During October, fiber artist, Susan Kristoferson, has an exhibition of collages of floral bouquets on the main floor of the Central library. They are composed of the beautiful papers that she makes in her home studio. Her collages reminded me of the wonderful biography of Mary Delany whose work is now housed in the British Museum.

Susan specializes in itajime paper made by a fold-and-dye technique traditional to Japan and painted paste papers. These are contemporary versions of papers used by 17^th Century European bookbinders. Last month, she led the altered book workshop at Central. If you missed it here, you still have time to catch it at the branches.

Our collection contains a wide selection of books on paper making and paper crafts and I am blown away by the many lovely and inventive things that can be created with paper.

I first met Susan several years ago when she was a featured artist on the Triangle Gallery’s (now MOCA) House + Studio Tour and bought a pair of her earrings.

If you want to try your hand at creating paper jewelry, here are two books to inspire you.

Handmade Paper Jewelry includes a locket covered in fancy gift-wrap paper which encloses tiny photos. Glass beads and a decorative toggle closure enhance the necklace (p. 38).

Creative Paper Jewelry demonstrates the creation of pulp paper beads that are combined with cords, chains and ribbons to make charming and fanciful pieces.

- Jane

Today's blog comes from Candace Weir, Central Library staff:

Other than balsamic vinegar and a bottle of wine, the only things that I brought back from my trip to Italy, were a bracelet and a bead. Both featured Venetian glass beads. They were glass and glittered and Italian – so perfect souvenirs for a glassblower.

If you share my fascination with these tiny treasures, you will enjoy a new book, Venetian Glass Beads, by author Kathy Fox. She takes the reader to Venice and Murano for a brief history of the beads produced there. There are also 24 jewelry projects to make, should you wish. Sprinkled throughout the book are photographs from Venice, just another enticement to turn the pages.

Lark Books publish great sources for crafters, both how to and inspirational. Creating Glass Beads by Jeri Warhartig is a great how to for glass blowers, while Glass Beads: Major Works by Leading Artists is full of inspiration from the work of master craftspeople. For inspiration closer to home, check out Calgary glass artist, Martha Henry’s pendant gallery.

One of our older books, a Schiffer book for collectors, is Glass Beads from Europe by Sibylle Jargstorf. It is full of unique information about bead history. I would love to get my paws on a Bohemian bead or others from the 1930s.

The book also shows a glass head bead by Cristiano Balbi from Venice, made in 1993, next to an ancient one, probably from Carthage (p 13).

Online, you can see master Balbi at work in this Youtube video.

Exciting stuff for glassblowers.

-Candace