edizioni

Moving

2008-06-27T22:42:00.005-04:00

I'm in the process of moving to our new home and studio and I feel very much like this picture. It will probably take weeks until I will return regularly to my blogging, but meanwhile, I wish everyone a great July!

Japanese binding workshop

2008-06-22T17:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I had the last workshop for the summer at Paper Source, Boston. I will start teaching there again in the fall, but I thought to just post a few pictures of the Japanese binding workshop. I also love their display of the p.s. collection of cards and envelopes, divided by color.
I wish to all of my students a great summer!

New in the shop

2008-06-18T10:25:00.007-04:00

I had a limited edition of hand-bound books in the shop, if anyone is interested. I wish I could find more time for binding more books!

The actual Printing Art Fair

2008-06-16T16:45:00.012-04:00

After preparing for the fair and reading the announcements in several blog, the fair itself was indeed a successful event! Letterpress demonstrations were everywhere in the Printing Museum and always big crowds were around the old presses. Because of the rainy day, we displayed our booth on the upper floor, in one intimate environment. People came from long distance, despite the bad weather. I did the paper marbling demonstration for part of the afternoon on the Museum front porch, along with paper making demonstrations by Susy Barbarossa.
I was lucky to have my booth next to the bookbinding demonstrations done by students of the North Bennet Street School; Bexx also had some great miniature books for sale. Among others, great vendors were Kelly of May Day studio, Rifferaff, Jennski, Rainy Planet Press, PaperBreakfast, Seadog Press, Bdesign and together on the same booth Pressbound and Albertine Press. One of my beautiful discovery of the day, were the limited edition books by Laura Davidson. They were represented by another vendor and unfortunately I was not be able to meet her personally. Some images of her book A tool Alphabet are here below. I'm sure other blog will post more pictures of the day, meanwhile, I would like to thank all the people that came to the fair. It was truly a great event and for me exactly one year since I have started this blog!

Binding books for the Printing Art Fair

2008-06-16T08:35:00.014-04:00

A few pictures while I was preparing for the printing art fair, with new hand-bound books, exposed link stitch sewing, hand-made paper on the cover by my beloved Cave Paper, Japanese silkscreen endsheets and vintage ribbons on the closure. I have found an interesting article, about the link or chain stitch, if you are interested in some historical information about this kind of binding.
More pictures of the fair coming up soon!

Le scarpine di Sveva

2008-06-12T19:41:00.003-04:00

Just a few words to present a new great shop on Etsy by an Italian friend of mine, I have encountered in the blog world. Something special, that I'm sure it will go very well for anyone that appreciate beautiful hand-made products!

Plastica, Los Angeles

2008-06-11T23:30:00.007-04:00

Since I came back from the NYC Stationery Show has been very hectic here, shipping new orders and starting to pack and move to a new home and studio, by the end of the month!
So not very much time for blogging, but among my new list of retailers, I have discovered a store in Los Angeles called Plastica. Because of its name and because of the great design products feature in the store, I'm posting here some pictures to share. I think it will be a great place to visit!

Printing Art Fair

2008-05-30T21:33:00.005-04:00

Everyone is invited to the Fifth Annual Printing Arts Fair, on Sunday, June 15th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at The Museum of Printing, 800 Massachusetts Avenue in North Andover, Massachusetts. Just across from the town common and the event is free. Co-sponsored by the Letterpress Guild of New England and the Museum, it’s the perfect time to explore the Museum and seeing letterpress printing, paper marbling, paper making, bookbinding demonstrations and great vendors!

I will do the paper marbling demonstration from 12:00 to 1:00 if anyone is interested, but other great demonstrations, in and out of The Printing Museum, will happen during the day. The beautiful letterpress poster is by Leslie Evans of Sea Dog press and it will be for sale during the fair. As usual, I hope to see all of you there!

NYC and the Stationery Show

2008-05-25T21:49:00.051-04:00

My trip to New York City was somehow more then amazing. Before the Stationery Show had even started, I had a full day walking around the city, stopping at the MoMA for a few hours. There, with my most surprise, I have met Matthew Carter in the museum bookstore, one of the most well known contemporary type designer. Something memorable, that made me very happy for the rest of the day.

Then, the Stationery Show was one of the most wonderful event in the design world, I have ever experienced. The air was full of excitement, It was amazing to be surrounded by so many talented designers and to be able to meet them in person.
The show was overwhelming, tiring, but most of all fulfilling. In addition, the tactile experience of touching and look closely some beautiful samples of letterpress and silkscreen printed paper, was amazing. I have listed below some images of my favorite designs, I hope you will enjoy. But most of the show was far beyond the samples I'm be able to display here...

Hammerpress, Egg Press, Ink and Wit, Alee and Press, Blue Ribbon, Linda and Harriet.

Mixed Co.

Tiselle, Dee and Lala, 9SpotMonk, Carrot and Stick, Gilah, Pikku.

Elum, Oblation, Snow and Graham, Paper + Cup, Small Square Design, Sub-Studio.

Night Owl Paper Goods, Modern Printed Matter, Orange Beautiful, Albertine Press, JHill, Julia Rothman for Hello Lucky.

I also would like to mention these other beautiful lines of cards and invitations by Delphine Studio, Peculiar Pair Press, Letterary Press, Smudge Ink, Wiley and Valentine, Fiddle Sticks, Dauphine Press, Loop, L2 Design Collective, Girl Metro Inc., Two Piglets, Spruce Avenue, Pica Press, Twig and Fig, Little Oranges of California, Louella Press, Two Trick Pony, DeLuce Design, Jack and Lulu, Cat Seto, Shimmer Studio, Rosebud Design Studio, Set Editions and I'm sure there were even more to see.....

National Stationery Show

2008-05-13T10:45:00.008-04:00

After months of long days and nights preparing for the National Stationery Show, I'm finally ready to pack and leave tomorrow for NYC. I'm launching the Italian Cotton Ribbons to the show, in larger rolls and spools, no paper or design at all. But even though I thought it was going to be something easier, I couldn't be more wrong. It took long ours of work in designing invitations, color charts, catalogues, line sheets, ordering form and samples packs, something I completely underestimated the time they could take.
I will share the booth with my friend Shelley of Albertine Press, so we hope it will be a nice combination of colored ribbons and letterpress greeting cards! She is launching some beautiful, new lines of cards in her self built booth, and I was amazed to see how easy and natural it was for her to deal with building something so big! I barely helped, she did all the work with paint, drill and hammer! Something, I'm incredibly grateful for!
Looking forward to this amazing experience, if you are there, come to visit us at booth 1934!

New at Bari Zaki

2008-05-12T16:04:00.004-04:00

New services at beautiful barizaki.com:
For those of you seeking a sumptuous something, we are at the ready, from snapping photos of objects in the studio not shown on the website, to gift-wrapping & calligraphing. For special orders, we offer samplers of silk and paper swatches for you to view prior to ordering your custom albums, boxes and books.
Photos by Michelle Litvin.

Snippets and Ink

2008-05-09T08:46:00.009-04:00

Thank you to Kathryn of Snippets and Ink for including the cotton ribbons on her wedding inspiration board. The color combination looks lovely!

A book from Japan

2008-05-06T16:27:00.008-04:00

Lately, work, only means getting ready for the Stationery Show in NYC. Except some teaching and a few trips to the park with my children, one enjoyable distraction came in the mail, today. I have ordered a beautiful Japanese book from Pomadour24 and it is more inspiring then aspected. I love Japanese aesthetic, the simplicity and photography in the book are amazing. There are plenty of more books to order through the same site, on different subjects. The book here listed, is about eraser stamping on any kind of surface. Which it also reminded me of the charming stamping work on cotton ribbons, done by Caroline of Paloma's Nest.

The following image from Paloma's Nest.

For the love of letterpress

2008-04-29T22:11:00.012-04:00

A great article came out on Step Inside Design magazine, with the title For the love of Letterpress. A friend of mine Leslie Evans of Sea Dog Press is feature in the article, along with Katie Harper and Karen Battles of B Design. Leslie will present her work at Surtex, for the first time this year. As we are both getting ready for the shows in May, I enjoyed reading: Letterpress is like that. It involves multiple senses and thus connects us more closely with both process and results. We touch the type, the paper, the plate; we smell the ink; we feel the impression; we see the three-dimensionality. And we strive for that just-right “kiss” impression that affirms our love of this timeless craft.

Some beautiful prints, illustration and wood engraving by Leslie Evans are in display here below.

Limited edition, Workshop part 2

2008-04-29T15:48:00.013-04:00

Another wonderful workshop in collaboration with Albertine Press during the past weekend. Thank you to all the students for coming and for adding their creativity to our work.

Terrain

2008-04-24T09:37:00.014-04:00

Today, 2500 meters of cotton ribbons are landing to the new Urban Outfitters home and garden concept store called Terrain, to be sold in their wrapping department! They are launching the new store, opening tomorrow, by: "transforming the local garden center into an experience that celebrates the beauty and abundance of nature while offering an eclectic mix of garden-inspired products tailored for the contemporary customer". What attracts me is also the idea of "a comfortable atmosphere that includes a leather sofa and a coffee bar serving upscale La Colombe coffee". I think the new store will be great. As usual, I would have liked to deliver the order myself!
For the full article about Terrain here is the link, also Oh Joy have posted about the new store opening near Philadelphia.

Spring Trunk Show

2008-04-21T18:59:00.010-04:00

Lovely time at Essex, Connecticut during the Trunk Show at Weekend Kitchen! The shop has a unique collection of home and kitchen goods and I have spent special attention in trying to see everything the store carries. There is so much to see! The owner Nancy is a pleasure to talk to and I was lucky to meet other artists and designers that came to visit the show from different area of CT. Also, what a pleasure all the little towns along the Connecticut River Valley, full of Antique shops and flowers along the roads. Below, a collage of pictures of Essex, including the old, steam train. Thank you very much everyone for coming!

Roma city guide

2008-04-15T21:54:00.010-04:00

Today the Roma city guide came out on Design Sponge. It was beautiful to organize and write about information I have collected over the years. Writing a guide about the city I'm from and where I feel I still belong, was also very emotional. Many places are the ones I go every time I'm back home, and there is a certain walking route in the guide, which is exactly the one I do every time. I like to recognize places, they are so familiar and so part of me. I like to find and feel the same light, the same colors and taste of places I love. It has been a real pleasure to share them. After over ten years living in the US, I'm certainly still feel from Rome!
I also would like to thank my dear friend Krishna for editing the text and other friends for pointing out some great gelato places I'm sure I will try on my next trip.

I would like to add many thanks to all the people that left a comment on Design Sponge. There are so many new information about Rome that needs to be read and some comments were so incredibly kind! Thank you!

Detail of a courtyard in Via Giulia.

xoxox Francobolli cards

2008-04-11T20:41:00.005-04:00

New on my shop, a series or Francobolli cards, designed in collaboration with Bari Zaki. Vintage stamps on Medioevalis Fabriano paper, with black ink calligraphy. For full series of designs available in the Francobolli line cards, please visit Bari's shop at her lovely B-zaar.

Gardenia

2008-04-11T15:46:00.035-04:00

A very nice article by Pia Pera appeared on pg. 194 of Gardenia, a monthly Italian magazine dedicated to flowers, plants and gardening. The article, very beautifully written, is about our last limited edition book, The Fruits, Herbs and Vegetable of Italy and the author Giacomo Castelvetro. The article is in Italian, copied here below, between quote. Thank you to Pia Pera for dedicating her monthly page to this book!

GHIOTTE ERBE SPONTANEE
"Ogni anno attendo golosamente il mese di aprile.
È ancora presto per coltivare in piena terra gli ortaggi estivi
selezionati da generazioni di contadini; è tempo semmai di accettare
quanto, irrefrenabile e generosa, Madre Natura manda in prima
linea: le squisite ancorché spontanee erbe di campo, col loro sapore
anarchico e libertario. Che le ha rese care, suppongo per affinità
elettiva, a un modenese in sospetto di libero pensiero:
Giacomo Castelvetro nipote di quel Ludovico cui l’Inquisizione
non perdonava gli studi su Aristotele. Dopo la condanna dello zio,
la fuga, nascosti in ceste a dorso di mulo, di Giacomo col fratello.
Questi, meno fortunato, fu bruciato a Mantova, Giacomo invece
peregrinò per vari paesi fino all’approdo in Inghilterra.
Ormai settantenne, preso da ghiotta nostalgia per i sapori del
Mediterraneo, scrisse, nel 1614, un Brieve racconto di tutte le radici,
di tutte l’erbe, di tutti i frutti che crudi o cotti in Italia si mangiano.
Lo ripropongono, in poche copie, Silvana Amato e Angela Liguori
(Almenodue), editrici artigiane e manuali decisamente
controcorrente rispetto alle tirature industriali.
E così tutto torna: la serena pazienza di perlustrare il campo
alla ricerca di getti di luppolo, rosette di tarassaco, cime di malva,
foglie di cicoria, cuori di lappola maggiore, asparagi selvatici
da strinare alla griglia, raperonzoli; insieme, il divertimento
di imprimere, piegare e rilegare a mano buona carta piacevole
al tatto non menbo di una foglia di bardana.
Castelvetro raccomanda le erbe di primavera per purificare il sangue
appesantito dai bagordi invernali. Scrive di mischianza
e di “olla podrida”. Spiega agli inesperti inglesi come lavare l’insalata
– non scolando acqua e foglie tutto insieme, ma levando le foglie
dopo avere lasciato depositare la sabbia in fondo al catino – e come
condire – con abbondanza di sale prima e di olio poi.
Si consola di concludere una vita avventurosa in un paese aperto
ai rifugiati così come agli usi alimentari d’oltremanica.
E certo, in cuor suo, deve avere trovato molto in comune tra
i tribunali da cui era fuggito, e lo sguardo accigliato di chi
dal giardino vorrebbe bandire anche l’ultima delle erbe spontanee,
accatastarla in rogo di eretiche erbacce".

Press page

2008-04-06T10:34:00.005-04:00

After months and months of postponing this project, I finally have the press page ready on my site. I didn't imagine it will take such a long time to organize, I'm now glad is done!

Limited edition

2008-03-31T12:11:00.006-04:00

I have been binding with a curved needle a few copies of the limited edition book The Fruits, Herbs and Vegetable of Italy, for some placements in the Special Collection Libraries of University of Denver, Co, University of California San Diego, University of California Santa Cruz and Green Library at Stanford University. Some of the above libraries have culinary interest and they collect books with this subject. Something I had no idea about...

Sewing on tapes workshop

2008-03-31T11:23:00.007-04:00

Detail of last weekend workshop at Paper Source Brookline, MA. The class was lovely, I even had some friends as my students!

Kuu Kukka

2008-03-25T08:06:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, I shipped my first order of some carta, inc. products to a Japanese store in Toyama. The photos below is from the store Kuu Kukka and I would have liked so much to deliver the order myself. Japan has always been the first on my list of places to travel to. And I will someday....
Another recent Japanese encounter is the etsy shop of lovely Little Goodness with fabric, tape, supplies and stamps all from Japan!

Many thanks

2008-03-21T17:55:00.011-04:00

Thank you to Irene from Bloesem for posting on Bkids the new alphabet ribbons. To Arounna of Bookhou for kindly mentioning my work on her Journal. I also love their designs and the craft projects on Bloesem Kids.
And to Laura of beautiful LFT Textiles to pointing out to me that the alphabet ribbons are technically brocaded and not embroidered, because are woven on a ribbon loom.
And the last, but not least, thank you to Rebecca Thuss for purchasing some of the cotton ribbons for her creations. I would love to see how they would be used, as she is to me, one of the most inspiring customer!

The designs below from the portfolio of Rebecca Thuss.