Type Books celebrates chickaDEE’s Birthday!

Hi readers! If you live in Toronto, you may have seen the chickaDEE 35th birthday display in the Type Books window. The window display was designed by Kalpna Patel, a Toronto craftician and bookseller. We visited the book store and asked Kalpna a few questions about the super-cool window.

chickaDEE: What was your inspiration for this window?

Kalpna: The cover of the 35^th anniversary issue of the magazine was totally the inspiration for this display – I love that gigantic blue birthday cake! I’ve always wanted to make huge treats and desserts out of paper, so I was really excited about it. Ideas for storefront installations usually depend on what is going to be displayed – the colours of the objects, the subject matter, etc. – but I also use the displays as an opportunity to try out new craft techniques and materials.

chickaDEE: What kind of materials did you use?

Kalpna: For this display, I used a combination of handmade pieces and pre-made decorations. The slices of birthday cake were made out of cardboard boxes covered with coloured paper, and the birthday candles were made out of decorative paper straws and coloured paper. The other decorations include crepe paper streamers, paper fans, birthday hats and noisemakers that I found at a party supply store.

chickaDEE: How long did it take you to make everything from start to finish?

Kalpna: I think I spent about 2 to 3 days making all of the pieces and gathering all the different elements and supplies, and it took about 6 hours to install the whole display.

chickaDEE: What have people’s reaction been to the window?

Kalpna: People have been loving the new window! A lot of people have been coming into the store and telling us how much they liked reading chickaDEE when they were kids. Others have walked by and mistaken the store for a brand new bakery, which is pretty funny.

chickaDEE: This is a birthday AND back to school window. What is your favourite thing about birthdays? What was your favourite thing about going back to school?

Kalpna: My favourite things about birthdays are party decorations and cake – which is why this window was so much fun to make! It’s been a long time since I’ve gone back to school, but I loved the excitement and potential that a new school year brings – the new books and projects, and seeing my friends everyday.

chickaDEE: Do you have a favourite memory about chickaDEE?

Kalpna: I loved reading chickaDEE when I was a kid. I remember when I was in grade three, on the last day of school our teacher gave each of us a copy to take home. The issue I got was all about the ocean and underwater creatures – there were so many weird and wonderful things I had never seen before! I think that’s what started my obsession with coral reefs and underwater plants and animals. I probably still have that copy of the magazine somewhere, even though it was more than 20 years ago!

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For a closer look at this amazing window, CLICK ON THIS LINK!

Tell us what you think of the window and leave a comment below.

Talk to you soon,

Mandy, chickadeeblog@owlkids.com