Dear Debbie,
I was thrilled to learn that I had won four etegami bookplates, from your February 22, 2012 contest. They arrived quickly, packaged in an envelope re-purposed from a Japanese map--how interesting!
Before I discovered your blog, http://etegamibydosankodebbie.blogspot.com/, I didn't know what etegami was. Your explanation helped:
Etegami (e="picture"; tegami="letter / message") are simple drawings accompanied by a few apt words. They are usually done on postcards so that they can be easily mailed off to one's friends. They often depict some ordinary item from everyday life, especially items that bring a particular season to mind.
From the people who had won bookplates, you requested feedback.
Here is mine...I love the bookplates. Let me tell you why.
The designs are delightful, simple, vibrant and whimsical. I like the dark outlines and the hints and washes of colour. I appreciate the artwork of ordinary things...birds, fish and insects. Your creations of salmon, cicada, owl and stag beetle make me see each with new eyes. I admire the bright shades in the stag beetle, especially, but that may be because those colours are favourites of mine.
The self-adhesive labels peel off easily, once I realized that I was supposed to peel from the dotted lines and not the corners. Silly me. The adhesive sticks to the books well. It would have helped if I had been able to stick the bookplates on straight, but that's just me. Obviously, I can't. I appreciate the heaviness of the bookplate paper, feels substantial and adheres smoothly against the page with no ripples.
Thank you for these etegami bookplates. I like their size. Most bookplates don't provide enough space for a name and an address. Yours do.
I hope that you decide to produce and sell these bookplates in your online shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/dosankodebbie
If you do, I'll purchase them, as I am pleased with the samples you sent to me. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your creations... soon.
Sincerely,
Carol
