TWIG BOOK REVIEW

Our April workshop was very fun and easy making Twig Books with Kris Nevius. I'm sure we're all familiar with Japanese stab bindings, but these African and Asian styles are just a little bit different. Since we had our papers prepared with the necessary holes punched in advance, we were able to get right to the stitching. Kris' examples and instructions were easy to follow so we were able to make all three books. She also  showed ways for us to change the patterns slightly to create even more individual designs. Thank you Kris for sharing these bindings with us. The finished books make wonderful little gift items. Below are examples of some of the books that were made.

Margaret Beech

Donna LaVallee

Dolores Guffey

Annette Hansen

Michele Kamprath

TWIG BOOKS

The April NORBAG workshop will be taught by Kris Nevius, our member from Sonoma County. Kris describes these little African/Asian Twig Books as being great to give as gifts or to use for collecting poems, quotes or notes. Depending upon time, we will make two or three books.

These two books are "Out of Africa"

These two books are "Crossovers".

These two are "Zig-Zag" books.

Supplies:

• 6-10 pages for each book, 5 1/2"x 4 1/4" (a quarter of an 8 1/2" x 11" paper). A total of 18-30 pages to make all three books.
• 2 covers per book: 5 5/8" x 4 3/8". Canson Mi Teintes, Watercolor paper, or card stock for example. A total of six covers for three books.
• Twigs, one per book. These need to be about 3 3/4" long, a minimum of 3 1/2". Bamboo skewers, chopsticks, fancy toothpicks, and twigs from the garden all work well. (You can cut them down and paint them if you wish.)
• Awl, paper clips, needle, scissors, something to use as a punching surface such as corrugated cardboard, mouse pad, phone book etc.

Please prepare your materials ahead of time. When you sign up for the workshop you will receive instructions for a template for punching the holes.

When:  Saturday, April 11 at 10 a.m. PDT

Where: On your computer, tablet or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:   Dolores Guffey by April 6 to receive the password

Workshop Questions: Kris Nevius krispaperstudio@gmail.com

Zoom Questions: Bobbie Hayes

Contact information is in the newsletter

If you happen to be by the Humboldt County Library in Eureka, CA check out the kiosk near the checkout counter to see the current display of NORBAG exchange books.

JUBILEE FUN

  What a fun workshop we had this month! Our member from Portland, Oregon, Carol DuBosch, taught us her original Jubilee calligraphy script. This is a unique script that celebrates creativity. Carol encouraged us to add our own little touches and not be afraid to deviate from the norm. For example, she would not make double "e's" (like in Jubilee) the same. One of the letters could look completely different or be smaller than the other. Carol also taught us about her favorite pens and inks. Even those of us who do not practice calligraphy had a great time and might even give it a try more often. Thank you very much Carol for sharing your expertise.

Margaret Beech shared this photo of a book she made using her version of the Jubilee script. 

Local members will be meeting March 28 from 11:30-2:30 to make a notebook with a wrap around cover and window taught by Michele Kamprath. For more information refer to your March newsletter.

Our April workshop will feature Kris Nevius teaching us African/Asian Twig Books. More information will come soon.

JUBILEE SCRIPT CALLIGRAPHY

     For our March workshop, grab your broad edged fountain pen or marker and easily tackle the unusual & original forms of the JUBILEE Script. These letters are the perfect choice for titles, envelopes, short quotes and any projects that need a fresh and con­temporary look.

In this class, Carol DuBosch will demonstrate the JUBILEE Script and discuss the many ways that each artist can invent alterna­tive letters to personalize the script. She will also explore the design possibilities of this unique style of writing.

You might ask how this script came to be. Here is Carol's explanation:

"I took a weeklong workshop a few years ago and did experimental mark making, leading up to a very goofy script that I invented 'on the fly' and used to write several pages of large text.

The new letters stayed with me and when I came upon the quote 'In the right light, at the right time everything is extraordinary', I knew it would be my New Years card using the unusual script. It was then my task to put myself in that playful inventive mode again and work to develop the letters into a coherent script.

I wrote the letters with a broad edge poster pen. the thick strokes are done with some manipulation of the pen edge angle and the pen corner creates the thin strokes. Pilot Parallel Pens are also an excellent tool for this script.

JUBILEE Script is casual and loose, yet artful. It needs to be written with care. The letters are both easy and difficult, yet must be kept energetic. It has taken me fifty years as a calligrapher to be able to work in this seemingly haphazard, non-traditional way --bending old rules to craft new letters."

SUPPLY LIST:

*You will need a broad edged pen. This can be a calligraphy marker, or a calligraphy fountain pen (Pilot Parallel Pen 3.8 mm or wider). Your pen needs to be fairly wide to make these bold letters, at least 3.5 mm. Regular calligraphy dip pens don’t work for JUBILEE Script.

When:  March 14 at 10 a.m. PDT

Where: On your computer, tablet or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:   Dolores Guffey by March 9 to receive the password

Workshop Questions: Carol DuBosch abcdubosch@frontier.com

Zoom Questions: Bobbie Hayes

Contact information is in the newsletter

Eureka NORBAG Workshop

Our first in-person class of the year will take place

March 28, 2026 from 11:30-2:30 p.m. at the Eureka

Center for Spiritual Living, 239 Buhne St. in Eureka.

Michele Kamprath will be teaching: Notebook with

wrap around cover and window. More information

will be sent to local members via email by the second

week in March. Please look for it in your in-boxes. 

Below are photos of Michele's book.

We've had some problems for members getting to the Cafe lately. The best way is to click on the link on the banner page of the digital March newsletter. Or, in the hard copy of the March newsletter only use the tiny URL, NOT the ID or passcode. Those items will be corrected for future newsletters.

Upcoming Conference Information

Newport Paper & Book Arts Festival April 23-25

Newport, Oregon. - Registration is now open

For complete information on the classes being offered see: https://coastarts.org/newport-paper-book-arts-festival/ 

There are both one and two-day classes being offered 

Focus on Book Arts Conference (FOBA) June 24-28

Western University, Monmouth, Oregon - Registration opens March 28

See their catalog at:  https://focusonbookarts.org/foba-2026-catalog/

There are 22 instructors and 45 classes being offered.

 

EMBROIDERY MONTH

February is National Embroidery Month and some of our members are celebrating this in various ways. If you haven't tried embroidering on paper you should give it a try. One of our NORBAG members, Celeste Chalasani, will be teaching a two-day class of embroidery on paper at FOBA this June. For more information go to: https://focusonbookarts.org/2026-foba-conference/ Registration begins March 28. 

Our member from the UK, Margaret Beech, has recently joined a local (to her) organization, York Embroiderers and Stitchers. She was asked to speak at their monthly meeting about her work as a book and calligraphy artist. Here is their description of her visit.

Margaret Beech presents "Paper Magic"

"Our afternoon speaker was a local artist who specializes in calligraphy and bookmaking (mostly out of paper, but some out of fabric). In 2025 she was invited to exhibit as part of York Open Studios. Margaret had brought along a large collection of different books made over a number of years. Margaret's work is very varied and quite difficult to categorize as the books have a sculptural quality. She is part of an International community of artists that swap ideas and books that they have made. Because of her interest in calligraphy and words she incorporates poetry and phrases into her art/books, many of which contain manipulated and three-dimensional elements. Over the course of the afternoon we saw flag books, fan books, flickbooks, concertina books, scroll books, Jacob's ladder books, explosion pages and surprise elements. We very much enjoyed her spirited 'show and tell' and admired her creativity."
Here are some photos of the books Margaret shared with the group.

NORBAG's February workshop was taught by Jeanne Levy. She shared a versatile hanging accordion book that could be designed as a great Valentine gift. Thank you Jeanne for sharing this structure with us. Margaret Beech sent in a couple of photos of the book she made using her sister's marbled paper. 

HANGING VALENTINE BOOK

Our February workshop will be a perfect opportunity to make a special book for your favorite valentine. Our instructor, Jeanne Levy, says that this versatile hanging book design, originally taught by a fellow bookmaker, is suitable for various holidays and special occasions. We will begin by preparing in advance a 24" x 5" strip of paper and decorating it as desired. Once folded, the strip will be glued to the inner front and back covers. A ribbon, secured to the outside cover, will have a decorated cardboard piece affixed over the ribbon's short tail to enable hanging. The following photographs will give you an idea of how this structure comes together.

Tools and Materials:

• Rulers (6" and 24" or longer)
• Knife and cutting mat
• PVA or glue stick (based on paper weight)
• Acrylic paint, watercolors, Posca pens, fine black pens
• One strip of paper, 24" x 5" high (e.g. Canson Mi-Teintes)
• Two medium-weight book boards, 5-1/4" x 3"
• Two cover papers, 6-1/4" x 4" (for board covers)
• Ribbon for affixing to the exterior cover
• One cardboard piece, 1-1/2" x 1-1/4", decorated or painted as desired. Jeanne covered her piece with paper then stamped and embossed it for a little more bling.

When?   February 14 at 10 a.m. PST

Where?  On your computer, tablet or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:    To Dolores Guffey by Feb. 9 to receive the password

Workshop Questions? Jeanne Levy femminismo@yahoo.com

Zoom Questions?  Bobbie Hayes

Contact information is in the newsletter

Valentine Kiosk

The kiosk at the Humboldt County Library in Eureka is now showing valentines made by NORBAG members.

MARGARET'S WORKSHOP

NORBAG's first workshop of 2026 was taught by Margaret Beech. With a title of "Throw-Out Pages", we were all curious to see what this structure would be like and as usual, Margaret did not disappoint. While it looked like it could be tricky to put together, it turned out to be an easy structure with fun opportunities for decoration. Many thanks go to Margaret for sharing this structure with us and getting the year off to a great start. The following photos show some of the books that were made.

Mary Conley

Barbara Clark

Barbara Clark

Sherril Story

Sherril Story

Michele Kamprath

Michele Kamprath

Bonnie Julien

Bonnie Julien