Biblio-Files

Today’s post was specially curated by one of my talented friends, Jessica Thomas. Jessica is a photo art director and creative consultant who, like me, is a self-professed maximalist. Among her collections include ephemera, printed matter (especially of the Scandinavian and Japanese sort), and books (she reads at least one a week—truly putting my slow reading habit to shame).

I can think of no better time to celebrate all things bookish than early fall. Crisp autumn temperatures mean summer’s sunburns are fading and it’s time to tap your inner nerd. Although advancing technologies continue to shrink our attention spans, we turn to print on paper for the warmth that books evoke at home.

1. These lit-inspired scents evoke the classics from Poe to Austin. Paddywax Library candles, $25, www.paddywax.com 2. If you love stacks of books, this wallpaper gives you the allusion without the fire hazard, and it’s perfect for an entryway. Designed by UK designer Tracey Kendall for Anthropologie, $198 per roll, www.anthropologie.com 3. Create your own modern bookcase; Muuto stackable bookcase, $119—$229 per shelf, www.dwr.com 4. Show off your favorite classic with this new line of book bags and coasters; Pride and Prejudice tote, $18, www.outofprintclothing.com 5. John Updike’s classic Rabbit series would be right at home between these hand-printed bookends by Wolfum; $62 each, www.wolfum.com 6. Letterpress bookplates make a great gift to a fellow bibliophile; Library bookplates by LetsBeFriends, $12 (set of 10) and Ex Libris bookplates by Moontreepress at www.etsy.com 7. Up-cycled dictionary pages, circa 1890, are the background of these original illustrations by BlackBaroque; $10, www.etsy.com 8. Known for their exquisite porcelain objects, Klein Reid lets the book become décor, doubling as bookends or vases, $198, www.kleinreid.com 9. If you must read a digital book, at least cover it with a Dodocase cover, which is handmade by traditional bookbinding methods. My fav is the ORK case designed by Jenny Beorkerem (www.orkposters.com) showcasing literary giants in the San Franscico city map, $89.95, www.dodocase.com

images by Mark Kegans

On the tail end of our family vacay to the rustic North Woods of Minnesota where we floated on a houseboat with nothing on our agenda except for…floating on a houseboat, we spent a couple of days in the Twin Cities. I began to reconnect with things I take for granted. Such as indoor plumbing.

One afternoon, after my husband, Mark, and I finished a couple of beers and lunch at Joe’s Garage in Loring Park, we walked next door to check out some letterpress at Lunalux. We happily found owner Jenni Undis at the shop. I wasn’t sure at first that Jenni was the owner, what with her stained apron and a smudge of ink on her nose, she looked more like the press operator. And, in fact, she does work both sides of the desk (and press).

When I found out that Jenni—who began working at Lunalux in the mid-90s as an intern, then bought the business in 2003—once contemplated being a magazine writer, I immediately felt a connection springing from our mutual love of words and type. Many of Jenni’s designs incorporate clever quotes often inspired by her surroundings. The “Be Kind” poster, above, for example, came about during last season’s long Minnesota winter when Jenni witnessed a heated argument over parking outside her shop. Another postcard she printed shows a clear-skied Twin Cities and a Sinclair Lewis quote, “Another perfect day, all jade and sapphire. No place can have more beautiful days than Minnesota when it behaves.”

So, if you find yourself in Jenni’s neighborhood, be sure to stop in and say hello—you’ll be sure to get a warm welcome. Better yet, sign up for one of her letterpress classes on select Saturdays. Upcoming dates are Sept. 10 and Oct. 1. Check out her site for more details.

In 1994, waaaay back before letterpress studios and bloggers went hand-in-hand, Hammerpress in Kansas City cranked up its printing press, and it’s been rolling steadily ever since. Their design staff offers up some of the coolest posters (I wondered how long it would take for me to reference Wilco on my blog), cards (got this one for my husband for Father’s Day, and yes, I know he’s not my father), and custom design (rad invites that would guarantee turnout at your next mixer).

For Hammerpress, the past year was one of its busiest ever, says founder Brady Vest. It’s a real-life example of no matter how fast we advance digitally, there still exists an undeniable allure to take it offline, slow it down, appreciate something made the old-school way.

As someone who got her start in newspapers and before that, at a copier joint (pre-Kinko’s) with a printing press in the back, I felt right at home breathing in fresh ink and listening to the steam engine-like cadence of the press as it started its rhythmic work.

Brady is the real deal. Hands covered in ink and wearing a well-worn Madewell apron, he shuffled through business card samples designed and printed at his studio.

The industrial space that houses Hammerpress is warmed with salvaged wood, books, and ephemera, making the retail shop every bit as captivating as the adjacent printing press studio.

Among the unique selection of postcards, posters, and notebooks Hammerpress carries is a collection of paper goods by the Korean company O-Check. I adore this line for its understated design aesthetic and paper quality. It’s not easy to find shops that carry O-Check products, especially outside of New York.

Swing by the studio the next time you’re in Kansas City and meet the friendly folk at Hammerpress. To sweeten the deal, Brady’s fiancée, Lindsay, has a super-cool snow cone business and you can try one of her tasty and all-natural ice pops at Hammerpress. It’s just dessert after seeing how the past is ensuring the future of the printed word.

Sometimes I like to get my crafty on. One of my more fruitful and rewarding projects involved finding a use for discarded books that have missing pages or have been otherwise damaged. Lisa Occhipinti, a favorite collage/book artist of mine, recently published The Repurposed Library with page after page of her awesome work alongside how-to projects and ideas. Check it! Before I got my hot hands on her book, I spent the better part of my free time last year folding, gluing, Mod-Podging. Here are some results.