I "heart" this new book so much!
Handmade Goods Designed By MeBy
Kazumi Udagawa
Stationery and other paper products have become not only valuable necessities, but also fashionable goods for artists, designers, students, and all enthusiasts who love paper. Self-made Stationery presents a wonderful array of unique and attractive design ideas for creating your own special stationery and paper products. This book is filled with many photographs and step-by-step illustrations that will guide you in making your stationery crafts. You will be surprised by how your creative skills can be enhanced.Kazumi Udagawa (Japan) graduated from Musashino Art University in Tokyo. As a designer, she has worked for a sundry goods maker and focused on product planning and development to start up a goods store. Currently, she is a designer for various home products, supplies, and design projects. She also creates illustrations for books and magazines.
Check out this fun way to make a pocket out of a coffee filter:
I love making pockets in my altered book so I thought I would try this coffee filter pocket technique.
I didn't have the same type of coffee filter but I thought the type I did have I could make work, just in a bit of a different way. So you get the technique from the book, and here's how I made mine:
I folded the filter in half lining up the edges and then in half the opposite way but about an inch off center.
Then I trimmed the top layer smaller then the second layer.
I trimmed the third layer just a bit taller then the second layer.
All that was left to do was ink the edges and staple the coffee filter pocket into my altered book. As you can see, the first one I made on the left I folded with all the edges matching and didn't trim them.
I was in the mood to make some ATCs to put into my sassy new pockets. I have been collecting translation dictionaries so I thought that I would cut out some words and play with them.
I cut out definitions of different words in different languages and glued them onto a plain piece of paper. Then I used the Autumn Leaves Scribbles Hearts and Starswith a variety of the Stampology inks to add a bit of design and texture.
I love trying out new techniques and just "playing."
Here's how it works:
- We ask a question each weekday.
- You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
- We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!
Today is DAY 9 of 19!
Question:
What is your favorite paper? Scrapbook, newspaper, construction, tissue, tracing?
My answer:
Washi paper for origami is one of my faves; the other is paper packaging. I love graphics and often times, whether it's vintage or new, the quality of the paper has a great quality to it. I think it's the same thing that makes me like remaking cloths. A garment also has the construction and findings details that add more to its design possibilities rather than just yardage.
Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

Is there a paper I don't love? It depends on the craft- I also really love brown paper bags- I love their color and the way they take color. Next in line is probably tissue paper b/c of the layering qualities! I like these fun questions and that looks like a GREAT book!
Posted by: whitney | December 10, 2009 at 05:52 AM
i especially like patterned cardstock. i would accept any and all paper. i am almost a hoarder...i haven't used some, because there are not enough hours in the day!
Posted by: f lynn rush | December 10, 2009 at 06:53 AM
I enjoy all kinds of paper. Love tissue paper for making flowers and for gifting in gift bags. Thicker paper for stencils and scrapbooking. I'm working on a scrapbook for the greyhounds I foster and have adopted. The rest for whatever project I'm working on.
Posted by: Caprice Savage | December 10, 2009 at 07:14 AM
Maybe crazy but I love all the different papers that shops use to package your purchase. Whether it be a bag, the tissue or wrapping. Then using collage, gesso, etc etc the paper can be worked in many different ways creating original paper.
I am also quite guilty about shopping at my local paper shop for Japanese and all variety of prepared papers.
Posted by: Marjorie Jumisco | December 10, 2009 at 07:26 AM
I love all paper but I really like to use wrapping paper. If I want to make a really large origami star, I can cut huge squares from the roll. Pretty cheap too!
Posted by: Sally Hackney | December 10, 2009 at 07:29 AM
paper is a miracle.. i luv all kinds.. but on top of that list is
patterned scrap book papers..mmm
thanks for the chance
Posted by: mindy | December 10, 2009 at 09:32 AM
It depends on what I'm working on. Living where I do (now), I have to make the most of whatever paper I can find. I'm a paper junkie with no access these days. On rare occasions I'll find some nice scrapbooking paper. Now and then I find some good wrapping paper I can use. I've also learned to make my own papers using layers of plain old tissue and inclusions like grass seens, dried flowers, threads, and the like.
Posted by: Susan | December 10, 2009 at 09:39 AM
I, too, love all papers. Tissue paper and napkins are very useful for texture and backgrounds.
Thanks for the chance to win your give-away.
Posted by: Lizbeth | December 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Do I *have* to pick a favorite? I love all things paper, always have. Okay, if I have to pick, I suppose it would be Japanese art papers.
Oh, and I just got this fabulous book and I love it!
Posted by: wendy | December 10, 2009 at 11:21 AM
What a luck to stumble upon your Blog ;-)
I especially love vintage paper as in old books or old magazines.
Posted by: Trix | December 10, 2009 at 01:11 PM