E is for Elser

Can you tell I'm on a calligraphy kick? After making an H for Henry, I sprang for an E for our living room.

Magnetized box

This one's a little smaller - fits in my hands. Don't know what it's going to be for yet. But MAN is it sexy when the magnets do their work and keep the lid closed!

Cowboy Longstitch Book

Here's another long stitch book variation with a western theme. This cover paper was at Washi Accents - a soft Washi paper that was tie-died. Interior patterned paper from The Paper Source and a gorgeous teal solid from Binders. Fly sheets from a vintage book about cowboys Mom gave me.

Vintage Blanket Stitch

Finished the long stitched vintage children's cloth book with a pocket in the back and a blanket stitch all around. Quite a labor of love and there's no way I could ever charge for the time it took to make this beauty. Ah well. At least I had fun making it. This book will be sold at the Bobbe Gillis Gallery Spring Sale on March 21st from 11 - 4.

Binders Has A Blog!

Hi Friends,

Binders Art Supply's business model is about building community and unlike any I've seen in the art supply industry. And I've been a shopper for a lonnnnng time. This community not only helps artists, but teachers and students and those who just want to feel good by walking through the doors and dipping their fingers in paint or clay or paper maché. Binders makes my teaching experience easier for me and easier for my students. It brings us all together under one roof and makes sure we are all on the same page. Their employees, managers and owners are THE nicest people.

The Binders Blog fits into the above-mentioned model, as it's an online resource for the spreading of great ideas, positive energy and warmth all around. So stop on by and comment if you like. It's a big, beautiful world out there.

Comparative Broad Edge Pen Width Chart

A helpful resource for calligraphers!

Color Theory

Most of you know that there are two things that get me out of bed in the morning: color and my sweet and milky morning coffee.
I was chatting with one of my new students at Binders the other night about color. She and I share the same palette and often look like we got dressed with the same wardrobe. She described her favorite color palette as the ones on the wheel that are next to each other. I'd never really managed to memorize the technical terms of color theory, so we looked it up and found that the term for this set of colors is called Analogous.

Here's a really helpful site that made it clear for me. I went looking around my house and discovered that I choose Analogous complimentary schemes quite frequently. Good thing to know about yourself. I think it says a lot about who you are, whether you're well in mind and body, etc.

For example, when I was a very new mother and sick from migraines, brown was the only color I could stand to look at. I was that drained and that sick. Now I'm back to all the brights and my truer self.

Atlanta Pen Show!

On March 21st & 22nd, the Atlanta Pen show will be here! Check out their details here.
This is where I find great deals on new old stock dip pen nibs and vintage leads. Inkwells, new and vintage pens and pencils - it's like Christmas for me. Hard to resist going. Yummy merchandise and the people are really fun to get to know. They love what they're selling. So do I!

Bookmaking Linkies

My new supply list with helpful live links. Enjoy and spend!

Most of these items can be purchased from Binders Art Supply in Buckhead, where I teach my bookmaking classes. At the bottom of this list are a number of other very helpful resources here in atlanta and online you should check out.

Bookmaking Supply list:
Binders
1. Lineco® medium-duty awl
2. Lineco® bookbinding needles (1 pkg.)
3. Lineco® Binding thread
4. Lineco® bone folder (sm or med)
5. Lineco® beeswax
6. Davy Board 1 sheet 30 x 41
7. Lineco® Neutral PH Adhesive (8 ounce bottle) or Sobo Glue
8. Lineco® methyl cellulose (little container of white powder)
9. Washi paper: decocrative Japanese paper (used as cover paper and here's an example of one pattern I'm fond of: Cherry Blossom) also helpful is a roll of Kozo white Sumi-E paper to back fabric when making book cloth or to add another layer of strength to existing paper)

10. Mechanical pencil (makes the most precise marks)
11. Scissors, exacto knife and blades
12. Binder clips (2 of each jumbo & large)
13. Triangle (any size you’re comfortable with)
14. Self-healing cutting mat (any size you like)
15. Flat Big Brush (stiff, cheap and springy!) (small or large: .5 to 1 inches wide)
16. Cork-backed metal ruler (any size you’re comfortable with)
17. 4 sheets of uniformly cut 8.5 x 11 foam core no larger than 15" (1/8 inch thickness) and one piece of scrap foam core
Grocery Store:
19. Roll of wax paper
20. Ziploc containers with lids: one of each 4 cup and 2 cup (in which to put your mixture of adhesive and methyl cellulose)
Hardware Store:
21. Sharpening stone and machine oil or lubricant (to be able to sharpen and reuse your dull exacto blades and sharpen your awl)
Office Supply Store:
22. Ream of 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 blank cotton paper: for pages of our books
Bring from home:
23. A magazine you won’t mind ripping up to use as “waste paper” when gluing.
24. Brick covered with paper (to weigh down your books as they dry flat)
Suggested books:
25. Non-Adhesive Binding \ Books Without Paste Or Glue by Keith A. Smith
26. Books, Boxes and Portfolios by Franz Zeier

27. Bookcraft by Heather Weston

28. Making Memory Books and Journals by Hand by Thunder Bay Press

29. Cover To Cover by Shereen LaPlantz

There are also a few other places I frequently raid to find bookmaking supplies here in Atlanta and online. Here's a helpful list of links:

30. Paper Ink Arts (search 'bookbinding')

31. John Neal Books (search 'bookbinding supplies')

32. Washi Accents (Local Atlanta store, previously known as Ichio, with a fabulous supply of imported Japanese papers. This lovely couple now sells out of their home in Buckhead, but you can order online as well.)

33. Nicholas Kniel Fine Ribbons & Embellishments (I use their amazing ribbon for tape-bound books. They're in Atlanta off of Roswell Rd.)

34. Paper Source (here in Atlanta with a terrific supply of imported papers and bookbinding supplies. Their Davy board is a little easier to cut, too.)

35. Dunwoody Needleworks (I buy their Crochet Cotton: Pearl Cotton balls in size 5 or 8 by DMC for stitching my books. A wonderful variety of 40 colors are available and when waxed, are quite strong. Also look nice when double stranded when you need more bulk or strength.)

36. Atlanta Vintage Books (Wonderful folks who are delightful to work with. Will help you find what you're looking for and let you browse at your leisure. I buy something I love and then cannibalize it to make more books and boxes.)

37. Talas (These folks are in NYC and carry the big guns when it comes to bookbinding, book repair and archival repair. I use them mostly for book cloth. Buy a little sample book to see what they carry. Wonderful stuff.)

38. Forsyth Fabrics (Right here in the ATL to make your own book cloth. Look at linen and cotton. Lovely stuff!)

And now, friends, I fear I have put you all in debt with all these juicy solutions for materials. I have more easy tips and material solutions - more than I can think of right now - so you'll need to take a class or workshop to help me pull them from my ever-shrinking left brain. Or is memory in the right? I can't remember. Ha.

H is for Henry.

Cut from Strathmore Kimono Red Texture Cover Paper. I get to meet Henry for the first time on Friday! weeee!

My Bunny Sees The Grey Rabbit

Here's a recent picture of Anton sitting under our japanese maple, petting our stone grey rabbit. There's a beautiful story behind this picture of pain and patience, of which Anton was the cure. That's what makes this picture so important to me. 

Three New Classes

Friends,

These are three new classes at Binders I'm teaching. 

The first is a 6-week Italic Calligraphy class from March 4th t0 April 18th on Wednesday nights from 6-8:30PM. 

Second is a 6-week Copperplate class from March 17th to April 21st on Tuesday nights from 6-8:30PM.

Thirdly is a 6-week Bookmaking class from April 1st - May 6th on Wednesday afternoons from 1-5PM. 

I am currently teaching an evening Copperplate class with 14 students! Sign up as soon as you can, to make sure there's room for you. 

For supply lists of these classes click the appropriate link below:

Bookmaking Supply List

Calligraphy Supply List

Chocolate Ink

This is how I spent my valentine's day. With chocolate ink and creme paper. Ahhhhh. 

Make Me!

Make this box and visit this amazing beelog and tell me your life has not changed - well at least your relationship with your hands and paper. And thank you to Sam for sharing da linkie.

Heart Stopper

What a cool idea~! Make one for yourself today. Super cool beelog. Damn, I love the internet.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Daddy's Glasses

Never looked this cute. 

Vintage map of Greece Coptic Book

A new sketchbook with a big blue A. Not for Athens, for Anne. Lined notebook paper that alternates with solid ivory stock as pages for me to fill up with calligraphy sketches. This book will be used for an apprenticeship with a hand engraver here in Atlanta who as graciously offered to train me. I am OH so excited and OH so happy and a little nervous. Wish me luck!

AnnePlate

Check out the first make-your-own-type experiment from YourFonts.com! Kinda rough and chewey but still fun. 

Magnetized Notepads

These are perfect bound notepads that are magnetized in the back to stay put on yer fridge! Covered with imported Washi paper from Washi Accents.

Foot Bath

Me. Art School. 1990. And those are another pair of Molly's earrings. 

Anne Elser Calligraphy

Check it out! I was featured among other talented Atlanta calligraphers on the Betsy White blog article called Calligraphy Week. Check out everyone's stylistic variations on the face and you'll get a good glimpse of the limitless possibilities when adapting your pen and ink to suit your style. 

Thanks to Gia for featuring my work!

Easter Book

This is a new tape bound book I'm creating. The covers are vintage Easter Egg dye kits wrapped over book board. Tapes are ribbon from the fabric store. I've got a healthy stack of these dye kits that should sell well for the Spring. Doing another book sale at the Bobbe Gillis Gallery this spring. Look for this book and more there! More info to come.

Put Your Nose In A Book

Pretty Amazing

I've yet to find the time to do this, but am dying to. Free and fun and all from your own hand.

Chilly Apples

The next time you see your apples shivering, put them in hand-knit cotton Apple Jackets! Thanks to Kara for sending me the link!

Long Stitch Fabric Book

This cover is flexible, made of vintage fabric cloth I bought from Atlanta Vintage Books. I am planning on putting a blanket stitch around the edges and sewing in a velcro closure for the flap.

Vehicle Vases

I'm sorry honey, but I think Anton really needs to have one of these.