Hi, my name is Aprile and I love 100 ideas , 1001 journals , alphabets , altered books , animals , antiques , architecture , art , australia , autumn , beauty , bird nests , birds , books , bookstores , boots , bunnies , butterflies , buttons , calligraphy , cameras , cards , cats , ceramics , clothing , collaboration , collage , collections , confetti , contrast , crafts , dada , decor8 , design , design for mankind , dictionaries , diy , doing anything but homework , drawing , dried flowers , editorial design , embroidery , ephemera , equestrian things , eric carle , etsy , events , fall , fashion , fashion illustration , female vocalists , festivals , film , flickr , flowers , fortune cookies , french , fyodor , gardening , giveaways , hand-lettering , handmade , handmade nation , happiness , hearts , henry darger , history , home sweet home , illustration , inner beauty , inspiration , interior design , interviews , japan , jenny lewis , jewellery , jill barber , jory , junk , kara walker , keri smith , kraft paper , leaves , lens flare , letterpress , linens , lists , london , love letters , lula , lykke li , magazines , maira kalman , making art , making books , making friends , making things , maps , milk , moustaches , museums , music , my apartment , my mom , Nana , nature , nice days , notepads , odds & ends , old architecture , our apartment , outsider art , owls , paint pens , paper , papercutting , paris , photo corners , photography , picnics , pillows , pink , poppytalk , quotes , rain , relaxation , seasons , second-hand stores , shopping , shops , shows , simplicity , sleep , snow , softness , spring , starting fresh , stationery , style , suitcases , sweden , textiles , thao nguyen , the 1970s , the industrial era , the language of flowers , the paper place , the past , the uk , the woods , toronto , travel , tumblr , twigs , twitter , typewriters , typography , videos , vintage , vintage books , vintage catalogues , walks , wallpaper , wood , wooden spools , words , zakka , zines , & blogging.

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06/29/09

natural living (working title)

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.29:

Some of you might have heard through the grapevine about my little book project, which I am doing for a summer course on Editorial Design. I feel it's really important to work with my personal style, so I was really glad we were allowed to choose what type of book and the content it would be based on. Feeling pretty inspired by some talented Flickr photographers/nature lovers, I asked some of them to participate by submitting interviews and photos to me. It will not be published, it's a special one time only thing, and there will be one copy printed for me, and one for each participant involved in the project. (You will all get to see the PDF, don't worry! I know that's not the same...)

Anyway, I'm excited to show you a little sneak peek, I am trying to assemble everything in the "right" order while adding photos that keep rolling into my inbox. I am so excited to see the final printed version, due in ONE WEEK, Ahh! And I will let you know how it turns out : )

Photos in these spreads by Karin Eriksson and Chelsea Fuss from {frolic!}.

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le petit atelier de paris

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.29:

Isn't this dreamy? My ever growing list of places to visit had this little workshop added to it today, le petit atelier de paris. I found these cute ceramic leaves and flowers at their blog. I have nothing more to say about it than it's absolutely beautiful and I want to go there!

I'm not very well traveled and lately I've been dreaming about places I could go. (Paris and Japan top my list!) I know some French (because I'm Canadian, haha) and I'm trying to learn Japanese, which feels impossible! I just subscribed to the blog hungry for words which seems pretty cute—and could be helpful!

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the shop bug

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.29:

Thank you to the Shop Bug for making me their Shop of the Week! It's my first time being interviewed (I'm almost always the interviewer!) and so I was quite excited to do so... Take a peek here!

Also, this week I am giving away one set of my 8 plant markers (above) to EVERY customer, until Sunday July 5th. Let's say it's to celebrate my interview at Shop Bug and my first consignment shop in Toronto! (More details to come) Just add to your message the word "gardening" and you will get a free set.

The 8 markers are:
• basil
• oregano
• coriander
• mint
• thyme
• rosemary
• sage
• parsley

PS. All my plants but one are dead (the coriander). I screwed up somehow, haha. I won't need these plant markers, so take them away from me!

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06/26/09

echoing and re-echoing.

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.26:

I don't know, is this nice? I am trying to focus on doing some larger collages, since I have always worked on 8.5" x 11" sheets and smaller. I was thinking of using unconventional "canvases" as well, this one is an olive green legal file I found in an old filing cabinet. I have made some works on wood that are pretty enormous, so let's call this one on the medium side. Should I do more work like this?

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06/24/09

another book stack

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.24:

So I went to my favourite (often overpriced) bookstore today, and actually spent a reasonable amount of money! 23 dollars for 3 books, and a nice little stack of ephemera. Let me tell you a bit about each one!

From left to right: Echoing and Re-Echoing, by Faye Huntington The Dogberry Bunch, by Mary Hartwell Catherwood Left with a Trust, by Nellie Hellis

This book I am seriously amazed by. It's called the Dogberry bunch, and it was published in 1880! I didn't even realize this at first, when I got home I got a closer look at the inscription in the back (Christmas 1890). This was labelled $5, as is, but I think it looks pretty good for being almost 130 years old! The older and more ruined a book is, the better. Then my guilty conscience will leave me alone and let me get back to my artwork.



It's Victorian style is beautiful! The pages are extremely thick and the whole book has rounded corners.



Ohh the title of this book is the best. Echoing and Re-echoing. Does that even make sense? All of the books I find are super religious, which makes sense based on the time they were published. I love that it is "the pansy series" so there are pansies painted on the cover. Why don't they make covers like this anymore?



Various little tickets and vintage ephemera, dating back to as easly as 1929. She has this bin full of bits and pieces she finds in the books, and sells them for 50 cents each. I'll bite!

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dust

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.24:

I love this Spring Collection post card from Dust Clothing.

via pretty new blog find Alisha Henson

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06/23/09

big on bloor

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.23:

Hello! I'm still recovering from Big on Bloor on Saturday (which means there is still stuff everywhere). It was the rainiest day we have had in a while, and it was a bit disappointing—because Friday was beautiful and Sunday was as well—but I still had so much fun! I forgot to take any photos, so thanks to Petra for taking some! Above is my and my table covered in plastic. It was NOT a good day for paper products.



It was my first show ever, and I'm going to call it a practice run. I'm happy to know we were well prepared, and I loved my display! I made friends with my table neighbour, Xenia, met Lisa from Girl Can Create who had recently just discovered this blog (and I've even been on hers before!), and Anabela and Geoff stopped by as well, and brought home one of my Nest collages! It was such a good day, despite all the difficulties, and I am definitely going to do it again because I love meeting people! I never thought I would be one to say that, even. I'm not the most social...


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06/19/09

almost ready!

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.19:

All the pictures you will see from my studio right now are messes, messes, and more messes! I'm almost ready for Big on Bloor tomorrow, which is a street festival that runs from Christie to Lansdowne (on Bloor of course). It is a BIG festival, and I am excited to be a part of it (it is my first show ever). Unfortunately, there is rain planned for the entire day. I am sort of in denial, because it was so beautiful today, and will be beautiful again every day next week, but Jory said the likelihood of error from Environment Canada is slim to none. Darn. My main problem is that all of my stuff is made out of paper...

So if you're in Toronto and you want to brave the rain, stop by! I'll be at table E30, and I'm there with friends Petra, John, and Carmen at tables E31 and E32. It should be fun regardless of rain, right?

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06/ 9/09

with every good wish

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.09:

I just wanted to share a little something I made for a bridal shower. We were looking for paper to design the invitations, and finally we decided to go with post cards (which I had been printing a ton of all week). I think they work well as really affordable invitations and they're also truly unique! It was fun for me because the bride-to-be has similar taste to mine, woodsy and simple (though she hasn't seen them yet).

I was thinking I would like to do more things like this, so if anyone is stuck for invitations, let me know! I think comissioned invitations are a cute idea.

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06/ 8/09

and the winner is...

Posted by aprile on 2009.06.08:

The random winner of the last Oh Sweet Woods special edition is #23, Lisa!
Congrats Lisa!

If you didn't get a chance to get your hands on the special edition, you can still get the regular one right here.

Hope everyone is having a lovely evening!

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