Levi-Strauss Project

I am so proud to be working closely with Levi-Strauss on this project!


ProjectBackgroundLevi’s® is accessing it’s roots in craft, authenticity and self expression in a new project to discover how young women around the world are shaping the future–and who inspired them to be who they’ve become.

Eight professional book-binders, all members of ETSY, have created a total of 16 amazingly beautiful journalsand boxes that are being adored and adorned by creative young women around the world who have made a difference for themselves, their community or for the world only.

Each women who inscribes the book will provide a 4-6 page story, written and or illustrated, about who or what made a differencein their lives and what advice they have for other young women who will follow in their footsteps. Each women has one week to complete their assignment. A donation to a global women’s charity will be made in their name.

Levi’s® is one of 8 global sponsors of TED’s first Women’s conference, which takes place in Washington DC, December 7-8, 2010 –emphasizing our dedication to connecting with women.

A short filmwill be produced in November to tell the story of the books and the ideas that emerged. Some of the women who inscribed the books will be featured in the film. The film will be premiered at the first TED Women’s event, December 7-8 in Washington DC. The books and excerpts from their contents will be displayed and shared at a gallery event.

Contents of the book will also be shared with Levi’s Global Women’s Community.


Book Foreword for Those Who Inscribe
When we create, when we work for the new or push ourselves ahead insearch of fulfillment and change, we do so in a collective progress. Then, we step into the unknown together, ready to shape what’s coming.

Innovators, change-agents, artists, creative thinkers and progressives are the culmination of so many influential and inspiring people who have come beforeand opened our eyes to other worlds of thought.We look to our mentors, teachers, and peers who continually build us into citizens of the planet.

We walk with their energy and then add our own.

We, in turn, become mediums of what’s possible.

In sharing the expressions of your talents, experiences and the difference you’ve made within these pages, by describing who has influenced you and pushed you to be who you are, you also tell us who we are.

And thus, you inspire in us the passion to take action, have impact, find responsibility, help others, and move forward in the mutual endeavor of shaping what’s to come.

The boxes are almost gone!

The condo actually looks like a condo hahah. Ive even had guests over!

Ive been featured in another Etsy Treasury!!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c6bda7aa7328eeff5624c4b/im-falling-for-you

thanks so much bubbletub from etsy!

Ah, the smell of dust, cardboard boxes and packing tape.

I will definitely not miss the sound of packing tape being pulled across a box. You know, that sound, the sound I don't want to hear for a very long time.


We are about to move so there is not much movement with books as of late, but my seperation from my studio is pulling at me. Pulling so strongly that once I have my new studio up and running, I will once again be a book making machine.


So before I pause from the online world for awhile, I leave you with this.


It is the flyer of sorts that Feed the Children Canada sent to me along with the thank you note for donating a book to them, thus making enough money for 60 school lunches in Ethiopia.

What luck!

Ive been featured in another Etsy treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3dfbe4f9688eef492b5c26/the-funky-librarian
thanks so much!

You like me, you really like me!

I was kindly added to an Etsy treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c38de4d4fcf6d916443b3f0/pretty-paisley

Back to basics

Perhaps I should have begun this blog with a post concerning exactly why I make books and how I do just that.

The 'why'
Well, why not? I really love books. Not only for what they say but just books themselves. I like the smell of an old book borrowed from the library. I know this may sound odd. I love checking a book out and thinking about all the others who have borrowed this book before me. I love the feel of a brand new book, I hate opening the book up all the way and making that crease in the spine of a soft cover. I even have a hard time finishing a book, I find it sad, almost like breaking up with someone. I know, dont judge me.

Back to making books. I love knowing that Ive spent the time choosing the paper for the pages, choosing what stitch to use, choosing the cover paper, the end papers, any embellishments, all to end up in someone elses hands. That I am passing on part of me to them whether they know it or not.

The 'how'
I actually sew all of the pages together to make each book. I hand cut the pages to the desired size, I hand measure and cut the end pages, clamp the signatures with the endpages and glue them. I cut pieces of headbands and glue them to the spine, and sometimes I add a ribbon for a book mark before adding the headbands. I spread the archival glue along the cover paper with my glue spreader (thats the offical name), I fold the paper around the corners of the davey board. I take the bulk of the book and attach it to the cover, clamp it again and let it dry.

Ive just sat for hours working on a book and was tired of doing so, but typing this all out just gave me my second wind. Ill forget this tomorrow after sitting in my studio, after the 3rd hour, I lose the passion for it and ache to just sit in front of the tv and waste time on a comfy couch.

Its late and I have one, actually hopefully three books to finish by Friday night.

What if the hokey-pokey IS what its all about?

Nah, it can't be.

For the past few days I have been working on two photo boards to hang up for a family reunion. Trying to make sure I've included everyone, making sure I could manage to sneak in a few of my personal favorite photos. I had trimmed the photos smaller than they originally were in order to fit them all and then realized I could space them and fit even more!

Then came the typing of the labels: names of those in the photos. But the worst part was cutting out the tiny little labels. My hands shrunk in after all the work. You see, if I had a label maker I would not have this problem. But then Id be the weirdo labelling EVERYTHING I own lol.

So that is done and I can get back to BOOKS! I am about half way through a 9 book custom order. Im really enjoying this order. Although I dont know those who will receive the books, I feel connected to them some how. I cannot wait to see not only the expression of the person who ordered the books, but to hear the reaction of those who the books were made for.

I like knowing that Im sharing a piece of me with others.

A friend of mine moved literally half way across the world to an area that is quite different than here in Canada or the US for that matter. Her plan is to make sure she nails the language and then teach there. Before she left she bought two books of mine, one for herself and one to give to a future student. Knowing that someone on the other side of the planet will own and use something that I lovinly made..well its the coolest feeling ever!

PLUS I found out that the book I donated to Canada Feed the Children raised enough money for 60 school lunches in Ethiopia! I was so happy to find this out!

SO this good feeling you get when sharing a part of your self or donating something so small to you but so important somewhere else, THATS what its all about.



Listening to: K'naan Waving Flag (how cheesily appropriate, but true)

Roundtheworldin80pgs is adding inventory soon!

Here are a small sample of the items in Roundtheworldin80pgs !

I've been working hard on a 9 piece custom order and am really

proud of how its coming...photos to be posted. Ive ordered even

more Japanese paper, including a black and red lacquered paper.

I will have a short pause on adding to the store as I am moving at

the end of this month, but although I won't be online, I will be in my

studio as much as possible!!

Dont forget to get some reading done!

My BEST interview and

my BEST article

Listening to: I've got a woman by Ray Charles

I've been included in an Etsy Treasury!

Thanks to another Etsian, I am part of a new treasury!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c1fe133d0556d91aec2ace5/memory-keeping

Paperback Writer

Hear Sir or Madam will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look?
~The Bealtles

We have been storing things away to sell the house, which means that my studio which was in the kitchen was all tucked away *frown* but now that we have sold, I can take everything again! Just in time for 9 custom orders from a client, 5 address books from another and then 2 journals for my best friend!

This all means I dont have time to be sitting here writing, but procrastination is my middle name!