One Lovely Blog Award: A Paper-Pencil-Pen Nomination Part I

Last weekend I got the sweet news that Paper-Pencil-Pen was nominated by writer Tess Wixted at Suhurat (meaning: to flow with what we encounter) for a One Lovely Blog Award--a sort of spread-the-word online chain letter of love. Let me know if you know the origin (a brief Google search shows a Dec. 2011 reference). As a condition of acceptance, I am to thank the blogger,  nominate 15 other bloggers (with comments on each) to pass on the prestige, and then share 7 random things about myself. (I've decided to dismiss the latter--enough about me on these pages!) Thank you Tess for citing Paper-Pencil-Pen as "your necessary reading for writers looking to get their words out into the world"!

Here are my lovely blog award nominations for all things to do with paper, writing, books, imagery...

Yurika Chiba

1. I Make Things Out of Paper (... wood, stamps, fabric and repurposed materials of all kinds). Yurika Chiba, whose work I blogged about in The Sketchbook Tour, is a Japanese-Canadian visual artist, Taiko performer and friend whose "doodles" and musings amaze me. Looking at her blog is like sipping chocolate. Yum! Check out Toronto Subway Memories (at left).

2. Soul y Luna (formerly, Tchotkes): "little notes on the days that follow." Tegan Zimmerman Henry (no relation, but a friend) is an ultra-creative photographer-mommy-teacher--etsy seamstress. Her posts are always interesting and visually stunning snippets of a lovely country life.

3. Literacy Roots (by the same blogger as SoulyLuna): "a platform to reflect on ways in which children construct language and meaning to make sense of the world, and how these observations inform my teaching practices." A must-read for teachers and those interested in literacy.

borrowed from Red Letter Day Zine

4. I recently blogged about Jenny Hinchcliff's Red Letter Day Zine at my post on the recent SF Zine Fest! If you share our love of "postal-ish papery things," you'll want to check out her Perennial Postcard Project, stamp collections, ephemera and other found objects de papier! (Yes, I made that up.)

5. Jackie Flaherty's Letters & Journals offers ideas (turn book spines into bookmarks), contests, give-aways (ephemera, anyone?) and events (I'd never heard of the National Stationery Show!). This woman even has a "handmade carry-all" for her letter writing supplies (see below) made by her pen pal! I just stash my letters in an old trunk!

6. The Elevated Envelope: "an exploration of uncommon correspondence" showcases the talents of Tara Bliven, such as her Elevated Envelope Exchange--a project where creative strangers from all over the world send each other artistic snail mail. Love letterpress? Then her website Ephemera-Liberated Letterpress showcasing her stationery sets is a must-see!

 7. I've blogged before about Annie Yu, founder of the Snail Mail Social--a letter writing social in San Francisco with vintage typewriters, custom stationery and rubber stamps. It appears that her blog, Curbside Treasure, moved its URL and is no longer linked. Boo Hoo! Scrolling through her site is like screeching on the brakes curbside--you never know what treasures you might find.

I'll have to return for Part II of my nominations, since I can't help myself but write about each one!

The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour

My friend, visual artist and taiko drummer Yurika Chiba, wrote on her blog I Make Things Out of Paper about a worldwide project she's participating in--The Sketchbook Project.

"Mari" by Yurika Chiba

The Art House Co-op writes:

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the world. To receive a sketchbook and participate in the project [fee: $25], choose a theme from the list [on the website]. After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Sketchbook Project tour locations include 14 venues in as many cities, including London and Melbourne and a new space in San Francisco--a Pacific outpost they hope will be permanent.

Themes include: It's Winter Where You Are; Things Found Under Car Seats; In 50 Years; and many more. Each sketchbook is given a bar code and cataloged so that it's tracked every time it is viewed on tour or at the art library; then you can log in at the website to see the stats!

It's a great way to get your work out into the world. As an artist you can upload a bio--including notes, history, resume, blog link, whatever--featured online with your digitized sketchbook ($20 fee).

Sign up by October 31st! Postmark your book by Jan. 31st. Tour begins April 2012.

If you love PAPER, pencils and pens as much as I do, you must check out the Art House blog, where I came across this short film by Lauren Nash. It documents her gorgeous sketchbook "And Then There Was None"--including her artistic approach, emotional process and poignant themes: