Virtual Labs Trunk Show!

The Bookbinding Team will be hosting an online trunk show at the Etsy Virtual Labs on June 2nd at 9PM EST.

We will be showcasing some handpicked creations through images and even via webcam so you can get a more up close and personal look at our books on Etsy. The creators will also be presenting why their shop (and themselves!) are unique, and you will have the opportunity to meet with them and ask questions in a session after the showcasing. There will also be some sales and giveaways, so this is definitely an event you don't want to miss!

A list of participating members:

yellowcraftychick
usefulbooks
thecraftykitten
kupokiley
myhandboundbooks
ladyartisan
flurrsprite
kristincrane
yatsu
thisisbexx

We hope to see you there!

new logo, promos, and pretties!

i recently updated my shop with a fabulous new logo, banner and avatar from the fabulous erin of designsquid and then i ordered some promos and such with it! my buttons are in the mail, but i've got my rubber stamp and stickers!



and here's a random sampling of things that i've ordered recently on etsy:

a super comfy custom dress from cherrypievintage that i ordered using alchemy. random picture with my wellies and the dress hehe.

i got a pretty mini mobile to hang above my laptop fromleahpellegrini, and ilusoria made me custom sock slippers!

i also ordered a custom pen from beetnik505! i love the little polka dots!


and an update on life: i will be moving away from missouri, staying with my parents in hawaii for a while until i can figure out what i want to do next! my shop will be closed while i'm in transit but hopefully i can still work on some things while i'm in hawaii, depending on what i can or can't cram into my suitcases and how expensive it'll be to ship my supplies over haha!

around the home

yep, that's my giant collection of handmade soap! it's sitting in the corner of "the dungeon", otherwise known as the boiler room/walk-in closet/laundry room/the space in between the bathroom and our room (the basement). ;) good stuff. i think i'm set for the year. just felt like sharing!


we completely flipped around the room last night, and now our desks are in a corner together! my shelves, work table, and desk are kind of taking over the corner while the poor boy is stuck over there with his desk hahaha. if you can't tell, i'm a bit of a slob. but an organized slob! really!


maybe? i think i just have too much crap XD

playing with bindings!

i recently joined the firefly-based big damn crafters street team on etsy, and for may's team challenge about unification day i created this book:

i used a stab binding method (which was a problem because i used my screw punch for the leather cover but not the pages, i used my awl for those and i probably had way too many because it was a pain in the ass to get the damn needle and thread through. i actually ended up breaking a needle, eesh!) as a way to bind (har) the old western and asian styles together into one book. i like it, but i don't know that i'll do it again ;) my first leather book, and also my first binding style other than the hardbound kettle stitch method! i haven't listed it on etsy, because the plan is to give it to my dad for father's day. :D

i did list this book on etsy, however:

i used a coptic binding method (ish... i think the first and last rows weren't done quite right because after i was done i compared it to eva's book that i received in the first best book swap and it looks like i should've looped the stitches a little more) based off of a tutorial i found online (did the same for the stab binding). i rather like this one, i don't think i could've done much different in terms of tension on the stitches because it does sort of pop open when standing up but it lies flat and i believe it's the paper itself that's doing the opening, not the stitching! so that makes me happy :) plus i've been wanting to use my papyrus for quite a while and i'm really glad it looks so awesome with the marbled paper (yep, same paper as used in the background for the leather book hahaha)!

two new creations

my friend pat commissioned me to make him a photo album for his recent trip to spain, so i finally ordered some stuff from hollanders (very happy with their products, i will definitely be ordering from them again!) including an unbound block for the biggest book i've made yet! he gave me a newspaper he got in spain, and together we designed and created this:


i'm rather proud of it, although i wish i had gotten better pictures before i gave it to him :) it was the second book i used methyl cellulose / pva mix with, and i think it helped me figure out its properties a little better! i ended up adding an end sheet to the back and pasted a map onto the inside front cover... a couple bubbles but not too bad i think! the front cover sports "spain" cut out in black library buckram (crazy thick bookcloth, a lil difficult to work with but cool cuz it's waterproof!) with cut outs of spanish newspaper text peeping through! i used red satin bookcloth on the spine, and i think it feels matador-ish haha.



and just so you know i'm a huge nerd, i also made myself a lightsaber. it doesn't work... yet!


don't forget to check out the best team sale going on right now! it ends saturday, april 26th! i'm offering 15% off all items in my own shop.

world book day team sale!

As part of the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team's World Book Day celebration, some of the members are participating in a sale from Wednesday, April 23rd to Saturday, April 26th. Check out the list of shops below and the discounts they are having!

ladyartisan: 15% off
lapaperie: 10% off
bluevalentinepress: free s&h + gift
subu: 10% off paper items
yellowcraftychick: 10% off
yatsu: free s&h
usefulbooks: 10% off
thisibexx: 10% off
myhandboundbooks: bogo 25% off
scodioli: free s&h
kristincrane: 10% off
kupokiley: 10% off
thecraftykitten: 10% off
flurrsprite: 15% off
uniquelycovered: 10% off
repaper: 10% off
moonbindery: 10% off selected items
artkitten: 20% off books + free s&h
bibliophile: 20% off

world book day challenge!

here is my entry for the bookbinding etsy street team's world book day challenge :) it's based off of shakespeare's romeo and juliet... i call it "story of woe" (har so clever!). i bound it with pretty italian paper and bookcloth, and then gold leafed the letters "j" and "r" on each side, so you can write in it from either direction (or both!). it's got black paper, which is always fun. for some reason it feels really awesome to hold in my hands, and i was tempted to keep it but i've been needing to post something up on etsy and it was kind of a relief to finally update *something* haha!

making a dress form!

i handed my boy a roll of duct tape and asked if he would help me make a ghetto dress form.

i tried to stuff it with old tshirts and socks afterwards, but it's a tad lumpy, so i may need to go get some polyfill or pillows or something.

i also need to get some new pins to use specifically for sticking into the goo-tastic tape :P

present from the boy

oh yes.

obsessed with clothing, oh noes

so a couple weeks ago, i may have purchased a funky little hood from pixiebell and awesome fingerless gloves from kitmit on etsy, as shown here:



oh yes. so much fun, and toasty warm ♥ love em!

i also decided to make some earrings for myself since i haven't actually made any to keep, and a sister pair to sell in my shop.



i like em! they tinkle when i move XD and i've been in a green kick, so hurray!

i'm also waiting for a pretty black and white circle skirt from tallgiraffe. i don't really wear skirts (i prefer dresses -- i is lazy) so this'll be fun!

AND! through alchemy (which i think i am going to abandon for the time being, due to the disorganization and craziness ensuing there at the moment) i have enlisted the aid of two fantastical seamstresses to make me a winter dress (by neurasthenia) and a rockabilly dress (by cherrypievintage). EXCITED.

naturally, i am now considering buying myself a sewing machine and experimenting at home! i've been dabbling and done a bit of work in school, so i'm kind of excited at the prospect :D i may also get a serger, because i'm not really sure how to finish edges without one! darn costume class, spoiling me rotten.

but never fear, i have not abandoned bookbinding! i have one book (black pages, whee!) in the works, and i plan on picking up supplies next week in st. louis and kansas city and teach myself how to do exposed bindings and such! hurray!

yes, my bank account hates me. damn you, crafting addiction!

charity, 1/3 the way through!

the charity drive for h.e.l.p. international is about a third of the way through! hurray!

we've made $146.50 so far, which is fantastic! but there are still lovely books out there that need homes, including my natural leaf book :)

check out this search for more books that are being donated to charity!

for more information, check out the bookbinding team's blog.

slow slow times!

in the past couple months, i believe i've made a grand total of 2 books and 2 sets of earrings for my shop. that makes me sad. :(

so today, i went to michael's and got myself (with a gift card, woot... hooray for free!) a pretty little screw punch!



i'm hoping to use this to make exposed binding books and the like :) part of my experimentation for the year! i'd like to start with the secret belgian binding, following this tutorial. it doesn't look too awful difficult! :D

i'd also like a better awl and a larger self-healing mat, but those may need to wait for the moment. same for my jewelry tools, they're lookin a little shabby, so i think i need to upgrade my cutters at least. i've heard lindstrom is the best, but they're a tad pricey... not too bad, but i'll think about it for a bit! ;)

Seller of the Month: purposedesign

Julie - Montreal - Canada



WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Julie Pedersen, I am the brains (and brawn) behind purpose design. I run things out of my design lab in Montreal, Quebec. I have been designing homewares for about 4 years now.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

The products I sell are mostly kitchen-related, magnetic spice racks, spice kits and the like. I am kind of a foodie, so designing food-related things is very satisfying for my inner chef.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

Well, I really wanted to start selling my work online. I painstakingly designed a web site in the summer of 2006 that no one ever visited (but me) and I thought, there's got to be a better way to get my stuff out there! Then I saw an article about Etsy in one of my fave magazines, Dwell. The rest is history, baby.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I started making handmade items when I was becoming very tired of being an art director in advertising. It was an outlet for me to create what I thought was cool.

As for the type of products I make, that goes back to a downtown apartment I lived in with a VERY small kitchen (read closet). I had to be creative with storage, so I made a magnetized spice rack for myself because I was tired of spices raining down on me when I opened my overflowing kitchen cabinets. Friends suggested that I try to sell them to other space-challenged individuals, so I gave it a try.

I've had a great experience on Etsy and a good reaction to my products I think because they are very different from a lot of what is being sold there. I think that having an interesting product that sets you apart is a common theme to many other seller's success on Etsy. So I guess my advice is to create something fresh and interesting and people will find you and love you for it. And always try to be a nice person.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

I am currently designing a line of blackboard homewares, an area that I have experimented with before. I have magnetic blackboard coasters up in my Etsy shop now that are getting a great response. (you should go take a look, wink, wink)
I am REALLY excited to get the rest of my new line up for sale on Etsy soon.

I am also dreaming of designing a kids line sometime later this year, or maybe next year, I'm a busy girl.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I love indie design and support it with all my heart because design is SO important in my life. All big, fantastic, life-altering design starts with one person with an idea. It's humbling when you think about it.

I still find it amazing that I can create things and put them out there in the world and other people want to hold them and look at them and own them. That's one of the best parts of my creative process. I find that totally cool and gratifying.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you could have a wild animal for a pet, what kind would you have?

Um, something that would scare away the squirrels and pigeons that are living in my roof. A cougar? An elephant? Of course, then I would have a cougar or elephant to deal with...

Featured Items

best charity event

the bookbinding etsy street team is hosting a charity event, with proceeds from donated books being sent to the h.e.l.p. international foundation to support the cause of global literacy!

here is the book i have chosen:


i felt the adventurous nature of this book somehow fit :)

you can read more about the charity event and check out the other books that have been donated on the best blog.

Seller of the Month: Ottoman

Summer - Oregon - USA



WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Summer (yet, I usually go by Ottoman) and I have a BFA in Sculpture and Printmaking. Crafting has been my way to be creative, yet be a mom.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

I opened my shop with the Moss Collection, items that have been needle felted to look like moss. I really tried to push the moss idea in as many ways possible, which includes: pincushions, sachets (most of which can be used as pincushions), accessories, jewelery, and housewares. I will also be debuting my new Cork Collection this week which is very exciting!

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

What attracted me to Etsy is that it is visually stunning and clean-lined, I opened my own shop as a creative outlet and to start my own business without overhead. It's also wonderful to be associated with a website that promotes handmade items.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I started making handmade items as a child, but in regard to crafting, I just recently started this adventure; prior to crafting, I concentrated on fine art. I started selling on Etsy in October of 2007. I'm pretty new to Etsy, but my tip for current/future sellers is to make what you love!

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I have so many favorites on Etsy! I tend to be drawn toward work that has a lot of thought behind it, similar to conceptual art; I also love things with clean lines, and work that has been made with sensitivity to the environment...oh, and I do like kitcsh.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! Would you rather live in Antarctica or the Sahara?

I guess the Sahara; I think I would have a better chance at survival.

Featured Items

quirky n berkeley feature

flurrsprite's nook was featured today on quirky n berkeley's blog! hurray! go check out the fabulousness :D

scarf!

i promised i would make sure to write up a post about stircrazycrafts's lovely scarf that she donated as a prize for the canada contest that i won recently, because i left it in missouri and was unable to include it in my post :)

so here it is, folks! all fluffy and sparkly and super warm! love it!

i are nerd

sort of finished my cloak! but my parents don't have a full length mirror, so i didn't really get to see what it looked like until i had my mom take pictures... which led to my decision about it not being quite finished yet, because the capelet is shorter than i had intended (it was long when i first sewed it together, but my mom suggested i chop it a little and i got a bit carried away) so i'm going to need to add some more felt onto it! i'll use this as an excuse to embellish it, because it's rather plain ;) sadly, i'm not completely happy with my hood (that's what i get for making everything up), so i may need to do it over... we'll see!


i'm leaving hawaii tonight... i'm actually pretty sad about it, which isn't normally the case! but it'll be good to go back to missouri. for example: this is what my "work space" looked like here:


okay, that may have been on a bad day, but still! it'll be nice to have say, a table to work on instead of the floor! ;)

alas, i had to mail back a bunch of my bookbinding supplies, and parcel post takes 3-5 weeks (AUGH) so it may be a while before i post up any new books! but that's okay, i have all of my jewelry stuff with me so i can play around with that for a bit, if job hunting goes well anyway!

split!

there are two pairs of etsy pretties that i am trying to decide between.

the first pair is more of a "i've wanted one these for a while but now i have a practical need for them"... i have my lovely new bag, but it only has one pocket so i'd like to organize it a bit more with a cute little pouch by sidneyann!

options a & b:


the second pair is more of a "let me earn a little bit more money and then splurge on clothes" (it's pretty sad, i'm far more willing to splurge on some sushi than i am for buying some decent clothes for myself) from papaya!

options a & b:


any thoughts? ;)

new new year year

finally got around to playing with my hammer and baby anvil! made some new earrings, which i rather like :)

what did you all get for christmas from etsy? i got (myself) a pretty leather journal (that i actually plan on using!) from my handbound books, a super-cute clay book from lady artisan for best's first book swap, and my sister got me some mango lotion from spa therapy! ...actually, i also got some awesome dead sea mud soap too, but i used it already ;)


i finally sold my puffin book! it was possibly my favorite book.. i've made others that are better quality and probably cuter, but i've had a special attachment to my puffin book. i'm a little sad (as you can see in my goofy picture below), but for some reason it makes me feel like i'm moving forward. huzzah!


on a completely random not-craftsy note, it appears that we have a wild pua'a living nearby that likes to eat our front yard.


if you see one you're supposed to report it and the peoples will come out and kill it for you. i wonder if we can convince em to build a pit and make kalua pig if that happens.... heeeeere piggy piggy piggy...