A Yen For Paper

INSPIRATIONAL JAPANESE PAPER

In one of my first posts, I mentioned one of my favourite washi shops in Tokyo, namely Ozu Washi. I was tremendously fortunate to be able to visit there again in May as well as the Japan Traditional Craft Centre and thought you might like a peak at some of the truly beautiful handmade and hand-dyed paper that I purchased on my most recent trip.
The image above is just a little part of one of my favourite sheets.

But the trouble is that they are all beautiful and funds are limited naturally, so I just have to spend hours browsing, and trying to decide which ones I can't bear to leave behind. This one reminds me of the paintings my children did at the Rudolph Steiner school.

However, the more closely I look at them the more their beauty is revealed.  I can easily spend 3 hours in there and not even notice that time has been passing.

Each one is so different from the last and a work of art really in its own right. That's what makes it so difficult to choose.

I find these papers truly inspiring, but sometimes I find it extremely difficult to cut into a sheet such as this. I feel instead that they should be exhibited in a gallery somewhere.

Please let me know what you think?

BOOK MARKET

Here in Aix en Provence, the first Sunday of the month is the day of the book market in the Place de la Mairie, and as you can see today was no exception.  So I ventured out into the heat of the day to have a little browse around, equipped with my camera and my fan, in a vain attempt to keep cool.

There are various pleasures to be enjoyed here-

admiring and browsing through the beautiful books,

being part of the general community of booklovers,

taking in the surroundings,

and of course the joy of finding old, yet beautiful publications,

complete with wonderful images inside.

APOLOGIES

Apologies to all for the hitch in proceedings.  This was due first of all to busyness and then to a technical hitch with the internet connection here in France.  To make up for it a little, here is a photo taken from the driveway, just to prove I am really in Provence :-)

WASHI & WISHES

Following on from yesterdays post, where I mentioned Omikuji. I made this little book with a wish incorporated into the lovely washi cover.

The creamy oatmeal coloured washi I used is quite chunky, with a pronounced texture. According to Japanese cultural traditions, washi is credited with adding friendliness, fragility and charm to life. Paper is not just a utilitarian product in Japan, but something which is valued for its particular aesthetic qualities.

As well as having (the now well known) wabi sabi elements, this washi also has a kind of "shibui" or zen beauty - being simple, subtle, unaffected, rough and yet elegant at the same time, in an unobtrusive way. Therefore it is in harmony with nature and conveys tranquility.

As the previous images showed, omikuji are usually tied to the trunks, branches or twigs of trees, but in this case I have improvised by tying it to a small length of koyori, a type of string made with twisted japanese paper.  Looks a little like a paper butterfly on the inside.

For the curious, this little book's wish for you is that the angels may guide your hand as you write.

mt masking tape

Whilst travelling in Japan last week and browsing in as many stationery shops as I could find, I was so taken with this wonderful mt masking tape. Their website states that it is made from rice paper which has “just the right degree of transparency” and it can be written on too.

As you can see it comes in a huge range of  cute colours, patterns and widths and believe it or not, I don’t have them all, yet. Unfortunately, it only seems to be available in Japan at present - if you come across it anywhere in Europe I would love to know about it.

I also purchased the little paperback book which they have produced showing some inspiring uses for it, including wrapping, collage and interior decoration, sticking postcards on the wall, photos on the fridge, labeling things etc - needless to say, I can’t read Japanese, so I just have to be content with looking at the images.

Here is a little practice book I made today, which I decided to decorate with the masking tape - just for fun.  I am sure I am going to enjoy using this tape and will find endless practical and decorative uses for it. In fact I love it!

PAPER WORKS LIKE A CHARM

On my trip to Japan last week I visited quite a few shrines and temples around Kyoto and was enchanted by the use of paper and wood for recording wishes, prayers and fortunes.

Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips found at many shrines and temples. Randomly drawn, they contain predictions ranging from daikichi ("great good luck") to daikyo ("great bad luck"). By folding the piece of paper and knotting it around a tree's branch, good fortune will come true, or bad fortune can be averted.

I was delighted at the Heian Shrine to discover that what I thought from the distance to be pink blossom, was in fact paper fortunes tied to branches.

A shimenawa is a straw rope with white zigzag paper strips (gohei). It marks the boundary to something sacred and can be found on torii gates, around sacred trees and stones, etc.
Here are some I spotted on my travels.

Apparently an ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy beasts (others include the dragon and tortoise), and is said to live for a thousand years.

I spotted these at the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

I think I'd better get folding .....

MAPS, CHARTS & OTHER DISCOVERIES

I was recently lucky enough to take part in a bookbinding workshop at the Lighthousekeeper's cottages on the little island of Bressay - one of the Shetland Isles. The weekend's topic was "Maps, Charts & other Discoveries" and my fellow binders arrived laden with all kinds of goodies to share, including navigational charts, alphabet stamps, cake, friendship and great ideas. Here is a small selection of our wonderful creations from the lighthouse.

With thanks to Hammie, Isabelle, Lauris, Hazel, Sue, Kelly, Janey, Ama, Rachel, & Emma.

INTERVIEW

You can find a short interview with yours truly on Marty Weil's blog entitled "Ephemera", regarding the joy of collecting French paper ephemera.

FRENCH PAPER EPHEMERA

Since I bound a very large book yesterday, I thought I would make a bunch of very simple pamphlet stitch books today, using some of the French paper ephemera I have collected over the last while - paper bags, old book pages and magazines. The lovely illustrations are set off by the very simple bindings. See what you think?

MON AIDE-MEMOIRE

Since I am always finding scribbled notes in my handwriting, that have a tendency to gather in odd corners around the house, but which magically seem to disappear when I really need them.  I decided the other day that, being a paper and pencil kind of a girl, I would make myself “un aide-mémoire”. A paper extension of my memory in the form of a nice chunky journal.

One that I couldn’t possibly lose - a collecting place for all of the haphazard and miscellaneous facts, quotes, definitions, ideas etc. that I am sure I will want to remember, but am equally sure that I will forget, if I don’t immediately write them down - a place to keep the flotsam and jetsam of a curious mind. Actually, since schooldays, I have always found that I am more likely to remember something if I have written it down - perhaps my memory is in my hands:-)

So from now on I am going to make a note in my aide-mémoire:
- of the fascinating looking book that I read the great review of, but can’t for the life of me remember the title of, when I am in the bookstore,
- of the times the movie is showing that I really would like to see, but probably won’t get around to going to because I’m not sure when it’s on,
- of the great quotation that I wish I had said, and am positive that I will want to use at some point in the future, such as “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken”. (Sorry, but I forgot who said that. If you remember, do let me know and I’ll make a note of it).

The longstitch binding pictured here was the result of my creative efforts today - let’s hope it doesn’t remain blank for long!