November, 2025
Thanks once again to Nancy Akerly of Liberty Grove Paper Arts I was able to start AND finish another clever handmade box. It was fun to finally work with her in person at the Handmade Book Club retreat in the Berkshires known as Books in the Woods.
One of the few benefits of the pandemic era was that so many great teachers made themselves available to a wider online audience, and so many great art affinity communities were born. It has enriched my life and I’m grateful for the effort these teachers put into sharing their work, their expertise, and their joy in creating.
October, 2023
Why am I grateful this #ThankfulThursday to Ali Manning of @vintagepage designs?
Is it a coincidence that I finally developed the #morningpages habit just as I was introduced to the #handmadebookclub?
Just today I wrote the final pages and added another completed journal to this stack of hand-mades from the past year
Fortunately, I have a stash ready to go. Which one would you choose next?
June, 2021
One of the perks of being in Ali Manning’s Handmade Book Club are occasional workshops with teachers she brings in. One recent Sunday, Bel Mills of Scrap Paper Circus led a workshop using business reply envelopes to make this mail art wallet. Lots of ways you could take the collage design with this, and lots of possible uses to keep bits and pieces organized. It also gave me an excuse to buy and try a Crop-a-Dial for the little rivet closure. And then there was the new experience with clear gesso. So yes, it’s intended to be a project focused on up cycling, but no stash busting project feels complete without a new purchase or two! I love a workshop where you can actually complete the whole project by the time the session is over. Take a look at the video to see how this one works by clicking on the photo below.
June, 2021
I don’t really know why this structure is called Sewn Boards, but I can tell you that a lot of work goes in to it that winds up being covered up. This is another project with the #HandmadeBookClub, and it was my first experience with using Kraftex. It was also another opportunity to practice precision – I’d give myself a solid B/B- in matching up the edges. The stripey paper is a long-ago gift from my dear friend who sees me and my obsessions and aids and abets me regularly.
June, 2021
I’ve shown this paper before, apparently it’s one of my favorites. I’d already used it for some drop spine and clamshell boxes, along with a small coptic notebook, but I really like the Secret Belgian Binding too (thanks again, @barizakistudio and @rosspressandbindery). In case it’s not already obvious, paper is only one of my many stashes – seems like if it is something that comes in a bunch of colors, I need it, in a bunch of colors.
