The whole entering the marketplace thing is not happening yet. I am still recovering from previous forays into the marketplace that were, shall we say, less than successful. I definitely think I have products and/or services that are worth buying, but I still have too many distractions of young motherhood (despite my being far from young) to be willing to make commitments to people who send me money. I expect to be able to produce and sell some stuff within the next year or two, though, so I will use this space to tell and/or show what type of thing I expect to eventually offer.

I make several different styles of handmade book. Full closed-spine hardcover, open spine hardcover bound with visible ribbon, and a few books that are made fully out of envelopes. Before I start selling, I want to learn to make a coptic bound book. All the covers are made out of other old book covers, and one small hand-painted purse-size journal is made out of recycled pasta boxes. I will most likely sell made blank journals and also at least one style of journal making kit.

Remember these are my personal books, so any wear-and-tear comes from years of, well, wear and tear. So, if you ever buy a book from me it will have no wear and tear and also no picture of me on the front. What you see inside the pages would also not be in a book you would purchase (since the goal is you doing stuff there) but when I create a workshop at some point, you’ll probably see how I made some of the pages. These are thumbnails so the photos will enlarge.

Here are some of the inner pages. You’ll see that I don’t compartmentalize as far as what I will put in a journal…sketches can go in the same book with paintings, plain ‘ol boring writing next to0 something more elaborate. I am partial to three-page spreads, adding envelopes to pages, etc. My favorite paper to work on is Fabriano Artistico 140lb hot press, made into Teesha Moore’s famous 16 page journal. I also like 67 lb vellum bristol for a paper that feels more traditional for writing but can still hold up to some wet and/or heavier treatments:

One thing I definitely want to improve upon and also include in any workshops I make are illuminated letters. I think the ones I make with the little people are somewhat unique: