Hi, I’m Enon Avital, maker of Dapper Notes notebooks. Join me in celebrating ten years of Dapper Notes with an exclusive notebook set, and the first ever opportunity to learn my method of bookmaking through a virtual workshop!
A little bit of history
In January 2016 I released my first handmade pocket notebooks. I made them because I enjoy beautiful stationery, and because I wanted to create notebooks that feel good to use. I studied bookmaking at Mason Gross School of the Arts and spent years experimenting with materials and methods. The goal was simple: to make a pocket notebook that feels solid in hand and stands apart from mass produced options.
Dapper Notes grew slowly and consistently. In early 2016 I launched the Bookhead Club to keep myself accountable and to ensure that new editions would be released regularly. The plan worked. For ten years I created new designs in collaboration with dozens of artists, refined materials, and expanded into additional stationery items. Every notebook has been made by hand in my home studio in Fair Lawn, using the same process that started it all.
The anniversary notebooks
To mark ten years, I am releasing two anniversary notebooks exclusively through Kickstarter: A pocket notebook in the original "standard" format with 48 pages, and a large notebook with 64 pages. Both sizes are produced with the same two-layer cover structure that defines Dapper Notes notebooks.
An upcycled collaboration
Collaborations have become a regular part of my work, and the anniversary notebooks are no exception. The large notebooks use a repurposed material, which makes me very happy because I hate seeing things go to waste. Both sizes feature an illustration by Maggie Enterrios, who has collaborated with me throughout the past decade. Maggie (@littlepatterns) is a brilliant pattern illustrator, and one of her pattern wallpaper projects delivered a luxury wallpaper roll to her house that was misprinted in such a way that made it totally unusable for wallpaper. She asked me if I could make something out of it, and after testing and confirming, that misprinted roll of material became the basis of the cover design for the anniversary notebooks.
Since the special material is limited, the large notebooks will be limited in quantity too. For the pocket notebooks, we printed the same pattern in a color variation onto 100% cotton canvas.
"What if?"
Shortly after my first ever collaboration with Eric Friedensohn in 2017, I met letterer Dan Lee through an exhibition that Eric organized. Dan has also collaborated with Maggie so many times over the last decade, they should probably just open a studio together. As soon as Maggie and I discovered that the wallpaper was suitable for making large notebooks, we brought Dan into the group chat to put the finishing touches on the cover design.
Dan worked his usual magic with an inspirational question. A challenge, if you will. A spark that perfectly encapsulates the entirety of Dapper Notes' first decade, and hopefully inspires you too. "What if?"
Regardless of which size you pick, you'll be able to choose paper style for the notebooks, from: dot grid, lined, graph, or blank.
First ever notebook workshop
This campaign introduces the first ever Dapper Notes workshop. For years people have asked if I teach bookmaking or if there is a course they can buy, and until now the answer has always been no. This workshop will be an exclusive opportunity to learn the notebook making process live in a virtual setting where you can follow along, ask questions, and understand the fundamentals directly from me.
During the workshop I will demonstrate the core steps involved in making a Dapper Notes style notebook. This includes how to prepare materials, how to work with common tools, and other tips and tricks. The goal is to give you a clear, practical introduction to the craft.
Other items include
Commemorative patch illustrated by Nim Ben-Reuven. Nim has advised me on many things throughout the past decade, and also collaborated on the 36th Bookhead Club edition. The iron-on backing patch is 4 inches in diameter, and embroidered with six thread colors including metallic silver.
Anniversary Sticker designed by Gia Graham to celebrate stationery and ten years of Dapper Notes. Gia has collaborated on two designs, including the Homestead collection in December 2019. Sticker is soft matte finish, and sized about 3x2.25 inches.
Soft enamel pennant-shaped keychain, designed by Gustavo Jaimes. Gus is a photographer, tattoo artist, and has graciously designed several things for Dapper Notes including two collaborations and this stationerdy soft enamel metal keychain. Keychain sized about 2 inches tall and comes with a claw keychain attachment.
Thank you for being part of the first ten years,
♥︎ Enon
