Hi. Remember how I used to blog? Well, I’m ready to do that again.

At the last minute, I decided to be a vendor at the July Jubilee in College Station so I’m working around the clock getting ready. This is my first official craft fair – I’m excited to give it a try. [...]]]>

Hi. Remember how I used to blog? Well, I’m ready to do that again.

At the last minute, I decided to be a vendor at the July Jubilee in College Station so I’m working around the clock getting ready. This is my first official craft fair – I’m excited to give it a try. I think the part I’m most excited for is decorating my booth. I’ll share details about that coming up.

But for now… here is a sneak peek at a new product I’m making. It’s a gift card holder that fits in a regular envelope (unlike my accordion style gift card holders). The idea came to me when my mom ordered a handful of gift card holders for upcoming weddings this summer but I knew at least one of the weddings she wasn’t going to attend. So how would she mail the accordion gift card holder? So I made a flat one.

The idea is still new and I’m working out the kinks, but I’m close. I hope to have some at July Jubilee in a couple of weeks. Here’s what I have so far:

This gift card holder is 4″ by 6″ and fits in a standard size envelope for easy mailing.

Inside, there are a handful of papers with different words on them.

Then there is the pocket to hold the gift card (or check or cash or whatever).

After the pocket, is a page to write a note to the recipient.

Doesn’t it make you want to give a gift card? I thought so.

Now it’s back to work for me. Come and visit the craft fair if you are in the area. You can find details on their website as well as in my sidebar. See you at the fair!

As promised, the valentine gift card holders are in the shop and ready to ship to you! There are two designs for Valentine’s Day.

First up is the Valentine’s Day Stripe. I don’t know about you, but my family is a house full of boys and none of them get real exited about pink [...]]]>

As promised, the valentine gift card holders are in the shop and ready to ship to you! There are two designs for Valentine’s Day.

First up is the Valentine’s Day Stripe. I don’t know about you, but my family is a house full of boys and none of them get real exited about pink things. So I designed this one with the boys in mind. The inside is bright yellow. As usual, my sister, Jes, helped me write the inside of this one. Awesome, right? It’s bright, fun, happy and the perfect way to give a gift card or movie tickets or special coupon or a love note or something. I know you have a good idea.

Second is the Valentine’s Day Pink. The inside is putty brown card stock with a coordinating cross hatch pocket. I have limited quantities of each of these so snatch yours up before it’s too late.

As promised, I have new photo gift tag designs in the shop. Enjoy!

Introducing: stickers. Stickers are very useful, you know. You can stick them on gifts, label the kiddo’s school stuff, use them as bookplates, or stick them [...]]]> Only one more day! Today Mom and I are baking tasty treats to serve at the Open House. While we are busy in the kitchen, you can enjoy these photos.

Introducing: stickers. Stickers are very useful, you know. You can stick them on gifts, label the kiddo’s school stuff, use them as bookplates, or stick them in your journal. So, I’ve designed three different kinds of stickers.

1. Birdie Bookplates are hand-pulled prints from a linoleum block print I designed.

2. Tiny Stickers come in four designs: truck, dino, bird, butterfly. Each one is just shy of 2″ square. Cute and unobtrusive.

3. Paper Roses are the perfect match for every package and gift and card. Use one by itself or combine them together.

See you tomorrow!

One of the new products I’ve designed is this little blank notebook. Each notebook is hand stitched [...]]]> The Book Bound Bindery Open House is just around the corner (Thursday, November 5th). I have a handful of new products that will be available that night at the open house and in my Etsy shop the days after.

One of the new products I’ve designed is this little blank notebook. Each notebook is hand stitched with 30 blank pages, has pockets in the covers, and has one of the four designs on the cover (dino, butterfly, bird, or truck). The covers are hand pulled prints with paper collage – so each one is unique!

Each notebook comes packaged in a parchment paper envelope.

Just shy of 5″ square, it’s the perfect size for your purse or backpack.

Welcome to my very first Tutorial Tuesday! First up is a simple accordion book tutorial. No need for an accordion book, you say? Well, think again! Accordion books  are a great, inexpensive way to display photos, or you can use them as greeting cards, or send them away to a friend with a letter, or [...]]]>

Welcome to my very first Tutorial Tuesday! First up is a simple accordion book tutorial. No need for an accordion book, you say? Well, think again! Accordion books  are a great, inexpensive way to display photos, or you can use them as greeting cards, or send them away to a friend with a letter, or give them as gifts, or anything else you can think of (I know you are creative).

Now on to the tutorial.

Supplies:

paper or bookcloth for the outside cover
paper for the inside
davey board (mat board or any other kind of board)
pva glue (elmer’s glue will work)
paintbrush
ruler
xacto knife
self healing mat
bone folder or old credit card
scissors
ribbon

STEP 1: Decide on the dimensions of your accordion book and prepare the inside paper.

This tutorial is for a 4 inch by 4 inch accordion book with 6 pages. Cut your inside paper (mine is brown) to 4″ by 24″. My brown paper was not 24″ long, so I decided to piece it together using double sided tape.

Using  your bone folder (or credit card) and ruler, score every 4″. Fold along each score accordion style.

STEP 2: Prepare the front and back covers.

Using a paper cutter or xacto knife and ruler, cut your davey board down to 4″ squares – one for the front cover and one for the back.

Then cut the paper you want to be your covers (mine is polka dots) down to 5″ squares.

STEP 3: Make the covers.

Start with the front cover. Squeeze out some glue onto the davey board. Spread it out evenly with your paintbrush. Flip it over and center it on the wrong side of the paper for your cover. Smooth out any air bubbles.

Cut off the corners of the paper at an angle, making sure to leave about 3mm between the point of the board and the edge of the paper.

Next, spread glue on one of the sides of paper. Fold over and press.

Using your bone folder, smush down the extra paper against the board. (I’m doing all these steps on top of scratch paper to protect my desk from getting glue all over.) Do the same thing to the opposite side.

Then glue down the 2 remaining sides. Prepare the back cover in exactly the same way.

STEP 4: Glue the inside paper to the covers.

Spread glue on the wrong side of the front cover. Line up the inside paper with the cover and press. Smooth out air bubbles.

Then spread glue on the back cover. With the front cover face down on your desk, fold up all the inside paper so that it’s flat. Attach the back cover to the last page of the inside paper. Press down and smooth out air bubbles. Admire what a good job you did! You made a book!

STEP 5: Press and personalize.

With your accordion book all folded up, put it under a bunch of books or under your mattress overnight while it dries. This will help it dry flat. Once it’s dry you can put it to good use. Add photos and put it on a dresser, write a letter inside and mail it to your mom, write some happy birthday wishes and tie it up with a ribbon instead of giving store bought cards, or think of something else to use it for.

Quick. Easy. And so satisfying.

But just in case you need an accordion book RIGHT NOW and can’t wait 10 minutes to make your own, you can buy the one I made for the tutorial in my shop.

Happy Bookmaking!

New idea here. By the end of the summer they will be in the shop.

Just like my other products, the baby journal that is listed in etsy is the very same one that will arrive at your house in the mail. This time, though, you can add a single initial to the front [...]]]>

New idea here. By the end of the summer they will be in the shop.

Just like my other products, the baby journal that is listed in etsy is the very same one that will arrive at your house in the mail. This time, though, you can add a single initial to the front cover in a coordinating print.

It’s the perfect baby shower gift.

I have a hard time finding invitations that I like. So, I usually end up designing them myself. When I’m in a pinch, I design them as 4by6 photo cards and get them printed in one hour and wha-la! They are ready for mailing. Nice.

This is a peek into some new designs coming soon to [...]]]>

I have a hard time finding invitations that I like. So, I usually end up designing them myself. When I’m in a pinch, I design them as 4by6 photo cards and get them printed in one hour and wha-la! They are ready for mailing. Nice.

This is a peek into some new designs coming soon to my shop – coordinating sets of printable invitations, thank you cards, and gift tags. In the mean time, you can satisfy your printable stationery cravings here.

New paperback notebooks in the shop. There is a pocket in the front and back covers. These were inspired by my toddler who needed a notebook to draw in while he sits quietly (sort of) during church. He keeps stickers in the front pocket. Works like a charm. The perfect size for little hands. Or [...]]]>

New paperback notebooks in the shop. There is a pocket in the front and back covers. These were inspired by my toddler who needed a notebook to draw in while he sits quietly (sort of) during church. He keeps stickers in the front pocket. Works like a charm. The perfect size for little hands. Or mama hands that need a place for notes on the go.

Stop by the shop and check them out.