Guest blogger Lydia Regalado is an arts educator and blogger who writes for us about people coming together to make things.

Always on the look out for arts and crafts classes and gatherings around town, I atteneded Jen Rose’s Basics of Bookbinding workshop yesterday. I learned tips and techniques to make books inspired by the traditional Japanese stab binding technique. Jen demonstrated with supplies and beautiful paper from Dallas store Paper Arts. The basics that were shown can be translated in several ways. In other words, you can make your book as elaborate or simple as you want, depending on your materials and patience. I made two books and now that I know how fast and easy it is, I plan to make more. What can you use these books for? Gifts, sketches, grocery lists, journaling, the list goes on and on. Hope my dad can use one of these books!

Next up: Make something at the 5th Annual Dallas City Arts Festival this weekend, June 13-15. With free admission to Arts District museums, 5 stages for performances, culinary demonstrations and over 80 artists showcasing their work, there will be plenty of inspiration and opportunities to create works of your own. Take the whole family, and don’t forget dad!
See you there!