'Twas the week before Christmas…

Dear Everyone ~

Yesterday morning, I bundled (myself) and trundled (10 parcels) to shipping points in the neighborhood, or I could say sleighborhood! Eight went to my Post Office on Montrose & Damen, one box to UPS, and one highly tissued box to FedEx, containing a many-months-in-the-making commission for a customer in Arizona. I'm thrilled it’s on its way! So for a few moments, I had shipped every everything!

A handful of orders are at the ready for curbside pick-up, and several orders continue to trickle in for shipping. They may well reach their recipients by this Friday! Myself & the postal elves will do our merry best!

This week, the shop will be open for appointments and masked serendipity today, Tuesday, Dec. 21, through Thursday, Dec. 23, from noon–5pm, and Friday, Dec. 24 from noon–3pm.

Next week the shop will open from Tuesday, Dec. 28 to Thursday, Dec. 30, from noon–5pm.

As of Friday, Dec. 31, I will take a two-week holiday from Bari Zaki Studio for rest & relaxation, which of course includes playing with paper. One of my favourite pastimes is painting papers for cut-paper collaging. It is a process that I first learned from Cat Bennett, and I find it endlessly soothing & satisfying. I also plan to walk along the lakefront and to catch up on my correspondence.

Speaking of correspondence leads me to stamps. Stay tuned to see the first new stamp of 2022! It is too-too exciting, at least to me.

Wishing everyone a lovely & delicious holiday, Bari

Every Cambridge Imprint product is a star

Dear Everyone ~

Our new Cambridge Imprint order came in with festive anticipation aplenty from me. And decanting the three parcels exceeded my expectations on the delight & delirium scale. I was momentarily surrounded by Cambridge Imprint papers! I elaborate below, for your shopping pleasure. Read on!

First, a quartet of notebooks with unruled pages, with four colourful cover choices: Ugizawa Blackberry, Cupboard Pink, Persephone Cornflower, and Selvedge Mustard. The notebooks are staple-bound, and the pages are very smooth ivory. Suitable for all manner of media in your manor or on the go or as a gift. And, yes, all four look fabulous as a set, should you be on an organizational binge.

And, should you wish to label your new Cambridge Imprint notebook(s), we have just the thing: new-to-us petite labels on a sheetlet. The labels measure 1⅜ x ⅜, so they are best suited for a single-line name or title. Charmola on a file folder, or a recipe-card index, or a gift tag. Yes, you could also array them with abandon on a wrapped gift.

Also new in the label department are medium address labels, measuring 1⅞ x 1⅛. Again, great on a notebook, tasty on a jar of preserves, &c ad delirium. These come on a big sheet, featuring seven lovely colours, each with three different borders.

Last but not less, we’ve replenished the ultimate seasonal staple: Special Starry Papers, in their wonderful box. If you had put yourself on the waiting list, I’ve already reached out to you. And, if you hadn’t reserved a box, may I suggest you place your order sooner than later—not only while supplies last, but also while sleighs are available to speed your parcel to you. Ah, and we’ve also replenished our stock of small Cambridge Imprint labels. To summarize: We currently have four (4) sizes of Cambridge Imprint labels on hand. You could be liable to go label crazy!

’Tis the season for holiday hours.
The shop will be open this Sunday, Dec. 19, from noon–5pm for appointments and masked serendipity. Next week, we will be open Tuesday to Thursday from noon–5pm, and on Friday, Dec. 24, we will close at 3pm. Feel free to call or e me if you have a last-ish minute gift-wrapping or stocking-stuffing caper.

Multi-marvy Labels
Notebooks
Special Starry Papers

In the wrapping whirlwind, Bari

New cards by Janet Bouldin: the cozy, the fresh, and the lovely

Dear Everyone ~

Janet Bouldin is, in a wonderful sense, our house illustrator. This past summer, her long-time appreciation of Bari Zaki Studio blossomed into her Glimpses & Whimsies of Bari Zaki Studio series of postcards. Earlier in the year, she illustrated the “chic sheaf” of instructions for our More Art of the Hand-folded Envelope Kit, which debuted on Valentine’s Day. Last year, on Christmas Eve to be exact, we presented Janet’s set of Tableaux postcards (alongside Cat Bennett’s letterpressed Botanical Silhouettes notecards).

A big believer that busy hands are happy hands, Janet has now created two freshly printed sets of postcards, which we’ve named Trio of Bouquets and Daily Domesticity. The A-6 cards are printed on Mohawk Superfine, paired with Rivoli vanilla envelopes with their beautiful deep pointed flap and rounded bottom tip. A truly tasty combination, in the mail, atop a package, at the table, or on the pillow.

For Glimpses & Whimsies, Janet illustrated some of her favourite items from our shop. We asked her about objets and scenes in her new series, and are delighted to share with you her responses.

For Trio of Bouquets: “I always draw from my own things, or from my surroundings. I don’t draw from my imagination or from photos, generally. The flowers are from my yard, and the vases are mine, though I do sometimes change their colour. The purple vase, for example, is actually blue and white.”


For Daily Domesticity: “The pens, the wellies, the coffee cup are all mine. I originally put the boots and the cup together to amuse my Swedish cousin. The stove is my friend Gene’s, out in Marblehead, Mass. I’ve sat in his kitchen many, many times. The kettle is his, and the towels are two that I’ve given him. I’m often most inspired by the small, homey stories in my sight line.”

* * * * *

I love knowing the backstory of these images. Somehow, it makes them feel more intimate. Even if you don’t have the pleasure of knowing Janet, I hope you enjoy her watercolour cards!

Trio of Bouquets
Daily Domesticity

Charmed, Bari

The joys of wrapping, unwrapping, and scrapping

Dear Everyone ~

Wrapping, as Everyone knows, is something I very much enjoy. Unwrapping is also something I very much enjoy. My Postal Muse and I refer to slowly unwrapping the contents of parcels as decanting. This season, I have photo-documented some noteworthy orders in “tree formation,” and am pleased to present the forest for your enjoyment and inspiration.

Susan in Nevada is a longtime Bari Zaki Studio enthusiast. As it happened, she was visiting Chicago the summer I opened, and we met in person one steamy afternoon. She has continued to visit once a year… until the arrival of the pandemic. She recently placed a luscious order, which I arranged into a tree formation, simply for the pleasure of doing so. I asked Susan for whom the items were destined, and was “gifted” with her reply:

“ I am happy to report that the Kaweco pens and ink will be going to my writer’s group in Northern Nevada. I started the writers group in 2010 - women who write; we call our group “Get Writing” which is also code for Goddess Writers. We meet weekly to help each other edit and workshop our writing projects. Some of us write fiction, some write poetry, and some memoir. One of the writers studied with Kurt Vonnegut, one was an editor and censor for CBS, one is a rancher, and most of us met while attending Ash Canyon Poets (a weekly poetry group that met every week for over 25 years in Carson City, NV). The fabulous washi tape will go to an assortment of friends who journal and embellish with washi. ” – Hugs from over here, Susan

Louise in Madison ordered eleven collapsible pencil cups the other morning, almost causing me to collapse! Here they are in all their natural beauty, and there they are wrapped in crisp white tissue. Again, I couldn’t resist sprucing. I asked Louise what she was planning on doing with her quantity of cups, and she replied:

“ I want to give our staff in the history department a special holiday present, to thank them for being so great during a difficult year. These seemed such a great choice. And I love your website and your energy! ” – Louise

Carla from Virginia is a Bookful five-timer. She recently mailed me a tree de force in an envelope that delighted me, designating me as “Paper Luminary.” Swoon. Here are her envelope and her tree. Carla had visited the shop this past summer when she was in town, which was lovely. (We also mentioned her in our Thanksgiving post.) Her tree is not only charming, it is also the acme, or maybe the zenith, of scrap-happiness, fashioned from Cambridge Imprint triangles left over from folding & trimming stars. O, you’re curious as to her note? It is a paragon of pithiness and warms my heart:

“ Thank you for all the creative inspiration this year! ” – Carla

* * * * *

It delights me to no end, and both ends, to receive emails and calls with special wrapping requests! Crisp white tissue and washi tape are at the ready, and I’m happy to pen a note bearing your greeting on a Glimpses & Whimsies of Bari Zaki Studio postcard.

12 ways of papery happiness

Dear Everyone ~

’Tis the season for the making of cards, the wrapping of packages, the recharging of creativity, the stuffing of stockings...and the celebrating of paper and its infinite delights. Speaking of stocking, we have restocked several favourites and brought in a few new items. Read on, dapper wrappers and jaunty jotters!

1 – For wrapping: The beribbonment elves are assembling more ribbon bags, absolutely as sumptuous, silky, satiny & supple as ever. And our reorder of Cambridge Imprint Special Starry Papers is en route.

2 – For listing: A fresh supply of Heavenly Hahnemühle Housemade Pads are at the ready, eager to be of service and brick-solid to gift wrap.

3 – For corresponding: The season’s Dressiest Bundle of Stationery Joy is wrapped in crinkly non-Kodai Kikkō (tortoise shell) pattern, beribboned with Japanese sheer gold organza. The semi-vintage Kikkō sheet (14 x 20) is truly luxe and a paragon of wrapping virtuosity.

4 – For penning: Our array of Le Pen colours (22 beaucoup) has just been expanded to 25, with the arrival of: Light Mauve, Magenta, and Yellow Ochre.

5 – For gift-tagging: Bundlissimi include a range of paper weights, colours & textures, to complement any package. Waxed linen thread, available on handy 10-yard laundry pins in 30-plus shades, is a bookish way to tie on a tag. Washi tape can add a decorative border to the tag in addition to affixing the tag to the package.

6 – For sketching, doodling & drawing: Kunst +Papier sketchbooks are back in stock in their full complement of sizes and spine colours. I continue to use mine for all manner of media, and the pages take to them beautifully.

7 – For watercolouring: Hahnemühle and Kunst +Papier watercolour notebooks both offer heavy (200 gsm) snow-white pages. We have also brought in a new colour of Hahnemühle pages, a light kraft that we could call toast.

8 – For bobbling/baubling: Cambridge Imprint Garland of Bobbles provides a brilliant way to make placecards or party favors, or to slyly enclose a tiny gift. The patterns and colour ways are mixy-matchy, natchy.

9 – For collaging: A fresh supply of Extremely Exquisite Scraps are now in stock for collaging holiday cards, enclosing just-because, and even punching fancy confetti to grace your table.

10 – For cherishing: Several new books made by me are already in the shop, and they will be joined by a few friends in weeks to come.

11 – For noting: The Marvelous Margin Notebooks are fully stocked, including a new-to-us larger companion size (6 x 8). The spine colours (red, yellow, blue) provide a primary way to select the pattern on the pages within: plain, gridded, ruled.

12 – For affixing: Festive little Coccoina gluesticks offer a whiff of maraschino cherries while you work. And we’ve brought in a tower, a bower, a wonderland of new-to-us and old-favourite washi tapes. See Washi of the Season. Tip to the hip: Test your washi on your wrap to make sure it adheres. Some textured papers, notably Japanese, “rebuff” the tape (in which case, consider glue-sticking a postage stamp instead!).

’Tis three mailing weeks until Christmas. The Postal Service sleighs are already laden with holiday mail, so we suggest you place your order(s) at your earliest inspiration to avoid anxiety. If I can help you make decisions or plan your parcelizing, please feel encouraged to call or email. Myself or an elf will be at the ready!

Merry yet mezzo-mellow, Bari

A Binder’s Dozen of gratitude

Dear Everyone ~

For Bari Zaki Studio, 2021 was a year of memorable moments. Scheduling in-store shopping interludes certainly led to some momentous encounters, both with long-time local loyalists and with a couple of new friends. And, thanks to technology, some of my memorable moments were virtual. I am so grateful for so many people’s enthusiasm and appreciation and encouragement and sharing of the Bari Zaki Studio ethos. And, of course and always, for the real mail some of you have sent! Herewith my recounting of highlights & delights.

I will start with: Will, the most dependable & thoughtful mail carrier imaginable. He comes to my door whether he has mail for me or not, always to say hello, and to see if I have any “outgoing”. Last week, I began preparing two large envelopes to send off. One was to my dear friend & postal muse Alyson Kuhn. It contained a pane of 100 1¢ Chicago Century of Progress stamps, and a bonus of four 3¢ “modern” Chicago stamps, which I was gifting to her for some minor mailing emergency. I entrusted the envelope to Will when he came by...but then, later that afternoon, I suddenly realized that I had accidentally addressed it to the other person for whom I was assembling mail. I immediately began typing an email to that recipient, trying to explain that she would be receiving someone else’s contents, and that I needed her to send them back, and that I would double her order of Exquisite Scraps as a token of apology. I hadn’t had a chance to finish that email when I needed to head home, but planned to send it that evening. But, on my way home, just two blocks away from the studio, I spied a large postal truck. Hmmmmm, could that possibly, miraculously be Will? And it was! I pulled over and inquired, Hi, by any chance is that big brown envelope I gave you earlier still on the truck? And he says, It sure is! Phew beaucoup!

Skipping to the Southeast: I was thrilled when Frances Reed introduced the idea of a “private group workshop at home.” Back in the Spring, she had given her son David Introduction to Bookbinding as a birthday gift. Then, in September, she decided to host a family salon for Introduction to Gluing Happiness. David was there, as was his older brother William, and William’s ladyfriend Zelda, and Aunt Janice, and intrepid family friend Beth. Refreshments were artfully melded with everyone’s decanted kit of materials, and Jimmy, a very sleek black cat, invited himself to patrol the proceedings. For the frosting on the proverbial cake, Frances wrote an entertaining report of the salon, which we featured here.

Back in Chicago: Tammy Stams (such a euphonious name, almost an endearment!) is my co-so-many-things. She co-teaches behind the scenes when I’m developing group zooms, suggesting ways to describe steps as I demonstrate them. Early on, I introduced her as my co-stitcher, because when I was teaching myself a new binding stitch, she would read the directions out loud to me in real time. She would read, I would stitch. Tammy is an accomplished knitter but not a bookbinder. Between the two of us, we could understand the directions. She has also remained my studio/shop assistant these past two years, now remotely from her home, which we refer to as BZS North. She winds, she glues, she bags, she ensconces. Without Tammy, I would be in such a jammy—or basicially in a bind.

Sidney, British Columbia: Lorraine Douglas lives in the wilds of B.C. She is a Bookful five-timer, meaning that she has completed all of the four-part workshops I’ve co-taught with artist Cat Bennett. Lorraine has also taken a couple of my own group zooms including Trio of Envelope Techniques. Barely 24 hours thereafter, she sent me a fabulous photo showcasing an entire handful of envelope-cases she had made après-workshop! I did ask what she was planning to do with all the cases, and she is gifting them for the holidays, to her fellow Postcardians—which is the term Lorraine & her correspondence coterie decided upon for themselves. She added, “It is so nice to work with such beautiful materials and make things that look so smart…” Lorraine’s comment went smart to my heart!

On California’s Central Coast: Cheryl Maruyama arranged a private Introduction to Boxmaking, her first BZS workshop. Quite soonish, she asked if she could purchase six (vi) additional boxmaking kits! She sent me photos of her finished boxes...and then ordered five (v) more kits! She has made boxes for family & friends. She emailed, “All your beautiful creativity and papers make these gifts so special.” I am smiling from ear to ear, and from lid to tray.

Up in Boston: Cat Bennett first came into my life in 2016 when I took one of her online workshops from Sonheim Creative. The gentle and loving way she taught encouraged me to draw freely, uninhibited and joyfully. I found comfort in my own style of drawing and felt instantly liberated. To my delight, a year later, I discovered that Cat and I had some Boston friends in common. I sent word to her directly to see if we could meet while I was there visiting. And from there our beautiful kindred friendship bloomed. Cat has since flown to Chicago several times to teach a weekend full of in-studio painting and drawing workshops to an overflowing audience at Bari Zaki Studio. In 2020, we conceived and debuted our Bookful series of workshops, combining both of our teachings. Cat & I continue to be so energized and amazed by the creative zeal of our students who have taken four or five of our Bookful series. We could not, would not, do them without you. And we cherish your emails of appreciation!

In the Other Cambridge: Cambridge Imprint has been a star, a stellar seller, of 2021. The patterns! The colours! The mix-and-matchiness! The charmola keepsake boxes! The splendid videos for those wishing (on an origami star) for a few folding tips! Our Cambridge Imprint love will carry into 2022, with the Origami Heart Bunting Kit. O my stars, we almost forgot to mention the Cambridge Imprint envelopes...and labels!

Right on Lincoln Avenue: It has been a thrill to welcome out-of-town customers to Bari Zaki Studio for visits & shopping. My toastiest warmth to those who drove or detoured in my direction: Michiganders Lynn Williams and Jossette Lory, Atlantan David Goldwasser Reed, Virginian Carla Jacobs, Missourian Joyce Briscoe, and Jennifer James from Northampton, Mass. It’s also been exciting to have people who follow me on Instagram get in touch and ask if they can come visit.

Closest to home: My lovely husband Zak remains my biggest & longest running enthusiast, dating all the way back to the last millennium, when I took my first eight-week bookbinding workshop at Artist Bookworks. Zak’s encouragement kept me on my then-new path. That was half my lifetime ago! Today, Zak is at the ready for all manner of studio tasks, from helping me construct twenty drop-spine boxes, to sweeping leaves from the entrance and decorating the windows with holiday lights. Not to mention continuous trips to the Post Office bearing international parcels.

From the Continent: Gabriele Buemberger from Innsbruck, Austria, has now completed seven workshops, including two Bookfuls. All but one of her kits of materials arrived within two weeks, which is a mailing marvel. It is sunset or dusk for her when she joins our zooms on Saturday morning in the Midwest! She has sent me a vignette of her collected workshop oeuvres with a lovely message: “You are inspiring and supportive and always willing to answer questions. And your choice of materials is simply beyond words. There is also the love with which you package all those goodies.” Gabriele is retiring from her day job at the end of this year, and is already gearing up to take Mighty Fine Nine Signature Spine in 2022!

From the Pacific Northwest: In 2017, Carla & Steve Sonheim, the incredible innovators of Sonheim Creative, invited me to Seattle to film an online bookbinding workshop. The experience was exhilarating, to say the least, and I was thrilled with how the recorded workshop came to life. Four years later, Buttonhole-stitch Journal remains prominently listed alongside workshops led by many talented artist-teachers. It continues to connect me with bookbinding enthusiasts all over the globe, from Norway to Australia. And in 2020, I had the great pleasure of welcoming Carla & Steve to Bari Zaki Studio. They were on a whirlwind tour, making micro-videos for Carla’s year-long class, Words & Pictures. Carla paired Cat Bennett and me for a Loopy Link-stitch/drawing exercise combo. I felt honoured to be in such accomplished artistic company!

On the Left Coast, but close to my heart: Alyson Kuhn, my postal muse. Who I now refer to as my everything muse. We met 26 years ago when she lived in Chicago for a year. From the moment we met, my paper world and everything connected has improved immensely. She is an intrinsic part of the BZS experience. At the beginning of this year, Alyson and her co-author completed their book “I hear you: Talking and listening to people with Alzheimer’s”, and I interviewed her here.

Last, but not at all least: My heart overflows at the abundance of email, calls, postcards and missives I have received with descriptions of bookbinding joy, accomplishment, happiness, and wrapping (and unwrapping!) rapture.

My thanks to Everyone!

Wishing you all a peaceful, delicious, and safe Thanksgiving. May you bask (or baste!) in the connections that matter most to you.

~ Bari ~

At the starting gate for Studio Sale 2021

Dear Everyone ~

Studio Sale 2021 is virtually upon us. The overflowing Studio Sale page will go live this evening at 8 pm Chicago time. The opening two hours of last year’s sale saw a stellar & steady cavalcade of orders, and when I awoke on Saturday morning, much shopping had continued overnight. I’m not trying to start a paper panic, but want to remind everyone that: Quantities are limited on basically everything—except our good humour. We anticipate that the early bird will catch the slinky ribbons and the fancy French scraps.

Books abound: Blank books by BZ, of course. Also a lovely selection of commercially bound books, most of which open flat and have smooth paper pages, some lined, some plain. And a single (Yes, you could say unique!) long-stitch-link-stitch book in a complementary envelope case, both made by BZ.

The Scrumptious Scrap Department has been working zealously. See freshly beribboned bundles of luscious Saint-Armand off-cuts in a range of colours. Each bundle will present at least twenty pieces, ranging in size from 2 x 3 to 5 x 7. Hand-torn edges or original deckles everywhere! And, of course, a profusion of ribbon bags, most chromatically curated. If you need a particular palette, let us know and we will do our very best. Nota deliriosa: Every ribbon bag contains a little prize, a Cambridge Imprint origami bobble/bauble with a useful bonbon inside.

If you’re thinking about ink, you’ll be in the pink: J.Herbin fountain pen inks, lovely to use for calligraphy, and drawing. Cakes of sumi-e ink in their white “ceramic pans.”

For correspondents: You’ll find some notecards on sale, and some hand-bordered 100% cotton correspondence cards & a few deluxe desk xoxcessories.

The Studio Sale will continue through Saturday, December 4. Orders will ship promptly, and afternoon curbside pick-up will be available Tuesday–Saturday (noon to 5pm). We wish you comfy shopping & creative inspiration!

2021 Studio Sale

At the ready, Bari

Pleasures & fun for Studio Sale 2021

Dear Everyone ~

Our second annual virtual Studio Sale is virtually upon us. The Studio Sale page will go live next Friday evening (November 19) at 8pm Chicago time. A fresh preview page is already available as an appetizer, only for window-dressing and obsessing.

As inevitably, beautiful blank books will be bountiful, mostly made by me in a wide range of binding styles and paper coverings. Notably: a unique case-bound book covered in a March Serizawa calendar page, a triple-row loopy-link stitch with a Saint-Armand paper cover, two travel journals with airy kraft envelopes stitched inbetween every page, Japanese-style bindings, and a small handful of petite books with a shimmery soft-cover and parchment paper pages. Looky at every booky—but don’t drowse while you browse, or someone is likely to scoop you.

Japanese ceramic dishes holding a cake of Sumi-e watercolour. Some colours are more opaque than others, all are lovely for calligraphy, watercolour & drawing with a brush. The gold is very luxe; the silver is shimmery.

A lone long-stitch-link-stitch blank book with Saint-Armand cover & Stonehenge pages. Stitched with waxed-linen thread and enveloped in a handmade case of Saint-Armand, with string & button closure. Even better than a sweater set.

Desk xoxcessories include four sizes of caddy, all covered in Japanese papers. Provide your jotting sheets and elegant pencils with proper homes, and you’ll always be able to find them.

This year’s ribbon bags each include a little prize: A Cambridge Imprint origami ornament (You say bobble. We say bauble!) folded with a surprise inside! We will go to great lengths to make sure that everyone who wants a bag, gets one.

Quantities are limited on basically everything, including fresh Saint-Armand bundles of luscious useable-sized cut-offs beribboned in Italian cotton. And selected books on calligraphy, drawing and bookbinding. And a pair of handmade pencil case roll-ups. And we rest our case!

The Studio Sale will continue through December 4. Orders will ship promptly, and curbside pick-up will be available Tuesday–Saturday afternoon.

2021 Annual Studio Sale

At the ready, Bari

Everything’s coming up… Cambridge

Dear Everyone ~

Special Starry Papers by Cambridge Imprint are the newest stellar addition to the Bari Zaki Studio repertoire of fine papers. A veritable constellation of creative paper potential: 2 sheets each of 12 starry patterns in a keepsake box. The sheets measure 12 x 16, large enough to cover a book, make an origami box, hand fold envelopes & wrap holiday gifts to your heart’s content! The paper’s finish is vellumy smooth and feels lovely in your hands while you are folding, wrapping, binding, or merely musing. You can even line a drawer, deck a hall, and entertain all manner of embellishments to your manor.

One of the first things I wanted to make with a starry pattern was a buttonhole-stitch book. It took me a few moments to settle on a pattern for the cover, and then I spent awhile humming & hawing about my favourite colour of waxed-linen thread with which to stitch. It was a toss up between Country Red & Victorian Rose—they both looked splendid! This is an aspect of the process of making a book that I find endlessly satisfying.

Then, I became enveloped in hand folding YKWs. The first size I folded was an A7 (which can hold an oversized postcard) with the pattern on the outside. Then I decided to fold an A6 (which can hold a standard size postcard) with the pattern on the inside, to nest inside the larger envelope. Envelope happiness ensued as I continued to fold three increasingly diminutive envelopes, all the while alternating the pattern from the outside to the inside. A full starry sheet can also make a grand presentation envelope of dazzling dimensions.

It’s heavenly that the box includes two of each pattern so you can mix & match & share! BWTMD (But wait, there’s more delight): The patterns pair perfectly with the Cambridge petite labels, on an envelope, a gift-tag, or a placecard. In the photo below I attached the petite label to a piece of Stonehenge drawing paper, cut a tiny hole, scalloped the corners, wove a piece of embroidery thread, and tied it onto the beribbonment. Charmolà!

In related good news, Cambridge Imprint’s box of Garland of Bobbles has arrived. These origami baubles, gems of ornamentation, fold like a charm. And replenished, in plenty o’ time for the holidays, are both Cloud of Butterflies and Garland of 36 Stars. Speaking of seasonal bounty, Alain Glee’s wondrous washi tape with 22 delicious motifs is too juicy to pass up. This long-standing shop favourite is newly in my online shop.

Bountiful Bookful of Personal Patterns

Dear Everyone ~

Creating patterns & making marks is a lovely way to sit and draw without the pressure of What do I draw? It’s calming, it’s meditative, it’s a gradual warm-up to watercolour and paper. I continue to find drawing with a brush both liberating and soothing. The brush is a very versatile tool, allowing for playfulness and endless exploration with colour and medium. Often, such pieces and patterns become integrated into—and even the centerpiece of—the composition itself. Despite not being 3-D, they are decorative, doodly, and bearers of delight.

Bountiful Bookful of Personal Patterns is my fifth Bookful collaboration with artist, author & dear friend Cat Bennett, and it will debut in less than two weeks on Saturday, October 30! (And wrap up the weekend before Thanksgiving.)

The Bookful workshops began a little over a year ago, and some students have attended two or three series, and 10-ish students have taken all four series! This calls for a bountiful bit of appreciation! We will be offering our “all-Bookish all-stars” (meaning the students who’ve taken all four series with us) a 15% discount on the upcoming series.

The book structure you will make is a classic accordion book with two separate hard covers. The papers I’ve chosen for the covers are by Cambridge Imprint, and the kit of materials is doubly-deluxe, because it includes the materials to make two books, one in Workshop #1 and one later on your own. So, you will receive two pairs of patterned papers, two sets of book boards for your covers, two rolls (3 pieces 6 x 43") of Stonehenge drawing papers, and 10 hinging strips (extra 6 for good measure). Recently, so many students have requested extra kits that I have decided to expand the workshop kit.

The Bookful workshops have become a haven of calm and creativity for students in many time zones. If you are outside the US, I will ship your materials this Wednesday, October 20, but cannot guarantee their timely arrival—in which case, you will have the pleasure of everyone’s company during Workshop #1, and the video to guide you in making your book in time for Workshop #2.

As always, Cat & I like to emphasize, especially if you are a newcomer, absolutely no drawing or bookbinding experience is necessary. The pace and camaraderie is quiet and comfortable. We look forward to seeing you via Zoom very soon!

Bountiful Bookful of Personal Patterns

Bookfully, Bari