A Passion For Handmade Books

Matt Paquette's Tip-In Page

2015-08-25T10:41:53-04:00

A little while back we had the privilege of doing a Client Appreciation job for designer Matt Paquette. Paquette designs marketing and promotional materials for The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro and decided to give them some personalized Moleskine notebooks as a thank you gift.
Matt designed the tip-in page, which we adhered to the notebooks and we liked the design so much we thought it'd be a great if we could showcase his design. Matt was kind enough to send us some process photos along with photos of the finalized books.

(photos via Matt Paquette)

Rice Paper Art

2015-08-20T17:02:33-04:00

Bovey Lee is a Los Angeles based artist who uses just one piece of Chinese rice paper to create her beautifully detailed pieces. Lee studied calligraphy in China and that skill transfers over into her handcut designs. The curves and swirl that are reminiscent of a calligrapher's penmanship can be seen in the way she connects all the elements in her Cut Paper pieces.

“My work is like drawing with a knife and is rooted in my study of Chinese calligraphy and pencil drawing. Cutting paper is a visceral reaction and natural response to my affection for immediacy, detail, and subtlety. The physical and mental demand from cutting is extreme and thrilling, slows me down and allows me to think clearly and decisively.”

Not Your Average Notebook

2015-08-19T15:41:33-04:00

Do you find your notebooks are full of ticket stubs, receipts and all sorts of pieces of paper that just end up getting shoved in between pages? If you're like me, then you absolutely understand this struggle. Thankfully the Glued Notebook from Be2ween has come up with a solution to this predicament, pages with remoistenable glue patterns.

The "remoistable glue patterns that let you easily attach photos, sketches, receipts, business cards, tickets, you name it. That means when you're traveling or on the go, you never have to think about tape or glue to document your trip or ideas."

"The remoistenable glue is water-based and non-toxic, comparable to the lickable glue on an envelope or stamp. Simply wet the glue and stick whatever paper you want to it."

(via Design-Milk)

Favorite Pocket Sized Notebooks

2015-08-13T16:26:59-04:00

As far back as I can remember I've carried a Moleskine notebook with me. Always the squared style (graph paper) and always the 'classic' Large size of 5" x 8.25". But as I started to become more mobile (and without a car) I became more conscious of things that I could fit in my bag. This lead to the purchase of my first Pocket Sized Moleskine. The convenient size of 3.5" x 5.5" was perfect and I was even able to fit it in the back pocket of my jeans! Since everyone has their own style and taste we decided to put together a list of our favorite small/pocket sized notebooks. Enjoy!

Slim Flexi:

Hand Sewn Pocket Journal:

Paperblanks Aloha Laulima Journal:

Paperblanks Mucha Papaver Journal, Micro:

Pocketo Color Pop Pocket Jotter:

Ziggy Junior Silver Metallic Leather Pocket Journal:

Journalino Pocket Leather Journal:

Rustic Everyday Journal Pocket Journal:

Paper-Oh Pocket Notebook:

Ogami Stone Notebooks:

Nature Notes Eco Journal:

It's Vinyl Record Day!

2015-08-12T11:20:37-04:00

In honor of Vinyl Record Day we've put together a list of all the notebooks that will help you keep track of those new vinyl purchases. We've also included some journals perfect for composing songs that those new record purchases have inspired.

Leuchtturm 1917 Slim Master Notebook Sheet Music:

Moleskine Large Music Notebook & Moleskine Pocket Music Notebook:

Moleskine Passions Music Journal:

Vintage Notebook Music:

One of a Kind Duke Ellington Handmade Leather Journal:

Ziggy Stardust Silver Metallic Leather Journal:

Paperblanks Amy Winehouse Tears Dry Journal:

Paperblanks Chopin Polonaise Leather Look Journal:

Mini Books

2015-08-11T10:45:21-04:00

From the classic Pocket Moleskine journal to the Small Ogami Stone Notebooks, we enjoy the portability of a small journal. But these three miniature books take "pocket-sized" to whole other level. They come from Bijou Book in Tokyo, Japan and were created by A. Hosino. Each of them comes in its own leather box, complete with gilt lettering and tooling.

Shadows as Illustrations

2015-08-06T10:44:24-04:00

When one thinks children's book, shadows aren't the fist thing that comes to mind, but in the case of Motion Silhouette they play a fundamental part to the book's playfulness. Created by Japanese designers and illustrators Megumi Kajiwara and Tathuhiko Nijima, shadows are what make this such an incredible book. Combining silhouettes and pop-up elements they have created a new way to illustrate. There's also an almost animated element within this book. Depending on where you hold the book or how you shine light on it, the silhouettes move across the pages.

The video below shows the process of how the book is created by hand:

This video shows the finished product, as light and shadows interact with the pop-up elements and illustrations.

Happy Birthday Mr. Hemingway!

2015-07-21T10:32:05-04:00

Ernest Hemingway was supposedly one of the first creative pioneers, along with Picasso and Van Gogh, to ever use a Moleskine Notebook (or at least a notebook that looked very similar to the classic black covered and elastic banded notebooks we call Moleskines today).

Whether this is truth or myth you can still look just as smart as these creatives with your own personal Moleskine Notebook.

Cynthia's One of a Kind Journal

2015-07-16T15:46:25-04:00

We love the journals that we make here. We also love seeing what people use them for and can create with them, almost as much as making them. Below are some photos of how our embosser Cynthia used her Jenni Bick Handmade One of a Kind Journal to create a beautifully personal and creative birthday gift for her daughter.

Cecilia Levy

2015-07-13T12:15:00-04:00

Cecilia Levy is an artist from Sweden who uses paper to create her works of art. From her artist statement:

"My working material - paper, mainly from old books - is fragile and perishable. I tear, cut and shred the pages and merge them together again using papier-mâché technique. The objects are not varnished or painted afterwards, I want the paper to be emphasized . The book is recreated in a way, but takes on a new form. The two-dimensional becomes three-dimensional. The process is slow and meditative."

"When working, my thoughts revolve around notions such as time, memory, transience, traces, resistance, adaptability. Nature is a great source of inspiration. Recycling and environmental aspects are important factors."