What I Wish I Had Worn will return as scheduled next week. Today, I want to post a list of my favorite collage/craft books. I own more than a few and I love them all equally.
I buy all of these books from the Kinokuniya Bookstore in Japantown. I comb through their design section each time I visit. The books are quite expensive, but for the design inspiration I receive from them, they’re worth every penny. Kinokuniya’s inventory fluctuates monthly and since I live quite a distance from the City, when I see a book I like, I buy it on the spot for fear that it won’t be there the next time I visit. I treasure each book and have looked at all the pretty pictures thousands of times.
I’ve blogged about the Doodle Book and the clip art books in other posts, so I’ll restrict the book previews to the books about collaging and scrapbooking. Since I don’t know the titles, I just gave them numbers.
Any books/magazines you can recommend to me? I’m always looking for new design resources. :)
script bt from myfonts
fyra from font squirrel
josefin slab from font squirrel
scallop medallions
blog photo templates (part 1)
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 20 comments }
While not inspiring in terms of font/layout, the content and ideas in two of Marie Claire’s magazines is such that I buy them whenever I can, and often return to them. I will see if I can take a photo of one styled room, and post it on my blog later today (collage and layout – in real life!)
Marie Claire Idees and Marie Claire Maison , which could be confusing if one doesn’t know French, but I don’t think anyone who like colours and design would be bored clicking the links at random.
absolutely love your resources. your stuff is truly amazing, i have to say. i’ve been following you for ages and even though collages aren’t really up my alley, you kind of inspire me :)
x
alina
Hi Katrina. Your blog always give me inspiration and i cant live with out it.. i think. =) Thank you for all your fantastic posts and great ideas. Now you got me interested in Japenese books again. I do have one or two … but today you make me google around and i found a website you might like.
here is the adress. http://uguisu.ocnk.net/product/402
Bye for now. LOvE
Maybemej
aww i love these too! I went to Japan last year and went to LoFT and I wanted to take the whole shop with me!!
nice blog :)
I *heart* your Japanese craft book collection, Katrina! I have some of the same ones — got most of mine in Tokyo. (J had to drag me outta one of the bookstores, between the books, fabric, and rubber stamps my poor suitcase was super heavy, ha!)
Sure wish there was a Kinokuniya Bookstore near me! Mon took me there when I was visiting SF and I got a few more for my collection, will have to post pics someday soon! :)
And the doodle book? I just ordered it from Superbuzzy! Can’t wait until it arrives! (Didn’t know much about it when I ordered it but all those pens just killed me! GAH!)
holy moly that’s alot of eye candy! i feel like i’ve missed out because i’ve never seen one of these in person. amazing stuff!
I love Japanese books! They’re always so neat and well-done. I haven’t been to the bookstore in Japantown in such a long time. I’ve been wanting to go for ages!
I so glad to meet someone else who treasure’s craft book’s as much as I do!!!!
Pretty books, cute nails :)
I used to go to that same Japanese bookstore when I lived in Northern California… ever since I was a child, actually! I have several, also, and love them to death. Mostly beading and felting craft books. Haven’t been in ages, but I plan to hit up the one in NYC soon… thanks for sharing your favorite books!!
Wow, they are amazing!! I definitely love the third one, pretty!!!!
Oooh what a collection, I am jealous. Every time I am in California I am sure to visit Kinokuniya. I load up on books and spend most of my trip budget there. I agree, worth every penny. I love the Le Petit Pattern Books and there is a home decor series on French apartments that I also love. They have an online store, but sadly I can not navigate it very well. Thanks for sharing some of your yummy pictures.
Wow they look amazing……. And I love love love the styling on your photos. Always tons of inspiration♥ AND I have stopped crying about the hard disk and my lost data LOL – a new beginning! Happy Easter my dear. shangr logicianHugs♥
This is SUPER pretty and inspiring! I love it !
i love and want every single one of these!
what lovely eye candy.
Hello from Germany!
Thanks for this inspiring post! Everytime I’m in Japan I end up in Loft (I miss it soooo much!!) and Junkudo (which is practically like Kinokuniya, which I also like to visit). Most of the time I have to make special packages to send them back to Germany as my travel luggage would be too heavy to board the flight.
A good spot for people living outside Japan to buy books at somewhat reasonable prices (compared to other websites and booksellers) is amazon.co.jp. I always wait some time, add books to my wishlist and buy once or twice a year ca. 10 books. I’m not sure how much it will cost to the USA, though. For Germany you have to pay ca. 250 yen per book extra fee and the airmail expenses. (One book can get expensive, obviously – ordering more books at once is better value.)
Amazon Japan offers a translated English page.
I would love to visit San Francisco and the Japanese town there some day.
Have a great day!
xoxo
awesome collection is awesome! i wish we had those here… :(
I love your generosity with your resource and knowledge :) Just wanted to drop my blog link so you can see what I did with your great templates!
I am so in love with these books – how amazing! Wish we could buy some on this side of the world. Beautiful.
x
The Japanese have the cutest things, don’t they? Love these. I never would’ve thought to branch out and try books like these. Hmmm….