Literature for you ears

My book earrings are real mini books, with readable text (mostly poetry) inside. I get a lot on questions about the range of book earrings I make. This page has a few of the answers, but do get in contact if you have more questions, or would like to purchase some.

These earrings are my own design, the covers are my own marbling, and I also hand stitch the books in a simple book binding. 

Covers
Because the covers are hand marbled the range of colours I have available is constantly changing but I do always have a wide range of colours available - just ask for details, or tell me a few colours and I'll let you know what I have on hand! I also am happy to make custom colours, but do allow a month to get the marbling done.  

Text
I can make custom poems, but like the custom marbling, it does add a bit of time (normally a week). Below is a list of poems I have ready to make. Ordering from this list with an already marbled cover means your order will take no more than 10 working days to complete. If you want a pair in a hurry I do have a range made up already for immediate postage.



Shakespeare Sonnets 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 56, 104, 105, 116, 129, 130
Emily Dickenson - Hope is the Thing with Feathers
Lewis Carroll - The Jabberwocky
Rudyard Kipling - The Thousandth Man
Song of Solomon 4:1-7
William Ernest Henley - Invictus
Catullus - Viviamus mea Lesbia
Robert Frost - The Road not Taken

Gift Hutt Marbling Workshops 2016

I'm very excited to tell you all that this year I'm running marbling workshops at Gift Hutt, Lower Hutt on the second Saturday of the month. They will cover a range of marbling techniques as well as various cool things you can make with your marbled papers.

February 13th we'll be marbling and making origami dresses out of marbled paper. You'll have the opportunity to make a few of these delightful cards, and take home your own marbled paper to make even more.

March is a deeper look at marbling, including making friskets (cut out images to form silhouette pictures) and other pictorial marbling.

April I'm planning to return to card making in addition to the marbling, adding other embellishments such as quilled flowers.

May will include my popular simple bookbinding class, where everyone gets to make simple stitched notebooks and marble their own cardstock to make unique covers.

The workshops run from 2 - 3.30 p.m in the back room of Gift Hutt (136 High St) and cost $25 each.

The workshops are for everybody! Children and adults. If the children are 7 years old or older no adult supervision is needed, but all parents are welcome to stay and observe. If you would like to take part as well, please say so when registering as it effects class numbers and equipment.

To sign up email me (dorapapersart@gmail.com) or contact Gift Hutt.

Gift Hutt Marbling Workshops

Come along to Gift Hutt for an exciting afternoon marbling workshop with me!

The workshops are for everybody! Children and adults. If the children are 7 years old or older no adult supervision is needed, but all parents are welcome to stay and observe. If you would like to take part as well, please say so when registering as it effects class numbers and equipment. 

I'll be running three workshops. Attending all three will allow you build on skills learnt in the previous workshops, but all can be understood on their own and people are welcome to come to just one or two. 

The first one on Sunday the 8^th November, is an introduction to marbling and will include how to make some basic patterns. You can also do a bit of origami.

The second workshop is on Saturday 28^th November. As well as creating further marbled papers you will have the opportunity to make your own marbled fridge magnet (please note, one wooden base for each student will be provided as part of the class fee, more will be available for purchase on the day).

The third workshop is on 13^th December. It will, in addition to marbling, include some simple bookbinding with everyone learning how to make a stitched notebook. 

Cost $25 per person, or $65 for all three workshops. They will all run from 2p.m - 3.45p.m at Gift Hutt, on High St, Lower Hutt.

To sign up, or if you have any questions, email me at dorapapersart@gmail.com

Paper Art Class

Marbling on recycled handmade paper, by last year's Paper Art Class

I’m teaching another children’s paper class this term through Days Bay Play.

Handemade marbled notebooks, made by me

This one is a basic introduction to marbling, recycled paper making and flower pressing, for children 5 and up. I’m really looking forward to seeing some new faces, and if anyone wants to come back from last year you are very welcome – we will be covering some of the same stuff, but there’s always room for a bit of fun experimentation, or more practice!

Pressed flower card on hand made recycled paper, by me.

The finished work should include handmade paper cards and bookmarks with pressed flowers, and handmade marbled notebooks. We tend to do a fair bit of origami too.

Origami is always fun

 If you’re looking for something a bit different/for slightly older kids, there are also sewing classes going on at Days Bay Play this term for 8-12 year olds – they look pretty fantastic. I’m also intending to do a paper class next term for older kids.

Children and Literary Earrings

I spent Wednesday afternoons this term crafting with a great bunch of primary school kids. They did marbling, paper making and origami – and they’re fantastic at it too. Take a look at some of their marbled papers. The ones with a textured look are their own homemade recycled paper.

One week I wore a pair of marbled origami crane earrings I’d made, as we were making cranes in class. The reaction was so enthusiastic; I went home and designed some book themed ones to match the notebooks they made in the last few weeks. It turns out teaching is not only great fun, it’s also inspiring.

 

Disliking the bright white of a blank page I’ve turned to Shakespeare – I find one sonnet fits neatly between two ears.

Here is sonnet 19, on white printer paper with marbled cartridge paper for a cover.

And sonnet 116 with a homemade marbled paper cover.

Finally, a Lord of the Rings set, with the poems All That Glitters and One Ring to Rule Them All.

They even have appropriate end papers - Gondor’s white tree and the One Ring.

I love the potential for personalisation in these earrings – a favourite quote, poem or even a recipe. I think I’ll have great fun making many more of them. I hope to take another session again soon too – the kids were great, and who knows what I’ll end up designing next time!

Crafty Week

I've had a pretty productive week, craftwise. I thought I'd show it with some photos.

 I made more of my usual quilled earrings and accompanying origami boxes, both of which turned out well. The earrings this week were mostly in the theme of grey, which I think are rather elegant, though I'm afraid they don't photograph well. There is also a pale pink and black set that remind me of my high school ball dress - if you're wondering, it was a very nice dress.

Then I did my book experiments. I've been meaning to make some as a technique refresher for a while, as next month I'll be teaching children how to marble and then make some of these books.

First I tried the Japanese binding

While I'm very pleased with the effects, I don't think I'll do this one at my course as it's both tricky to make and then, with the tight binding, tricky to use too. Although I may use a variation with handmade paper, as it is a great way to bind single pages.

The second style is just a basic stitched notebook, which I like for its simplicity and ease of use. It satisfyingly meets William Morris' criteria of being both useful and beautiful.