BuZzeS: Summertime and the mailing is easy

Dear Everyone ~

The summer solstice is nearly upon us! To celebrate the season, we are delighted to herald the arrival of five new notecard portfolios by artists from the U.K. Summery themes of picnicking, gardening, and swimming, as well as the perennial favourite: whimsical domesticity. The portfolios are all beautifully produced and easily, even ingeniously, repurpose-able. The cardstocks are all a delight to write on and take all manner (in your manor or manse, or garden) of medium, smoothly and beautifully. 
 
In all their noteworthy splendor…

Two beguiling notecard portfolios from British publisher (and artist) James Ellis, presenting petite cards that are paragons of pleasant pastimes.

Alice Patullo is an East London-based illustrator. These are lovely for correspondents who love to garden or gardeners who love to send mail year-round.

If you would love to be sitting opposite Mary Fedden (1915–2012) at her table, sipping spirits and breathing in the landscape she captures so whimsically, these cards are as close as one can get!

Eric Ravilious’s cards are no less captivating for being the least colourful images in BZS’s repertoire. (Ravilous was the first British war artist to die on active duty, when the plane he was in was lost off Iceland in 1942.)

Emily Maude’s pen & ink illustrations are like little snippets of domesticity from a bygone era … brought back to life with her whimsical style, which she says is inspired by Eric Ravilious. 

Last but nary least, there’s a new washi in town! Whenever we are wrapping, no matter how many rolls of washi are at hand, we always wish we had more. In this case it’s Hedgehog Garden by artist Lisa Larson. We love its peachy background, and the hedgehogs are, no hedging, adorable!

Noteworthy Notecards
Hedgehog Garden

In the mailing mood? Bari

BuZzeS: A summerful of Bookfuls

Dear Everyone ~

Cat Bennett & I & our students have recently completed our sixteenth bookful adventure, which is how Cat refers to our co-teaching. The theme for this four-session workshop was Japanese Art Inspirations. 

Since last autumn, our other bookful themes have been Wordy Stories, Wordless Stories, and Travel. We begin each workshop by making a book under my tutelage (occasionally, we’ve made a trio of booklets instead). In the next three sessions, Cat leads everyone in various drawing & painting exercises, sharing her creative process and inspiring us all to fluidly & fun-ly fill our books in the theme we are exploring. 

Cat recently reflected on the evolution of our Bookfuls:
 
“I love how far-reaching our explorations have become, and that they are preserved in a personal library to dip into whenever we’d like to create a special book. So many new ideas emerge when we just give ourselves that quiet space to explore without preconceived notions. When we keep our hands moving, inspiration always comes to us. All we need to do is follow it even if we don’t know exactly where it will take us. This is really what we do in our Bookful classes. We gather and look at art together then try to explore in ways we might not have before, using pencils, crayons, and paint.”

This summer, in honour of our sweet sixteenth Bookful collaboration, we’ve decided to make our 16 full-length live recordings available all summer, complete with their sumptuous kits of materials. Each recording is 12-ish hours-ful. As always, If you’d like to purchase an additional set of materials, you certainly can. I am also offering my standard discount on any tools you order at the same time as your Bookful purchase.

I’d like to share a handful of my recent favourite emails from Bookful students. All four of them are Bookful All-timers, so their personal Bookful libraries are rich to the point of overflowing with the fruits of their inspirations.
 
Lorraine D. in BC, Canada: I thought this class was wonderful—from the precut materials to all the brave ways to paint directly into the books and Cat’s amazing enthusiasm and kindness. Plus all the good ideas about filling our books to the brim!  

Carla J. in Virginia: A huge thanks for choosing such a wonderful subject for Bookful 16. You present us with just enough of a springboard to take off on our own. I love your choice of Basho haikus. Always simple yet filled with sensory images. 

Gabriele B. in Austria: I just want to mention again how grateful I am to have found you and your workshops and the Bookfuls with Cat. A treasure trove of ideas and methods. Pure inspiration. 

Jane H. in Michigan: I am so looking forward to ‘Wordy Stories’. I just heard something on the radio yesterday about learning something new each day. Makes me so glad to have you in my life…I love making books…and giving them away. 

If you’d like to purchase more than one Bookful recording, you will receive a 16% discount ($47.20!) on your second recording, and third, and so on & so fourth. The full range of Bookful recordings will be available for purchase until Labor Day, and the recordings will be yours to use for as long as you need.

Bookfuls
 
Bound for Bookfuls, Bari

BuZzeS: Debuting & previewing two new BZS workshops

Dear Everyone ~

I’m doubly delighted to announce Ultimate Hardcover Paper Frame and Art of the Hinge. In each workshop, students will make a bookish structure that is, at its heart, a beautiful memory keeper. Both use luscious materials to make a tactile backdrop for cherished photos, artwork, or ephemera.

In Ultimate Hardcover Paper Frame, we will make a hardcover folder (5" x 5" x ⅜") with a full paper cover—meaning the paper wraps around from front to back to make the spine. Inside, the facing mats are constructed so that your photo (or whatever you are displaying) easily slides in from the top and stays in place. The workshop kit includes all the materials needed to make two complete folders, one that you will make during the workshop, and one that you will make at your leisure.

The materials I’ve selected for this are a perfect pairing of Carta Pura Varese papers—molto classico! For the samples, as you can see, I’ve gone tutto cromatico, which I’m pretending means matchy-matchy, but you could also mix them (red mat/blue folder, blue mat/red folder).

Art of the Hinge is a two-session workshop with a focus on the technique of hinging. Hinging allows art or sentimental content to be preserved & protected without compromising or constricting. It is ideal for presenting and displaying all manner of flat objets in a book format. Why hinge? you might ask. And in the workshop, I will show several custom projects I’ve done in recent years, where hinging was the ideal binding treatment, not just an aesthetic aspect of the finished book.

Students will make an album measuring 5" x 6½" x ½" with eight Japanese-fold pages made of Stonehenge drawing paper, all hinged onto a piece of Japanese pure silk bookbinding cloth, from my very vintage Aiko’s reserve. You will learn how to cut out your art window precisely and then tape the art appropriately and seal the page so that your photo or artwork stays in place. 

The Japanese silky bookbinding cloth is soft & flexible (It’s actually 100% silk fabric on a very lightweight but sturdy paper backing.) This suppleness allows the pages to lie completely flat when the book is open. It’s elegant and a joy to work with. Its subtle shade is like the loveliest of tea stains, particularly a Puerh. It complements all the Japanese decorative papers I’ve selected for each kit.

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, though a bit of glueing experience is a plus— especially for Ultimate Hardcover Paper Frame, which is fairly glue-centric. That said, you will have ample time during each step to ask questions while we work. And I am invested in your ensuing glueing happiness. If you have any questions now, please feel free to call or e me to discuss!

BuZzeS: Painterly paper purveyors from across the pond

Dear Everyone ~

This week at BZS was a veritable parcelpalooza in both directions, which is to say, outgoing as well as incoming. Our stock of Card Catalogs, which I posted about on Wednesday morning, sold out within hours! Every few minutes, my display of boxes on the shop’s center table shrank, somewhat like a melting iceberg. All boxes are en route to their new homes. If you have sent us a forlorn email or left a disappointed message—fret not! Fresh Catalogs are already on their way, and I anticipate their arrival next week. If you’d like to pre-order a box (or two), you can.

We received two parcels from the U.K. this week. Ruby has been out of the studio for the last couple of weeks, and I especially missed her company as I decanted the dozens of new cards. Oohing & aahing to myself wasn’t nearly as fun. (And of course I have missed her wrapping & parcelizing prowess.)

Parcel One contained BZS’s order from Paper Sheep (seen above and below), a new artist I discovered in London on our last visit to the U.K. Parcel Two was from Paper Bird, with several beguiling new designs by Janine Burrows and Tjitske Kamphuis.

 Paper Sheep enclosure cards are as sweet as they are petite. Each charming little watercolour illustration is embellished with a teeny puff (as I like to call it) of hand-dyed sheep’s wool from Norfolk! As my postal muse enthused, O my galosh! The ovines are divine, the flora are adorable, and I’m cravin’ the avians! We are stocking eleven, rhymes with heaven, designs. Herewith the marvelous menagerie.

Continuing the whimsy is a new series of notecards called Bijou, by Janine Burrows. A pastel palette for flock & flora & lepidoptera. Seven (which also rhymes with heaven) designs that chirp for themselves. We have also restocked the artist’s coast & countryside selection. 

 Tjitske Kamphuis has added four new dreamy designs to her repertoire of notecards, and we have added them to ours. Seen here from top left to bottom right: Wolf and Night Wandering, Flights and Crows. We’ve also restocked our previous selection of these cards! 

Yesterday, while we were writing this post, a keen-eyed customer swooped in and bought a complete set of both Janine Burrows & Tjitske Kamphuis. This gave us the idea to offer a little bonbon to everyone who scoops up all 22 of the entire new card collection. We've recently wrapped dozens of our preferred No.2 pencils in Carta Pura’s Varese patterns. We will include one with your order, wrapped, of course, like a cracker.

BuZzeS: Refreshment, commencement, contentment

Dear Everyone ~

Springtime is springing all around. As I walk about the neighborhood, I pass by several lilac bushes whose blossoms are in their glory and whose aroma is intoxicating. The light stays light for longer, and the sun streams into the studio. This time of year is particularly pastoral, as we keep the door open to the backyard all day long, and visitors feel magically transported. In the morning, the birds sing & chirp & perhaps chatter. And all this to say … 

For several weeks now I have been hankering to refresh the shop. It might just be that spring feeling thing, though I am always inclined to move things hither & thither whenever I have the chance. I call it the domino effect: when I move one thing on one table, it sets off a chain reaction of moving, arranging, and rearranging the entire shop. There’s colour & shape & theme to consider. I believe things commune with each other, and they even commune with me. They need to be in the right place, juxtaposed but not jumbled. And when it all comes together, it sings. Speaking of singing, a new customer commented, just before my big refresh: I never knew a place like this existed—I already feel calmer just being in here. Music to my ears, and inspiration to my impulse.

 We have been eagerly anticipating two parcels from Atelier Écluse, to restock the much loved St-Henri sketchbooks. Praise the postal gods & Will for delivering both boxes in good order! I’m delighted to report that both sizes of sketchbooks, petite & grand, are now available in both colourways, Blue & White and Ochre & Ecru. If you’re not able to visit in person, the online shop is also updated. But if you are able to visit, touching these books and gently flipping through their pages is a memorable pleasure.

In other noteworthy news—and also provoking my shop refresh—is a new-to-BZS boxed set of flat cards & envelopes, titled Card Catalogue. The box definitely speaks for itself, but let us mention that its drawer slides in and out so smoothly. And its wood exterior and drawer pull are a trompe l’oeil triumph. The box is super-sturdy, a definite keeper once you have disbursed its contents to deserving correspondents. In the shop listing, you can read more about what’s in the box.

BuZzeS: Kit ceremony for Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations

Dear Everyone ~

Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations, my 16th Bookful collaboration with Cat Bennett, begins Saturday, May 3—still almost a fortnight away!

Will, our beloved mail carrier and smiliest parcel-picker-upper, has been on holiday, so we have personally delivered three big bag-fulls of Bookful parcels to the post office, bound for destinations from north (Beverly Hills, Michigan) to south (Wilmington, North Carolina) & coast (Mountain View, California) to coast (Fairfield, Connecticut). My dear Zak had already led the postal charge, sending off four International parcels (three to Canada and one to Austria).

 
Back in February, Cat & I decided on Japanese Art as our inspiration for our spring Bookful. Since then, Cat has explored numerous books about traditional and contemporary Japanese art & also several books about tea ceremony. She recently shared with me discovering a new painting technique “quite by accident.” She was experimenting with painted papers, for a collage she was working on… and, in the workshop, she will share her revelation. Here is her enthusiastic preview:
 
“I love the art of Japan, especially the woodblock prints of Hokusai and Hiroshige. The drawing, color, drama, and composition are all so arresting. I don’t have the patience to do woodblock carving and printing, but I still try to integrate some of the qualities of Japanese prints into my small paintings. It helps me grow and refine my own work when I work with inspiration from other artists. (I’m not alone. Van Gogh borrowed color and a sense of overall pattern when he also fell in love with Japanese art.) I’m eager to see all we discover when we explore Japanese art in this Bookful!”

Whilst assembling the Japanese papers for this Bookful kit, I noticed that my paper cabinet was beginning to lean, egads! My beloved neighbour Robert Rudd was close at hand and came in to perform R&R (Rescue & Remediate). Thank goodness! As serendipity would have it, I needed to pull out the contents of all 24 drawerfuls of paper. In the process, I discovered a few more un-crinkly Kodai & very vintage Katazome papers that would have otherwise remained submerged under newer acquisitions.

In other Japanese art-related news, Alyson (my postal muse) sent Cat a few Japanese themed postage stamps. One of which Cat used in her teapot collage (seen above). This inspired me to comb through my worldwide postage binders to see what I might have to share with the students in this Bookful. I’m delighted to say, my reserves have allowed me to include three Japanese or Japanese-themed stamps with every kit. As Alyson is fond of saying, “No piece of paper is too small to have an impact.”

If you are considering joining us, we still have time to ship your kit(s). As always, Cat & I like to emphasize–especially if you are a Bookful newcomer, that truly no drawing, painting, collaging or bookbinding experience is necessary. The pace is serene, dare we even say Zen, and the camaraderie is harmonious. (Plus you will have complete videos to watch and rewatch—all 12 hours-ful!)

Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations

From Arigatou to Zen, Bari

BuZzeS: At last, April arrivals, no foolin’!

Dear Everyone ~

Yesterday, our eagerly anticipated first delivery of cards from British publisher (and artist) James Ellis arrived. We’ve brought in a binder’s dozen of designs by several artists James represents—a global mix of talent. We are proud to be the first U.S. stockist of James’s Paintworks line. We hasten to say that everyone depicted in these lovely scenes—including birds of all feathers—seems extremely content to be there.

Although I’d never refer to my sister-in-law in the U.K. as a bird, I do want to tell you that it is thanks to Elaine that I discovered James several trips ago. Elaine is a prolific correspondent with an admirable knack for matching the card to the recipient. In the 30-some years I’ve known her, she has never missed my birthday, Zak’s birthday, or our anniversary. She often embellishes the envelope flap or illuminates an initial. Elaine also introduced me to the Pencil Shaving line of cards we’ve stocked continuously since opening ten years ago.

As you might imagine, when we’re together, we tend to motor about, on the lookout for likely places to search for cards. Elaine can often point out where she had found a particular card she’s sent me. I love having this visual sense of provenance. On our last visit, Elaine invited me to peek in her address book, which she refers to as a diary. Every page contains decades worth of handwritten names, addresses, birthdays & etc. What a treasure.

If you’re feeling arty: For those of you who enjoy illustrating your own cards, we’ve restocked Hahnemühle’s watercolour postcard pads in a lovely landscape format: 4⅛ x 8¼. (Perfectly proportioned for a DL envelope.) The luscious (250g!) stock has the same inviting linen-y texture as the smaller counterpart (4⅛ x 5¾) pad.

If you’re feeling chatty: We are now stocking Tschechisch 100% cotton papers from the Czech Republic. The A4 letter sheets (8¼ x 11¾) have deckled edges on all four sides, and the texture is a dream to write on with all manner of medium, especially a fountain pen. The C6 envelopes (4½ x 6⅜) have a square flap, with a deckle on the throat as well (très décolletage). The A4 sheet fits neatly inside by folding it in quarters, traditionally referred to as a French fold.

 What missive isn’t enhanced by a snip or swish or swash of washi?! We’ve just received an awesome octet of new patterns in a range of widths and motifs from four of our favourite washi wizards: Mina Perhon, Lisa Larson, Ottaipnu, and Hana R.

BuZzeS: Announcing Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations

Dear Everyone ~

Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations is my sixteenth Bookful collaboration with artist, author & dear friend Cat Bennett. Our four-session workshop via Zoom will begin on Saturday, May 3. As we are Zooming, spring will be blooming & tea will be brewing!

Cat shares this encouragement whilst reminiscing about her early drawing practice …
 
“Many years ago, when I began working as an illustrator, I turned over and over again to Japanese art for inspiration. There was so much clarity in the art, such beautiful color and line. Even humor! I tried to do what Japanese artists like Hokusai did but my work looked wobbly in comparison. I soon learned it takes hours, even years, of practice to get strong ink lines and flat watercolor washes. Hokusai agreed! Still, Japanese art inspired me to work harder and to take some of its elements and incorporate them into my own work, however wobbly. We can never do what the Japanese artists did but I still like to borrow from them!”

 To record our explorations with style, students will make a set of three slim landscape-format Japanese-style books. They all measure 5" x 8" x ¼", each stitched with a different style of Japanese binding: Kangxi, Hemp Leaf, and Tortoise Shell. I personally find all three stitching styles mysteriously zen: when I finish one of these books, I’m totally in the rhythm and in the mood to make another. Students, however, tend to find these challenging at first, until they actually feel they “understand” the stitch. That is precisely why we will practice stitching on the templates that we make in the first workshop session.

Cat will begin workshop sessions #2, #3 & #4 with a curated slideshow of Japanese art inspirations. We’ll explore Japanese brush painting, ink line drawing, composition, color mixing, and collage as we create images that will make our books real treasures.

In Week 2 we’ll interpret haiku; in Week 3, we’ll make nature paintings—from gorgeous blossoms and plants to leaves and twigs! And in Week 4, we’ll illustrate a tea ceremony for our lives.

 The papers I’ve selected for this Bookful are vintage Japanese decorative sheets from the BZS archive. Each kit includes three styles of paper: Katazome, Kodai (uncrinkled), and Chiyogami. Five colours of waxed-linen thread wound on a piece of creamy white cardstock allow you to choose which colour best complements each of your covers. Your kit also includes tactile treats to inspire your musing & collaging: a 6" x 9" glassine full of vintage Japanese ledger and book pages & 20-ish assorted remnants from vintage cover papers. You may find yourself arranging your remnants into a celestial coverlet until you want to use them.

You may well know that I delight in mixing & matching colours and patterns. If a particular palette or combination of papers is whispering your name, please feel free to e me and I will do my best to accommodate your request. 

As a bonus and ode to our love of art supplies à la japonaise, we are offering a 20% discount on Sumi-e watercolour sets, Kuretake brush pens, Japanese glue sticks, and of course washi tape(!) for all Bookful sign-up’s (refunded after purchase).

As always, we like to emphasize, especially if you are a Bookful newcomer, that truly no drawing or bookbinding experience is necessary—all levels of artistic skill & interest are welcome. Our pace is slow & supportive, and the camaraderie is joyful. Plus, you will have four complete workshop videos (recorded in real time) to watch and rewatch at your leisure. We look forward to seeing you soonish via Zoom!

Bookful of Japanese Art Inspirations
 
Blooming & Zooming, Bari

BuZzeS: New season, new notebooks & other springy things

Dear Everyone ~

We are delighted to herald the arrival of a fresh crop of Season Paper notebooks from France. The covers are  serendipitously springy, with a built-in label in the upper right corner for inscribing or dedicating or titling. The beautiful ivory pages are delicately ruled. These truly are notebooks for all reasons: for dreaming, for doodling, for listing, for lounging.

Continuing the dreamy theme: Three freshly made (by me) buttonhole-stitch books have just made their way online. They are sweet & petite-ish, measuring 5" x 6" x 1⅜". Enchanting paper covers, one by artist Michelle Morin, and two by Kensington Paperie. The pages are Stonehenge—splendid for all manner of medium—with a deckle on the foredge. 

Also of note: Our favourite felines by Mary Feddon have returned. The pocket portfolio includes three each of two designs, Two Cats and Cat & Compass. Their companion envelopes (6) are crisp white, with a smooth finish.

Cambridge Imprint small labels (1¾" x 1¼") are back in stock. The set of 45 labels is presented in a glassine sleeve holding 1 sheet each of five fabulous palettes: Grade A Gray Shades, Sublime Maritime, Mixed Greens, Turkish Kitchen, and Valentinear. Let these labels inspire your addressing and titling. They will make you smile while you file every little thing!

And last but ne’er least: Last week we were down to our final few Hahnemühle Ultimate Palette pads. Fret not, as Ruby swiftly undertook counting, collating, and stacking luscious stripes of Hahnemühle hues for me to pad. After arriving at the studio this morning, I can confirm that the glued edges have cured, and the pristine pads are ready for your spring flinging.

BuZzeS: It’s the Pura palette parade!

Dear Everyone ~

Hold on to your hardcover hats! My first BZS workshop of 2025, Hardcover Accordion in a Boxy Portfolio via group Zoom, debuts Saturday, April 5. This workshop also showcases our newest selection of Italian patterned papers from Carta Pura. Bellissimi tutti! One enthusiastic student has ordered all three palettes, and four students have each ordered two palettes. It’s a palette-palooza!

Students will learn to make a pair of structures, a traditional accordion book with hardcovers (5" x 7" x ¾") and a ‘boxy’ portfolio with hardcovers (5¼" x 7¼" x 1") to present & protect the accordion. The portfolio is dressed up with three gusseted flaps lined with complementary Italian patterned papers from Carta Pura, and then finished with a vintage, limited-edition beribbonment.

Five international parcels sent out last week are now winging their way far & wide. A very tall stack of stateside parcels is ready to be scooped up by Will. 

Accordion to me, the accordion book is the most elegant, versatile & enticing of no-stitching, no-glueing, no-prior-experience-needed structures. The book that students will make in this workshop has five 5-page accordion panels, for a total of 36 serendipitous sides (38 if you include the front & back panels of the cover). The structure is uplifting (and upstanding!) as a book of collages, an album of photos, a multi-media travelogue, or a series of hand-folded envelopes for collecting whatever-have-you. And you can title your volume(s) via a slim recess on the spine!

I repeat with a smile: No previous bookbinding experience is necessary to enjoy the workshop and delight in your oeuvre. For the boxy portfolio, a little glueing experience is a plus but not essential. Our pace is focused but leisurely, with ample opportunity to ask questions whilst we work. As always, I will live record the workshop, and the full recording will be available to you later the same afternoon to watch and rewatch. The recording gives you optimal options: You can watch the workshop without actually making your structures… and then make them later. You can skip the workshop if you have a scheduling conflict. You can pause, or refresh, or even go get a snack if you are desperate. I’ll be there when you get back! 

If you have any questions now, please feel free to call or e me to discuss!

Hardcover Accordion in a Boxy Portfolio
 
Zooming toward spring, Bari