sorry!

I am sooo sorry I haven't blogged for awhile! The holidays are in full force and my free time seems to be taken with getting product up on my Etsy site. I promise to be a bit more "Blogactive" in a week or two.

Sale!

I'm having a bit of a sale at my etsy shop. Just in time for the holidays! Use the coupon code "thanks" for 20% off!

http://www.etsy.com/people/backdoorbooks

Patience from Glowing Heads on Vimeo.

Toilet Paper Roll Art- Junior Fritz Jacquet

 There is a feel and an emotion to a material. It speaks to you. The beauty and history of the potential material tells you what it wants to be. The most frustrating part of an Artist's life is failing to do it justice, failing to express what potential is  in your chosen material is devastating. This, in my humble opinion, is why we hoard. When we are unable to release the material's potential, we have to protect it till we are able. I am sure everyone has some hidden stash waiting for their artistic expertise comes close to the level dictated by the precious stash.

 I love this Junior Fritz Jacquet's work. His uses paper like Michelangelo used stone. What he makes comes from the nature of the paper.

It was at the tender age of 14 years old when he first learned of his enduring love for origami art and its principles. It was an average day at school when his teacher instructed the students to build their own origami model. Jacquet connected immediately with the art form, understood its applications, and that they could be utilized far beyond a single piece of paper. Since that time, he has perfected his skills and techniques in a never-ending exploration of folding and crumpling paper to his will and design.

Blogging advice

Okay whilst reading another Artist's blog, I found the following information:
  " In order to have a successful blog, you should blog as many times as you eat through out the day."
 I see may problems with this. 1) I am a "Man of Size", who likes to eat... a lot. 2) Who has this much time to write all of this, and who has the time to read it all?

  So I am posing a couple of questions to you:
     1) How many times a week to you sit down and read through your chosen blogs?
     2) What type of things would you like to see on my blog? More tutorials? General observations? Interesting Links?

   Thanks!
     ~Eric

Folder Review

 I can't believe I am doing a review of paper folders. This is a tool that is sooooo basic and soooo unremarkable, yet soooo important to any kind of paper crafts. One would not think that there would be a whole lot of variation on the old tried and true Bone folder... but alas... there is.
   The basic paper folder is made from animal bone. Usually the leg of a cow is used, but They can be made from virtually any sturdy smooth bones. 

   I have drooled over hand carved folders made from Horn and exotic woods. Despite the fact that I would love one of these, I know when I broke it opening my Coke Zero I would have to cry.

Oooooooooo so pretty....

  So I brought it home and low and behold it does not leave marks on dark paper. It worked amazingly! Also, because of the slight flex of the Teflon, you are able to get a sharper fold.  I was shopping the other day and cam across a new type of paper folder....Teflon! I am sure they are not really a new technology, but being the tool whore that I am I HAD to have one. Picking it up I noticed a major difference..... It's slightly flexible. The material is much less hard then Bone. I read online that Teflon folders will not leave a shinny burnish mark on darker papers. Well seeing home I use mostly colored and a whole lot of black paper, I was intrigued. Not that that fact was going to change my mind.... whatever the advantage was, it's a new tool, and I needed it to be mine.
 .................... I do believe I am in love.

Various paper folding tools... yes I have used a butter knife (Eeeeeeak!)

Teflon Folders are a lot more expensive then regular bone folders, but when you spend that $10-$20 for beautiful handmade Paper from Napal, the extra cost is so worth it.

   ~Eric

Papermaking

I took a lot of paper making classes in college. The process was a blast. I found an awesome video on the process. If you EVER get the chance to try making your own paper... DO IT!