I've long been drawn to watercolor paintings and pretty lettering, so it's no surprise that I immediately followed artist and designer Jill Delavan on Instagram (@jilldelavanatelier) after coming across her oh so appealing photos. In addition to posting beautiful items she was creating for her wedding - more about that in a moment - I noticed a variety of adorable dog portraits.


I learned that Jill was in the midst of painting a dog for each letter of the alphabet and planned to release a poster-sized print early in the new year. The time has come and look how special it is, perfect for a baby's nursery or child's room! Imagine the happy moments a little one would spend studying each friendly pup, all the while learning letters and breeds the way so many kidlets become dinosaur experts.


The quality is superb as it is printed on 120# Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite matte paper. You'll find it listed in Jill's new online shop along with a range of smaller,…

If you're a longtime reader you already know that I enjoy giving gifts that are made of paper and I love paper jewelry because of its surprise factor. When someone exclaims "Is this really paper?" upon opening a gift, it's music to my ears. Thus, you won't be a bit surprised to see that many of the Christmas presents I gave to friends and family members were paper-themed.


Stephanie Schick, a jewelry maker and photographer in southern Germany made these little gifts that I gave to my youngest relative to wear or attach to her backpack. I chose a vivid paper butterfly brooch, an adorable chubby bird brooch, and a geometric key fob, all carefully made of paper, then protected with water repellent.


To my way of thinking, shopping via a small online shop is the best because it's so easy to connect with the owner... they make themselves available to answer questions and many accept custom requests. If you don't see a particular item listed in the shop, bu…

Love reading and making, designing and writing? Then look into signing up for Rachel Hazell's BookLove, an enjoyable e-course in which you'll explore bookmaking and bringing your own words to life. If Rachel's name sounds familiar, perhaps you're thinking of her gorgeous book Bound that was released last autumn.



Let BookLove be a gift to yourself - your first passion project of 2019. You’ll choose the paper, the content, the words and design. With Rachel as your guide, inspiration will flow as you learn to beautifully bind your story.




Grow your repertoire of techniques as the class unfolds over two full weeks beginning January 14 and continue to make book art throughout the year.




Rachel Hazell's twenty years of teaching experience and enthusiasm provide a wealth of exercises and instruction so you can dive into fresh ideas and new ways of working.


BookLove from The Travelling Bookbinder on Vimeo.

This captivating video is just a small taste of Rachel's …