Busy bee

Spring is finally here, after a long winter. It’s a joy to see the flowers blooming, hear the birds singing and the bees buzzing.

Things have been very busy at La Paperie & Cozy, and not only binding has been going on. I have recently listed a few other things in my shop, including necklace pendants and wallets. A little odd for a bookbinding shop, you may say, but let’s just say these little ditties put the “cozy” in La Paperie & Cozy. ;)

Here are the cameo pendants currently listed in my shop. After making some for myself, and giving some as gifts, I was left with a few more. So they are in my shop until they’re all gone.

I’m also offering hand-stitched leather wallets in my shop. An on-going quandary for me has been what to do with all my leather remnants…because I have plenty! There are some pieces that are just too large to throw away, and too small to make into books. So my first bi-fold wallet was born yesterday, quickly followed by its brother! The two of them actually took me a full day to make. So they are labour intensive, as each one is completely hand-stitched and the holes hand-punched, but I love being able to use up my leather pieces! Waste not, want not. I'll probably be listing a couple on my shop soon. I will only be using my really good sturdy leather remnants. I probably won't offer wallets often, or make them customizable (what-I-list-is-what-you-get kind of thing) since they aren't my shop's main feature, but I can offer free monogramming with every wallet.

You can see more photos of the wallets, here.

And yes, there has been a lot of binding going on too! :) I’ve added a few new styles and quotes to my journals. Be sure to check them out in my shop.

Martha Stewart Weddings

My copy of the spring Martha Stewart Weddings magazine arrived the other day from the editorial department. Excitement! :)

My guestbook is on page 276 (bottom left corner), on the first of the page photos below. The book is open on a small table with flowers and a quill pen - what a gorgeous set up they had!

It was so neat to be a part of this lovely wedding. I love how rustic 'country lodge' it was. I've included some other photos in the magazine article on the wedding. I wish the happy couple all the best! :)

Click the photos for a larger view...

  

Fabulous Finds Give-Away - Win a Red Guestbook!

My dear friend Melody over at Aria Images Photography is hosting a "Fabulous Finds Give-Away" on her blog, featuring one of my handmade guestbooks. See her blog for details and enter to win this pretty red blank book. It would make a great little wedding guestbook, sketchbook or journal! The give-away is open to everyone within Canada and the USA.

Small Red Guestbook ($55 value)
This lovely little red guestbook is made with a beautiful cherry top-grain cowhide leather. A pretty red satin ribbon, strung through two slits in the back of the book, keeps the book securely closed. The book measures approximately 5.5″ wide x 4.25″ high and is over 1″ thick. It opens flat so you can write or draw all the way into the margins. The binding has been hand-stitched with durable natural beeswaxed Irish linen thread. The book boasts 320 pages (counting front & back) of high quality white unlined 28 lb./105 gsm writing paper with handtorn edges – it’s acid free, archival, and 3rd party certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council. The end papers are made with beautiful pale green patterned paper, handmade in India.

CLICK HERE TO READ DETAILS AND ENTER THE DRAW!

While you're at the Aria Images Photography blog, please check out Mel's amazing photography - she is an amazingly talented photographer and wonderful person to work with!

important note for my customers

I will not be accepting any custom orders until Feb. 14th, as I will be recovering from major surgery. However, engraving will still be available for any journal purchased from my shop. Also, any books that are purchased between Jan. 21-30, 2011 will ship on Monday, Jan. 31.  Thank you for your patience and understanding! :)

Hello 2011!

After an enjoyable little winter respite (Dec. 11-Jan.2), La Paperie & Cozy re-opened for business on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Where has the time gone? We are already well into January already! Things have been busy. Needless to say, my little 'helpers' -- the cats -- have been far from helpful. Instead they were insanely cute and very distracting (on purpose).

While I attempted to relax during the respite, bookbinding factored into a lot of that relaxation. :)  Actually those of you who know me well, know that I have a difficult time relaxing without anything to do with books, in general. What can I say? I really love what I do! Many have said that this comes across in my handmade books. That makes me very happy, considering a lot of TLC goes into each and every journal, sketchbook or guestbook that I create. Each book is an expression of my love of journaling, literature, and books in general - and I cherish the idea that a journal I create will soon become home for someone's thoughts and musings. It's a wonderful thing!

During the break I had some time to create a few new books. I also introduced two beautiful quotes to my quoted journal line, which just both happen to be from author, Anaïs Nin. I have always loved these quotes and wanted to share them in my journals...

Also another lovely big Book of Memories - the largest book I make at 9"x12". This would make a perfect wedding guestbook/album, sketchbook, baby book, family tree book, or a place to store those special recipes. This style of book will be featured in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine which will hit stands on Feb. 28th.

Thank you, Martha :)

Good news! I received notification that my large 'Book of Memories' wedding guestbook will be in the Spring issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine - out on Feb. 28th! I'm so excited to see it! :)

At 9" high and 12" wide, the Book of Memories is the largest book that I make. There are 264 handtorn pages (front & back) of off-white 50lb. drawing paper. The binding is hand-stitched, as all my books are, in a medieval style binding - it's very sturdy and allows the book to open flat. As for the leather, while I generally make my journals in earth tones, which I feel best expresses the 'tone' of my work, the guestbook that was requested for the wedding featured in the magazine was in black pebble-grain. This was to match the colour scheme of the wedding.

I've never read one of Martha's wedding magazines before, but I will be sent a copy that my guestbook is featured in. I'm really looking forward to seeing it!

Someone suggested I start working on a bunch of the guestbooks, due to the fact that demand will definitely rise once this magazine hits the stands. (Seeing as I don't have another one yet in stock, I guess I better get crackin'!)

new quote edition journals

I'm afraid I've been a bit remiss in posting lately. My apologies! Health problems and other important duties have prevented any updates of late. In the meantime, I've been busy binding. I've also added a few new quote journals to inspire...

One of my new quote journals features an excerpt from a favourite Wordsworth poem, Tintern Abbey (1798) coupled with a print of one of my original photographs of a sunset taken here on the Atlantic coast of beautiful in Nova Scotia, Canada. Perfect for the nature lover!

And I have felt a presence that disturbs me 
With the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean and the living air...

- excerpt from Tintern Abbey (1798), William Wordsworth

I've also resurrected an old favourite - an excerpt from Alfred Lord Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott (1833), featuring a print of John Williams Waterhouse's Lady of Shalott painted in 1888.

And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance --
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott. 

Lying, robed in snowy white
That loosely flew to left and right --
The leaves upon her falling light --
Thro' the noises of the night,
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.

- excerpt from The Lady of Shalott, Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

My Friend's "100th Post Giveaway"

My good friend Arlene over at My Casa Bella is hosting a giveaway to celebrate her 100th blog post.

Enter the giveaway here on her blog!

Autumn Challenge Winner! :)

 

Thanks to all of you who participated and voted, my handbound journal won the Autumn Memories Challenge hosted by the Trans-Canada Etsy Team! YAY! You can see all of the lovely entries here.

The Trans-Canada Etsy Team envisions an online, global market where Canadian artisans are successful, respected, and competitive. Their aim to support each other by establishing professional relationships, sharing knowledge and participating in collective marketing opportunities. Visit the TransCanada Etsy shop for unique handcrafted items.

Autumn Memories Challenge

Fall is in the air! And the TransCanada Etsy Team members have created special items to reflect the challenge theme: "Autumn Memories."

My entry is the Autumn Memories leather handbound journal, which is freehand-engraved with an oak leaf, using a burning tool. The journal currently for sale in my Etsy shop. Stop by the TransCanada Etsy Team Blog and cast a vote for me, if you think it's the best out of the bunch.

A special place to squirrel away all your autumn memories! Autumn is my favourite time of year and of course it deserved its own journal. The leather is a beautiful antiqued buttery tan, with a wrap around flap. I've hand-engraved an oak leaf with a burning too, on the cover. A brown cord wraps around the journal, keeping the book securely closed.

This journal measures approx. 5½" x 4¼" and 1½" thick.

It boasts 320-pages (both sides) of good quality white unlined 28 lb./105 gsm writing paper with handtorn edges - it's acid free, archival, and 3rd party certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (high quality paper with a conscience!). The journal opens flat so you can write all the way into the margins. The page sections have been hand-stitched to the leather cover with beeswaxed Irish linen thread, which is visible on the spine - it's a very sturdy and attractive binding.

Come and vote for your favourite item. (Voting will continue for one week, closing on Oct 7th.)