and cards, and expressed, “Here is a sample of this year’s cards. Thank you for setting me on this path!”

I recently received two envelopes hand-folded by Alyson, in honour of the Year of the Rabbit. Her petite 5 x 5 envelope held a notecard showcasing the Canadian Lunar New Year stamp design from 2011. Alyson made her envelopes for this series from either an 8½ x 11 or an A4 sheet. Her “big bunny” envelope is made from the rabbit page of the 1993 Pentagram calendar, featuring designer/artist Alan Fletcher’s representations of all 12 animals, composed of ephemera collected on his travels. This envelope is a center-ish seam, to show off the Years of the Rabbit and the calendar’s spiral-trim. The 5 x 5 envelopes are announcement-style, with a deep seal flap.

Here is an array of hand-folded envelopes I’ve received from various correspondents, made from delightfully diverse materials (starting at 12:00): a book page; wrapping paper; painted paper; New Yorker cover; a personal doodle; sheet music; and a page from Katie Scott’s Botanicum. An embarrassment of epistolary riches? Never!

Calm, cool, and Collector’s Album

Dear Everyone ~

The last few days have been a flurry of kit assembly for Collector’s Album, a two-part workshop via Zoom that begins Saturday, February 25. As I type this, a large armful of parcels are wending their way to students across the country, plus a couple to Canada. Students who will be taking my other upcoming workshop, Long-stitch-link-stitch Binding with Hand-folded Envelopes, will receive their kits for both workshops in a single parcel.

The kit for Collector’s Album is one of the most intricate I have ever come up with. It includes two complete sets of materials—one for the album we will make together during the workshop, and a second set for students to make on their own (with the help of the live recording from both workshop sessions). The album ensconces seven elegant hand-folded envelopes—that we will make without a template! Our motto is Template fugit! My center table overflowed with wondrous Wanderlust papers wandering over every surface available. Now, my heart is overflowing at the prospect of what students will put in their albums.

You can read more about the workshop, the album structure, and the kitful of materials here. And if you’re contemplating joining us, it’s not too late! I will be delighted to ship your kit post haste! 

If you’re new to bookbinding &/or envelope making, I’d like to assure you that the workshop pace is calm, and it’s cool to ask questions. A little glueing experience is a plus, but not imperative. 

I’m looking forward to hand-folding envelopes, glueing & stitching with you in this 8-ish hour two-part workshop! 

Collector’s Album
 
May you be enveloped, Bari

It’s marvy, it’s mixi, it’s matchi, it’s Stationery Joy

Dear Everyone ~

This past week I spent several pleasant hours exploring the drawers at the base of my card cabinet. It resides in the shop, nestled in a perfect alcove (as you can see below). The cabinet was a gift from Chuck Izui, the owner of Aiko’s, back in 2008. It is as sentimental as it is practical. The drawers are wide and deep and hold most of my stationery supplies and reserves. When the drawers open & close, they make a soft, smooth sound that transports me back to the days of shopping at Aiko’s… and continues to inspire me.

My wandering yielded many papery delights, enveloping me in nostalgia and…an idea for the Mixi-matchi Bundle of Stationery Joy. In addition to umpteen envelopes, the bundle includes several sheets of writing paper of assorted textures and provenance. When you hold them up to the light (natural or otherwise), the watermarks and laid lines are a treat to behold. Companion items include sheets of cover stock, including some super-heavy, for cutting your own enclosure cards or even postcards or beautiful backs for backless envelopes. The creative combinations & permutations exceed our arithmetical (hmm!) dexterity.

But wait, there’s more: A full sheet of large Cambridge Imprint labels (10) and a handful of used vintage foreign stamps for decorative purposes and three vintage Special Delivery labels.

Take a breath, there is still more: Each Bundle includes a binder’s dozen of miscellaneous epistolaria (hmmph!). No two bundles are the same, but each is its own epitome.

This is my most sumptuous Bundle offering ever. I’ve made a re-useable bag to hold everything chic-ly. Each bag required a full sheet of Cambridge Imprint (yielding a few smallish scraps for the future, natch), and is secured with a double-layer length of blue (2 tones) organza.

Mixi-matchi Bundle of Stationery Joy
 
Verily epistolarily, Bari

Bookful musings from Cat Bennett

Dear Everyone ~

My ninth workshop collaboration with Cat Bennett—Bookful for The Arrival of Winter—debuts in just under two weeks. On Saturday, January 28, we will all convene to make our buttonhole-stitch books. The spine has a little window in it, through which you see your embellished signature folds. Speaking of signatures, I think of this structure as my signature binding style. I’m thrilled to be teaching this technique as a Bookful workshop for students far and wide.

I have assembled all the materials for the kits, and it was quite a fest of Wanderlust. Two students’ parcels are wending their way to Canada, and one is en route to Austria. All of the stateside parcels have also been entrusted to the USPS and are on their way to all corners of the country!

I truly love students’ exuberance for wanting to make more and more books. It brings a smile to my heart from ear to ear. One Bookful student has ordered all three palettes, and three students have ordered two palettes. We will be joined by a young couple from Arlington VA, who will be sharing their new bookbinding tool kit. They each will have their own set of materials. I ❤️ this!

Cat is generous talking about her creative process. She offers warm-up exercises to get us in the flow. One of my personal all-time favourite Cat mantras is act on inspiration. When I suggested she elaborate on this here, she replied: 
 
“Hmmm. Not easy to do, I have no idea!! It’s all intuitive and natural and I basically do what I did when I was in kindergarten—just pick up a pencil and start with a mark!”

“I like to use different mediums—watercolour, gouache, and coloured pencils too. Some things are best painted. Some can be bolder in cut papers. Sometimes a simple pen drawing and a few words is enough. With painting, I put down the basic shapes in color and then add detail with paint or coloured pencil. I’m looking to make art that surprises me so I often try things in different ways—flat, strong colours or bold lines.”

 “I love that I never know what will emerge. I like to work on the book in one fell swoop, as much as possible, to keep the stream of ideas flowing. I may change things, even the first page. The images speak to me and tell me what to do next. In the end, there it is—a beautiful story that I didn’t know wanted to be told.”

If you are considering joining us, I will still have time to ship your kit(s). As always, Cat & I like to emphasize, especially if you are a Bookful newcomer, that absolutely no drawing, painting, collaging, or bookbinding experience is necessary. The pace and camaraderie are truly zen. (Plus you will have complete videos to watch and rewatch—all 12 hours-ful!) 
 
Bookful for The Arrival of Winter
 
Anticipatory, Bari

Newest hearty paper caper

Dear Everyone ~

We love Cambridge Imprint papers. So we’ve assembled a custom Cambridge “kit” in time for Valentinear papery pursuits. May we hint that you could host an arty heart party?!

 The ensemble includes four dozen 6 x 6 sheets of Cambridge Imprint papers: 36 have been trimmed out from the Special Small Papers (SSP) boxed set and a dozen bonus sheets (3 each of 4 patterns) have been trimmed from our special reserve of parent sheets. All told, a veritable symphony of Valentinear hues. 

Presented in a hand-folded envelope sans flap (in other words, a well-tailored sleeve), from an SSP pattern, sealed with a tiny butterfly clip covered in YKW & a petite origami heart charm, perfectly pin-holed.

If you are feeling big hearted: Try your hand at folding mega-hearts. The Red Special Small Papers assortment offers 24 sheets of 12 x 16 (2 each of 12 designs), which you can neatly, sweetly trim down to 12 x 12… and fold hearts that are 7 inches tall! Or trim down to 10 x 10 and then 8 x 8… for a cavalcade of hearts of various sizes. Gorgeous sprinkled on a table setting, or hidden under practically anything. 

If you are lollygagging: Only nine (like the Love Potion) limited-edition VIP kits remain.

 And if you are inspired to order an assortment of sweet somethings for someone, let us know that it’s a Valentine gift, and we will dress it all up with hearts on all parts!

Voilà: Valentinear Inspiration Parcel

Dear Everyone ~

Love is indeed a many splendoured thing: you can send it in the mail, prop it on a pillow, or leave it as a surprise, anywhere you can tuck a tiny origami heart. If you’d like to dress up a few valentines, we’ve curated a charming array of supplies. And if you’d like to endear yourself to a crafty friend or VIP in your creative cosmos, our parcel makes a sweet & inspiring gift.

The kit notably includes three Wanderlust scalloped heart cards, which made my heart pitter-patter when I received one as a sample from Lady Lucy of Wanderlust. The back of the heart is blank, for your sweet nothing, or other sentiment, or perhaps simply a provocative question mark?

Our kit also includes 16 sheets of A4 paper (8¼ x 11¾): from Wanderlust Papers in the UK, 4 pink gingham and 4 pink flora; and 8 Rivoli Rose, the perfect pale pink, from Germany. This sheet size is spacious & gracious for handfolding an announcement-style (straight-across flap) envelope, or an elegant, slim, mailable open-end envelope, or a 5½ inch square envelope, which is also mailable, but at the nonmachinable rate.

Decorative accessories abound: vintage red-bordered labels and special delivery labels, petite (No. 1 size!) glassine envelopes, and 3¢ strawberry stamps. The little glassine is just the thing for presenting a tiny origami heart (or a pair of candy hearts or a bonbon).

The ensemble will be enveloped in a British glassine sleeve…which will mail in a sturdy cardboard envelope, suitably seasonably embellished with YKWs. If you are giving a VIP as a gift, we will be delighted to mail it directly to your recipient, with a note inside, conveying your heartfelt compliments.

And if you’d like to make a multitude of origami hearts, queue up some music to fold by! Cambridge Imprint’s Heart Bunting Origami Kit presents 36 sheets of 6 x 6 patterned papers. A charming little instructional booklet is included AND you can watch an xoxcellent video as well (on the Cambridge Imprint site). If you cut a sheet into quarters (you will have four 3 x 3 sheetlets), you can make incredibly adorable petite hearts—as shown here. I plan to leave a couple everywhere I go on February 14!


Valentinear Inspiration Parcel
 
Love is in the air, Bari

Be enveloped by two new BZS bookbinding workshops

Dear Everyone ~

I am doubly delighted to announce two workshops via group Zoom: Collector’s Album and Long-stitch-link-stitch Binding with Hand-folded Envelopes. My inspiration for these workshops is the charm and surprise of using hand-folded envelopes bound into a beautiful book structure. The binding styles I’ve chosen for both workshops open perfectly flat, so you can access your envelopes’ contents with ease. These elegant envelopes are perfect for organizing photos, cataloguing seeds for your spring garden, filing ephemera, or other frilly bits that come your way. 

Collector’s Album is a two-part workshop, and you will learn to make your album using the multi-needle Coptic-stitch. Your “pages” are actually 7 elegant hand-folded envelopes. The album measures 5½ x 7½ x 1. To fold your envelopes, you will master my “paper sandwich” technique for making a lightish-weight paper more sturdy. You will also hand-fold your envelopes without a template (which, might we add, is an incredibly handy skill). We will make one complete album during the workshops, and you'll have all the materials to make a second book on your own at your leisure. 

The papers I’ve selected for this kit are a full array of wondrous Wanderlust Papers—seven different designs in total, so one for each envelope. You will decide in what sequence you’d like to bind them in. Your cover paper will be one of the designs, chosen from three palettes: Navy Stars & Pink Gingham, Blue Flora & Pink Flora, or Blue Gingham & Green Flora.

Long-stitch-link-stitch Binding with Hand-folded Envelopes is a two-part workshop as well. You will make a beautiful (and useful) ephemera album or travel diary. Actually you will make one in the workshop and one on your own thereafter, using materials provided in your kit. Both albums measure 5½ x 7½ x 1¼, with 12 pages (24 serendipitous sides) and a pair of bound-in hand-folded envelopes with string-and-button closure. You will learn how to hinge two separate bookboards to create a soft fabric spine that you will stitch through.

The papers I’ve selected for this kit are the endlessly satisfying, ultimately mix & matchable Peggy Angus patterned papers, plus Japanese bookcloth. The kit includes 1 full box (24 sheets, 3 each of 8 designs), and two complementary bookcloths for your spine and interior panels. 

As always, I will live record all workshop sessions, and these will be available to you later the same afternoon to watch and rewatch at your leisure. No previous bookbinding experience is necessary; a bit of glueing experience is a plus. You will have ample time during each step to ask questions while we work. If you have any questions now, please feel free to call or e me to discuss!

Collector’s Album
Long-stitch-link-stitch binding with Hand-folded Envelopes

Zooming through winter, Bari

PS:
Happy Glue Year!
Exquisite glue brushes from England have arrived. I’ve been glueing with these brushes since I began making books over 30 years ago, and I’m thrilled to now be stocking them. They are available in three sizes, which you can see & read about in the NEW shop listing here. You could resolve to brush up your Shakespeare, or you could just treat yourself to a new glue brush to play with.