Pandemonium of stickers

I’ve found a neat, new place for paper on the internet. Pendemonium caters to the fountain pen lover and hence they carry all kinds of stationery supplies; therefore, I love them. I bought a pack of their vintage drafting paper from the drafting company Dietzgen. It is some really great stuff. Plus, when my first package didn’t arrive, they swiftly sent me out a replacement. As an internet buyer, I appreciate their understanding and as an internet retailer, I know how frustrating it can be to have to rely on the honesty of your customers. They were very kind to me and I think everyone should know it.

The paper really is quite lovely, of all different weights and colors and designs. There are some triangle ones and monthly ones and math-I-don’t-understand ones. My envelope template just barely fits on the pages, but I don’t think I’ll make a lot of envelopes out of it. I think these papers will be better used as inner pages of books and as printed stationery.

On the design front, a couple of weeks ago I came up with some new mailing labels and some mailing stickers. I’m really happy with how the stickers came out. It was nice to do some graphic design work amidst all the sewing and gluing and cutting of my normal routine.

In other news, the envelope book that I wrote the tutorial for managed to snag me an honorable mention in the Sew Useful contest between Etsy and Instructables. Congratulations to all the winners and be sure to check out the other entries. There’s some really cool stuff on there.

1 down and 4,978,907,098,276,408 to go

I think I’m in love with book tape. It’s so useful and simple and I don’t get spray glue all over my fingers. When I went to Paper Source over the weekend to pick up more, they had a pack of tiny, blank address book blocks, and I just had to get them. I’m always looking for new ways to use my scraps and these small books work great. They are about the same size as a business card and I added a glassine envelope at the back which can actually hold business cards, making this a dual purpose book. It tickles all my fancies; it’s small, it’s convenient and it’s got multiple uses! Poppytalk even gave them a nod as her “Etsy Pick of the Day” which was great.

I feel like a bloggy star recently. Because of my participation in the Sampler, my name showed up over at the Naughty Secretary Club and at Enamor. Plus, a fellow Etsian did a little interview of me for their handmade finds section.

I’ve been a very busy bookmaker lately. I’ve gotten so many requests to purchase the envelope book that I’ve set up to make 3 more. I don’t want to make them out of just an old envelopes mind you; so finding worthy envelopes is part of the process. It makes them more special I think. I’ve also made two books out of an assortment of old papers and then made covers for them out of some old airmail envelopes. I love airmail. I love it. In my eyes, there is no such thing as a bad air mail design.

In other news, if you’re a Chicago-area Etsian, there is a little get-together going to happen on Saturday, July 21st at Letizia’s Natural Bakery. We may all just be meeting there and tromping to the park; it depends on the number who show up. There’s nothing really planned to do so far as I know, it’s just a “put a face to a screen name” sort of deal. There's more info at our flickr street team page.I am looking forward to it despite my misanthropic ways.