A quick follow-up

Last week I showed you what was on the work bench... the junk mail, remember? Voila, very cool journals. The covers are, obviously, covered with junk mail and other previously-used envelopes. The pages are mostly blank paper (recycled paper, of course), with a few previously used business envelopes mixed in to keep it internesting. Each one also has an unused reply enveloped in the middle of the last section - those envelopes that come inside other envelopes so that we can easily mail our donations, or subscriptions, or whatever. So inside these books, those envelopes function as a handy little pocket to store secret things!

Main decorative element: security pattern from inside the envelopes...


This one is a total sweepstakes, someone with your initials is definitely a winner! Do not disregard...


And classic brown paper packages...

On the work bench today

Speaking of recycling...


It's not just a pile of junk mail. Well, it IS a pile of junk mail; but, it will be transformed... stay tuned.

Collecting the mail

I've been collecting used mailing envelopes from a few different sources and recently realized that the collection had grown almost out-of-control. I save the envelopes to make journals, where the envelopes are used as the pages. With my current supply, I was able to make seven journals, with some envelopes left over. So I started with stacks and stacks of these: And finished with these: The covers are decorated with various bits and pieces saved from old mailing materials, like this one which uses a green security pattern for the decorative paper embellished with some clipped postal marks and stamps from Japan. Or in some cases, the embellishments are printed directly onto the envelopes, like this junk mail sweepstakes example. And all of them have envelopes for pages, with all the security patterns, plastic windows, and stamps in tact to make for a very interesting journal-keeping adventure.

More envelope patterns

After I mentioned my collection of envelope security patterns, I happily discovered that my fascination is not unusual. Apparently lots of people are drawn to envelope security patters, collecting them and/or making things with them. I've even turned my mother into a collector since she is now saving them for me! On Flickr, there is an entire pool dedicated to Security Patterns. If you have pictures, you could add them to this pool. There is also a great collection of pictures in a set called "Security Envelope Project" where she collected envelopes to make buttons. I got a photo from Joycelyn (Bookclasp.com) showing a collection of envelopes she has been saving. Judy, who reads my blog, showed me some things she has been making with security patterns. She mentioned that the collaged birds in her work are a tribute to her late Grandmother who used to call her blue parakeets, her little bluebirds of happines. That's certainly a wonderful use of envelope papers! Judy, thanks for allowing me to share these pictures. Fellow B.E.S.T member, OliveArt, has been using envelope security patterns too. She combines the different security patterns to make new patterns. These books also have envelopes for the pages! I recently purchased this set of buttons from Janick, of Neawear on Etsy. This is not very typical of Janick's work (she does fabulous wall art!), but I found these little envelope buttons buried in her shop so I grabbed them. Some other things I've seen on Etsy: Matchbook notebooks by girlindustries Alphabet magnets by bloodandgold Gift tags by swirlyarts Wrist cuff by bettydeath Let me know if you have envelope security pattern collections or art projects that you want to share. I'd love to see pictures!

Security Patterns

I have an unusual fascination with the security patterns on the inside of envelopes. I actually have a notebook where I stick bits clipped from envelopes... so yes, it's a quirky little collection of envelope security pattern clippings. But some of them ARE really neat. This is one reason that I save all the old envelopes. The other reason is that I like making books out of them. In fact, sometimes I am so eager to save the envelopes that come in the mail, that I misplace the contents. I once misplaced a cheque only to find that it was still in the original envelope, tucked safely in my box of saved envelopes! I've done some books like this before and they were a lot of fun to make. It takes a while to accumulate enough materials to do them so I haven't made any since last fall. Here are my newest ones, see how many security patterns you can find :-)

Old Mail

I really do save everything. Including old envelopes and packaging materials from everything that comes in the mail (this pile of stuff can get unwieldy since I tend to buy online quite regularly with packages coming in the mail all the time!). So I made myself a new address book and two other blank books, all with materials from the mail. The address book has the inside security patterns from envelopes used as the patterend paper on the cover. This is a casebound hardcover book, the sections are sewn onto tapes cut from a tyvek envelope. The pages are various types of used envelopes that I dismantled and cut to size. This book is for me, but it may show up again elsewhere... The other two books tha I made are both exposed spine chain stitch bindings. The covers are mat board scraps with some used stamps mounted on them. Similar to the address book, the pages are all cut from envelopes and packing papers. These two books are in my Etsy shop.

500 Handmade Books

Ah, look what came in the mail yesterday! So I've been a little preoccupied with this. It is fun to see so many familiar contributors - people I met at PBI, instructors I've had, binders I've met online, and book artists that I've admired for a long time. If you are wondering about it, yes, this book is definitely worth having.

A book came in the mail

Today was a good mail day. I got the most recent newsletter from CBBAG. I like getting these and reading about what's going on with CBBAG; it makes me feel like I'm part of the group...even though everything they do is in Toronto so it's too far away for me to play.

But also, I got the "Penland Book of Handmade Books" today! We had a Chapters gift certificate that had been lingering for a few months and nearly forgot about; sheesh, I don't understand how I could let that happen. So I finally used it to buy this and it arrived today. I haven't had much time to look at it. My little boy was quite disappointed with the mail today and when he saw what I got, I think he knew it could take me away for hours, so he wouldn't tolerate anyone looking at it for more than a few minutes. I didn't realize that with each of the featured artists, the book also includes a how-to-do-something-that-they-do section, so that is a nice treat. I'll have some new things to try, can't wait!

New paper and a Teflon folder

Another good mail day. I had recently been shopping online at Hollanders and my stuff arrived today. Of note, is this Teflon folder! A while back I solicited feedback here on my blog about these...y'all convinced me. I don't think I've ever held one in my hand before...it is heavier than I expected. And now I'm ready for anything; but, the only thing I've tried so far was ripping paper - nobody mentioned that it sucks for ripping paper. I'll have to make a box soon just so I can use this thing more effectively.

There is a pile of decorative paper in the background of that photo. My supply of decorative papers needed some refreshing so I was paper shopping as well. I got some great Chiyogami, direct from Japan. I got it on Etsy from FromJapanWithLove. I am always surprised by the speed of shipping from Japan. I am not kidding when I say it arrived faster than most things I buy domestically.

I was paper shopping at Hollanders as well, got some chiyo and some other Japanese papers, some papyrus, some Indian paper, some metallic stuff, and this amazing piece here:


This is a large sheet of paper (24x36 inches) and this photo shows almost the entire sheet so the marble pattern is huge! It is Thai Marble - the description on the Hollanders site: Immense, flowing patterns of Black, Gold, and Silver are created by hand to form this Thai Marble. An occasional imperfection is part of the character and adds beauty and variety. In addition to its many uses, this paper looks great framed as wall art.

I don't have any special plans for any of the papers that I just bought, so I will just hoard them for a while...

New Leather

I buy all my leather online, almost exclusively from Ebay. There don't seem to be any local suppliers and I haven't even had much luck finding a competitive supplier in my own country. So I've become an importer of animal hides. This box of leather came in the mail this week, mostly deerskin, all wonderfully soft and rich amazing colours.

This box of leather came from Wholesale Leathers, an eBay store. I have ordered from here many times and always get great hides and can usually get anything I request even if it isn't listed in the eBay store - good customer service is a bonus. I think these are garmet-quality hides so they are really very soft. This leather isn't typical of "bookbinding leather" really...and by that i mean it probably isn't the best for hardcover full-leather casebound books; however, these hides work really well for my limp leather journals.

Paying it forward

Kaija, of Paperiaarre, got her PIF action together really fast! I was unexpectedly greeted with a package from her this morning. Beautiful before I even got the package completely open.


Inside the pretty package I found this beautiful, elegant book! A work of art, really. Kaija, you are too kind, thank you so much.




If you want to join the PIF fun, you can follow the trail. I joined on Kaija's blog and then 3 others joined on my blog:

• Dré
• Andrea
• Sarah

So check out their blogs and when they post their PIF offer, you can jump on board.

Now I should get to work.

I keep buying stuff

Since I seem to be buying lots of stuff online, I am able to eagerly anticipate the mail delivery. If I didn't buy anything online then the mail would be just junk and bills. And that is no fun.

Yesterday I got a heap of mail!

I can always justify buying supplies, and I had recently ordered a few items from Volcano Arts. There is really nowhere in this city to buy bookbinding supplies, other than a few basics. So I got some great new colours of linen thread. I also got a bunch of silver corner pieces - which means I can finally finish a project I've been working on for ages.


Now, an online purchase that was entirely unnecessary, was this little collection of wooden printers blocks! I don't need these. I have no idea what I am going to do with them. But they are great! I bought these on Etsy from Sweetkate who has more of these and I am trying to think of a reason to buy them too.


Then there was a surprise package in the mail as well.


My Great Aunt sent a book to my son, the new children's book, "That Stripy Cat." The author of this book lives in Halifax (same city as me) and the illustrator, Tara Anderson, I have met her through Etsy. My aunt didn't know that, it's just a fun coincidence. I have one of Tara's paintings on the wall in my kitchen actually. Check out her stuff on Etsy, where she has lots of stripy cats. Her shop is GingercatPress.Etsy.com

So it was a pretty good mail day.

Packages from Etsy

Today was a good day because I got three packages with items I'd bought on Etsy. Most of the stuff that comes through the mail slot is either a bill or it is spam. So when I get something in the mail that I actually want, then it is a pretty good day.

First of all, I got two ATCs from willowcatstudio. Such unique artwork, and these cityscapes that I got are really quite intriguing - I think I could look at them for a long time and not get bored!

Next package I opened was a shirt from LovePeaceAndDye. This shirt was offered as a PIF and I decided to grab it (PIF means 'pay it forward' and it's basically a feebie on Etsy, the buyer doesn't have to pay, but they should offer another PIF in return or do something nice for someone). I have offered a PIF from my own store before, but this was the first time that I got one for myself. And it is fabulous!

The last package was a book from greenchairpress. A small letterpress, handbound book called 'Winter' to add to my little collection of handmade books and artist's books. And it is a great addition to the collection and the first letterpress item that I've got. Some day maybe I'll even have a good way to display all these books that I've been collecting. Same with the ATCs... I have several now and they are all in a little wooden box, but I'd like to do something better with them.

Oh, and I finished preparing all the paper for the custom journal that I've been working on and started binding it. The resizing of all the pages produced enough strips of paper for me to make 15 of those little pamphlet-stitch notebooks!