The Grimsby Wayzgoose.

I have never been to the Grimsby Wayzgoose before, but I must say it was pretty awesome. It's basically a gathering of bookbinders and printmakers connecting and selling their art all in one spot. There was amazing work there. I met Will Rueter of The Aliquando Press. His books were absolutely beautiful and completely handmade. They were filled with incredible prints and typesets. Sigh. Unfortunately I was shy and didn't take any pictures at the Wayzgoose, but I have some of the things I acquired while there.

This handmade sketchbook for instance.

Up-cycled from an old craft book.

Leaving some of the old images inside for a little flair. The coolest part is that there are still instructions on the backs of the sheets. I just might make some his and hers tie dyed wash cloths. Or maybe the egg cozy pictured above.

I love the binding. I hope it stands up to being lugged around in my b-pack, but it looks pretty tough and it lies completely flat.

And who made this rad book you ask? Why the Weathervane Press from Orleans, Ontario.

I'm pretty excited to use it, but I think I might have to glue an envelope or something to the back flap just so I have a place to put all my cut up bits of things.

And of course I had to get some print blocks/typesets. Is that what you call them? I will not pretend I know anything about this SUPER interesting world.

There were so many of these to choose from that when I look at them now I wish I had got different ones.

Except for the R the R is pretty cool. I found these at the KOZO Studio/Gallery table. They had some really nice work and they run some really neat looking classes out of the studio.

I am really sad I didn't take a picture of the gents from the Mackenzie Printery because they were the real deal and they let me use their printing press, which was awesome. One fellow told us how he fell in love with printing at the age of 6 or 7 when he used to walk around the handset printers as a child. His father worked for the paper and he got to take all the old letter sets home. It was pretty interesting.

Anyway, if nothing else the Wayzgoose was super inspiring. It happens one day, once a year in a lovely little Ontario town. If you haven't been, GO! It's nice to know that the world hasn't lost the art of bookbinders and typesetters to machines and factories completely.