Bookcase Tour Tuesdayish - 2011 Japanese Nengajo Book

The day late but just arrived version of Bookcase Tour Tuesday.

A couple of months ago, I showed a Japanese Nengajo Sourcebook - a book that comes with a CD-ROM filled with designs to create New Year's postcards.  The lovely Melanie from Crafty Japan (with a name like Melanie, how could she not be lovely) was kind enough to pick me up a copy for 2011.

She did a great job at choosing one for me with a good mixture of traditional and cute.  One quick flip through the publication and you'll soon realise that 2011 must be the Year of the Rabbit.  There are so many cute bunnies adorning these pages.

I was really drawn to the gorgeous colours in some of the designs.

This phoenix is just spectacular!

With most of the main designs, it appears that you're given three options, one with just the picture, one with the basic greeting and one with a full greeting.

I'm tempted to just print this teapot and cup image and frame it.  It's stunning.

There are a number of papercut designs in this one too.

And the part of the book that I've always found really useful - the Japanese script.  My Japanese writing is awful, so even though every year I'd create my own design (usually a photo), I'd use the book to for the Japanese greeting.

You can read a little more about nengajo and Japanese New Year traditions here (though be prepared for the red background on the site).

ISBN:978-4-04-868873-4

Now I haven't checked with Mel yet, but if you'd like a copy, maybe if you ask her really nicely, she might be able to pick you up one on a special order...

Bookcase Tour Tuesday - Printing By Hand

I just love fabrics and paper that have been hand printed.  Like anything handmade, there is something magical about it.  It's as if there is still a breath, an essence of the artist's energy that's been infused into it.

This lovely lady was kind enough to lend me Printing By Hand by Lena Corwin a while back and I jumped at the chance when it was looking for a new home.

Before we look inside the pages, I have to show you one thing I really love about the book - the way it has been bound.  It's done with a spiral so the pages sit nice and flat while you're working on a project, and then it's in a hard cover so that spine is easy to read on the bookshelf and it stands up all nice and straight.  I really wish more craft books were bound this way.

The book is divided into four chapters.  

Chapter One, Getting Ready to Print, covers what to print on, designs, printing methods and inks.

Chapter Two, Stamping, uses custom rubber stamps, foam and carved rubber blocks.  There are two projects for each type.

This stationery is so sweet.  It would be a lovely way to get back into snail mailing.

And this Japanese inspired Furoshiki would be perfect for the upcoming gift giving season.  A lot less paper to be thrown out that's for sure.

She shows you a simple way to tie the wrap.  You can see a lot more wrapping ideas here. The instructions in the book are clear and beautifully photographed.

Chapter Three, Stenciling, shows you how to use freezer paper, contact paper and mylar to create your custom designs.

This chair cushion cover is really stylish...

... and I have some old furniture for the little one that I want to do up... something like this would be gorgeous for her room!

And if only the landlords would let me do something like this with our walls...

The last chapter is all about screen printing.  For its six projects it uses paper stencils, drawing fluid and screen filler and photographic emulsion.

For a while now I've been looking for a new doona cover but haven't found one I like.  I'm not ready to dive into quilting yet, so a project like this would be great.

While Lena guides you though and encourages you to create your own designs, she also very kindly provides patterns all neatly folded in an envelope adhered inside the back cover.

And let's just take a final look at that beautiful and practical binding...

Printing By Hand by Lena Corwin: ISBN978-1584796725

If you're wondering about the beautiful fabrics in the first photo, the red crane fabric is by Auntie Cookie and the blue clouds are by Red Reed Studio.

If the book has whet your appetite for something more and you're in Brisbane, both Thea and Sami and Red Reed Studios have great classes on offer.

Bookcase Tour Tuesday - Japanese Patterns

Japanese Patterns is the newest addition to my book collection.  So new in fact that it just arrived today.  And how much fun is it to get a new book and share it with some friends.

This book is another cd-rom sourcebook.  Other than outlining the permissions for use, the book doesn't contain any text.

From the looks of it, I believe that all the patterns contained in the book are from Ise Katagami paper stencils, or digitally enhanced versions of them.  Katagami were all hand cut by craftsmen and it's truly amazing how fine these works of art are!

In the larger blank areas you can see very thin lines creating a very open cross-hatch.  These were done with fine pieces of silk, or I believe, sometimes even human hair.

These stencils were then used to print kimono textiles. 

The motifs in this book are all very traditional.  There are a lot of cranes, carp, butterflies, fans and flowers.

I love this second plum blossom pattern.  It has quite a painted feel to it.

And I can just imagine the dramatic effect this wave and swallow pattern would have had on a kimono! 

Japanese Patterns ISBN 90 5768 020 3

You can also see a gorgeous gallery wall in Japan with lit up Katagami stencils here. 

Looking through my posts, I realised that I've never photographed my favourite stencil in my collection that The Man had framed for my birthday a few years back... I'll remedy that soon.

Bookcase Tour Tuesday - Kanzashi in Bloom

I remember when I first saw the book Kanzashi in Bloom by Diane Gilleland, it went straight on my wish list.  I had recently started playing with the art of fabric flower folding (say that quickly three times!).  The moment I sold some of my first ones, single brooches at the time, I quickly justified my need for this book. 

She begins the book by talking about the origins of the flowers found on Japanese Kanzashi hairpieces and showcases some of the stunning work by Kuniko Kanagawa.  

The instructions for all 20 projects are explained clearly and beautifully photographed.

I've been meaning to make some of these for the Christmas tree...

And these flowers would never wilt...

To be honest, if I was given a present wrapped like this, I'm not sure I'd want to open it...

The butterflies are just gorgeous.  I made one and framed it, which you can see here... 

And the hearts on the tea cosy are so sweet.  She includes the instructions to make the tea cosy as well...

The funny thing is, that I've been a big fan of Diane's for quite a while now, but always knew her as "Sister Diane" from Craftypod.  Her voice is often my companion while I work, I think I'm now working through her archive for the third time.  It was only in one such podcast that she was talking about Two Ways to Publish a Craft Book when she mentioned her own book that I realised she was also Diane Gilleland!

Kanzashi in Bloom ISBN 978-0-8230-8481-4

If you're interested in Kazashi, you can see a few of my own Kanzashi pieces here and some of my original inspirations here.

Bookcase Tour Tuesday - Japanese Sashiko Inspirations

"'Traditional' Japanese sashiko conjures up images of white running stitches on indigo, often in intricate traditional patterns."  While Susan Briscoe's book Japanese Sashiko Inspirations uses traditional techniques and designs, the 25 projects she presents have a bit more of a modern feel to them.

 

She does however begin the book by briefly talking about the history of the craft and the way it has developed and changed through time...

The next chapter, "Getting Started" is the one I really need, it explains the equipment and materials needed, talks about transferring the designs onto the fabric and goes into the stitching technique.  The photos and instructions are clear and easy to follow.

One concept that I really like in this book, is that for each main project it gives a "Technique Taster" - a way to play with the stitches before jumping in with a larger piece of work.

The circular "marumon" designs are some of my favourite...

And at the end of each project she shows where the inspiration for the work has come from.

The "Sensu Tablemat" is really pretty, but I could never imagine using it as a placemat... I'd spill something on it for sure... It could look really pretty hanging somewhere I think...

Throughout the book there are quite a few designs to play with...

These greeting cards are just lovely!  It's something that I would frame if I was ever given one...

The author, Susan Briscoe, is a quilter so at the end of the book we are treated to delicious eye candy of some of her gorgeous, much more ambitious work.

Japanese Sashiko Inspirations: ISBN-13: 978-07153-2641-1

And for any Brisbane locals that are interested, I have heard whisperings that Susan Briscoe is coming our way in early 2011 to teach workshops... I'll keep you up to date if I hear anything.

***Update - Susan was kind enough to leave a comment to say that she'll be here in March 2011 - mark your calendars! ***

Lastly, I couldn't finish this post without telling you where my own sashiko inspirations came from.  While I was living in Japan and was seeing beautiful work around me, it was actually Sharon of Handmaiden fame that inspired and encouraged me to give it a go.  While my fabrics, threads, samplers and patterns are still waiting to be taken out and used, I look forward to playing with them one day.  You can see some of Sharon's beautiful work and tutorials here.