Moonlight Bindery - A Bookbinding Blog

Tomorrow's Show is......

2011-11-18T17:25:00.002-05:00

T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. This is my most local of shows at our high school. It is organized by the super talented engineering students and is also a fundraiser for kids in Kenya and Tanzania. What's not to like. Stop by and see me tomorrow, Saturday November 19th, from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Handmade Arcade

2011-10-22T15:50:00.008-04:00

I am thrilled to be a first time vendor at Handmade Arcade. This Pittsburgh based show is amazing and I have always wanted to be a vendor.

I have some fun new products for the show including these bug books that incorporate vintage bug prints into the covers of these blank journals.

Haiti

2011-06-26T00:29:00.012-04:00

As many of you know, my day job is book conservator for The Smithsonian Institution Libraries. I recently travelled to Haiti for two weeks to work with the Smithsonian sponsored Haitian Cultural Recovery Center in Port-au-Prince. I spoke at length with Tina Seamonster of Hello Craft about my experience. You can listen to the podcast here.

The experience was amazing and overwhelming. Haiti is struggling to recover from the earthquake that hit in January f 2010. Rubble litters the streets and an estimated 700,000 people still live in tent cities without basic sanitation or access to clean water.

I won't win any awards for photo journalism - the majority of the photos I was able to take were out of a moving car. This photo shows the National Palace with it's toppled domes visible above the tent city that sprang up after the earthquake.

The highlight of my experience was working with the wonderful staff at the National Library of Haiti. They were professional, hardworking and determined to build a better Haiti. The project we worked on involved taking books damaged when the stacks of the library toppled in the earthquake. We cleaned, boxed and sorted the books. In the process, books that needed further repair or had mold damaged were flagged for future treatment.

This is the team of eight we worked with to treat the earthquake damaged books. The photo was taken outside of the National Library.

Last Coptic Class

2011-03-17T12:16:00.009-04:00

I tried something new for me this Winter and taught a five week Coptic Bookbinding class. What is coptic binding you might ask? It is an ancient bookbinding technique that was developed in Egypt in the 4th century. The cover is sewn directly onto the signatures of the book and the spine is exposed. The thread becomes a design element in the binding.

Ten students came to class every week for 2 1/2 hours. I was impressed with how quickly they picked up this tricky bookbinding form. Everyone finished at least one book with one student completing six!

This one has covers made from wood veneer with an old book cover printed on the cover.

I like the complimentary bindings in this colorful paper.

All metallics! This dynamic duo took the class as a date night - great idea.

Great colors!

I like the design of the covers on these.

Snowed In

2011-01-26T11:00:00.005-05:00

It has been far too long since my last blog post. A lot of changes have happened since Crafty Bastards. Moonlight Bindery has taken a backseat to my new full time job as a rare book conservator. I love the new job and the amazing material I have the opportunity to work on every day.

While no longer my full-time job, I still have time to make items for the Etsy shop and even participate in a craft fair or two. I'm very excited to be participating in the upcoming Temporium pop-up shop in Mt. Pleasant where my Build Your Own Cover and Chalkboard journals will be showcased.

Crafty Bastards Wrap Up

2010-10-03T10:04:00.055-04:00

It was a beautiful day at Crafty Bastards - the weather was perfect and the crowds were huge. The show is so well organized from the volunteers who help you unload your car to the boxed lunch delivered to your booth. Amazing!

For the first time I planned and executed some serious shopping before the show opened. I have been eyeing this necklace in Dandelion Blu for ages. The organic shape is eye catching and it is reversible. So I have a blue and a red necklace. I also purchased a great piece from her booth mate The Broken Plate but it is a gift and Top Secret!

My booth mate was Souldier who makes cool guitar straps, camera straps, belts headbands, and cuff bracelets. Since I don't play the guitar, I bought an array of belts, cuffs and headbands made out of vintage 1970's material. We had a great time sharing a booth and I hope to see her again soon on the craft scene. I may need another belt....

My sister is having a baby any day now. It's a girl! So I had to go shopping for the soon to be newest member of the family. I found this upcycled Chicago t-shirt handmade by Sweet Pepita. I wish it came in my size - it is so soft! The gorgeous booties are from Wooly Baby. I think my niece is going to look great in these finds.

This poster from Rar Rar Press is the perfect wall art for my bike commuter husband.

Herban Lifestyle makes a line of fuzzy soap - a bar of soap felted in wool that you use as a part of the soap. I can't say enough about the quality of Mary's products. They are expertly crafted, eco-friendly and beautifully packaged! Word on the street is that there will be a new product launch October 20th.

My final purchase was Samuel the squirrel from Tigerflight. I caught a glimpse of him on Beth's blog and knew I had to have him. He will make a nice addition to my son's stuffed animal collection.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank Athena and Forest who took my son all day (and night!) so that I could be 100% present for Crafty Bastards. This while designing and painting a mural at the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center. Check it out in the Del Ray section of Alexandria - it is amazing. Forest really captures the spirit of Del Ray in this inspired work.

Live - from the Middle East!

2010-09-30T08:24:00.002-04:00

In April of 2009 I was contacted by the Alhurra Network about a piece on my bookbinding for their Almajalla show. Alhurra is an Arabic language T.V. station, funded by the U.S. Congress, that broadcasts to the Middle East. The all female crew descended upon my small basement studio and went into full production mode. It was amazing what they did in such a cramped space.

I am thrilled with the results. The how-to section is my personal favorite - watch me fast forward through the bookmaking process. I was particularly impressed with the Associate Producer of the piece, Nasreen Alkateeb. Her amazing artwork can be found on her website.

My part of the show starts at minute 13:00.

Vintage Green Road Plates

2010-09-17T10:11:00.007-04:00

Thanks to the keen thrifting eye of my friend Katie, of See Katie Sew fame, I was able to make these large journals out of green LEGO® road plates. The plates are no longer available for sale so these will be available while supplies last!

All the journals in the road plate series come with a LEGO® car to add to the fun.

Yes, I will be bringing these to Crafty Bastards!

We Swap

2010-08-16T15:53:00.002-04:00

I read about this new website, We Swap, on the Etsy Blog. When I checked out the blog I realized there were amazingly beautiful things being swapped! There was a beautiful bag - gone before I even read the rules page.

Scrolling down I eyed these unique earrings. They are the creation of Mini Cyn, a Parisian based metal-smith. I liked that Cynthia was up for anything - so I suggested a swap for one of my books made from LEGO® pieces. She countered with something more traditional and the deal was sealed.

Summer Digressions

2010-08-02T11:05:00.002-04:00

To me these buttons represent the fun and fascinating twists and turns I take as part of my creative process. I picked them up thrifting with my friend See Katie Sew. They sit on my workbench and tempt me to come up with a fun and creative way too incorporate them into my work. A Langstitch/Kettenstitch binding with a button accent on the spine? A book with a button closure?

Sometimes things that I purchase for inspiration sit for years before I actually put them to use. I usually come up with something eventually! Feel free to share any ideas you have for them....

Packaging with Purpose

2010-06-15T08:24:00.006-04:00

I have long felt my packaging is functional but uninspiring. This was brought home to me when I recently received a pair of packages that were quite inspiring! The first one was from Scarlet Robin, a fellow etsy seller I met while vending at the Fenton Street Market.

The package is chock full of items: my gorgeous custom made ring in a box adorned with her terrific logo, a thank you card (on Crane paper!) , a discount coupon for my next purchase, a jewelry cleaning kit and a business card. The package showed me that she is thankful for my purchase, wants me to take good care of my ring and is interested in repeat customers.

This bountiful treasure came from the shop of crafter and blogger extrodinaire Meaghan. I purchased two pairs of earrings in her summer close-out sale. As you can see, I received so much more! There is the fabulous hand embroidered cubicle art and an extra pin - totally unexpected. The shipping envelope was also decorated adding to the fun.

This is what I have put together to try and spice up my own packaging. A few items from Paperwink like this custom made stamp and the fun Japanese colored masking tape. I also dug up and old thank you stamp and a fun green stamp pad. Next up eco-friendly packaging (when I get rid of the bulk order I placed when I started my business) and Gocco printed thank you notes. I'm getting there.

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market

2010-06-09T07:53:00.007-04:00

I am very excited to participate in my first Ballston Arts & Crafts Market this Saturday, June 12th, from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. I will be in booth #11 next to Valerie of Holland-Cox fame. Here are some of her fun tissue holders. She has fabulous purses, clutches and other sewn wonders.

My friend Penelope of Penelope Designs will be in booth #34 with her button jewelry and knit creations. Stop by and have a look!

Art Star Booty

2010-05-19T14:12:00.007-04:00

Here are my outstanding purchases from Art Star last weekend in Philly. In order of purchase!

A terrific paint-by-numbers plate shard turned into an attractive pendant by The Broken Plate Pendant Company. I'm going through a paint-by-numbers phase and this was just what I was looking for.

I bought my daughter a headband from the talented Valerie of Holland-Cox. She has not taken it off since its purchase so I have been unable to photograph it. You can kind of see it peeking through the back on the display.

These beauties are from my neighbor, Joanna Nealey. They look great and fulfill my need for yellow jewelry! Hand pierced and enameled. I love their length and fun bright color.

Last, but certainly not least, is this ring by Eleanor of Eleanor Jane Jewelry. Once again in yellow - my favorite childhood color is my favorite once again. This ring is bright and big and so very comfortable to wear.

Art Star Craft Bazaar Wrap Up

2010-05-17T08:39:00.008-04:00

Art Star Craft Bazaar was last weekend, May 15 & 16, on the beautiful Philadelphia waterfront at Penn's Landing. The weather was amazing and I enjoyed brining my family up for a fun weekend. Here are some highlights.

This is Declan. His Mother purchased a mini book made from LEGO® pieces from me and he came back the next day to show me what he did with it. His creation made my day - a car made from a book! His Dad wrote this post about it.

Philadelphia has some amazing tattoo studios. I had to take a picture of this LEGO® heart tattoo and yes, she bought a book! Some other tattoo favorites were a number 2 pencil, a dot-to-dot T-Rex and my favorite, a 16th century botanical print!

These were my neighbors Eleanor and Joanna. It was their first craft show and I was very impressed with their jewelry and booth set-up. They create amazing enamel pieces in fun designs colors. I had to get a piece from each of them!

My friend Valerie, of Holland-Cox, was my neighbor on the other side. Her beautiful fabrics are inspirational. Her bags, aprons, belts and clutches are meticulously crafted.

My booth was in the perfect location - right on the Delaware River near the Art Star booth. Mornings there was a rush of activity from the early birds there at opening to receive free tote bags and goodies.

Art Star Craft Bazaar

2010-05-14T12:01:00.002-04:00

Moonlight Bindery is hitting the road! This weekend is Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia, PA. Stop by booth number #94.

Verkade Cards

2010-04-27T14:18:00.013-04:00

I ran across these colorful cards in a local antiques store. I bought a pile and took them home to do research. In the early 1900s in Holland when you bought Verkade coffee or cookies (a company still in existence!) these chromo-lithograph printed cards came with your purchase. There werre different themes: shells, plants, animals, birds. People collected whole sets and kept them in albums.

I used the cards to enhance the covers of photo albums. A rectangle slightly larger than the cards is cut out of the book board to ensure that the cards are flush with the cover and won't fall off. Then I covered the boards in my all time favorite Japanese linen bookcloth. Finally, I inset the cards into the cover.

This periwinkle shell reminds me of the summers we spend in Maine. There are beaches filled with the colorful shells of these marnine animals. I personally like the bright yellow shells!

This is an angel wing shell. We find these in Maine too but they are so delicate to the touch that they often disintegrate before we can get them home.

The raw linen of the bookcloth compliments the earth tones on the cards.

This final beauty is the Sand Piper, a bird that lives in the dunes of coastal areas. I love the vivid colors of the chromo-lithograph prints.

I'm really happy with the way the albums turned out. Needless to say, they are a limited edition.

Fiercegrrl Fund

2010-03-17T09:14:00.003-04:00

Always wanted a journal made out of LEGO® but you also want your purchase to make a difference? Here is your chance. Just go to the donation page of the Fiercegrrl Fund . 100% of the proceeds go directly to Nicole, a fellow crafter battling stage III ovarian cancer.

If journals are not your cup of tea, no problem, every week there is a new item up for auction. Of course, the other option is to make a direct donation to the Fund. Let's help Nicole kick this!

New Colors of LEGO® Baseplates

2010-03-12T15:04:00.003-05:00

I am very excited to be branching out and making my Build Your Own Cover journals in fun new colors.

Next week I will finally be adding photo albums out of the LEGO® baseplates to my Etsy shop. I am starting with the large 10" square (or 32 x 32 dot) green plates. So stay tuned!

Snow Much Fun

2010-02-15T08:00:00.008-05:00

February has been an interesting month here in the D.C. area. The record breaking blizzard dumped 26" of snow. It was beautiful and scary at the same time. We briefly lost power the first night of the storm but, thankfully, for only two and a half hours.

The kids loved it - the sledding, snow fort construction and icicle hunting were a blast. I was about my daughter's age when D.C. had a storm with 24" of snow and I still remember missing a week of school.

My Maine buoy collection added some color to the winter white color scheme of the backyard.

We lost a couple of tree branches but not too many. Snow clung to every branch - even the smallest.

The patio furniture looked great after the first snowfall. The snow looked like puffy white cushions - a comfy but cold seat.

Love is in the Air...

2010-01-16T12:11:00.005-05:00

Yes, it is that time of year again. We are approaching Valentine's Day. In the spirit of the day Moonlight Bindery has added some new items:

The 5" square book made from LEGO® pieces with a red heart created from single dot pieces.

Same idea but in a smaller package. This is the 2 1/2" x 5" book made from LEGO® pieces. Included is, as always, a separator and additional pieces.

Of course, there are also Chalkboard journals where your love could be professed or a nice red felt photo album - be creative!

Last Minute Shopping Guide

2009-12-17T13:21:00.010-05:00

I recently purchased some awesome products from my fellow Etsy sellers. Here are a few ideas for you last minute shoppers or heck buy something for yourself!

This Chickadee makes these colorful wanderlust wallets that are just perfect for popping into you pocket instead of lugging around a big old bag. There are three internal pockets and a clip ring - for your keys or to attach to your belt loop. Get yourself one and hit the road.

I originally purchased this as a Christmas gift but, as you can see from the water marks on the label, I have decided to keep it for myself! Herban Lifestyle creates glorious bath and body products. This is the Lemon Souffle Whipped Sugar Body Scrub and all I can say is wow! It smells lemon fresh and leaves your skin silky soft and exfoliated. Go ahead and buy yourself some, you deserve it!

When I wear this scarf from See Katie Sew everyone compliments me on it. It is thrifted and new material in a patchwork pattern on the front and fleece on the back. So not only does it look good, it also keeps you warm. There are only 4 scarves left in her store and they are on sale so get yours fast....

Pimp My CFR

2009-12-15T19:26:00.004-05:00

Bring me your plain Jane paperback Code of Federal Regulations and I can turn it into a classy hardback set you will be proud to have on your shelves! Here is the before and after of a recent special request that put a smile on this Bookbinder/Librarian's face.

Holiday Art Mart

2009-12-10T18:32:00.003-05:00

Five down and two more holiday shows to go! I look forward to Squidfire's Holiday Art Mart this Saturday, December 12th, from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. in the Dunburns arena in Baltimore. Lots of awesome crafters will be there including some of my favorite Etsy sellers: See Katie Sew, Bette's Bags and This Chickadee. Come on up and visit us . Now back to bookbinding!

Weekend Craft Fairs

2009-11-24T18:14:00.006-05:00

I had a fun time at the D.C. Craft Mafia's Holiday Heist this weekend. It was great to catch-up with fellow crafters. There was a good turn out and the Soundry was the perfect venue! I ended up with some awesome items from See Katie Sew , Ugly Kitty, and blugrn design.

Here are a few pictures of the event:

Here is my corner of the room. I liked being in an actual studio space with equipment!

A close-up of my accordion photo albums in one of my favorite vintage luggage pieces.

Katie of See Katie Sew in her beautiful booth.

Katie's pencil cases are the bomb!

Holiday Craft Fairs

2009-11-20T10:20:00.002-05:00

Yes, it is that time of year. The start of the holiday market season. I wanted to let you know my schedule so you can come by and visit me at my upcoming markets. I am all over this year with shows in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. There are lots of new products: chalkboard journals, felt photo albums and new sizes of books made fromLEGO® pieces.

Holiday Heist
Saturday, November 21 12-6 P.M.
The Soundry
316 Dominion Rd.
Vienna, VA 22180
Hosted by the D.C. Craft Mafia in a super-cool location!

Temple Sinai Chanukah Mart
Sunday, November 22 9 A.M. - 3 P.M.
3100 Military Road
Washington, D.C. 20015
Can't wait to participate in this fundraiser for Temple Sinai.

Holiday Shop-N-Stroll
Saturday, December 5 10 A.M. - 3 P.M.
Ellsworth Drive
Silver Spring, MD
This is an OUTDOOR market in downtown Silver Spring with over 50 vendors.

Squidfire Holiday Mart
Saturday, December 12 11 A.M. - 6 P.M.
Dubuns Arena on Boston Street
Baltimore, MD
The cool kids of the Squidfire T-shirt company are putting on this BIG show!

Holiday Booty Show
Saturday, December 19 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Design Within Reach Showroom
1838 Columbia Rd.
Washington, D.C. 20009
A mini Crafty Bastards reunion with 20 vendors who all participated in this year's show.

Finally Felt

2009-11-01T14:45:00.009-05:00

I have had these colorful pieces of German felt (thanks to FilzFelt) for months. I have actually gotten around to making felt photo albums with them. The cool thing is that the felt is so thick that no boards are necessary in the binding process. The result is a limp style binding. A cozy photo album to warm those cold winter nights!

My struggle was how to add a bit of fun to the cover. I thought about cutting out designs in a contrasting felt color to attach to the cover but this proved more difficult than I anticipated - the felt is 100% wool and VERY thick. So I decided to pull out the sewing machine and add a decorative stitch to the edge of the felt. I am so happy with the results!

Chalkboard Journals!

2009-10-19T09:29:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun making these chalkboard journals. The journals are covered in black oilcloth that you can write on with chalk markers. Put a quote on the cover or your grocery list! The marker is erasable with a damp cloth.

Journal comes with your choice of candy colored chalk markers!

Philly Art Mart

2009-10-12T12:06:00.004-04:00

Counting down to the Philly Art Mart this Saturday, October 17th, in Philadelphia. The Squidfire guys have put together this new craft event and I am thrilled to be a vendor. Come check it out at the Old Pine Community Center!

Crafty Bastards 2009

2009-10-06T10:50:00.006-04:00

What an awesome day it was at Crafty Bastards. I only had the chance to take a few pictures of my booth. It was so busy did not have a chance to visit any other booths. (Not that I'm complaining!) All in all great weather, crowds and sales. Yeah!

Crafty Bastards Gift Guide

2009-09-29T17:26:00.005-04:00

Check out the awesome products that will be available this Saturday at Crafty Bastards (including the crab moleskine from Moonlight Bindery.)

New look for the Fall Shows

2009-09-13T13:36:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year - Fall craft fairs are here! I have changed the look of my booth with new signage, table coverings and accessories. Let me know what you think.

Kelly, of the Etsy shop Yellow Magpie, came up with this new design and color scheme for my sign. The sign came out really well and I had a god response from customers. Thanks Kelly!

I added some vintage suitcases and globe to my tables to make them more fun. The faux snakeskin train case is always a hit.

This is my favorite suitcase - my grandmother Mimi's from the 1950s. Makes me feel like a part of her is still with me. She was an awesome grandmother.

The booth is a work in progress. I plan to add risers for the Crafty Bastards show coming up October 3rd. I also plan to have more product and another suitcase. I'm thinking of spray painting the bookcases white - let me know if you think that is a good idea.

Arts on Foot

2009-09-09T13:33:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year - the start of the fall craft shows. I'm kicking off the season this Saturday at Arts on Foot located in the Penn Quarter (7th & F streets roughly) of Washington, D.C. So please stop by booth number 62!

Here is some official info:

FESTIVAL

Saturday, September 12; 11 AM – 5 PM

Marking its 17^th anniversary, The Washington Examiner’s ARTS ON FOOT sponsored by Wines of Argentina is one of Washington, DC’s most unique celebrations, and is considered by many to be the city’s premier outdoor festival. Spanning four city blocks, the event kicks off the Fall arts season and showcases the best that Downtown DC has to offer.

Held in the vibrant Penn Quarter neighborhood, the festival features three Restaurant Sampling Courts with top DC restaurants; the O Organics^TM Cooking As Art Pavilion with chef demonstrations; theWorld Market^® Wine Area with tastings and intimate seminars; two stages featuring eclectic music and performance; two Cultural Corridors, supported by The Pink Line Project, offering cool hands-on activities for children and adults from galleries, theaters, museums, and more; and a juried Art Market, open on Thursday and Friday, September 10 & 11, too, with 100 exhibitors selling pottery, jewelry, paintings, photography, textiles, graphic arts, wood work, and other fine art. Also, check out the Neighborhood Showcase of Penn Quarter cultural organizations and venues presenting special programming throughout the festival day.

Pick up the Official Festival Program in The Washington Examiner on Thursday and Friday, September 10 & 11, and at the Art Market and Festival on September 10-12. Visit www.artsonfoot.org for exciting festival developments and updates and become a fan of The Washington Examiner’s ARTS ON FOOT Facebook page, too.

Admission and many activities are free; rain or shine.

Metro: Gallery Pl-Chinatown

New look for the Fall Craft Shows

2009-08-19T11:17:00.006-04:00

I have been hard at work creating new table coverings for my Fall shows. I found some awesome Marimekko fabric at the Crate & Barrel Outlet and combined it with some linen curtains from Ikea to create the new color scheme: linen and green.

This is my sister Lee's super Bernina sewing machine. It was a joy to work with but I must (sigh) return it to her this weekend.

A close-up of the muted tones in the Marimekko fabric. There are also some vibrant greens.

The Ikea linen curtain turned into a table covering with a border of the Marimekko fabric.

I'll have two of the linen table coverings and one of the Marimekko. I think I need to add a linen border to this and a linen table runner. This is my first sewing project since third grade! What do you think?

Tax Treaty Books - Made by Moonlight Bindery

2009-08-14T14:19:00.002-04:00

Yes, Moonlight Bindery has entered the international tax treaty field! The handsome books you see in this photo of the signing of a tax agreement between The Cayman Islands and New Zealand were bound last weekend by yours truly. The photo is by my talented photographer friend, Suzanne Behsudi.

I took loose pages and created a double fan adhesive binding. This style of binding is called for when you want the pages to lay flat and you don't have much margin to work with. Here is a great step-by-step guide from Indiana University.

Etsy back to School Voter

2009-08-02T10:52:00.002-04:00

One on my Lego books was nominated for the Etsy Back to School Voter. Today (Sunday, August 2nd) is the last day to vote. Please cast your vote here: http://www.etsy.com/storque/etc/vote-which-notebook-would-you-take-back-to-school-4505/

Just click on the green Go Vote button in the storque article to vote. I really appreciate it!

Crafty Bastards

2009-07-21T09:41:00.002-04:00

I am thrilled to report that I have been chosen as a vendor for this year's Crafty Bastard. It was a tough competition this year - 120 slots for 480 applicants. The show is Saturday, October 3rd, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Can't wait - it was so much fun last year.

Felt

2009-07-15T10:17:00.004-04:00

My Filz Felt order arrived and I am so excited! I decided to try three 18" squares of the 3mm felt. The plan is to cover photo albums (large and small) with the felt. No boards just straight felt on the albums. The felt is sturdy enough and photo album paper is also quite thick so I think this plan will work. Stay tuned...

Here is a shot showing the felt thickness. It is great stuff! I have seen this in Europe for years and am excited to see that is available here in the States as well.

DIRT - The Book for the Exhibit

2009-06-25T10:44:00.006-04:00

I have been working on this oversized book for the artist Margaret Boozer. She does amazing work with dirt. Her exhibit, Dirt Drawings, is opening Saturday, June 27th at the Katzen Arts Center at American University. The book will have photographs of dirt to accompany the exhibition. This was a very interesting project both because of the scale of the book (25" X 40") and materials used. The covers are made from Dibond - street sign material - so they are super durable and will not warp.

Just to give you the scale of the book this is my eight year old daughter holding the finished product.

I love the way the light picks up on the stamped silver title - lower right hand corner. It reads simply DIRT is 30 pt. Optima.

If you have a chance stop by the Katzen Arts Center June 27-August 16.

Washington Folk Festival

2009-06-04T18:19:00.010-04:00

I was a vendor at The Washington Folk Festival last weekend at Glen Echo Park. It was a lovely two days - not too hot and no rain! This was my first ever two-day show. The craft vendors were in the bumper car pavilion. My neighbor were Marla Rudnick, who makes AMAZING silver wire knitted jewelry, and Janet and Claudia of LotsAKnots two friends who knit, weave, crochet - all things textile!

I had a little help from my daughter Claire for a few minutes. However, the carousel and various fun activities beckoned!

Here is my booth set-up - Three tables and lots of vintage luggage filled with books. I liked it but want custom fit tablecloths that go to the ground!

My husband took this funny picture of the "Art Car." I like the motto - "Drive Art and Live."

We Like to Make Snails...

2009-05-20T11:36:00.009-04:00

Sometimes a day does not go as planned but turns out to be fun anyway. Kai was home sick and wanted to play with play-doh. We were out so I broke out my vintage 1970-something copy of Ann Wiseman's "Making Things" and made it ourselves! (Also a great book for macrame, tie-dye, and pot holder projects.)

I like the Baker's Clay: 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt and 1 1/2 cups water. I add a teaspoon of cream of tartar to the flour and warm the water to slightly dissolve the salt. Then add food coloring to the salt/water mix and add that mix to the flour/cream of tartar mix. Squish it up and there you have it!

Somehow we always end up with lots of snails! It is so much fun to roll the dough into a snake and then roll it up into one of these cuties.

Refreshed, Renewed, Relaxed

2009-05-18T16:39:00.005-04:00

This past weekend three girlfriends from my "Needle Exchange" needlework group went away for a relaxing weekend (meaning sans kids!) We ate, worked on our projects, took walks, and ate some more. It was a wonderful, stress free, three days.

I worked on these cocktail napkins using a Sublime Stitching pattern. The idea of a weekend away was so exciting that I ordered this awesome bag set from This Chickadee - great quality and just the right size for this embroidery project!

Thanks again to my hostess Hedy for a lovely place to stay. And to my husband Eric for holding down the fort!

Day 2 - "Summit of Awesome"

2009-05-02T22:56:00.006-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of attending a lunch talk with Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching. She is the embroidery guru - with funky/fun patterns, kits and a new book coming out from Chronicle Books. It was so much fun that I changed my afternoon plans and stayed for her embroidery workshop.

So here is Jenny followed by my very first embroidery attempt - from Jenny's "Sexy Librarians" kit !

Hello Craft "Summit of Awesome"

2009-05-01T23:01:00.005-04:00

Today was day one of the "Summit of Awesome" sponsored by Hello Craft. It was really fun and informative! The highlight was Maria Thomas, CEO of Etsy, our lunchtime speaker. The program is really amazing with hands on workshops and learning sessions.

Me with Maria Thomas!

Some of the talks are being shown in the Virtual Labs. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 2nd, the following will be shown:

"Developing a Product Line" at 10:oo A.M.

"Selling Successfully Online" at 1:30 p.M.

For more information check out the Virtual Labs Schedule! These are worth a peek - and free.

Storque!

2009-04-29T16:24:00.004-04:00

Etsy, the glorious venue where I sell my journals, has a community blog called The Storque. The articled are fun to read and informative. I have always wanted to be included in one and I was - yesterday! I was scrolling down the list of articles when I noticed: Etsy Finds: One for the Memory Books. I thought hmm a post about books and sure enough they had my chalkboard accordion photo album. Yeah!

This accordion photo album is covered with a black oilskin cloth that acts like a chalkboard. I've seen them used in restaurants. I had a piece leftover from a project I did for a client so thought I should make something out of it. The material is very thick and a bit tricky to work with but the results look great!

First Craft Show of the Season!

2009-04-27T11:21:00.012-04:00

Last Saturday I shared a booth at the Crofton Craft Fair. It was a beautiful day and the first craft fair of the season! Here is the tent with my booth partner Katie - she makes gorgeous bags, wallets, headbands and more!

While the show was not terribly well attended it was a pleasure to spend the day chatting with Katie and her husband John.

A close-up of the booth with a smiling Katie. Her crayon rolls sold well!

These headbands are awesome - beautiful and durable! (I bought one for my daughter last year and it is going strong.

Katie not only makes the bags she also came up with a great pattern for the wristlet - available at her Etsy shop.

A new product for my shop - travel journals. So far I have one for Scandinavia and one with a French/Paris theme. Just need to photograph them and put them in my shop.

I Gocco printed these cards a while ago but have never listed them on Etsy - but I will soon.

Custom Work

2009-04-23T12:57:00.005-04:00

I received a lot of custom requests after the Daily Candy piece. Here is a fun example of what a custom binding can look like.

This is a journal for someone going to Burkina Faso with the Peace Corps. I took an image of the flag and a map of the country and printed them onto ink jet printable bookcloth. I really like the results. The name of the Peace Corps volunteer is stamped on the front cover in silver. A fun project!

Daily Candy Profile - In a Bind

2009-04-04T23:14:00.004-04:00

On Friday the D.C. edition of Daily Candy profiled my work in a piece called In a Bind. The response has been terrific! The best part is that it was in the Friday edition which means it sits on the site until Monday morning.

The curious thing is that this piece has generated so much more interest than the Country Living article. I think the reason is because, in addition to being on a website, the article was delivered to subscribers as an email newsletter.

Anyway I am thrilled!

In Praise of My Kwikprint

2009-03-30T10:22:00.015-04:00

I was asked just last week what services I offer that are unique. What a great question! It got me thinking about my journals - they are unique in and of themselves but do not qualify as a service. Then I thought about my years of experience as a bookbinder and the terrific equipment I have amassed. One piece that is unique for a small bindery is this Kwikprint machine.

This hand machine enables me to personalize my journals with names, wedding dates, or just fun images I find by searching eBay for lead type.

Basically you place the letters or dingbats (see below) in the type holder you see above. Then you place the item to be stamped on the platform and wait while the heating element heats up the type.

Here are examples of "dingbats" as they are called. They, and the type, are cast from lead. It is a fairly soft metal so I keep the heat on the lower side so as not to melt the pieces. Brass is more duable but hard to find and more expensive.

When the machine is heated up I place a piece of silver or gold foil onto the journal I am personalizing. I then pull the big lever and Voila - personalized items!

These are some examples - a guest book with the name of the family and a book Christmas ornament with a star dingbat on the cover.

More Wallpaper Projects

2009-03-20T13:43:00.005-04:00

So I have all this great wallpaper leftover from the Country Living project. I made some wallpaper covered accordion photo albums. A friend suggested framing some of the pieces. What a great idea! I have loads of vintage frames and a mat cutter. So I went to work. Here are the first three results:

An awesome vintage 1940's pattern. It was too brittle to use in the accordion photo albums and I had very little left over.

This is a great Rhodadendron paper in one of my favorite vintage frames.

Lastly is my favorite French paper - I may have to keep this one!

The Print Issue is Out!

2009-03-09T15:10:00.007-04:00

Here it is the long awaited for April 2009 Country Living Magazine! Here is the cover and underneath it page 117 - the spread with my large accordion photo albums.

This is the title of the article "Garden Variety" on page 116 and my albums on page 117. The credit is in the resource guide at the back of the issue. I am so excited and thankful to the editors I worked with on this project.

Country Living Magazine Online!

2009-03-04T16:03:00.008-05:00

The Country Living Magazine spread "Decorating with Floral Prints" is now on their website. Picture 2 is of the large format accordion photo albums I made for the shoot. Time to see if the article has hit the newsstands!

Here are some example of smaller format (i.e. for 4X6 pictures) albums I made with the leftover wallpaper from this fun project

Wallpaper Accordion Photo Albums - Soon to be seen in Country Living Magazine

2009-02-25T10:00:00.010-05:00

Many months ago I was contacted by Country Living Magazine about making something for their April 2009 issue. So here is a preview! The issue has a lead article about wallpaper and its many uses. I was asked to come up with a large accordion photo album (10 X 12) to accommodate wallpaper samples. Here are the recently returned to me albums:

The Yellow album on the left is covered with a Farrow & Ball St. Antoine paper and the pink Hydrangea pattern is a Thibaut paper.

Here is the inside of the yellow album with an assortment of vintage and new wallpapers.

This is the Hydrangea album with more wallapapers. The album leans because they actually cut it up for the photo shoot!

Here are some examples of the wallpapers. This is a vintage pattern (above) - can't you just see Carmen Miranda performing at a club wallpapered in this pattern? This vivid green Pierre Frey "Odalys" pattern (below) is my favorite. The colors are so vibrant and the flowers so large and detailed!

I can't wait for the April issue to come out. It should be to subscribers by mid-March. A big thanks to Brooke Walis who worked with me. It was a pleasure to collaborate on this project.

Since there were some leftover pieces of paper, I am making smaller versions of this album for sale in my etsy shop. Stay tuned for details!

Techno Book Cloth

2009-02-10T17:46:00.001-05:00

I am in total denial, my supplier just let me know that my favorite bookcloth is being discontinued! Techno is a bookcloth made out of ballistic nylon - the stuff your messenger bags are made out of. It is super durable, shiny and just plain fun. I have a little of the grey and blue in stock. Red is no longer available. Here are some things from my shop made out of Techno:

The back of this journal is covered in the silver techno cloth. I sure will miss the great texture of this cloth.

This is an address book made with paste paper. The spine is covered in the silver tecno. Alas, the paste paper is also no longer available.

The cherry red was my favorite of the techno colors. Here it is being used as the cover for a daily planner.

Goodbye techno, I'll miss you and will enjoy using up every last piece of you I have left!

It must be Love...

2009-02-03T20:54:00.001-05:00

Yes, it is that time of year again: the time to acknowledge the one you love. To help you with your Valentine's Day needs, Moonlight Bindery has come up with a few special treats.

This new LEGO® book design is something I came up with for a client in Australia. The black paper, red stitching and red LEGOS® make it the perfect geeky gift.

I found this fabulous blackboard oilcloth at Bell'occhio, a fun San Francisco specialty shop. I turned it into an accordion photo album that can be used to display your thought or emotion of the moment.

Home Again, Home Again Jiggidy Jig

2009-01-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

I'm back from my month out of the country. It is good to be home. What a pleasure to watch the Inaugural on Tuesday (from the warmth of my sofa.) These are exciting times!

There are some big things happening for me this year. In Country Living Magazine's April issue two of my accordion photo albums will be featured. The album stays close to my "reduce, reuse, recycle" roots with covers made form wallpaper scraps. The interior of the albums will feature various wallpapers they are featuring in the article. I will be coming out with a line of wallpaper accordion photo albums like those in the upcoming article soon!

While in Germany I was also able to stock up on Kiwi Seed Paper and Recycled Deutsche Mark Paper. I also found some new paper made from recycled jeans that I can't wait to try out. Stay tuned for more products in my shop made from these great papers.

The Tile Houses of Saarland

2008-12-30T11:16:00.000-05:00

There is a local odditiy I have noticed over the years here in Saarland. There are a disturbing number of houses that are tiled on the OUTSIDE. Some houses are tiled with large tiles but a number are tiled with the little tiles used in 1950's bathrooms. Very odd - who came up with this? Were there a bunch of leftover tiles and someone said - "Hey, let's cover the house with them!"

This house is in Naßweiler. It has little yellow tiles on top and larger brown tiles on the bottom of the house - a delightful color combination!

This yellow and black combinaion is from a house in Werbeln. The top is a light yellow stucco but below are square black tiles with the ocassional "accent" tile in pink or blue.

I even have this close-up of the accent tiles - perfect for your bathroom.

St. Nikolaus Weihnachtsmarkt

2008-12-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

Another day, another Weihnachtsmarkt! Today I went to the neighboring village of St. Nikolaus for their first ever Weihnachtsmarkt. There were all sorts of fun activities: cookie baking for the kids, live animals, handmade crafts and food products. Of course St. Nick himself was there to greet visitors at the start of the market. Then he had to get back to work stamping letters from around the world - at his Nikolaus Postamt. Write him a letter - he'll send a reply!

Kai and my father-in-law (right) with Peter Müller (left), Minister President of Saarland. He was the VIP at the markt today! He even spoke English with Kai.

Kai with a real live donkey. There was a nativity scene with live animals! Very fun for a four year old.

Cookie baking - what a good idea! Kai had a great time rolling out the dough and using the cookie cutters.

Last but not least this is the booth with the Warndtprodukte - products from the Warndt region of Saarland. My father-in-law started this push towards locally raised products that include: lamb, sausages, mushrooms and jams. Yummy!

Let it Snow...

2008-12-11T03:57:00.001-05:00

We had the perfect snowfall yesterday - just enought to coat the trees but not the streets! The light dusting of snow makes everything look quiet and still. As the Germans would say "es Weihnachtet sehr" - it is Chirstmasing! The top picture is the view from my window looking out towards the village church.

I am in my husband's hometown of Karlsbrunn. This small village of 1100 is located in the German state of Saarland, just 1 mile from the French border! It is know for its Wild Animal Park - full of reindeer, wild boar, and goats. It is also the ancestral village of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's family.

There is a Jagdschloß - a hunting lodge. The Jagdscloß now has a wonderful cafe open on weekends - Scloß Cafe Karlsbrunn. I highly reccommend the apple marzipan cake! In the Spring and Summer the "Garten ohne Grenzen" behind the Scloß is a lovely sight. In winter the garden is not so interesting!

St. Wendel Weihnachtsmarkt

2008-12-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

Today Kai and I had a great time at the St. Wendel Weihnachtsmarkt. We entered the market and stepped into the middle ages. Our lunch was this tasty Elsässischer Flammkuchen with Jägertee for me - an alternative to Glühwein with more alcohol!

Our lunchtime entertainment was Peter Siche a talented minstrel singer from Berlin.

This Weihnachtsmarkt has it all - live performances, live animals, great food and drink and the gnome village.

O Tannenbaum!

2008-12-08T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here it is - the Tannenbaum we braved this foggy day to purchase! We decided that the apartment we are staying in needed a little tree. So we headed to the French border (literally steps away from France in the town of Naßweiler) to purchase this little guy. Decorated with ornaments my husband and I made 17 years ago!

Kai did a great job - don't you think? So here is the text to

O, Tannenbaum in case the title has you humming it!

Christmas in Germany

2008-12-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Deutschland! My son Kai and I are in Germany for the holidays. My husband is at home shipping holiday orders - thanks Eric! Today we went to the Saarlouis Weihnachtsmarkt with his cousin Kathrin. The highlight was the giant Münchener Brezel you see him eating in the last picture.

Holiday Show Set Up

2008-11-02T21:08:00.001-05:00

I was at the DC Craft Mafia's Unusual Suspects show last Saturday. It was, sadly, not a good turn out. Maybe it is the economy or just not enough publicity - who knows? However, I did have a chance to catch-up with my dear friend Cynthia who was visiting from Atlanta. I also had great neighbors at the show and enjoyed talking with them.

Anyway, here it is the set-up I will be using for my upcoming holiday shows. The shows are all one table affairs so I added height to my display with two folding bookshelves.

Lollipop Time!

2008-10-23T16:57:00.000-04:00

It is Fall - my favorite time of year. We went to the park this weekend and took some cute shots of the kids. Our friend Suzanne took some terrific shots. These are the versions we took. My daughter took the portrait of her brother.

Mounting Adhesive Part II

2008-10-14T16:30:00.002-04:00

A while back I received a roll of mounting adhesive. I FINALLY started using it and am loving it. The product is 3M's Positionable Mounting Adhesive. It works like a dream for delicate or thin papers. The adhesive comes in a roll that you unravel. The item you want to adhere is placed (side up!) on the roll and cut out. You then rub the back side of the item on a special paper with a special utensil (all included with the roll.) Now you take off the backing and attach it. If you don't like the position pick it up and try again. It is repositionable until you rub down the front side.

The cover looks much smoother than ones I created using PVA. There is no time wasted waiting for glue to dry. This is a great product!

Art on the Avenue Wrap Up

2008-10-07T17:08:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun at Art on the Avenue! I caught up with old friends and neighbors plus the weather was fantastic. It was a pleasure to spend the day outside. Suzanne captured some moments from the day on this video:

Art on the Avenue Saturday October 4th

2008-10-02T20:21:00.000-04:00

I am excited to be at my local Craft Fair this Saturday, October 4th. Art on the Avenue is the big event in the Del Ray section of Alexandria. Mount Vernon Avenue is closed to traffic and the whole area becomes a giant pedestrian paradise. Here are a few pictures of things I will be bringing with me on Saturday:

Photos by Suzanne Behsudi.

Moonlight Bindery at Crafty Bastards

2008-10-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Suzanne for shooting and editing this footage!

Out on the Town

2008-09-24T12:37:00.000-04:00

I am excited to announce that I'll be featuring my work at two BIG craft shows in the next two weeks - you should definitely come hang out!

Crafty Bastards is Sunday, September 28th, 10A.M. - 5 P.M. at 18th and Wyoming Avenues NW. My booth is number 142. This is a juried show and I am thrilled to be a part of it!

On Saturday, October 4th, I will be at my neighborhood Art on the Avenue show - really just blocks from my house! I am looking forward to seeing my whole Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria come out for the festivities. My booth is 112W - across from the Cheestique! Here is a map of the venue. Check back soon for pictures and reviews of these two super-fun events!

In the news!

2008-09-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

I am very excited about several new and exciting things in my life. First of all, I met a fabulous photographer at St. Elmo's for coffee. She wanted to interview me for a Creative Spotlight she's starting. Here's the feature on her blog!

She works magic with that camera.

Ballistic Nylon Books

2008-09-14T17:14:00.000-04:00

I found this outrageous bookcloth made out of ballistic nylon. That's right the stuff your messenger bag is made out of is now available for your books. It is sturdy and bit stiff but fun to work with although a little tricky to turn in at the corners. The effect is great and I am sure these calendar/planners will hold up to a whole year of abuse in someone's backpack, purse or messenger bag.

Cards, Cards, Cards

2008-09-09T21:01:00.000-04:00

I found a great zoology book from 1875 while on vacation in Maine this summer. It inspired me to make Gocco printed cards using some of the cooler sea creature illustrations. Here are the results! I think the horseshoe crab is my favorite.

Positionable Mounting Adhesive

2008-07-23T07:24:00.000-04:00

My friend Cynthia gave me this brand new box of Scotch positionable Mounting Adhesive. I can't wait to try it out. I have been a straight glue (PVA) girl for years but now it is time to branch out. My bet is that this will work well with my New Yorker Journals because the paper is thin and delicate.

The film is positionable until you put pressure on it and burst the adhesive bubbles. Keith Smith talks about it in his "Non-Adhesive Binding: Quick Leather Bindings" book. He offers some detailed advice on how to use it. Stay tuned and I will let you know how my first experiment with the adhesive goes!

Printing with Gocco!

2008-05-19T11:49:00.001-04:00

I ordered this awesome Gocco thermal printing system from Japan. This is the PG-5 model -isn't it nice and bright orange? I had fun this weekend printing with it. I took my daughter's Spirograph set and came up with a couple of nice designs to burn onto the screen. It was very simple and none of the mess associated with traditional screen printing. Anyway, here are the results!

This is a brown Moleskine journal. The inks look great and soaked right into the paper.

The card was the easiest to print - came out looking great every time. The paper was less absorbent than the Moleskine which I think made printing easier.

The black Moleskines were the most difficult to print. I did a few with the same colored inks as I used on the cards. Initially they looked great but the inks were absorbed by the cover material and you could barely tell that I had printed on them. So I re-inked in white and went over the colored inks which gives a nice effect. My only issue was with the white ink which seems much goopier to me than the other color of ink. In any event, I had a fun time and love the results of my first effort.

My Bookbinding Studio

2008-03-09T14:09:00.000-04:00

So here is my studio - or at least part of it. This is the main space where my presses, paper cutters and work bench are located. I seem to be taking over the basement room by room . I also have a photo sink and several storage shelves in various other rooms.

The Final Lego Book

2008-03-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

Here it is - the final Lego book:

I am very happy with the way this turned out. The Coptic binding is nice and tight and the base plates I ordered are just the right size. Yeah! See my Etsy shop if you are interested in purchasing one! They are very fun and addictive... I never did meet a Lego I didn't like. Maybe it is my Danish heritage...

Lego Books!

2008-02-26T12:33:00.000-05:00

My latest interest is turning non-traditional items into books. See my website for the Shrinky Dink books I have made! Anyway, I was at the Lego store with my kids this weekend and I thought why not make a Lego book?

This is a tiny prototype (1.25 x 2.5 inches) of what I plan to do with a larger base plate. I am happy to report that my Dremel drill went right through the plastic like butter. It was fun and the cover is changeable - a book and a toy in one. What more can you ask for?

This is How It All Began

2008-02-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

How did you start making books? People often ask me and I usually have a short version of how it all began. The long version goes something like this: It was senior year in college and I had a library carrel to write my senior thesis. The topic was deadly boring – something about prostitutes in Scotland. Anyway, I was often restless and started wandering the surrounding stacks. I found this book “The Restoration of Leather Bindings” by Bernard Middelton. It looked interesting but I did not identify with book conservation from reading a book. So I did not think about it again for a long while.

Fast forward to a few months after graduation. Needless to say my history degree and knowledge of Scottish prostitutes did not immediately translate into hot job opportunities. However I was and am fortunate to live in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian Institution had a bookbinding class. I signed up and it was terrific. The Middelton book made sense – bookbinding was fun! My teacher recommended conservation classes with Tom Albro, who was then Chief of Conservation at the Library of Congress.

I worked in conservation at Georgetown University for five years while going to library school. It was great but I wanted to try my hand at being a reference librarian. Also a great profession but I missed the hands on aspect of conservation. I also realized I had amassed multiple drawers of handmade and decorative paper. What to do with it all? So I started making blank books. Then I found out about Etsy (an online marketplace for buying and selling handmade items) and opened a little bookbinding shop – Moonlight Bindery. I love it and am having fun!