Print/Maker coming soon!

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The next volume in the Encyclopedia of Inspiration series, Print/Maker, is at the printer! It lives up the encyclopedia name with 48 profiles, 368 pages and over 660 images. Here are some mockups showing the various dust jackets and bellyband — the "signature look" of all the books in this series. (Images from Angie Lewin, Starshaped Press, Katharine Watson and Clawhammer Press.)

Print/Maker will be ready to mail in October. You can order it as part of the next 4 volumes of the Encyclopedia and save on the per-book cost and get free shipping. Print/Maker can also be pre-ordered on its own, too. ($50 CAD in North America, $60 mailed internationally.)

Thank you so much for your support of my printed endeavours!

Encyclopedia Update

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Print / Maker is in the writing and design phase and will be heading to print by late summer. Here's a preview of the page design:

Support this project by pre-ordering the next four volumes in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration. Individual copies of each book will be available for pre-order closer to their publication dates. Also planned for publication this year is volume E, Ephemera. Here's a mockup of the cover, featuring collections from Michelle Geller (Hold Dear) and illustrator Maria Carluccio.

The next volumes in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration are under way!

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The next 4 volumes in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration were announced on Sunday afternoon and I am so happy to say that the print production costs for one book have been funded within four days!

The Early Bird Pre-Order pricing continues until March 6. Use the code inspired25 for $25 off.

Read all about the book concepts and project details here.

Botanica is printed!

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I signed off on the proofs earlier this week and The Prolific Group in Winnipeg doesn't waste time... Botanica was on press today!

4,000 copies are being produced and the book is 448 pages so that's a lot of paper! (UPPERCASE books and magazines are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.)

As indicated above, the next step is some drying time before the book is folded and bound. It's the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, so that's perfectly timed.

It will be ready to ship very soon, so make sure to place your order for Botanica on its own or as part of the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Encyclopedia launch goal has been reached!

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I'm amazed and grateful that we reached the initial project goal of $60,000 in only twelve days. That'll cover the production costs of Feed Sacks and Botanica.

My stretch goal is $90,000... the additional $30,000 would cover the production costs of the third volume, Stitch•illo. Regardless, I'm committed to publishing all three volumes.

I'm so buoyed by your enthusiasm for the project! Thank you!!!

Almost there!

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Truly incredible, we're almost at my launch goal of $60,000 in pre-orders... fully a month before my timeline of the end of May!

The Early Bird pre-order pricing ends tonight, May 1, at midnight! Save $20 off the 3-volume Encyclopedia set while supporting the project in this pre-order stage. Full details over here.

Here's a gorgeous stash of Feed Sacks on loan from a Calgary quilter. Looking forward to photographing each lovely pattern for the first volume of the Encyclopedia.

Encyclopedia update

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A few weeks ago, I took a Meadow Quilt workshop from Lizzy House. I've been slowly working on it since, using UPPERCASE fabrics (coming in a few months from Windham Fabrics!), some vintage fabric I've been collecting for a while, and some contemporary fabric from designers like Lizzy House, Denyse Schmidt and Cotton + Steel.

When a quilter completes a quilt, she starts another one, pulling from her ready stash of fabric and ideas. A painter finishes a painting and it's scarcely dry before his brushes start transforming a new canvas. An illustrator sketches in her notebook, fills up a page with ideas and doodles, and turns the finished page over for a new, blank sheet.

When I send an issue of the magazine off to print and I'm already deeply immersed in the next issue. If I have an idea for a book, I can't simply just let it be. It has to be made! Making books and magazines is my craft.

Since launching the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration last Wednesday, you've shown me just how much you appreciate my craft. As of today, Wednesday April 27, we've reached 70% of the project launch goal of $60,000. I did not anticipate such an amazing reaction in just one week and I am truly heartened and grateful and excited by your enthusiasm. It seems I've struck a chord with the Encyclopedia concept!

Pre-orders fund the production costs of creating each volume: paying authors, scanning and photography costs, prepress and print production. 

Please support the Encyclopedia project by pre-ordering the first 3-volume set at the Early Bird price of $100 ($145 outside North America). The prices include shipping of the three volumes. The price will increase to $120 in North America and $165 outside of North America after May 1. 

Thank you so much for appreciating this craft of making unique books and magazines. 

20% in 24 hours!

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Thank you for an amazing response to the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration launch yesterday.

In less than 24 hours, 117 people have already pre-ordered their book sets! That's 20% towards the initial crowdfunding goal of $60,000 towards the printing and production of the books.

I'd love to keep that momentum going—and the quicker I can fund this project, the more time I'll have to dedicate to creating, editing and designing...

The Early Bird pricing of $100 for the 3-book set (shipped in North America, $145 shipped outside of North America) is on until May 1. 

Thanks!

Announcing... a big, beautiful project!

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I'm so excited to share with you this new multi-volume book project:
 

the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration!!!
 


So you might be asking... "An encyclopedia? What do you mean? Who prints an encyclopedia in this day and age?"

Good questions!

When I'm working on UPPERCASE magazine, there are always topics that I come across that I wish I could dedicate more time and pages to. Ideas that are larger than what a magazine can hold. People and projects that I know UPPERCASE readers would love. Ideas that percolate in my head and grow into something bigger, broader and better... until I can't help but admit that I've got another book idea on my hands! The Encyclopedia concept is a framework for unifying seemingly unrelated topics into a cohesive editorial vision.

As avid readers of my magazine and previous books will know, I have a soft spot for outdated, analogue artifacts like typewriters and vintage textiles. Good old-fashioned encyclopedias are steeped in a similar nostalgia for me. Can you imagine the fun and excitement of a salesman coming to your home to sell you a set of books? Or of cutting out a coupon in a magazine and sending away via mail order for your first volume?

This project is a new take on the notion of an Encyclopedia. Each volume will be a full creative exploration of a particular topic, released in whimsical order. (You can arrange them alphabetically on your bookshelf if you're so inclined!) They'll be beautifully produced and printed and each book will be designed to fit within the set. I know how much you love collecting UPPERCASE magazines for their beautiful shelf presence and timeless content—the volumes in this Encyclopedia will be similarly covetable. So who commits to printing a multi-volume Encyclopedia these days? UPPERCASE does!

It's also open-ended. There is no shortage of inspiring topics to be explored and I look forward to adding more volumes to the project over the years. For the launch edition, I'm working on three volumes: FEED SACKS, a pattern sourcebook written by Linzee Kull McCray;BOTANICA, a fascination of all things floral through art, craft and lifestyle; and STITCH•ILLO, artists and illustrators telling stories through stitching and textiles. 
 


"How're you going to fund this? Why not Kickstarter?"

Curating, writing, editing, designing and printing a book is an expensive process. The editorial and production costs will average $35,000 per volume. My goal is to raise $60,000 towards these costs by the end of May.

Although I debated using Kickstarter, I know that you—my dear readers—are the folks who will be excited about this project the most. And we're in this together, it's not all or nothing like Kickstarter. I'm committed to making these books! Plus with all the experience and systems I have in place from my previous book projects, launching this on my own makes it easier in the long run. The enthusiasm of UPPERCASE readers has motivated me for the past seven years and I know you'll continue to do so. Thank you!


So please show your support for the project during this early making phase. Feed Sacks in underway and slated for publication in October. Botanica and Stitch•illo are also in progress and I'll announce their anticipated publication dates soon. Full descriptions are on the project site.

Support the Encyclopedia project by pre-ordering the first 3-volume set at the Early Bird price of $100 ($145 outside North America). The prices include shipping of the three volumes. The price will increase to $120 in North America and $165 outside of North America after May 1. 

 


"Can I get published in the Encyclopedia?"

Yes! Involving my readers is one of the joys of curating content for my projects. There's no entry fee to submit, please visit the Participate page to find out how you can submit your work for consideration.
 



So, that's what I've been working towards these past weeks... and some of these book concepts have been years in the making. There's even more detail over on the project launch site. 

It's exhilarating (and scary) to put this out into the world at last.

Thank you for your support!

Gratefully,

Janine