Last week, 2 long-overdue websites finally came to be.

Affordable Binding Equipment (affordablebindingequipment.com)

First of, California-based cabinet-maker and bookbinder Jim Poelstra, who has been making affordable and high quality bookbinding equipment for years and sell them solely on eBay, now has his own website.

In 2006, I've purchased a sewing frame from him and I simply love the craftsmanship of the piece. Since I wrote about it in back then, people have written to me and asked where they can buy his work, but I really couldn't them much because his eBay store has been on and off.

But now, you can see all of Jim's work -- presses, frames and cradles -- and purchase them directly through eBay again.

Susan Mills (susanmillsartistbooks.com)

I always write about Susan Mills, not only because I attribute a lot of my basic bookbinding techniques to her, but also because I simply love her work. Guess what, Susan finally has a website that lists some of her artist books. You can even buy them on the site!

Disclaimer: Nope, I neither have received any benefit from Snow and Graham nor related to them in any way. I just like their designs!

I have been a fan of the decorative paper designed by Chicago-based stationery company Snow & Graham for quite some time now. Their Cherry Bloosom design always has a special place in my heart. You can find these designs not only as decorative paper (which they marketed them as "wrapping paper"), but also on their various stationery products.



I generally do not like flowery prints, but S&G's flowers are so simple and "2D" that I just adore. Their designs tend to stay between 2 to 5 colors, thus creating simple graphic patterns that are bold and sharp.

If you are in a hurry to make a journal or album and don't have time to prepare your block, you can use one of these sewn text-blocks from Italy that Hollander's carries. All you need is to case them in (give them a cover). They come in various sizes, and you can get blank or lined blocks, even address books, diaries or photo albums.

Visit Hollander's to get these sewn text blocks.

I recently wrote a few reviews on Yelp for some bookart-related places. Check them out:

Center for Book Arts, New York
"I have taken a few courses at the bindery throughout the years and they were all extremely worthy."

Talas, New York
"As a bookbinder, Talas is the place to get all sorts of supplies and materials."

Kozo Arts, San Francisco
"As a book artist, they have a store that I'd want to to own one day: a store at the street level where I can work on my books and display them (and to sell, of course), and oh, maybe, to hold classes for you. That's my dream."

Started as a little hole-in-the-wall store in San Francisco's Castro area, Kozo Arts has been around for almost 16 years. While I was visiting San Francisco last week, I stopped by the store literally 5 minutes before they closed for the day.

Located in the upscale Union Street shopping district, the store is definitely a bookbinder's dream come true. It's essentially a bookbinder's studio open to the walk-in public, probably one of its kind in the country.

Kozo displays an entire wall of Chiyogami paper on one side, and their beautiful handmade products on the other. They have albums, guest books, journals and frames, all handmade on site.

I really haven't bought decorated paper for a while. It must have been more than half a year! There has been some new designs in Kate's lately and here are some of my selections.

Patterns and forms:

Left to right: Lama pluto red; Chainlink gold/brown; Iota's Pickup Stick

Organic forms:

Left to right: Choco Cherry by Snow and Graham; Anemone Blossom


Both from Lizi Boyd Papers, Grasses and Pussy Willows

On a recent trip to London, M. visited the famous Falkiners fine paper and bookbinding supplies store on 76 Southampton Row, and took a few pictures for me.

Falkiners's wall of paper:


I just want one of these huge paper shelves in my studio!


This picture is blurry, but just see how organized they are with their bookcloth stock:


An antique press for 300 pounds:

TDK Japan will release an application to teach on the popular Nintendo DS portable gaming platform, which has its repertoire of teach-yourself titles such as cooking, make-up, yoga and languages.

The title is Minagara Oresu DS Origami (見ながら折れるDSおりがみ). It has 100 projects for your to follow step-by-by on the portable DS screens — in motion picture! Most certainly there is the famous crane, and also other animals and creatures. A voice recognition feature also allows you to control the navigation while both of your hands are working with the paper. Say "mouichido" and it will repeat the current step for you.

That's right, it's in Japanese only. But with the animation, it really shouldn't matter and everyone should be able to follow. After all, isn't origami a universal language?...