Online Store!

Sushi Papercraft now has an online store! If you can't make it to a craft sale, order a book through my Etsy shop -- click anywhere in that box on the right. A lot of the books here won't be available at markets; they've been specially set aside for you online shoppers. There aren't a whole bunch listed yet, but I'll be adding more items in the future.

To order a book, all you need is a credit card. The purchase is put through PayPal, a secure and reputable payment method. You don't need a Paypal account to use Paypal.

If you're from Edmonton, do send me an email before you order. You can save on shipping and currency conversion if we meet up instead!

Clearance Sale

School supplies or otherwise, it's time to stock up on sketchbooks and journals! On Saturday, August 29 I'm having a clearance sale to find homes for my summer line of journals. Not to say I'm selling all summer-themed items, like a Winners trying to get rid of bikinis; I've just had these books for a while and would like to start with a fresh batch of books for the fall. So! There are lots of one-of-a-kind book designs fit for artists, writers, and dreamers – they also make fabulous gifts if you don't need one for yourself. Oh, and some items are up to 60% off, holy smokers. Find them in Axis Cafe’s stall at Edmonton’s City Market: Jasper Ave and 104th Street, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In other news, Handmade Mafia rescheduled their September show. It's now being held on Saturday, September 12.

Cool Guys

I love watching husbands/boyfriends helping their best girls succeed in the Makin' Stuff business. I'm honing in on the helpful dudes because most of the crafters I've met, or am stationed by at the market, are women. (I'm sure there are helpful wives/girlfriends too.)

At every event I see partners set up displays, deliver lunches, and even help run the business. One vendor told me her boyfriend quit his job to help with her full-time craft gig. Another lady's husband shows up at 7:30 a.m. on market days to assemble her booth, and again at 3 to take it down. Even if they're just picking up cornstarch for a certain glue recipe, I think it's fantastic how these guys support their partners' endeavors. Three cheers for you, cool guys.

Homemade Glue

I made my own glue a few days ago, something I never planned on doing in life...turns out it's not only possible, but kind of important if you want your books to survive in a nasty world.

So this first batch looks like porridge. I don't know what it's supposed to look like. It was hard to find a glue recipe online; I thought the internet could help you make anything, geez. Anyway, I did some experiments, and the paste worked surprisingly well! Impressive stuff, really -- and it's only cornstarch and water. Crazy! You could eat it if you wanted to.

So why bother, you ask? Because all the other kinds of glue I've tried can't take much abuse. Abuse from the weather that is -- humidity is hell on paper/glue combos and causes book covers to ripple and bubble. Not that people keep their journals outside, but I want to make the books as durable as possible. Then someone told me that ripples and such don't happen when you have just the right paste, and you can make it yourself. Plus it's difficult to acquire...not many places sell "bookbinder's glue". Fabulous thing is, homemade glue is really cheap and really green -- no chemicals here. The books smell like potatoes, fancy that.

But I'd love to hear from someone who knows what they're doing. Got any tips -- better yet, recipes? Seriously, is it supposed to look like that?

A Note About Vinyl

A reader asked me about the vinyl books I made, whether the vinyl contains PVC -- a normally very toxic chemical compound. Here's an update: the vinyl is a PVC product, but it's a biodegradable version that, when decomposing, does not release any VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). And bonus: the inks used are an eco-friendly, corn solvent-based product.

Make It + Handmade Nation

Of all the ways to Stick It to The Man, makin' your own stuff is my favourite one.

This Saturday the 18th there's the Make It craft show at the TransAlta Arts Barn -- and there's a reason behind this event besides the selling of crafts. Make It celebrates the premiere of Handmade Nation, a documentary about the growing popularity of buying and selling handmade goods (or the Makin' Stuff Movement, as I've just now decided to call it). Here's a blurb I found about the film:

"Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the D.I.Y. ethos...Participants in this community share ideas and encourage ment through websites, blogs, boutiques, galleries, and craft fairs. Together they have forged a new economy and lifestyle based on creativity, determination, and networking."

As for the Make It sale, it's "not your granny's craft show," as a the website puts it. The Make It sale boasts a live band, a wine bar, and trendy/quirky crafts that especially appeal to hipsters and artsy folk. You'll definitely find cool, original stuff here! Show up between 10 and 5, and later at 8 for the movie. Visit their cool-looking website for more info: www.makeitproductions.com