Playful Upcycled Books with Kat Kirby

*Presale tickets for the Handmade Book Club open on 4/16 at 11am. Tickets for the public open on 4/17 at 11am.

We are excited to welcome guest instructor Kat Kirby of 2KatStudios for a paper lover's take on upcycling! Kat is joining us from Arizona to help us create new journals from old books. She runs her own workshop space and shares our passion for making art feel fun and accessible. Kat will definitely create a supportive and playful space for attendees to explore and experiment!

This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as seasoned bookbinders. Kat will lead us through the process of:

• Successfully deconstructing an old hard cover book by removing the text block.
• Reinforcing the spine and creating signatures (groups of papers to form the pages).
• Stitching signatures and creating the inside covers.

Once the books are created, Kat will share her nine favorite ways to embellish the pages, including pockets, tip-ins, tuck spots, and more. 

You will leave this workshop with a true, one-of-a-kind treasure book! 

Materials:

We will send a full list shortly, but please plan on bringing:

• A basic bookbinding tool kit
• A hard-cover book, about 5" x 8" , with a spine no wider than 1.5".  The important thing is that when you open the book, there is a gap between the book cover and the text block! Choose a book whose cover you like, as we will not be covering the covers, but rather leaving them as they are, or decorating them.
• Glue stick
• Ribbons, sari ribbon, lace, etc. for embellishments
• Interesting papers, like book pages, maps, sheet music, gel printed sheets, etc. We'll have some papers available to use and we invite participants to bring extras to swap and share. 

Travel/Accommodations:

Indigo Whimsy is about mid-way between Boston Logan Airport and New Hampshire's Manchester Airport. It's roughly 30-45 minutes in low traffic. 

We will have more extensive information and hotel options on our Travel/Accommodations page. 

This class is open to participants ages 18+. ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE A WAIVER ON FILE. We will have hard copies available on site. Please also refer to our parking and accessibility information.

Instructor: 

Kat Kirby was born and raised in New Jersey, into a family that valued art, music, theater, and all things creative. She learned at an early age that creativity and self-expression were keys to a fulfilling life.

Since the early 1970s, Kat has been a believer in the healing power of the arts and creative self-expression. After retiring from a 40-year career as an Expressive Arts Therapist, her passions include teaching a variety of workshops such as creating art journals, mosaics, SoulCollage, handmade books, Mixed Media arts, watercolors and doodles, and more. She has led art retreats around the world, including France, Portugal, the Caribbean, as well as Sedona, Carefree, AZ, and California.

Kat enjoys exploring and experimenting with art materials, and loves encouraging her students and retreatants to make friends with their inner kindergartener.

When she teaches, whether it be virtual or in person, her two rules are:

1) You can’t be wrong, and

2) Have fun!

About Indigo Whimsy:

Indigo Whimsy is a creative workshop space in Tewksbury, MA, dedicated to nurturing artistic exploration and building community. We offer a variety of workshops that bring artists and makers of all levels together to connect, learn, and create together in a welcoming and supportive environment. With an emphasis on process over product, Indigo Whimsy invites you to leave your inner perfectionist at home and "embrace the journey."