JENNI BICK BOOKBINDING

guaranteed to raise a smile

2007-06-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

It was forty years ago today Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play!!!

I would love it if I could write with some authority about the influence of the Beatles and this album in particular, but I can't. To say my knowledge of music is lacking would be kind. I do know this: I need music playing to really get my creative juices flowing. It helps if either you sing off-key loudly or dance without a shred of rhythm. So put on a CD or your favorite radio station and make something beautiful!!!

contributed by: Cherish Harris

Fountain Pen Fascination

2007-05-31T11:58:00.000-05:00

Before I began working for Jenni I had never in my life picked up a fountain pen. Now I am completely fascinated by them. After having many customers wax poetically about the sheer beauty of writing with a fountain pen I took a leap of faith and bought my first fountain pen. I haven't looked back, I love the sound of the nib scratching against the paper and I swear my writing looks better when I use a fountain pen. This is a blessing since in the past my handwriting has been likened to that of a serial killer.

All joking aside I think there is a reason that there are so many faithful fountain pen users out there. Our lives are filled with text messaging via computers, cell phones and blackberry contraptions, perhaps there is something beautifully simple about fountain pens.

So, imagine my glee when I arrived this morning and found Jenni unpacking new fountain pens!!! I think perhaps it might be time for fountain pen number two.

contributed by: Cherish Harris

Invitations add a personal touch

2007-03-23T18:35:00.000-05:00

By Pat Waring - March 22, 2007

Pull a favorite dress out of the closet, toss together a plate of chips and salsa, and grab a bouquet from the market. Bargain wine, paper plates, and - presto! - you're ready for a party. But what about your wedding? That special party calls for a spectacular dress, catered delicacies, and custom flowers, all to fit the bride's personality and style. With every other aspect meticulously chosen, why settle for a conventional ready-made invitation when it's possible to have one as distinctive as the day itself?

Vineyard brides are fortunate to have two dedicated artisans available to assist in their search for the perfect invitation. Both Jenni Bick and Sandra Bernat have extensive experience, technical skills, familiarity with resources, and a passion for paper and all its possibilities. While Ms. Bick makes the invitation, but first guides the bride-to-be in choosing elements that will make it personal, Ms. Bernat brings the client into the studio and assists her in making her own. In both cases, the bride can be assured of a unique product, a one-of-a-kind invitation package for her one-of-a-kind celebration. Although their personal styles and the products they create are very different, both women see the art of designing and making invitations as a creative adventure, an attitude infectious and reassuring to the bride-to-be.

Not that many years ago wedding invitations - although formal, elegant, and always exciting to send and receive - were predictable. Heavy, off-white paper, often engraved, a small "RSVP" card enclosed. Today's brides are choosing varied menus, eclectic music, and wedding venues from churches to lighthouses, so invitations too have become one more way to give the day a personal touch.

"The invitation, when it arrives in the mail, sets the tone for the rest of the event," says Jenni Bick, an experienced bookbinder who began doing custom invitations about two years ago.

Ms. Bick meets with, clients at her Main Street, Vineyard Haven store in an alcove stocked with sample albums, a rainbow of blank note cards, spools of ribbon from opulent satin to feather-light organza. Sheets of handmade paper hang on racks, bright as blossoms.

"You won't believe how limitless the choices are - hundreds!" says Ms. Bick, gesturing to the paper.

Along with albums of paper and print samples, Ms. Bick displays a collection of invitations suggesting the range of possibilities. Some are sleek and sophisticated with two-tone borders. Color combinations are extensive, and some are playful with bright graphics. A personal touch may be a monogram, an outline of a shell, leaf, or fern behind the text. One elegant style features shimmery pearlized paper screen-printed with metallic ink. She will gladly create a traditional invitation, flowing black script on heavy, ivory-toned stock as well.

Instead of using an envelope, the invitation may be set into a "pocket" or wrapped with paper, tied with a ribbon, "to create a package and a sense of ceremony."

Ms. Bick guides clients through the maze of additional materials - reply cards, dinner invitations, informative brochures for out-of-towners. She also makes personalized place cards, table accessories, scrapbooks, and guest books.

"No two jobs are alike," says Ms. Bick. "Each is one-of-a-kind and tailored to the client."

Once selections are made, invitations are fabricated at Ms. Bick's workshop on State Road. "It's very much a team effort," she emphasizes, crediting nine other staff members. She also offers "do it yourself" instructions using materials available at her shop.

Ms. Bick advises allowing anywhere between two and eight weeks for production; invitations should be mailed out four to six weeks before the big day. Ms. Bick said she can work with clients to keep the price tag manageable by choosing materials that are affordable without sacrificing style.

Sandy Bernat's two-story wood and glass Seastone Papers studio in the Christiantown woods is chock full of colorful paper, paper objects, paper-making materials and equipment. This is the place for a bride-to-be with an artistic bent who wants to have her invitations be a true personal expression. Here is a chance to indulge those childhood artwork pleasures - playing with colors, cutting, folding, pasting, stamping, getting her hands messy - before she takes on a new role as glamorous, grown-up bride.

Creating your own at Seastone Papers is much more than turning out a batch of invitations, Ms. Bernat says. It is a special occasion, whether the bride comes to the studio alone, or brings others - her mother, a maid of honor, best girlfriends, or the groom. They work together, and often share lunch or a champagne toast at the picnic table outside.

"It becomes a recordable event," Ms. says, recalling a father-of-the-bride who videotaped the day.

Clients can take part in every aspect of the design, making their own paper and choosing accents - petals, leaves, seaweed, ferns, seeds - then cutting the paper to order. Or skip the paper-making and select from an array of pre-made note cards in subtle and rich colors.

"There are all sort of ways to personalize your own wedding invitation," says Ms. Bernat, flipping through an album of past creations.

Printing can be done by hand, or a professional studio can print directly onto the handmade stock. One may have the message printed on opaque vellum or other paper, to be enclosed or attached with ribbon or simple raffia. Reply cards or invitations to the rehearsal dinner can be crafted from the same or complementary paper. Ms. Bernat will recommend shops or web sites for printing or paper products to coordinate with the handmade materials.

Brides to be may also look to Ms. Bernat for sweet wedding day accessories - delicate paper bags to hold bouquets gracing the reception tables, guest books covered in handmade paper. Her "Fortunate Cookie" features colored paper folded in fortune- cookie shape, holding a joyful affirmation for a happy-ever-after future, enclosed in a delicate paper box.

For more information about Sandy Bernat and Seastone call 508-693-5786; for more information about Jenni Bick call 508-696-7253 or visit www.jennibick.com.

Pat Waring is a staff writer for The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Our Biggest Sale Ever!

2007-03-22T23:22:00.000-05:00

Dramatic price reductions!

We're having our biggest leather sale ever! Discounts from 20% to 40% on some of our most popular leather journals and photo albums!

Some of our best selling leather journals and photo albums are overstocked, and we're making way for Spring arrivals. Select a beautiful leather book and allow us to personalize it with custom embossing. At prices like these, you can afford one for a friend and one for yourself, too!

Sale ends March 31st, so don't delay. Take advantage of our sale pricing while you can!

The Envelope Collective

2007-03-18T21:40:00.000-05:00

The Envelope Collective is an ongoing collaborative experiment in art that uses the transportation of mail as a medium. The website is an online gallery for those pieces that we receive.

Send us anything you want. Tell us a story. Tell us a secret. Don't tell us anything. Draw a picture, paint a letter. Send us a blank piece of paper. What is your dream? What is your fear? Send a postcard. What is your most favorite thing in the entire world? Who was your first crush? Who do you love? Don't be constrained by the proportions of an envelope. Send a box. Send a box with something in it. Decorate this box, make it into a piece of art.

Browse through the gallery or find out how to submit at The Envelope Collective

The International Edible Book Festival

2007-03-17T15:55:00.000-05:00

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."

Sir Francis Bacon - 1561-1626

The International Edible Book Festival is held annually around April 1st. To date, the following countries have held this festival: Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, United States of America, Russia. Hong Kong has just announced its participation in 2007.

April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), famous for his book Physiologie du goût, a witty meditation on food. April fools' day is also the perfect day to eat your words and play with them as the "books" are consumed on the day of the event. This ephemeral global banquet, in which anyone can participate, is shared by all on the internet and allows everyone to preserve and discover unique bookish nourishments. This festival is a celebration of the ingestion of culture and a way to concretely share a book; it is also a deeper reflexion on our attachment to food and our cultural differences.

The International Edible Book Festival is a creation of Judith A. Hoffberg and Béatrice Coron. Judith got the idea over a Thanksgiving turkey with book artists in 1999, and Béatrice created Books2Eat website where despite the distances everyvody can enjoy worldwide's creations. They contacted friends and colleagues; their first event happened in 2000. Since then the festival continues as an annual sensation.

To find out what events are scheduled near you, click here.

Introducting the Limited Edition Bailey Collection from Kolo!

2007-03-13T21:29:00.000-05:00

Meet Bailey. The limited edition Bailey Collection brings new splashes of color for Spring. Sophisticated woven striped patterns specially designed to beautifully accent the existing Kolo collection.

Available in 4 sizes and 2 colors. Archival.

Bailey Noci: sewn-spine album with 12 pocket pages and ribbon accent; holds 24 4”X6” photos

Bailey 2-Up Easy-load: bookbound album with 15 tabbed pocket pages; holds 60 4”X6” photos

Bailey Newport: 11”X14” post-bound scrapbook album with 10 soft white cloth-hinged pages

Bailey Newbury: ribbon-bound scrapbook album with 20 soft white pages

$18 - $49

Coming soon to www.jennibick.com

Scrapbook with Custom Titles

2007-03-13T16:41:00.000-05:00

We did an interesting project today. A customer asked us to add custom captions to each page in one of our 6x9 distressed leather scrapbooks. We also put photo corners in place so the customer could just add in his photos

The cover of the book was embossed.

We tipped in a custom title page, using album artwork and the title of a song by Cat Stevens.

Each line of the song's lyrics was added to a page, in progression.

The captions were printed in brown ink, on archival paper, then bordered with matte gold cardstock. The layers were adhered to the bottom of each page using archival adhesives, not glue, because we were concerned about wet glue possibly warping the pages. Finally, photo corners were attached to each page in position, so all that is left to do is for the customer to slip in his 4x6 photos. Each page was handled in the same way, for a total of 30 pages.

San Ysidro Ranch Guest Book

2007-03-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

Photos from a recent binding job, using Italian leather covers and BEAUTIFUL Amalfi handmade paper.

Stupid me, I forgot to take photos of the final result. The two volumes came out beautifully.

Repairing "Bedtime For Frances"

2007-03-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

A customer brought in a battered copy of "Bedtime for Frances," by Russell Hoban. This book was falling apart, and he wanted to have the book restored and rebound into a hardcover that he could present to his girlfriend on their anniversary. Following is a sequence of the measures I took to re-bind the book.

Here's the condition the book was in when I received it. The book really had three issues. First, the glued binding had deteriorated, which meant that the pages were no longer attached together as a single volume. Second, an attempt had been made to repair the book with cellophane strapping tape, which had both deteriorated and also stained the pages badly. Third, the spine-edges of the cover (made of cardstock, with a glossy coating) were deteriorating. This condition is sometimes known as "dry rot," which is caused by a combination of environmental storage conditions, and lower quality raw materials.

This is often seen in children's books, which sadly, are not expected to be kept forever.

I began by separating the pages from the remaining fragments of glue. The next step was to remove as much of the leftover adhesive and staining left by the cellophane strapping tape. The photo below illustrates a page soaking in alcohol-based solvent, which assisted in dissolving the goo. The goal was to remove all traces of the adhesive and as much of the staining as possible, while not damaging the fragile paper. The stains were greatly lightened, but I did not go so far as to use any kind of bleach, which would create further damage a few years down the road.

Once the pages were cleaned and de-acidified, I used a stab binding, with a stitch about 1/4" in from the edge. Because the book was so slim, a stitched signature seemed to be overkill. To add a bit of protection the the delicate paper corners, I attached Japanese-style headbands on the head and tail of the book block. I made this decision because the book was so slim that traditional headbands would have been silly, but I wanted some protection at the weakest sopts. This step assisted greatly in holding the pages together, and should ward off future wear at these vulnerable points.

I then attached endsheets in handmade minty green Lokta paper.

The hardcover book casing was very thin book board covered in soft white linen, with a rounded spine. I trimmed and cleaned the cardstock book covers and adhered them to the front and back of the book covers, over the linen. I preserved as much of the covers as possible, without tampering or trimming excessively.

The last step was to attach the endsheets to the book cover. I pressed the book overnight and voila!

Happy Birthday Alison!

2007-03-10T20:51:00.000-05:00

Alison in the Art Department turned 19 this week. We seem to be having a lot of birthdays lately...there's another one next week. Ah well, its always good to eat cake!

Eidolons Handmade Books

2007-03-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

Lovely handmade books, like the example above, a witty and creative collection by Melissa Polk. Be sure to check out her website at www.eidlons.org and Etsy shop.

Japanese Bookbinding Workshop in Freiburg, Germany

2007-03-10T19:46:00.000-05:00

Ideas for a Unique Guest Book

2007-03-07T21:48:00.000-05:00

Recommended albums: Kolo Newbury, Cortina Lux, or Newport Album

ENVELOPE WISHES

This is a special way for guests to share their heartfelt thoughts and wishes with the guest(s) of honor by writing personal notes on small cards and slipping them into envelopes in a guest book. You will need one size 4-bar (3 5/8" x 5 1/8") envelope and one size 4-bar (3 1/2" x 4 7/8" ) flat card for each guest or couple. Prepare your book by affixing the envelopes to the pages of your selected album, flap side out, with a Kolo tape gun. You might choose to leave space to add in photos later, as in our example. The cards can be distributed to guests in any number of ways at your event: they can be placed on a table with the guestbook and pens, or a card can be placed at each person's place setting. In either case, it always helps to make an announcement about the wish cards to guests.

POLAROID POSES

This is a great type of guest book for any party: guests' pictures are taken on the spot with a polaroid camera, and then they place them in an album and write their comments or well wishes next to it. You will need a polaroid camera, ample film, and a backdrop or solid wall near the guest book table for people to pose against. It is very helpful to assign someone to be in charge of taking the photos and making sure everyone gets over to sign the book. Prepare your album by putting Kolo photo corners on the pages to hold the photos once guests take them. Alternatively, you can draw 4"x6" boxes on the pages to show where the photos should go and leave several Kolo tape guns next to the guest book to help the guests easily glue the photos in. Don't forget to have the markers nearby!

MAPPING THE JOURNEY

This is a great guest book project for a wedding reception, graduation, anniversary or retirement party. Before the event, gather memorabilia from the life of the person(s), including old photographs, report cards or letters. Organize the pieces chronologically and insert them into the album using a Kolo tape gun and/or Kolo photo corners. Make sure there is a lot of space left on each page; the photographs and mementos should only be accents on the pages. At the event, invite guests to add in their memories and stories of the person/couple to accompany the photographs from different periods of their lives. Couples who use this for their wedding reception guestbook can add in pages for their anniversary every year, inviting friends and families to add stories.

Farewell to The Islander

2007-03-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

photo courtesy Amy M. Williams, for the Martha's Vineyard Times

Living on an island is different. Residents here on Martha's Vineyard depend on ferry service to get them to and from the rest of America, and until today, Vineyarders largely relied on The Islander, a 56 year old vessel. The Islander sailed her final 45 minute trip from Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole today. Shortly after, the shiny new Island Home arrived in Vineyard Haven.

The new boat is very impressive; it's huge, it's fast, it's clean. But there's something a little bit sad about saying goodbye to our old friend, the Islander. My first visit ever to the Vineyard began on the Islander, and I traveled to the mainland last Wednesday on the Islander, sort of a farewell trip.

Looking forward to many trips on the new Island Home, but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the old Islander.

Goodbye, old friend.

275 Wisdom Journals

2007-03-05T19:11:00.000-05:00

Holy Cow! 275 is a LOT of journals. We just finished the first phase of a custom order for 550 Wisdom Journals

There's still another 275 to go, but we're ready. The first batch taught us a lot about "production line" art.

Shown above, about 1/2 of the order, maybe 150 or so.

Cherish's Weekend Project

2007-03-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

Working at Jenni's store always inspires me to create. This weekend while my daughter napped I finished a little project for my mother. The project was pretty simple and only required a few supplies.

Really adorable paper (Basic Grey has a great line of paper which we carry in the store)

Paper Glue & Glue Dots (available on our website)

Paper Trimmer (available on our website)
Bare Accordian Album

Bare Elements (be.) is a great line carried by creative imaginations which really allows you to use your creativity. All of the products in the line come completely bare allowing for endless possibilities.

This project really took no time at all! I chose my paper, I love Basic Grey, this paper is from the Oh' Baby Girl! Collection. (I like the look of their paper. It is cute without being annoyingly cute.) I then used my paper trimmer to cut the paper to fit each panel. With my paper trimmer still out I cropped my photos to fit the panels. Using paper glue I attached the paper to each of the panels. I like this paper glue because it has a sponge applicator making it very easy to work with. While I waited for all the panels to dry, not very long, I chose what order I wanted my photos to go in and attached glue dots to the back corners of the pictures. All that was left to do was attach the pictures to the album panels!

Also, to give the project a really finished look, I trimmed a sheet of paper to cover the case that would hold the album and then embellished the cover with a chipboard letter.

Firefly Press Letterpress Printing

2007-03-04T22:03:00.000-05:00

A fantastic video about letterpress printing from Firefly Press, in Somerville, MA. Letterpress printing is the craft of printing one sheet of paper (or card or other paper) at a time, using hand-set type and hand-feeding sheets of paper into the press. Very old-school, sort of anti-kinko's. And not completely unlike our hand-embossing process. Read more about that HERE.

Read more about Firefly Press HERE.

Japanese Stab Binding

2007-03-03T21:16:00.000-05:00

For everyone who asked at Friday's workshop, here's a link to a very good how-to sheet on Japanese Stab Binding, courtesy of The San Diego Museum of Art: JAPANESE STAB BINDING

Another set of instructions, with very clear diagrams for how the thread should be stitched. This is adapted from an article in Boys' Life, October 1991, by Brook West. This set of instructions considers that using Japanese stab binding is a very good way to repair a paperback that is coming apart.

Does your "Boy Scout Handbook" look as though it has been read by a grizzly bear? Are pages falling out of your favorite novel? Has the cover come off of your copy of "The Hobbit?"

You don't have to buy new copies. It's easy to repair paperback books using Japanese bookbinding techniques. Just punch four holes through the book near the spine and lash it together with needle and thread. You can make sketch books, scrapbooks or blank books this way, too. To make smaller books, fold several sheets of paper paper carefully into halves or quarters, clamp the stack together and punch and bind it, then slit the pages apart with a sharp knife afterwards, being careful not to cut the binding threads.

To rebind a paperback you will need an awl or thin wire brads, heavy thread (eight times as long as the book 's height), a needle, pencil, and ruler. Use carpet thread, strong nylon thread, or waxed dental floss. If you use wire brads instead of an awl you'll want a small hammer. Binder clips are useful, too. For a scrapbook or blank book cut covers from card stock or a file folder.

Here's what you do:

1. Usinga ruler, draw a line from top to bottom of the front cover, about 1/4"from the spine. Make two marks on this line, one 1/4' down from the top of the book, the other 1/4" up from the bottom. Now divide the distance between these marks into thirds and mark the two middle points.

2. Even up the pages and clamp the book together with binder clips, or weight down the front edge to keep the pages from moving. Protect your work surface with a piece of scrap wood or an old phone book as you punch a hole at each of the marked points using the awl or wire brads.

Making these holes should not damage the text in the book. Most paperback books have an inner margin of 1/2" to 3/4", leaving plenty of room for rebinding.

3. Thread the needle and tie the ends together with an overhand knot. Open the book a few pages and, next to the lower middle hole, push the needle through about twenty pages. Pull the thread through until the knot is snug against the pages. Go back out to the front cover by pushing the needle up through the awl hole. This step anchors the thread.

4. Now sew the rest of the book as shown in the accompanying illustrations. Pull the thread tight each time you go through a hole.

Go around the back and back up through the starting hole, then down through the other middle hole. Pull the thread tight after going through each hole.

Around the back again, then up through the top hole.

Around the back, then...

...around the top of the spine and up through the top hole again. Keep going, down through one middle hole, back up through the next, and down through the bottom hole. Keep the thread tight.

Around the back again and...

...around the bottom of the spine and back through the bottom hole. Go up through the starting hole again.

To finish, tie off the thread so the binding won't come loose. Do this by slipping the needle under two of the top threads coming out of starting hole and back through the loop to form a tight knot.

Run the needle back down through the starting hole and cut the leftover thread flush with the back of the book.

STANDARD

STANDARD VARIATION

TORTOISE SHELL

HEMP LEAF

HEMP LEAF VARIATION

For more information on Japanese bookbinding, including decorative bindings, how to make cloth covered hard covers, making cloth covered boxes, and other useful techniques, check your library for Japanese Bookbinding: Instructions from a Master Craftsman, by Kojiro Ikegami (published by John Weatherhill).

Benjamin Franklin on Conduct and Virtue

2007-03-02T23:48:00.000-05:00

You probably know him as one of the Fathers of the United States, a great leader and diplomat. He signed the major documents of the founding of the U.S. including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Maybe you know him as an inventor, or as a scientist who flew kites in lightning storms, or as a writer and printing press operator.

But did you know that in 1726, at the age of 20, while on an 80-day ocean voyage from London back to Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin developed a "Plan" for regulating his future conduct? He was partially motivated by Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." He followed the plan he created "pretty faithfully" even to the age of 79 (when he wrote about it), and he was even more determined to stick with it for his remaining days because of the happiness he had enjoyed so far by following it.

His "Plan" was made up of 13 virtues, each with short descriptions:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.

He tracked his progress by using a little book of 13 charts. At the top of each chart was one of the virtues. The charts had a column for each day of the week and thirteen rows marked with the first letter of each of the 13 virtues. Every evening he would review the day and put a mark (dot) next to each virtue for each fault committed with respect to that virtue for that day.

Naturally, his goal was to live his days and weeks without having to put any marks on his chart. Initially he found himself putting more marks on these pages than he ever imagined, but in time he enjoyed seeing them diminish. After awhile he went through the series only once per year and then only once in several years until finally omitting them entirely. But he always carried the little book with him as a reminder.

Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues are unique and obviously served him well since he is one of the most respected and most accomplished men in the history of the United States.

Workshop Series

2007-03-02T09:43:00.000-05:00

At our main street location we offer classes involving various paper crafts. This Sunday we will transform a simple blank journal into a colorful work of art. Using a sturdy spiral bound book and a sampling of our fantastic paper; we'll demonstrate how easy it is to collage. Students will go home with a beautiful gift and an urge to collage just about everything!

All classes begin at 4:00pm

classes have a $20 materials fee unless otherwise specified.

Due to limited class space we request that you call to pre-register

Jenni Bick Bookbinding

53-B Main St, Vineyard Haven 508-696-3929

In World Wide Web World, Handmade Books Business Finds Island Home

2007-03-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

Island bookbinder Jenni Bick knows she's having a good day when there are pieces of paper all over the floor; "It means I am productive," she said.

By her own measure, then, Mrs. Bick was having a very good night on Friday, when a slew of enthusiasts with scissors and knives sent paper flying all around her and the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore. They were gathered around tables to make their own books. As their instructor, Jenni Bick took them from beginning to end through the craft of assembling an attractive simple accordian book.

The juxtaposition of a bookbinder demonstrating how to build a handmade book in a bookstore loaded with published books can't be ignored. The Bunch of Grapes has hosted many Friday night speakers. Top writers have come to speak about how they got published. They've revealed how they came up with the idea for their book, how they wrote and illustrated their idea on paper. Tonight was an entirely different evening. Participants made their first book without writing a word.

Sheets of pretty paper from the orient, pieces of cardboard and cookie trays loaded with gobs of white glue were passed around by Mrs. Bick. She talked about the fine art, the craft of building from scratch.

The night was devoted to creating; the words and pictures would have to come later.
Early this week, Mrs. Bick sat down with the Gazette to talk without the scissors and glue. Mrs. Bick calls her business a cottage industry; though unlike many on the Vineyard, her products have earned a global following.

Jenni Bick Bookbinding is a business dedicated to selling personalized blank books, journals and wedding and photo albums. She sells stationery and paraphernalia from distant places. Federal Express and United Parcel Service trucks come every day, and they don't leave empty.
Her products have a broad following arising from that ubiquitous world, the Internet. Customers visit the Bick store through an electronic digital marketplace. They come from anywhere to jennibick.com and shop 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The warehouse on State Road is the former home of Marianne's, a t-shirt printing shop.
Last fall a new Jenni Bick retail store opened at 53B Main street. The paper, the leather and related products come from as far away as Italy, Nepal, Thailand and India - anywhere paper is valued. The paper is exotic, made in a multitude of ways. Some are ornamental with simple patterns; others are far more complex with gold and silver leaf patterns.

Though most of the books in the bookbindery are made somewhere else, a store craftsman will take the extra step of making the product personal through embossing and calligraphy.
While the Internet industry may be mostly driven by huge and impersonal companies that top the lists from search engine Google.com, Mrs. Bick's business has grown because she offers something a digital world doesn't: a personal touch. Her products are handmade, still crafted in a world where intimacy gets lost.

"Anyone can learn to make a handmade book," she said. There are books on bookbinding, there are ways to explore any craft and make it your own. But her business, she said, offers the customer an experience - a positive experience. She and her crew often know what the bound book is going to be used for, they get far more information than usually gets noted in the big stores.

Jenni Bick Bookbinding isn't an easy or a formula success story; the business arose out of the disappointment of closing down one store and opening another.

Go back to 1992, when Mrs. Bick and her husband Robby owned a small bookstore in Washington, D.C., called Bick's Books. The two grew up in the city. Their nest egg, the bookstore, did well until the unthinkable happened: a Borders Bookstore moved into the same neighborhood. In a last-ditch effort to save their store, Mrs. Bick started marketing handmade books she made at home. At the time, she said: "I was learning how to be a good bookbinder," while also raising children.

"I love books. I am a paper person. When I was the kid in school, I always had the new notebook," she said.

While her handmade books sold well at the store, it wasn't successful enough at the time to offset the realities of a chain bookstore nearby. Bick's Books closed. Mr. Bick ended up working for Borders and Mrs. Bick continued with a new journey, selling handmade blank-page books. She sold them at crafts fairs and wherever craftspeople gathered to market their wares.
It was during those challenging years that the couple often brought their children to the Vineyard for summer vacations.

"Robby's mom [Barbara] bought a home on the Vineyard early in the 1980s, just because she needed a place to get away. She then bought another house and rented it. Robby and I came every summer for vacation. We ended up staying longer and longer."

In 1996 when her husband was laid off from Borders, the couple moved to the Vineyard. "From the beginning, when I was on the Vineyard I felt like it was home," she said.

Jenni Bick Bookbinder might be an Internet business that could work happily from any community, but two key ingredients to the store couldn't happen anywhere else. Mrs. Bick calls Martha's Vineyard home, more of a home than where she and her husband came from. Add to that the special mystique of being a business on Martha's Vineyard.

In that first year on the Vineyard, Mrs. Bick started experimenting with selling her handmade products online. Her husband worked at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore for Ann Nelson. While her husband was at the bookstore, she stayed at home and mothered their three children, Rosie (now 15) and their twins, Rayne and Lily (now 12).

Mrs. Bick experimented with a hand-operated embossing machine that had come from Ms. Nelson's basement. "It was dusty and rusting," Mrs. Bick said. And, like many Internet starter businesses, it was running from a one-car garage.

Today the business operates year-round and employs a crew of spirited workers. The business's seasons are unlike the three-month tourist season that drives much of the Island economy. She was busy earlier last month, for instance - for Valentine's Day.

Last Friday night, before her audience, she said she finds some amusement getting local orders through the Internet from someone who lives in West Tisbury. "Why don't they just come in?" she laughed.

Customers are often surprised that the personal touch resides deep in the operation of the store. In an age of voice mail, you usually get a real person on the phone. Often it is Mrs. Bick herself, taking the orders.

Tonight, Mrs. Bick talks about the assembly of a Japanese stitched book in another free workshop at Bunch of Grapes. Next Friday she will talk about the more difficult binding of a journal with a hard case. For more information about the class, visit bunchofgrapes.com; for more about the store, see jennibick.com.

Working on Monogram Wedding Books

2007-03-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

Photos from the studio taken this morning.

Each monogram book we make is sort of a team effort. Annie does the layout of each monogram in Photoshop, choosing the right colors and making sure everything is spelled right. Once the monogram is laid out properly, she'll print.

Once the monogram has been printed, it is cut to size. Here. Alison is trimming monograms and border pieces of cardstock that will eventually make up the final monogram plate. Behind her, you can see printout posters of color variations, and to her right, you can see piles of plain guestbooks, waiting to be embellished. The cutting board we use in the studio is 30 inches square, and is marked out in a 1/2 inch grid. Closer to the edge, we have marked a 1/8 inch grid, for finer trimming. Sometimes cuts need to be slightly trimmed by hand. We use a standard x-acto blade and a steel straight edge to make tiny adjustments as necessary.

After all the layers (5 pieces of cardstock usually, plus a length of Midori ribbon) have been trimmed to size, they are glued together, and smoothed one layer at a time.

After everything is glued together, the completed monogram plate is attached to the front of a guestbook or album.

Oprah Loves Our Fake Snake Journal

2007-03-01T00:12:00.000-05:00

AS SEEN IN OPRAH MAGAZINE, our fabulous "fake snake" journal is actually genuine leather, embossed with a subtle snakeskin texture.

Journal measures 5x7, and has a magnetic flap closure to keep your thoughts neatly enclosed. 150 pages of lined, off-white paper. Acid free, handcrafted in Italy.

Happy Birthday Annie

2007-02-28T13:26:00.000-05:00

February 28, we celebrated Annie's birthday. The young and agile girls in customer service and shipping were very supportive, and got her a walker of her very own, so now, she can get around very nicely. Lucky for her, because apparently 40 is considered OLD AGE when you are a mere 21!

Please note, Annie turned 40, NOT 80!

We especially liked the "Old and Slow Zone" banner marked on the walker.

Wedding Ad

2007-02-27T22:31:00.000-05:00

Our new ad for Martha's Vineyard Wedding Magazine. Annie takes full credit for the layout and design. Love it, can't wait to see it in print!

Variations on Pink & Red

2007-02-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

Sample variations on pink, red, and orange color combinations. Modern Bride Magazine asked us to send in some samples for a guest book spread, using these colors. Following: several "off the menu" choices.

For the regular "menu," visit our CUSTOM MONOGRAM BOOKS PAGES.

Embossing on Leather Journals

2007-02-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

At Jenni Bick Bookbinding, our bread and butter is embossing on leather. We do titles, names, initials, and other inscriptions. We thought it might be interesting to share a few pictures of the process. First, the inscription is typeset, using old-fashioned individual letters.

This is a little bit difficult to learn, because everything is spelled backwards.

Once the inscription is spelled out, it is placed in the embossing machine's head, which holds the letters in place with bronze clamps. The head and letters are heated until the temperature reaches about 200 degrees. At that point the letters are ready to press into the leather.

The book to be embossed is positioned under the letters - we use a platform with a printed grid, to make sure the embossing will be straight. On the side of the embossing machine is a handle, which is pulled down, and the letters come down and are pressed into the leather. Depending on how hard the handle is pulled, the pressure varies, and the impression is deeper or shallower.

The heat of the letters and the pressure permanently emboss the inscription into the leather. And voila--the inscription is finished!

Basic Grey Scrapbook Papers

2007-02-25T15:49:00.000-05:00

Love the idea of scrapbooking, but hate the idea of hearts and lace and daisies? We do too. That's why we were so thrilled to find Basic Grey Paper. These 12x12 scrapbook sheets are beautfiully designed to make your collaged scrapbook pages easy to lay out and beautiful to look at.

Basic Grey sells their papers by the sheet, but we have them in the store as complete ensemble packs, including 18 papers, one sheet coordinating letter stickers and one sheet coordinating tags.

Below are some beautiful examples. These won't be found on the website, but if you are interested, give us a call and we'll hook you up. We're at 508.696.3929

YOU SEE THINGS; AND YOU SAY "WHY?"
BUT I DREAM THINGS THAT NEVER WERE; AND I SAY "WHY NOT?"
-George Bernard Shaw

Workshop Series at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore

2007-02-25T15:15:00.000-05:00

A three week course in Bookbinding taught by Jenni Bick of the successful E-business www.jennibick.com. Please check out the beautiful journals, photo albums, day books, etc. featured on the website.

Jenni has been making handmade books for nearly two decades, and has taught many courses to beginners and to more accomplished book makers. Jenni will teach tonight's event (week 1) for the true beginner...week 2 (Friday March 2nd) will be for someone already with some experience (including the people who complete tonight's course), and week three (Friday March 9th) for a more accomplished bookbinder, which will include those who have attended weeks one and two.

Both the instruction and the materials (donated by Jenni) are FREE! No need to sign up in advance...just come and join in.

TONIGHT we start with making an Accordion Book - using paper folding, gluing and cutting techniques to make an accordion fold album/portfolio; great for a mini-photo album. Collage techniques will be used to decorate finished book.

Week 1: February 23 Accordion Book

Week 2: March 2 Japanese Stab Binding

Week 3: March 9 Traditional Case Binding

Again, these classes are totally free, AND you don't even need to pre-register. Just show up! Bunch of grapes is 44 Main St., Vineyard Haven. Need more information, call the store at (508) 696-3929.

Danny Gregory

2007-02-25T00:32:00.000-05:00

Danny Gregory has written two wonderful books: that you should run out and buy immediately. Reluctant links to Amazon (but it would be much better if you went to a nice little independent bookshop and bought your copies there!)

Everyday Matters

Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to be the Artist You Truly Are

Danny also keeps a wonderful blog on journaling HERE His charming ilustrations and quick entries will draw you in (no pun intended!) and inspire you.

Galleria Mia: Unique Books for Unique People

2007-02-24T23:50:00.000-05:00

GalleriaMia features modern handmade bookbindings and artist's books by Finnish artist Mia Leijonstedt. Since her first exhibition of paintings in 1992, she has pursued her interest in artist's books and studied both traditional and modern bookbinding skills. Based in the UK for over a decade until 2006, she created work that spanned several creative disciplines, both for clients and as private artistic exploration. She's currently exploring the Middle East with her family, gathering materials and inspiration for her next adventures in the realm of book arts.

This book is covered in grey, embossed paper. The double-layer cover has slate and tin onlays in the horizontal opening across both covers. The book is housed in a drop-back box that features slate mosaics and a stream of tin on the inner cover.
This classic children's book has wonderful , quirky illustrations by the author. They inspired the look and feel of the doll that accompanies the ink-dyed leather binding.

This delightful miniature book features hand-coloured line drawings and the tale is further told in the structure and materials of the binding. It is an adapted traditional binding sewn on cords, materials including wood, tin, bark paper and Irish hand-woven thread. The covers are constructed of three pieces of wood each and curve open in a tactile motion.

This miniature book features finely printed 6pt borders and 6pt type settings.

The border of the book box incorporates real 6pt type. The binding and the wrapper are reindeer leather. The foredge of the binding is extended for ease of handling.

This Finnish title, Helene Schjerfbeck's drawings and water colours, includes some of her less known work - she is one of Finland's most famous and cherished painters.

The book is bound in reindeer parchment that has been laminated with goat skin, which forms the lining of the inner cover. The pages have been sewn on long strands of unbleached thread that continue as a laced-through pattern across both covers. The raised bands can be seen on the spine. The edges of the covers have been crocheted with the same thread.

New Cavallini Items

2007-02-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

Well, on Friday we received a huge box from Cavallini & Co. We weren't expecting a shipment, but we opened it up anyway.

Wow! It was full of wonderful vintage-y stuff from the Cavallini collection that we have never ordered before. It was some other store's shipment, but since we couldn't tell whose from any clues in or on the box, we called Cavallini and gave them the list, then decided to keep everything.

We got file folders, rubber stamps, stickers, envelopes, postcards, adorable french alphabet flashcards, silver-gilded picture frames, and notebooks. So far, we haven't managed to get everything up on the website, but a few items can be found on our What's New Page.

If you see something here that isn't yet up on the website, give us a call. We can get any of this great stuff on its way to you fast.

Babel

2007-02-24T22:12:00.000-05:00

Watching the movie BABEL this weekend on DVD, and thought iat was worth sharing about. The message I get from the movie is all about communication, the ways we do it, and the ways we fail to.

It is so worth 90 minutes of your time, but be warned, it is very emotional, and probably also not good for "Family Movie Night," as kids will have a hard time understanding the scary (and sometimes racy) parts.

Here's a review from James Berardinelli, www.reelmovies.net:

United States, 2006
U.S. Release Date: 10/27/06 (limited)
Running Length: 2:22
MPAA Classification: R (Nudity, sex, profanity, violence)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Adriana Barraza, Gael García Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi, Kôji Yakusho
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Screenplay: Guillermo Arriaga
Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto
Music: Gustavo Santaolalla
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Vantage
In English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Berber, and Arabic with subtitles

"It's a compelling tale, one that delineates how small mistakes and lapses in judgment can have tragic consequences. It also illustrates how poorly we communicate in an ever shrinking world. In addition to those umbrella themes, the movie also has "smaller" messages for its individual segments.

There are four of these. The first involves two children in a mountain village in Morocco. Their father has bought a gun to use to shoot predators hunting his sheep. One son, testing the range of the rife, fires a round at a tourist bus.

The second segment features Americans Susan (Cate Blanchett) and Richard (Brad Pitt), who are on vacation in Morocco. She is shot and badly injured by the bullet fired by the boys, and her fight for life turns into an international incident with terrorist overtones.

The third segment focuses on Susan and Richard's two children (Elle Fanning and Nathan Gamble), who are under the care of an illegal immigrant, Amelia (Adriana Barraza). When their parents can't make it home on time, Amelia and her nephew Santiago (Gael García Bernal) are forced to bring the children across the border into Mexico so she can attend her son's wedding. When the border patrol becomes suspicious of them on their return journey, there are consequences.

Finally, in faraway Japan, deaf-mute teenager Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) is trying to cope in a world that offers little in the way of affection. Her mother committed suicide and her father (Kôji Yakusho) is a cold, distant figure. In an attempt to capture a little emotional warmth, she engages in a series of increasingly risky sexual escapades. How this storyline connects with the others is left for the second half of the movie to reveal, although I can say it's nothing shocking or sensationalistic."

This I Believe

2007-02-24T21:36:00.000-05:00

Jenni Bick Bookbinding is proud to be a sponsor of This I Believe, a radio show hosted on NPR that collects personal essays of belief, in all its variety.

This I Believe is a national media project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives. NPR airs these three-minute essays on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

They offer this guidance for composing your own "This I Believe" essay. Their advice makes for a great journal prompt, if you're stuck for a wrtiting topic one day. If you are thrilled with how your essay comes out, and want to share it, here's a link to their essay submission page: This I Believe Submission

This I Believe Essay-Writing Instructions

We invite you to contribute to this project by writing and submitting your own statement of personal belief. We understand how challenging this is—it requires such intimacy that no one else can do it for you. To guide you through this process, we offer these suggestions:

Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.

Be brief: Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. That's about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.

Name your belief: If you can't name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.

Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don't believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial "we." Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.

Be personal: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.

Teesha Moore's Fabulous Journals

2007-02-24T21:15:00.000-05:00

Teesha Moore is a journal artist. I admire her work so much, and whenever I'm in need of a little inspiration, I click over to her site and poke around for a while.

To see more of her amazing journal pages, visit her site. There's loads of inspiration waiting there for you.

Here's an article from her site on her creative process. Bear in mind that this how-to is very art-materials-intensive. It is best for those who want to create REALLY colorful journal pages.

Paper: I LOVE fabriano artistico (either natural or bright white) 140 lb. hot press (smooth) watercolor paper. You can get the best prices through www.dickblick.com or www.danielsmith.com depending on who's running a sale. I buy the sheets in the 22x36 size and cut them down to make a journal out of them. (I'll explain journal binding in the next "how-to"). Anyway...of course, any paper will do, but I have come to know and adore this paper in particular. Try buying a sheet or two, cutting it down to 8x10, and then just journaling on the individual pieces of paper. Do not buy Arches unless you do not plan on folding it. It cracks along the fold and even though may be cheaper, is not good for binding.

First Layer: Watercolor. When I have my 8x10 (favorite size) journal bound and ready to go, I'll just do a color wash on the first 10 pages or so (after those first few pages get completely filled I then do the next 10 pages). I use either Daniel Smith tube watercolors, Golden liquid acrylics, or occasionally other paints such as fluid acrylics made for pens or twinkling h2o's. I just squirt paint directly from the tube onto the page and smoosh it around covering the page with color. I don't necessarily try to make any designs at this point, but rather play with color combinations and enjoy the process of painting. Try lifting off the paint with a paper towel while still wet on some pages, or just playing around with different ideas that come to you. You can sprinkle salt on a watercolored page but must wait a long time for it to dry. when thoroughly dry, brush off the salt and you'll see a wonderful texture in the paint. Also try taking a regular old Crayola crayon in a light color and drawing a random design on the page before painting. Next, using the watercolors in a darker shade, paint over the crayon. You will see a vibrant line emerge from the crayon that looks fantastic with darker watercolors.

Second Layer: Collage. I like to cut a shape out of a large color/pattern that I might find in a magazine. For instance, look for colors/patterns you especially like in the clothes of a fashion magazine, or the sofa's or curtains in a decorating magazine. cut strips, stars, circles, blumps, whatever...and add them to your journal. I usually have a piece of collage that I really like and I'll look through my 10 painted pages to see which page it looks best on. The image may be in pink and orange but it might look superb on the turquoise page you painted. start placing images here and there on the pages, making borders around the edge and somewhat working on a theme for the middle...for instance, houses, flowers, leaves, people, faces, spheres, triangles, etc. Have something in mind, so you know which shapes to cut out and generally place. However...do this fast and without thinking too long and hard about it. Be instinctual about it and do not think too much about the outcome beyond a vague idea. Do not add too much collage. Pieces here and there are good but leave yourself room for other layers. you can always come back and add more. To find good collage fodder, look through magazines upside down, so your mind can't associate as well with what it is seeing. Also...even if you buy my collage sheets, use parts of the images rather than the whole image. Be frankenstein and put different things together to help it become more your own. (after getting some finished pages under your belt, take your journal down and make color copies of the pages, making reduced copies and enlarged copies as well. Then use parts of these pages in new and different ways in future journaling pages.)

Oh and about adhesive for the collage: I've been using double sided tombo mono adhesive in a roller. However, we just found a new product which we like so much we are carrying it. (Click here to order) It is called Trio tape and has 3 different widths of double sided adhesive in the same applicator.

Third Layer: Crayons. This is my favorite part and favorite medium. I use caran d'ache neocolor II's. These are water soluble artist crayons and can add lots of energy and color to your page. They also help incorporate your collage into your page rather than the collage just sitting on top, looking like you just stuck it down. I go around the edge of my collage pieces with this crayon, drawing a little on the image and a little off the edge of the image. I also use these crayons to change the color or design on the piece of collage itself, making it more my own. Sometimes I use these crayons to draw words as well. Although I rarely add water to the crayons which make them into a paint-like medium, you can do that as well. However, be careful to just add small amounts of water (with the tip of a finger), so you don't start wrinkling the pieces of super thin collage pieces from magazines.

Fourth Layer: Pens and pencils. I like neon gel pens, colored pencils, graphite, Faber Castel PITT brush tipped pens (great for going over the crayon and glossy collage), Faber Castel PITT superfine in black (love this pen for writing...but it won't go over the crayon), and assorted other pens I pick up here and there. I use these instruments for doodling, writing, adding details to some of the collages, and basically messing around with lots of details. The colored pencils are good for shading and adding depth here and there and even more color.

Lastly: I keep working & working & working on the pages, jumping around between the 6-10 that I painted, always finding a page I feel like adding something to. It takes a long time for me to feel the page is finished. as long as there are empty spots, it isn't finished. However...when I finally feel like they are close to being done or I am ready to move on to new stuff, I'll paint the next 6-10 pages and begin all over again with the layers.

I like to do all the art-ie stuff at home and do all the writing when I am out at coffee shops or bookstores. The two activities are totally different and you'll have more success of you don't try to do both at the same time. It is a lot of fun to be in the mood for writing in your journal and opening it up to find little spaces here and there on the pages that you have already decorated. You fill in all the holes with words and your page will be full, energetic and done....although I usually go back after the words are written and work it even more with colored pencils, gel pens, ink, whatever I feel in the mood for.

lastly...no, I don't seal or spray my pages. If I do occasionally use portfolio brand water soluble oil pastels (which add great color as well) I rub them in very well and they simply don't transfer to the other page. I have a feeling this has something to do with the good paper I use. It seems to suck the mediums down inside and trap them there.

Good luck journaling. and most of all, have fun with it. play and don't care about how it turns out. you will have pages you like better than others and some pages turn into one giant mess...but you learn from these things. and for the record...I have a lot that come out bad. But sometimes, these bad pages turn into some of my most favorites, because you put extra effort into them trying to turn them into pages that work.

Free Bookbinding Workshops

2007-02-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

Bookbinding Class 7:30 pm, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Main St., Vineyard Haven. Jenni Bick leads class for beginners, Japanese stitched book. Another class March 9. Free. 508-693-2291.