Green Bookmaking

This book was created for a challenge: to use only, or mostly, recycled materials in a book. All of the materials in this one are recycled except for the pretty green cover paper.



The inner pages are made from Trader Joe's grocery bags, as are the endpapers. It has a buttonhole binding with leftover scraps of Irish linen thread in natural, green, and red to match the book. It's up in the shop now!

Hey, Good Lookin'...

...what 'ya got cookin'? A "Here's What's Cookin'" book! These cookbook journals are my newest project: the covers are covered in bright oilcloth fabrics, so you can wipe them free of kitchen messes. The inside pages are my own recipe page design, with Curly-Q calligraphy, and each signature is wrapped with a different color paper so you can divide your cookbook into sections. I love the bright happy colors of oilcloth, and this provides the perfect excuse to go buy more!


These journals bring all kinds of good ideas to mind: you could use one as a family reunion cookbook, where everyone contributes a couple recipes. Or, use it as an activity at a bridal shower, to provide the bride with recipes from her loved ones. With 100 pages for recipes, there's plenty for everyone.

I love the idea of creating a personal cookbook. The girls in my family are working on one right now, and so is my calligraphy guild. For the past nine months, we've each contributed calligraphed recipes in all different food categories. Next month, the cookbook is unveiled, and we each get to keep two copies! The work these ladies do is amazing; they are true artists.