Reading In Her Studio reminds me of how vital it is to have 'a room of one's own', as Virginia Woolf said, no matter how tiny, imperfect or transient. I'm fortunate to now have a dedicated studio, but that wasn't always the case. As I said in the feature:
To any makers or artists reading this that feels their space is.. sub-optimal, I want to say: don’t be disheartened if you have only a small corner to work in. It might be your living room, a bedroom or the kitchen table. Remember that we all started somewhere, most of us started small and humbly! It took me 15 years to have a dedicated studio in the garden of the home we own. Your work is no less worthwhile because of where you make it. As long as you approach your business and your customers appropriately, that’s what matters.
After reading some of the features this morning, I have a sense of presence walking alongside me as I wend my way up the garden path to my studio. I may work alone, but the magazine has left me with a sense of community of women dedicated to their creative process. Here we are making, creating, collaborating or just plain showing up every day with the faith that something good will come of it.
Many thanks to commissioning senior managing editor Amber Demien for including me, my studio space and my work in this, a wonderful issue full of creative inspiration.
Susan
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 (0)7748 759371
]]>In this blog post I'm sharing insider know-how and secret strategies for making sure your loved ones actually write in your Wedding Guest Book! Read on for a couple of things you can do to prepare before your wedding day, one or two simple things to do on the day, plus a few suggestions for beating the post-honeymoon come down, too.
Pens - more pens than you could ever imagine. Because they will disappear! Biros will do just fine, and you can often find jolly ones that co-ordinate with your wedding theme colours at well known craft shops.
Loose sheets for guests to write on. You will be suprised at how incredibly hesitant your guests can be about writing directly into a book. They may suffer from blank page syndrome. Or they may be unecessarily ashamed of their penmanship (after all, how much handwriting does anyone do these days?) or they're simply struggling to put into words the overwhelming happiness they feel for you.
By providing loose sheets, you're making it easier for your guests. They know they can always toss their first attempt in the bin and start again! Make sure the sheets are smaller than the pages of your book. So, if your book is A4 landscape (the same size as a sheet of normal printer paper), use A5 landscape loose sheets (half a sheet). You could use ordinary cartridge paper, handmade paper for extra tactility or mix it up with coloured papers.
Writing prompts - a short list of simple prompts will also inspire guests to make a confident contribution. You could place a printed message in a picture frame, or display the prompts on an artist's easel, as we did. How about:
We will treasure anything you write, draw or doodle in our book. Please take up as much space as you'd like. If you're struggling for ideas, how about...
How did we meet?
If you could make one wish for us, what would it be?
What's one piece of advice you could give us?
Be a cheater. Okay, this is a little sneaky, but it works. You know we talked about guests' hesitancy to write in your book? There's also the strange, often observed tendency to write something self-effacingly miniscule in a corner and take up as little space as possible. Well, get someone to write a message ahead of time ACROSS A WHOLE PAGE. This is the page you will leave open on the day. Clever, huh?
'Leave page blank for photograph' - if you're planning to use your book as a memory book - aka scrapbook - with photos, stationery samples, pressed flowers, honeymoon postcards, etc, this tip is for you. Print or write out a few dozen sheets with the words 'leave page blank for photograph'. And again, make sure these sheets are smaller than your book's page size. Use re-positionable glue dots to fix them to various pages throughout the entire book. This encourages guests to write on more than the first few pages of the book.
Yes, dedicate an entire table to your guest book. You want your guests to take their time and not feel overlooked (i.e. judged), so make sure there are two chairs there, too. Drape the table in a beautiful cloth, place the book in the centre of the table, open at the page you've sneakily already had someone write in. On either side of the book (in front of each chair), cluster together a pen pot, the loose sheets, and the writing prompts. Finally, place a floral decoration and a framed photograph of you two on the table, to draw people's attention.
Before everyone gets a little tipsy or eats too much to move, draw your guests' attention to the Guest Book table. Emphasise how thrilled you will be to be able to treasure their words for many years to come, and how important every single one of them is to you. Reassure them that heartfelt is good, brief is fine, and that there are no prizes for the best contribution.
Make a couple of dates (remember those?) with your loved one, schedule them into your calendars. Because you'll be surprised at how quickly normal life takes over once you're out of your wedding bliss bubble.
First, choose which photos you want to have printed whether they're from your professional photographer and / or you're asking friends and family for theirs. Don't leave it 'til another day - order those prints now. Then gather up your favourite cards, stationery samples, pressed flowers etc. Keep them all safe until the photos arrive and you can have your next date.
On your second scrapbook date, collect up some glue dots, photo corners, washi tape, spray mount, pritt stick - whatever you want - and get sticking in! There's no right or wrong way, just enjoy the process.
For some, a Guest Book / Memory Book is absolutely on their 'wedmin' list of things to sort out from the moment the engagement is announced. But for others the Guest Book might be an afterthought after you've already burned through a fair bit of your budget. But let me tell you that even the lovely book you bought in a high-end luxury retail store is NOT going to thrill you in years to come. Because it is mass-produced by a machine, it will look like everyone else's, it will probably become tatty and it will be out of fashion - and that wouldn't be a kind reflection of your marriage, would it?
For a book you can enjoy leafing through forevermore, a book you'll want to come back to time and time again, choose hand crafted. Choose something made with archival, high quality materials in a timeless style. A book made by a professional craftsperson. Even better if it's a bespoke personalised book - something unique, made just for you. A real investment piece. Scroll down to view my collection of Wedding Guest Books and Memory Books, all of which can be peronsalised, as seen in Bride magazine.
I hope you've found my top 5 tips for making a memorable Wedding Guest Book helpful. They should ensure that your investment piece is worthy of all the love you felt on your wedding day and all the adventures you're having together during your marriage. If you've got any tips you'd like to share, or a question, why not write a comment below?
With all good wishes for your wedding day and beyond,
Susan Green
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 7748 759371
Main, first, second & fourth images are copyright Society Thirteen Brand Photography, 2023
]]>My once a year sale is live and this time I'm offering a small selection of Sketchbooks for artists, and Wedding Guest Books for couples getting married. The sale is a great opportunity to buy a beautiful book at a fraction of the usual price. I have just one of each book available, so if you see something you like, do purchase it right away.
The 50% sale includes 3 x A5 medium sketchbooks bound in exquisitely smooth leather with 140gsm recycled cartridge paper. The paper, which is made from disposable coffee cups, is described as 'all-media', meaning it can be used for dry or wet work. The bindings are a 15th century style that allows the pages to stay open so your book is as enjoyable to work in.
I also have several 6 small cotton rag sketchbooks with Old Gold, Russet, Black and Green velvet ribbons in the winter sale. These sketchbooks also lay flat, and their paper is handmade with a unique texture that's wonderful for all sorts of dry or wet artwork, even stitching on paper.
My collection of Wedding Guest Books are all bound in white leather, with either silk, woven floral silk or linen ribbons. This year Nostalgic Velvet at A6 small size, and Luxurious floral silk at A4 large are available in the sale, only during January.
Once you've ordered your Guest Book read my top tips for encouraging guests to write in your book in my blog post: 5 Wedding Guest Book Ideas.
Shop the 50% winter sale by clicking here . I hope this once-a-year opportunity helps you find something useful and beautiful to take your plans forward in 2024.
Susan Green
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | 44 7748 759371
With a variety of papers for writing and artwork and prices ranging from £19 to £249 GBP, there's something for everyone if they enjoy autumnal colours, cosy textures and the promise of creative adventures to come! Choose a Leather Journal or Artist's Sketchbook, a Cork Vegan Sketchbook or a Miniature Journal, each one inspired by autumn's berry-laden hedgerows and burnished leaves.
Each book comes with a gift information sheet.
Gift wrapping is standard, UK delivery is free, and both standard and express international delivery is available. Why not get a head start on your Christmas gift shopping and tick a few people off your list?
The Mini Journals make excellent stocking fillers and the full-size books are a very thoughtful 'main' present, each carefully bound by hand in my studio. Their colours, material textures and meticulous craftsmanship are sure to delight your loved one.
A Cork Vegan Sketchbook and co-ordinating Miniature Journal
You can visit the new Autumn collection of Journals and Sketchbooks here or click on any of the buttons below to view each book's full details and add to your cart.
I hope you find the new books as pleasurable to own and use as I have found them to make.
Susan
contact form | info@boundbyhand.couk | +44 (0)7748 759371
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There's plenty of actionable advice out there already for how to write a press release and how to pitch to journalists, but next to nothing about what you do after you've secured a press feature. Which is odd, becuase that's when the work and the opportunities really begin!
It's not just about getting your stock and shop ready for an influx of curious customers that have read the feature. It's about plastering your communication channels with the press feature, so that the gazillions of people who didn't happen to stumble across it can see how trustworthy and highly-esteemed you are, and encourage them to subscribe to your newsletter, follow you on social and part with their money to buy your gorgeous artwork or products.
So, this blog post is about how to make the most of your press feature in a magazine, newspaper or high-profile blog. (As well as being a bookbinder, creative mentor and occasional bookbinding tutor, I also freelance as a content editor. Quite often these two worlds collide and I find myself writing a blog post with PR and marketing advice for my fellow creatives.)
Take a moment to enjoy your success, then get to work!
Include press features on your product pages
Display press features in your studio
1. Be repetitive
No, really! This is not a once and done scenario. Keep mentioning your press features. Spread the news across several pieces of content. Bring it up again in the future.
2. Smooth the way
You should see a gathering interest in your work as a result of press features, but you could loose all that curiosity and goodwill if there are barriers to your customer journey. What do I mean by that? Well, is your website easy to navigate? Is it obvious where someone can sign up to your newsletter, if they're not ready to make a purchase right away? And if they are in the mood to buy, is it easy to purchase an item? What about commissioning a bespoke piece? Is there reassuring information such as delivery and returns details and customer testimonials?
This is what I've learned from my own press features, but I'd love to know what works for you so please add your advice and tips from your own experience in the comments.
Susan
contact form | info@boundbyhand.couk | +44 (0)7748 759371
Autumn Instagram Hashtags for Creatives
Career Shift: my feature in Country Homes & Interiors magazine
Imagery: 91 Magazine on Unsplash; Jason Briscoe on Unsplash
]]>I'm delighted to see a profile piece about my work in this month's edition of Country Homes & Interiors. 'Career Shift' gives plenty of details about my unusual journey to being a bookbinder, what inspires my work and why it's the connections with people that motivates me to keep making.
"I realise now the creativity had gone quiet for a number of years, but was just waiting in the wings for its turn on the stage."
The four page article also includes stunning images that evoke the tactile materials, tools and techniques I use to make books. It also reveals the dual inspiration behind one of my bestselling books for artists, the Wabi Sabi Sketchbooks, alongside how I came to be commissioned by The Newt in Somerset to make books for their reproduction Roman Villa and stock their retail store.
"Collaborations with museums and cultural institutions are a good way to level up your artisan business."
It's great to see fellow Dorset creatives, the printmaker and illustrator Robin Mackenzie, and hand embroiderer Jen Goodwin, as well as Gloucestershire linocut printmaker Susie Hetherington, mentioned alongside the feature as I admire the talent and skill of those makers very much.
I hope the feature encourages creatives who are perhaps not on a traditional career pathway, or who have health challenges, to pursue their ambitions - just like I did.
Many thanks to the editorial team at Country Homes & Interiors, journalist Sophie Gale and photographer Alison Dewey of Society 13 Brand Photography.
Susan
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 (0)7748 759371
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From a chance encounter with a library book that changed the course of her working life, to her largest commission to date for an impressive reproduction Roman villa at The Newt in Somerset, Dorset bookbinder Susan Green has been looking over the past 15 years as a maker and small business owner. She says her career to date has been full of "unexpected surprises and steep learning curves".
Susan makes new, blank books including artist's sketchbooks, wedding guest books and scrapbooks, the latter she calls 'Memory Books'. She counts high profile brands and professional creatives amongst her clients, as well as thousands of ordinary people marking significant life events or using her books for writing or their creative practice.
A leather bound scrapbook - aka Memory Book - bound in the 15th century Longstitch with Linkstitch binding style, which allows the book to lie open on a table.
It all started in 2008 when, in a bright yellow spare bedroom, Susan turned a hobby into a job with just a few tools, lots of reference books, an Etsy shop and a Twitter account. After a few years she moved to a professional space within a friend's graphic design studio, and during covid she moved to her permanent creative home, the studio at the end of her garden in Dorset, which she affectionally calls 'the cabin'.
A mid-career high point was having her work recommended by 'Dragon' Deborah Meaden in her '12 Tweets of Christmas'. More recently, Susan was delighted to be selected for membership of the Crafts Council Directory, and Find A Maker by Craft Festival. Her work is often featured in the press, including Country Living and Coast magazines, The Sunday Telegraph and the Guardian, as well as publications including British Artist Book Makers (BCF Books, 2015) and Villa Ventorum: A Roman Estate Reimagined (The Newt in Somerset, 2022)
Despite success in these areas, Susan says that the best thing about the past 15 years in business has been the people she has encountered. Being commissioned to make books for her customers' own creative practices, as well as their significant life events: engagements, weddings and anniversaries, retirements and memorial services, has led to many interesting conversations. She reflects:
"It's a real act of trust when someone comes to me and shares their emotions, memories and financial resources, and then has to wait for an outcome in book form, trusting it will be what they imagined, and that it arrives in time and in perfect condition after travelling through the post and often through multiple international postal services. I appreciate that trust and I hope I always do my customers proud with the books I make and the way I communicate with them".
As well as making books, Susan has found fulfilment running workshops to share the bookbinding knowledge, skills and techniques she has gathered along the way. As a largely self-taught maker, Susan has a unique perspective into the challenges of learning a new skill and likes to provide a supportive and enthusiastic space for learners. Although she does not teach at present, Susan does share her expertise in one-to-one online mentoring sessions for creatives who want to extend their existing practice into the exciting world of book forms.
Whilst she feels she has learned a lot - not just about materials, binding styles and bookbinding techniques - but also about how to run a successful business, Susan feels she has only really just begun to get into the swing of things. She is aware of the richness of her chosen creative practice and how much there is still to learn and master. Susan says:
"as well as undertaking training in specific areas of binding, I am particularly keen to extend my existing work into prop making for film and television, as well as collaborate with creatives in other disciplines".
To find out more about BOUND, Susan's books and her mentoring service, visit www.boundbyhand.co.uk
Since 2008 Dorset bookbinder Susan Green has combined the finest materials with historical and contemporary bookbinding styles to create new, blank books for creatives, romantics and nostalgics. She does not rebind existing books.
Press-ready high res imagery can be requested via the contact form.
Making leather books for Villa Ventorum at The Newt in Somerset
Meet the Maker: 10 things you (probably) didn't know about Susan Green
Mentoring for creatives: extend your practice into the book form
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For these reasons it was fitting that the cotton rag sketchbooks didn't have covers;. However, I know some artists really would like a cover for your sketchbook, to neatly archive it and ready it for storage once you've filled every page. Well, this update is for you!
The new covers don't alter the useful, lay flat function of the sketchbook. That means you can add the cover before using your sketcbook and still enjoy working on a page you don't have to fight with to keep open. No bulldog clips, stones or paperweights needed!
You can leave the cover just as it is for a beautifully understated, minimalist effect. Alternatively, you could title the spine and make your own design on the covers. They're heavyweight (300gsm) cotton rag with the same tactile qualities, media versatility and sustainbility credentials as the book's pages (210gsm).
It's best to order a cover at the same time as your sketchbook. That's because each sheet of handmade cotton rag paper - and therefore each sketchbook - is unique and may vary slightly in size. So, I make an individual cover for each sketchbook.
Firstly, order your original linen ribbon Wabi Sabi Sketchbook here or the newer style velvet ribbon version in Olive or Forest Green here. Secondly, click here to add a cover.
I hope you find this update useful; if you have any questions or feedback please don't hesitate to contact me.
Susan
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 (0)7748 759371
]]>Cork textile is an excellent vegan alternative to leather and can be used for journals and sketchbooks. I recommend portrait format at A5 medium or A6 small size when using cork. Cork is a sustainable natural resource; the bark of the Cork oak tree is harvested in strict adherance to laws which protect the health of cork forests, for their own sake and for the flora and fauna they support. You can read more about cork here.
There are so many cork colours available, below is a selection of the most popular options. If you have something different in mind, get in touch to ask about further colours. Whilst cork is smooth to the touch, it has the appearance of texture and some variations in tone across each piece.
Please note that colours may look a little different in person to how they do on screen, and they'll look different on different devices.
Rose Gold and Natural are the most often requested colours, with Mint hot on their heels. But it's really up to you! You can create a totally individual vegan notebook or sketchbook by pairing any cork colour with any colour of linen thread. View all the binding thread colour options here. And scroll down for some examples of cork vegan sketchbooks, notebooks and journals.
Use my contact form or email me to ask about a vegan cork book made to your specifications. It can be personalised with printed text of your choice on the titlepage, so let me know what wording you have in mind (this is optional). Please also mention your deadline and the country you'd need your book delivered to.
Susan Green
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 07748 759371
Natural & Grey A5 medium vegan cork journal / sketchbook
Mint Green & Grey A5 medium vegan cork journal / sketchbook
Rainy days hold no sway with a colourful Sketchbook or Journal trusty companion bound in Spring's most hopeful colours by your side. Mustard, Lemon Yellow, Lilac, Bright Green and Coral take centre stage in this shop update. My personal favourite is the Duck Egg & Lemon Yellow Leather Journal / Sketchbook. What's your favourite? Please leave a comment below, I'd be interested to know what you think! But first, keep reading for all the details and some images.
A6 Leather Sketchbook: Mustard Yellow & Lilac with watercolour paper, £99
Some of the colourful new sketchbooks are bound with 300gsm cold pressed watercolour paper. You can use watercolours, of course, but also gouache, acrylic or ink. Other journals and sketchbooks have multipurpose 'all-media' 140gsm recycled cartridge paper. The cartridge pages are ideal for writing in too, whether you prefer a biro, fountain pen, ballpoint or pencil.
Pssst! Would you prefer handmade cotton rag paper? It's oh, so tactile! I use my own cotton rag sketchbook for gouache, embroidery stitching on paper, plus pencils. You can find lay-flat cotton rag sketchbooks here and Japanese cotton rag sketchbooks here.
300gsm cold pressed watercolour paper pages
As ever, if you see something you like, but would prefer a different size, format or paper option I can make your perfect book to order - just get in touch. Perhaps you have a favourite paper, or prefer to work only in a particular format (portrait / landsape) or size (I make A6, A5 and A4 books, A3 may also be possible).
You can also view all your Bespoke journal and sketchbook options here. And did you know you can also order a colourful Wedding Guest Book, if white isn't your thing? I'd love to work with you to make your colourful dreams come true! Again, my bespoke service is the place to go, but do send me a message if you'd like to talk about your options.
A6 Leather Journal / Sketchbook: Green & Yellow with multpurpose recycled cartridge paper £79
Don't worry if you're more of a 'classic' colours kind of person. I'm still making beautifully tactile books in Navy Blue and Oxblood, amongst others. And you can always order a book in your favourite colour combinations, size and paper option with my Bespoke Service, as outlined above.
Sunny with a chance of showers? Miniature Leather Journal: Navy Blue & Teal, £20
You can scroll down to quickly add a book from the Spring collection to your cart. Alternatively you can take your time to browse the Spring Edit of handmade colourful books here.
I hope you've enjoyed reading all about the colour injection that's made its way into my studio recently! The new Spring collection of journals and sketchbooks is bursting with vibrant colours and unique colour combinations that truly bring a sense of joy.
Of course, I've bound every single book with the finest materials and craftsmanship. But they really don't fully come alive until they're in your hands and filled with your creative work. Scroll down to order or browse the Spring Edit here.
Susan Green
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 7748 759371
Are you a creative who would like to express your work in book form but don't know where to start? Are you frustrated by your efforts to make artist's books, swatch books, exhibition displays or photobooks so far?
Do you have too many ideas to process? Do you need guidance and a confidence boost when it comes to selecting and using materials, bindings styles and appropriate tools? Would you benefit from reflecting on concept, design and narrative flow?
Then mentoring might be just what you need.
"Susan has been wonderful... support[ing] me in the development of my concepts, offering her expert advice and showing genuine interest and excitement for my ideas." - H.M.
I was spurred to start online mentoring 1-on-1 by a request last year from The Photographers' Gallery in London. I mentored a student who wanted to make a book as an outcome for their EPQ in Photography.
Working via Zoom in this way opened my eyes to the possibilities of supporting artists, photographers, makers and other creatives across the country, even the world, rather than just in my immediate geographical community.
It has often found been the case, over the past 15 years of being a bookbinder, that client requests are what lead me to make the next right move, and they've always been in service to what people actually need, which is the most satisfying thing of all.
That's how I came to teach bookbinding workshops in-person back in 2014 and, as you can see, it's why I now mentor 1-1 via Zoom.
It can be Really Hard to shift from making the work you've been making for years, to becoming a beginner again.
From unfamiliar language, materials and techniques to new, three-dimensional considerations, extending your practice can be... challenging.
Mentoring helps with that shift; you've got a trusted friend who can help you navigate possibilitie and hold space for you as you try new approaches. One who will gladly share with you the kind of insider information you only get from years of experience. All whilst valuing (and yes, even learning from) your own expertise, ideas and preferences.
"Time absolutely flew by, which shows how rich the conversation was." - J.H.
At some point or other, every one of us needs support to achieve something important to us.
Whether we're frustrated by our efforts, have 'creative trauma', or simply value our time and energy and know that we don't have to reinvent the wheel ourselves, it's good to reach out and ask someone who knows. Believe me, I've been there.
"Susan is very kind and patient and takes the time to explain in detail the intricate methods of bookbinding. Very thankful for her support!" - H.M
Mentoring is also ideal for those of you at a point in your practice where you strongly value your continuing professional development and are ready to invest time, thought - and a little money - into expanding your practice.
I'm offering live, 1-1 tailored mentoring sessions by Zoom video call. Each session is up to one hour at a time, and it's totally up to you whether you have a single session, book a series of sessions, or simply see how you get on and have sessions on an ad hoc basis, as and when you need them.
We'll start by me listening as you share a bit about your creative practice, where you are with it right now (ideas, thoughts, feelings, challenges, opportunities), and what you might want to achieve in book form.
Then we'll discuss your ideas and their context. I'll offer input and guidance on binding styles, materials, techniques and tools. I'll point you in the direction of inspiration and resources. And I'll help you determine what actions you want to take to achieve your aims.
Follow up sessions, if required, evaluate how things have been going, what if any adjustments you need to make, and what steps you can take to realise your desired outcome, or what project you want to work on next.
I'm usually described as compassionate, patient, supportive and encouraging, yet direct. I tend to be action-focussed. But do bear in mind that I tailor your mentoring session(s) to your needs and preferences. So, if you would prefer only discussion and reflection, rather than an action plan, that's more than fine. It's about you and what you want to get out of this investment in your creative practice.
Oh, and our discussions are completely confidential, so just be yourself!
1. It's not teaching. You won't receive step by step instruction or demonstration of how to bind X, Y or Z style of book. I don't offer the option to purchase materials or tools. However, I will always point you in the direction of information and resources! And if you're struggling with a particular aspect of a binding, I'm more than happy to offer suggestions and 'how-to' tips and tricks on materials, tools and techniques.
2. I don't know everything. I'm okay with that and I'm okay with letting you know if I don't know the answer to your question, or how to achieve the outcome you desire. I'll try and point you in the direction of someone who does, however!
If you think you might benefit from input, guidance and help corralling your ideas and bringing them into book form, please read my mentoring information pack which gives a good idea of what it's like to work with me. It also has details on fees, booking options, FAQs and also my small print. In the meantime, please contact me to express an interest - no obligation, of course. (You may need to check your junk/spam folders for my response.)
We'll then have a 15 minute discovery call - free of charge and without obligation - where you can give me a short brief on your aims and we can see if we might be a good fit for working together.
Susan Green | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 (0)7748 759371
]]>I'm delighted to announce my selection for the Crafts Council directory. You can now find my work in their searchable database of leading British craft makers, an online resource I encourage you to explore.
The Crafts Council is probably most well known as the organiser of Collect international craft and design fair held at Somerset House, London.
Importantly, the Crafts Council also holds the national collection of contemporary craft, including a handling collection, library and archive. Begun in 1972, the collection includes objects from across all craft disciplines. New items enrich the collection and reflect contemporary practice thanks to an active acquisitions programme.
It also publishes Crafts magazine, copies of which I love to read on tea breaks in my bookbinding studio. Fellow makers and creatives will find their Maker Newsletter invaluable, and also their blog which is packed with inspirational features, such as 12 of the best craft books out this year. Plus, the What's On section of their website has listings for in-person and online craft events, exhibitions, talks and workshops.
I'm thrilled to be part of the Crafts Council maker community and to showcase my work with the highy esteemed national development agency for contemporary craft in the UK. The Council is committed to empowering makers and craft businesses through learning and development, believing that:
Susan"craft skills and knowledge enrich and uplift us as individuals, and in doing so, will change our world for the better".
I'm very pleased to let you know that the leather books I designed and made as props for Roman Villa Ventorum at The Newt in Somerset are now available to purchase. You can buy them in 2 sizes and 4 different colour combinations at the retail store at the entrance to the Villa experience.
Mustard Yellow A6 leather journal; Forest Green A5 leather journal
Each book is invidually bound by hand in finest Forest Green or Mustard Yellow calfskin covers with a matching strap that winds around the books. The inner surface of the leather is left in its natural state.
Choose from Rust, Chocolate or Maroon exposed spine stitching in linen thread. Each size has 256 pages of white parchment effect paper, suitable for all writing instruments and dry art mediums. The paper is 100gsm and FSC certified.
I bound the books in the simple yet attractive Longstitch style, which calls to mind the earliest books used in the 2-4th centuries alongside the wax tablet and scroll. The books lay open on a surface so they're a delight to use, whether for writing or sketching. They'd make a great gift for the artist, writer or historical enthusiast in your circle.
Leather books coordinate with the linens and murals in the bedroom of Villa Ventorum; similar books are available to buy in the retail store.
As the information plaque next to my books says:
These leather books represent a significant turning point in the history of written records and are a testament to the ingenuity of the Roman period.
Their design is based on the earliest codex - the forerunner of the modern book form - fragments and examples of which have been found dating back to the second to fourth century AD. The Romans innovated the codex out of the wax tablet and, proving so useful, the codex gradually replaced the more cumbersome scroll.
Although their design is simplified, they retain key defining features of the earliest books: pages bound to a limp leather cover with a protective envelope flap and a leather wrapping band fasted with a simple stitch.
The gardens at Villa Ventorum
Purchase your leather journal in 2 sizes and 4 colour combinations when you visit Villa Ventorum. Entrance to the Roman Villa Experience is by appointment - book online here - and is included within Newt garden membership. For more information visit The Newt in Somerset's website or contact them on +44 (01)1963 577750
For further information on the leather journals, please feel free to contact me.
Susan Green
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
Last year I was invited to contribute to a top secret project to bring an entire Roman villa to life. When ruins of a Roman household were found on the estate of The Newt in Somerset - the former Hadspen House - the owners embarked on an ambitious project to design, build, decorate and furnish a complete reproduction late Roman Britain home and garden right next to the ruins.
The entrance to Villa Ventorum
A huge team of craftspeople, artists, historians, architects and designers brought Villa Ventorum to life. I was commissioned to design and make 12 limp leather books and several scroll fastenings.
You can see my books and scroll fastenings in the study, the tutor's room and also the bedroom (look on top of the wardrobe!).
The bedroom with fine furniture, linens and books.
The leather books represent a significant turning point in the history of written records. Really, they're a testament to the ingenuity of the Roman period. The Romans innovated the codex (the forerunner of the modern book form) out of the wax tablet and, proving so useful, the codex gradually replaced the more cumbersome scroll.
Szirmai's reference book, The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding, was an invaluable resource to me for this project, as with so many others. I based my designs on the research Szirmai presents on the early codex, fragments and examples of which have been found dating back to the second to fourth century AD.
The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding
I was commissioned to make 4 books in different colour combinations, in 3 sizes, with each size having a different closing flap design. I chose a triangular envelope style flap for the larger size, as seen in the Nag Hammadi bindings. A vertical design worked for the smaller size, and I elected to retain the natural edge of the leather on the slimmer, small size.
Although their design was necessarily simplified and somewhat imagined, I retained the key defining features of the earliest books: pages bound to a limp leather cover with a protective envelope flap and a leather wrapping band fasted with a simple stitch.
Mustard Yellow leather books; the smallest retains the leather's raw edge
The Villa's books are bound in fine calfskin, linen thread and parchment effect paper. The Newt chose some wonderful colour combinations to complement Villa Ventorum's interior design. Below you can see some of them: Mustard Yellow with Rust stitching, Oxblood leather with Chocolate, Forest Green covers with Maroon thread, and Maroon leather with Green stitching. I made the scroll fastenings in matching leathers, to The Newt's design.
Inspiring colour combinations
When I delivered my books to their warehouse, before the Villa was completed, I was absolutely gobsmacked at the ambition of the project and the lengths the design team had gone to to source the highest quality, individually hand crafted, items to fill the Villa. Finely crafted cabinets, beds, chairs with leaping dolphins for arms, tiny jars and clay wick burners, wax tablets, linens, baskets, jewellery... I could go on.
For the first time in my 13 years as a bookbinder, I felt like my work REALLY fitted in with its surroundings. Well, that experience was nothing compared to visiting Villa Ventorum for the first time. It is truly exquisite!
The lady of the house was fond of writing.
It's a wonderful place to visit, whether you're a lover of fine craftsmanship, have an interest in architecture, archaeology, interiors or gardens or would just like a beautiful place to unwind next time you're in the West Country.
As well as the Villa itself, there is a museum with interative elements, artefacts found at the site and examples of household items used in the late Roman period. An audio tour guides you through the Villa and there's even a Virtual Reality experience to round off your visit.
A beautifully designed and decorated villa that is testament to contemporary British craftsmanship as well as the late Roman Britain period.
There are numerous garden attractions on The Newt's estate, including the Beezantium, a sort of temple to bees, a beautifully designed garden including a parabola of numerous apple varieties and a grotto, to name but a view.
And centered around an open fire pit, there's an incredibly well-stocked farm shop with produce from the estate and local suppliers, a very inviting home and garden store, and plenty of choice food and drink and places to enjoy them. My favourite is the winter garden, a warm and inviting glasshouse filled with plants. For nature lovers, various seasonal garden tours, workshops and activities are available to book.
If you can't make it down to Somerset, I hope I've gone some way to bringing Villa Ventorum to life for you in this blog post. For more information about the leather books, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Susaninfo@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
Find a Maker is a "curated collection of the finest makers", hosted by CRAFTFestival. They're the organisers of award-winning craft festivals around Europe, including the popular Bovey Tracey and Cheltenham.
Membership of Find a Maker is by selection process. At the new members' welcome meeting today, I learned that 70% of applications are rejected. There are currently just under 400 members. So you can imagine how proud I feel to be accepted into membership.
Most of you reading this blog post will already be familiar with my work and will know a little bit about me. You might have bought work from me, or read my blog post where I showed up as my authentic self. After all, I'm not a brand, I'm a maker, a person - and all humans really want to do is connect with other humans, right?
But I've not really shared before about what I'm trying to achieve in my work, beyond refining my skills and making the highest quality work I can. So here's an excerpt from my Find a Maker profile where I've started to articulate what drives me (forgive the third person!):
Susan strives for simplicity and sustainability in both her work practices and her aesthetic.
She seeks to bring a sense of joy to her clients through making useful objects which are deeply pleasurable to use, thanks to their tactile natural materials that she believes connect deeply with our emotional, physical and perhaps also spiritual needs.
For Susan, making books is about making space: for creativity, for feeling, for thought, and for community.
Does any of that resonate with you? Let me know by leaving a comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Wabi Sabi Sketchbooks: a simple, sustainable space for creativity.
My membership of Find a Maker is already helping me connect with other makers and of course with new customers who appreciate fine craftsmanship. But what can it do for you?
Well, if you enjoy fine craftsmanship, do visit the Find a Maker directory - it's the best way to discover makers producing finely crafted items from leather goods to furniture, prints to textiles, and everything inbetween.
If you love craft, whether as a 'consumer' or a maker, sign up to CRAFTFestival's newsletter here and listen to their podcast, Capital of Craft, here. And look out for some high-profile campaigns in the coming weeks!
Susan Green]]>
As we slide further into Autumn with torrential rain and darker afternoons, I thought we could all use a little cheering up with a memory of summer. So at the end of this blog post you can watch a video taken this summer of my morning commute to the home studio. As you will see, it's not such an arduous journey!
But before that, a little bit about how I came to set up a bookbinding studio at home. And I'll share details of those fantastic Artist's Books and Paper Folding references in the photo.
Like many people, in 2020 I made a hasty shift to working from home when covid hit. Luckily we had not long before moved to a house with a garden room, which we affectionally call 'the cabin'. It had electricity and running water and was a pretty decent size, so I was able to set up a makeshift bookbinding studio. I had a folding wooden garden chair at my desk (not recommended), essential materials in boxes and two trestle tables for workbenches that family members no longer needed.
The cabin studio was cosy, fairly light and WFH suited me very well. And it meant I was always on hand to take The Littlest Greyhound out for our government-approved once a day walk or listen to The Cat Overlord's many comments and occasional complaints.
Working from the cabin studio meant I could start offering a Click & Collect service for anyone within easy reach of Wimborne, in Dorset.
And of course, it meant I could stay in bed a little longer in the morning! Not that the drive to my proper studio was long, but an extra 30 minutes in bed is not to be sniffed at, is it?
This year, I decided to make the transition permanent.
It took a few months, but I've finally completed the big move. I welcomed in 'The Beast'; an A3 printer so I can better print your books' personalised titlepages. (Thanks to The Beast, I hope to bring Travel Journals back to the shop and offer you new services and styles of books, too. Fingers crossed for some spare time in 2023 to brainstorm that.)
I have new matchy-matchy furniture with drawers galore, and invested in a comfortable desk chair. We've repainted the cabin's wood exterior black, which complements the garden greenery, and chosen a cheerful yellow for the windows. It's a little like an homage to Prospect Cottage, Derek Jarman's home in Dungeness. Or at least, it will be, if and when it ever stops raining and I can repaint the windwos.
There are still shelves to put up, and interior walls to paint, but making the move was definitely the right decision. I find it easier to manage my energy levels, and I'm glad to be saving on petrol costs. I miss my design colleagues at my former studio, but luckily they always welcome me back for a visit and a game of table tennis, our usual lunch break activity.
The untidy view: multiple worksurfaces and more places to stack materials mean I can take on more projects at the same time. In this photo I was making that Memory Book and some Japanese Sketchbooks for Rekindle The Simple, with paper for a large project waiting in boxes.
If you're curious about the reference books in this blog post's main image, here are the details:
Paper Folding Techniques for Print Design by Trish Witkowski
The Art of the Fold by Hedi Kyle & Ulla Warchol
The Book as Art: Artist’s Books from the National Museum of Women in the Arts by Krystyna Wasserman
The Penland Book of Handmade Books
A Dictionary of Colour Combinations, Seigensha
GF Smith's paper collection sample book
Having a home studio was a dream that I wasn't sure would ever come true, but sometimes... life just works out. Are you also a creative that made the shift to permanently work from home? How are you finding it? What's your space like? Why not leave a comment below, and don't forget to include a link to your website or Insta.
Now, scroll just a little further for that video to remind yourself how beautiful summer can be, and will be again.
Susan
+44 (0)7748 759371
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
Meet the maker: 10 things you (probably) didn't know about me
Autumn Instagram hashtags for creatives
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I was excited when the team at Rekindle The Simple contacted me because I immediately thought: this is a brand I want to work with! Why? Because they so clearly have a deep sympathy for natural materials and are dedicated to creating simple, sustainable ways to make space for calm, creativity and pleasure. Their ethos chimed so closely with mine, how could I say no?
As well as beautiful handmade candles, Rekindle The Simple have gathered together a considered collection of homewares and thoughtful gift boxes.
Inside their Mindful Wabi Sabi Scrapbooking Box you'll find a 'Noble' Japanese Sketchbook book bound by yours truly. The team requested handmade cotton rag paper for that natural, wabi sabi feel. The sketchbook is bundled with a lavender, thyme and ylang ylang candle, matches and a roll of washi tape.
Best of all, this beautifully presented gift box includes a glass jar filled with mindful scrapbooking prompts that explore "mindfulness, appreciation and creativity".
Rekindle The Simple is a small brand that understands we might sometimes need a little ritual to clear time for ourselves and make space for our creativity. This kind of self-care is exactly what's needed during the long nights and often gloomy days of the approaching winter months.
Mindful moments for creatives - with prompts.
I hope you'll enjoy browsing Rekindle The Simple's shop and be inspired to gift their Mindful Scrapbooking Box with my Japanese Stab Stitch Sketchbook. Or perhaps another of their gift boxes, candles or homewares to your loved ones. And why not buy a little treat for yourself whilst you're there!
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
Every good website has an About page but do you ever wonder who the person behind the scenes *really* is? If you'd like to know more about the person that makes your books, read on for a more candid introduction. I originally shared this on Instagram, but I've added some extra snippets of information for my blog visitors. So here goes: 10 things you (probably) didn't know about me...
I started making books in 2008 thanks to a chance encounter with a library book. I was supposed to be researching for my MSc dissertation. But I got distracted and picked up a book on making your own notebooks. So really, I owe a debt of gratitude to whoever that librarian was who arranged that attractive and distracting book display.
I soon went from being an international development postgraduate student to bookbinder. What was at first a diverting hobby quickly became a business, and from that, a way of life. I've never regretted my decision. Largely because I've met so many interesting people as a result of my work.
I studied English LIterature at the very brilliant Cardiff University. Thanks to Cardiff's modular undergraduate approach, I was able to study subjects as diverse as Power and Politicis in Pre-Raphaelite art, the Gothic novel, educational psychology and also Middle English, Old English and Old Norse.
I have had a lifelong fascination with the Medieval period in literature, art and society. Perhaps that’s why I use the 15th century Longstitch with Linkstitch binding so often? I remain deeply in love with words and stories, and as well as freelancing as a content editor, I often incorporate text into my other creative endeavours, especially collage.
Nature truly is my home, my inspiration and my guide. I prefer walking in the countryside but enjoy the coast in winter, and also find creative refreshment and inspiration by visiting cities. Sometimes your eyes just need to see new things, don't they?
Oudolf Field, Hauser & Wirth, Somerset
I recently visited New Art Centre and Messums in Wiltshire, Hauser & Wirth in Somerset and can’t wait to go back to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam where I spent part of my honeymoon. I missed far too many good exhibitions in London during covid, but went to the 'Feminine power: the divine to the demonic' exhibiton at the British Museum this September. The Bristol Artist's Book Event (BABE) is another favourite haunt and it next takes place in 2024.
I walk that path spiritually (I’m a Quaker), and creatively through materials and design, seeking to make my work as simple as possible. I am boosted in my belief that these qualities are worth exploring by well known artists, such as Hilary Bower, whose 2006 exhibition Of Quiet Observation made a lasting impact on me, and also Edmund de Waal, whose recent work I saw at Roche Court this summer.
Making quiet work, making space: Wabi Sabi Sketchbooks
Lettering at New Art Centre, Roche Court
I married my wife in 2017 and I can’t believe my good fortune to have found a partner who (amongst other things) also wants to get tea and cake before the exhibition, not after (try it, you'll never go back!), understands the importance of the right bonefolder, and gets as much joy out of books, paper and words as I do (she is an artist-educator). She has an unswerving faith in me and the value of my work and I thank my lucky stars for her every single day.
I’m aided and abetted by The Littlest Greyhound (a rescue) and The Cat Overlord, who encourage me to take regular breaks. The Greyhound has a cosy spot in a corner of the studio, the Cat only makes himself known when he's hungry.
I was thrown in at the deep end when I was unexpectedly asked to teach a workshop and was grateful that my wife, an experienced teacher, was my co-educator on that occasion! I thoroughly enjoyed it and decided to take a short course in teaching adults (PTTLS). That taught me how to properly plan courses and workshops, teach to all learning preferences, abilities and diversities.
I find teaching quite exhausting but it's so much fun and extremely rewarding! My workshop participants have ranged from paper crafters to photographers, illustrators and fine artists. It's wonderful sharing my knowledge, skills and expert tips, and seeing how participants take all that and marry it with their own interests and skills to produce something I could never have dreamed of myself.
More recently, I have offered mentoring via Zoom and my clients have included The Photographers Gallery in London.
At present I'm not teaching in person, but do get in touch if you're interested in a 1-to-1 Zoom session tailored to your needs.
One of my earliest workshops with the most fantastic bunch of creatives
No, not even a GCSE in art. And that hasn't stopped me learning a heritage craft, running a creative business for 14+ years, exhibiting, teaching my craft to others, having my work featured in world-leading magazines, published in books and stocked in highly regarded venues. So, never doubt what you can achieve!
I love to get to know my customers and wider creative community. So please feel free to send me a message or leave a comment below. Perhaps if something in this post resonates with you, we might work together!
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
Hello, fellow creatives! September’s the time to warm up your colour palette, gather seasonal props and pepper your posts with autumnal hashtags. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing over the past week and I couldn't be happier - autumn is my favourite season!
I originally wrote this post in 2019, but I've updated it with accurate information for 2022 since Instagram have changed their recommendations for where to put hashtags, and how many to use, amongst other things.
As well as being a bookbinder @BoundByHand I’m also a freelance content editor. That means I spend a fair bit of my time devising social media strategies and optimising content for search engines. So, in the spirit of #CommunityOverCompetition, here are my top hashtags for autumn plus a few crucial tips for boosting your Instagram strategy.
You'll find the full list of hashtags at the bottom of this page, but I strongly recommend you read this whole blog post. Because if you really want to optimise your hashtag strategy, you need to know more than which hashtags to use. But don't worry, it's not complicated. This is a straightforward guide to everything you need to know about hashtag volume, quantity, placing, and strategic use.
The most effective Instagram strategies use a mixture of high, medium, and low-volume hashtags. In other words, a combination of very popular hashtags used hundreds of thousands of times (some go into the millions), along with less-used or newer hashtags appearing a thousand or few hundred times, plus some in the middle.
You might think that a very low-volume hashtag, say 100 posts, won't give you much exposure. Actually, because there's less competition, your gorgeous image is more likely to shoot straight to the prime spot in Instagram’s ‘Top’ gallery, and stay around longer in the 'Recent' gallery. Also, niche hashtags attract much greater engagement (likes, comments and follows) than super popular ones.
So is it worth using high-volume hashtags at all? Unless you have a very large following, you're likely to be a tiny fish in the ocean of #stylingtheseasons, for example. But yes, it is worth using a few pretty popular hashtags. Because if you do happen to catch the moment with a captivating image, you’ll enjoy exceptional exposure.
The old advice was to use up to 30 hashtags per post, so there was plenty of opportunity to mix up hashtags for maximum reach. Some suggested 9 was the optimum number, others advised using no more than 13. Confused, much? Well, tThese days (brace yourself), 3-5 seems to be the optimum number.
Use a combination of general seasonal hashtags (e.g. #slowsimpleseasonal), autumnal hashtags (e.g. #myodetoautumn), and those specific to your content. If you’re a fibre artist there's #autumnknitting; if illustration’s your thing, try #autumnillustration; or if it’s embroidery, #britishstitchersautumn. You get the idea!
Not so long ago, most of us knew to put our hashtags in a comment; that way our captions were kept for the engaging and informative stuff we wanted to share with our community. But now, it's best to put the hashtags in the caption itself. Keep them at the end, rather than crowding the body of the caption with hashtags. You can always separate out the caption and hashtags with a few full stops if you want to. Click here for an example.
As a creative, you know all about authenticity. Your work flows from your heart, it's an expression of your unique way of perceiving the world. Make sure your hashtags are authentic, too. They should relate to your image and express your overall vision for your creativity and your account. Don't be tempted to use popular but irrelevant hashtags in a desperate bid to get likes and attract followers. Authenticity builds trust, and trust is key to nurturing an ongoing relationship with your followers.
Talking of relationships, they’re a two-way thing, aren’t they? So spend a little time engaging with the hashtags you use. Look at their ‘Top’ and ‘Recent’ galleries and like and comment on the posts you find most inspiring, and follow a few accounts. This tells Instagram you're not spamming with hashtags.
Following hashtags is an efficient way to do this. Instagram will pop a few fresh posts tagged with those hashtags into your feed, often from accounts you don't follow. So, as a bonus, you discover new creatives.
Taking part in challenges injects a dose of inspiration into your creativity and boosts your engagement, too. #helloautumnweek run by illustrator @ruthhammondillustration and pals takes place 23-29 September with seasonal prompts for illustrators on each day of that week.
Why not search Instagram for a challenge relevant to your creativity? Or start your own - all you need is a theme and a hashtag! It's a great way to build an engaged community and drive traffic to your account. You can share the top posts of the people taking part in your challenge, with the caveat that they follow your account, of course!
And so, to the season. If you’re a creative these hashtags will help you mark the change in season, celebrate autumn's colour palette and connect with other creatives. Because ultimately, isn't Instagram about forging relationships? I'd like to think so, anyway.
I compiled this list in 2019 when I originally published this blog post. That means that there will be newer hashtags you can use. It's easy to discover them, just use Instagram's search feature and type in 'autumn', 'fall', 'September' (October / November) for up to date suggestions. It also means that the volumes below may have changed, but I would expect it's still a good rule of thumb.
#upandautumn
#stylingtheseasons
#savourtheseasonalshift
#autumnlove
#myseasonalstory
#aseasonalshift
#thatautumnmagic
#embracingtheseasons
#helloautumn
#autumnpalette
#autumncrafts
#mystoryofautumn
#savouringtheseasons
#openuptoautumn
#readyforautumn
#myodetoautumn
#slowsimpleseasonal
#intentionalseasons
#createinautumn
#aquietstyle_autumn
#thequietautumn
#makingautumn
#makingtheseasons
#seasonalcrafting
#seasonalcrafting_autumn
#huntingforautumn
Don't forget to use hashtags in your Reels captions and also pop an autumnal hashtag in your Stories, too! If you've found this blog post helpful, why not leave a comment below? I'd love to connect with you on Instagram, too - I'm @boundbyhand
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
It's that time of year again; the time for New Year good wishes, for layering up to brave the weather, for finishing the last of the Christmas treats and selecting a few good items to call your own in my seasonal sale. Shop now >
As I write from the home studio I'm cosy warm, clearing the decks and making plans for this year's projects. Part of making space for the new involves my annual sale. You can save up to 50% during January only, on everything from Leather or Vegan Mini Journals to Sketchbooks in a variety of formats, materials and colourways.
Why not commemorate it properly with a quality personalised book that's bound by hand to last forever? You can use my Bespoke Service to tailor your Wedding Guest Book, Memory Book, Journal or Sketchbook to your preferences including colourway, size and style. And of course, you can have a personalised dedication printed on the titlepage.
If you'd like to talk about what kind of book might help you make the most of your year, and how you can make it unique to you, just send me an email or browse your bespoke options here.
As for me, I plan to bring back Travel Journals, experiment with unusual book structures and continue with online bookbinding mentoring. Oh, and restock some of my bestsellers!
With all good wishes for the New Year,
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
One of the business and customer service developments at Bound by Hand that I'm REALLY proud of is how I package your orders. I want you to receive your books in perfect condition of course, and I want unpacking your order to be easy for you. And I wanted everything to be truly environmentally sustainable.
During the Covid pandemic we've all been shopping online a lot more and most of us probably have a plethora of cardboard boxes at home to re-use whenever we need. Luckily, all the packing I use to send out your books can be put it in your normal household recycling collection or your home compost, if you're lucky enough to have a garden. Whatever's easiest for you - every single bit of packaging can be re-used, recycled and / or home composted.
The packing chips can also be dissolved in water, if you've got some kids around who want to see a cool trick!
Someone asked where I get my sustainable packaging supplies from, so I thought I might as well share here in case the info is useful to my fellow makers. Please share with anyone who might find it helpful.
Mailing boxes: Oh, the woes I've had finding good quality mailing boxes. Finally I found Packhelp and I use 4 different sizes of their Plain Mailer Boxes for various size and weight books from Mini Journals right up to heavy A4 Memory Books. No complaints on their robustness, they're regularly getting my books safely to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I do earn a fee if you use that link.
Hot tip: if you're in the UK make sure your order value is under £135, that way you won't have to pay any post-Brexit customs or handling charges!
Void fill: I was delighted to discover Eco Packagaging Solutions as they specialise in fully compostable packaging. It's genuinely compostable under normal conditions. A big plus is their customer service is truly excellent. I use their packing peanuts and packing pillows as void fill to protect the books, but they have many more options.
Tapes, envelopes & bags: Frustratingly, Eco-Craft have implemented several short term shop closures during the Covid pandemic, but when open I buy many of my supplies from them. Their paper adhesive tape is reliable, the 'cello' bags compostable and the kraft envelopes really good quality.
They're a small, UK business with a strong sustainability ethos.
Quality recycled printer paper: At 100gsm, this excellent quality A4 recycled printer paper from Evolution runs through home and professional printers like a dream. Sorry to say I buy this paper from Amazon - so if you know of an independent supplier please let me know.
And not forgetting business cards: Moo.com offer an eco-friendly option with their 100% cotton rag cards made from recycled t-shirt industry offucts. The quality is excellent and low minimum order quantities make Moo attractive to makers and artists like us. I've always found their delivery time really good, too. I do earn a fee if you use that link.
I'm currently looking into carbon offsetting on deliveries. If this is something you'd like to see as an option at checkout, do let me know. I hope you've found this blog post helpful. Please feel free to share with anyone you think might find it helpful.
Susan
Add what you'd like to your shopping cart, then click 'checkout'. You'll be given the option to select 'ship' or 'pick up'.
Ready to Ship items are usually available within 24 hours; for made to order and bespoke books please allow the usual lead time of 4 weeks.
When your order is ready to collect you'll get an email with details of where to come (my home studio address). You can collect your order anytime between 10am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Weekend collections may be available by individual arrangement - please call or email me before placing your order.
Yes, bring your order confirmation, either on your phone/tablet or print it out. When you arrive call me on 07748 759371 and I will bring your order out to you (observing Covid-19 social distancing measures, of course!).
I know you'll be excited to look at your book, but please take your order home before unboxing it! This is because you will need a flat, clean and dry surface to look at your book and check everything is as you expect. If you unbox on my driveway and drop the book, or it gets rained on, I will not be able to give you a refund or exchange.
If you have any queries about the local pickup option, please get in touch.
Susan Green
07748 75937
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
Hell, fans of all things stationery, miniature and colourful! Miniature Journals pack all that into a super-cute, easy to gift stationery gift made in the smoothest, finest quality leather.
Minis were one of the first styles I launched my bookbinding business with back in 2008 (has it really been that long?!) and since then they've made their way into lots of hearts, stationery collections, Christmas stockings and magazine features (thanks especially to Country Living, Hello! and the Sunday Telegraph).
I make Minis with offuts from my larger leather books; not only does this make business sense, it minimises waste of this natural materials and reduces landfill. Recently I've updated the Miniature Journal collection with some old favourite colourways, including zesty fresh Peach & Lemon to jewel-like Emerald & Peach.
A couple of years ago I fell in love with cork textile; a sustainable, plant-based, naturally vegan alternative to leather. So of course, I introduced a Vegan Mini Journal option, currently available in Rose Gold and Natural. (You can buy full-size Cork Vegan Journals, too).
Anyway, I thought it would be great to collect some fo the feedback my lovely customers have left for their Mini Journals over the years and put together all their brilliant ideas into this list that might inspire your birthday and Christmas gift giving!
Nuts, satsuma, chocolate, soap, socks? Check! But what else? How about a finely hand crafted Mini Journal that tucks into a pocket just as easily as it does a Christmas stocking?
"This size is perfect for those people who like having an actual notebook with them but don’t want a full-sized one. It fits into a back pocket no problems." - Erica
You've got a £20 budget and you're SO BORED of the usual high street *ahem* stuff, am I right? Problem solved (and under budget).
“The Miniature Journals are more special than I imagined. Thank you so much! I'm passing along a few to my co-workers..." - Hope, Ohio USA
This one's for the craft aficianados out there! When you're making your cracker, bear in mind that my Miniature Journals measure 76 x 60mm and are about 25mm deep. The Mini Journal could be the 'main' gift and you could fill the rest of the space with a roll of washi tape, miniature pencils and maybe some funky shaped paper clips.
"Bought to go in my wife's Christmas cracker. A lovely little gift." - Paul, Stockport UK
Traditionally, your third wedding anniversary demands a leather gift. Belts, handbags, fancy luggage... a bit expensive? I don't know about you, but by our third wedding anniversary we were using most of our spare cash to pay the plumber and assorted other bills.
This special edition Miniature Journal with gold hearts says it all without blowing your understandably modest budget. And it's a useful gift, too perfect for little jottings as your loved one goes about their day.
"I keep it in my bag so I can capture sketches / ideas for new pieces when I'm out. So handy and just lovely to use." - Regina, Dublin, Ireland
The Sunday Telegraph suggested my Mini Leather Journals as an addition to a non-traditional hamper - and who am I to argue? Afterall, who knows when the muse will strike - perhaps even at your next picnic!
"Adorable!! Love it. Perfect size for carrying around and tracking daily activity patterns." - Jishen, California, USA
Elizabeth Stone wrote that to have a child is "to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". Well, let your child (whatever their age) know that you carry their heart in yours and that you'll always be there for them, wherever they walk, with the Gold Love Hearts Mini Journal.
"I just wanted to say thank you so so much for the mini journal...it arrived this morning and I’ve already given it to my daughter! She absolutely adores it! It’s beautiful and I’m sure she will treasure it always." - Jane, Cornwall UK
Why is the date of Mother's Day so hard to remember? It's not just you - it's everybody. Firstly, the date differs between countries. In the USA, Mother's Day is observed on the second Sunday in May. And in France, it's the last Sunday (unless that also happens to be Whit Sunday, in which case Mothers' Day is moved to the first Sunday in June). Confusing, much?
Secondly - in the UK, at least - Mother's Day doesn't fall on the same date every year. Like Easter, it's a 'movable feast' and occurs on the 4th Sunday in Lent, which is three weeks before Easter.
And knowing all that makes you the most organised offspring in the world!
“Wow, what a lovely tiny book… delightful work.” - Marrije, Utrecht Netherlands
Grey & Teal or Grey & Peach are the most popular colours for Father's Day which falls on the third Sunday in June, whatever country you live in.
"Absolutely perfect, it fits beautifully in the pockets of my uniform and it's adorable and it has enough paper to hold all my notes! Truly a great buy if you need to have a notebook dedicated to a single purpose." - John, San Diego USA
Forget the chocolate and the flowers. Actually, we like those too. But wouldn't it be good to give something that a lot of thought and care has gone into? That Mini Leather Journal with hand-embosed gold hearts is a wonderfully thoughtful gift for Valentine's Day, too.
“The Mini Journals are absolutely lovely and I am very pleased with them… they will make lovely little gifts.” - Anne, West Sussex
Take a look at my Cork Miniature Journals in pretty pastels and earthy tones. Cork is a naturally vegan, renewable and sustainable natural resource and it's oh, so soft to handle.
"It’s been with me all over the place! I love the fact it’s vegan leather, yet holds up brilliantly to everything I’ve put it through." Erica
You might need to buy two:
“I bought it for someone else but think I’m going to keep it!” - Gretchen, Bondues, France
Browse the full Miniature Journal Collection here and if you're using your little Bound by Hand notebooks in a way I haven't thought of please get in touch because I'd love to know!
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
Isn't it frustrating when you're shopping online and the only way you can tell how much it will cost to deliver your order is when you start the checkout process? Or worse, if you have to start filling in your address?
Well, not here! I've updated the Delivery & Returns page so you can see exactly what it will cost to deliver your orders, and how long it will take, wherever in the world you live.
Here's a screenshot of the page which is in a FAQ drop-down menu format:
I hope you find the new look Delivery & Returns page useful, but if there's something missing that you think should be there, please let me know.
Delivery costs are determined by what it actually costs for me to package and post your order, and they're based on the rates set by delivery partners (I use Royal Mail and Parcelforce) which take weight and size into account. If I've got your shipping cost wrong for some reason, I will happily refund you the overage.
I don't work delivery costs into product costs, because I want to be transparent about what it costs to make my books, and what it costs to get them to you.
If you have any questions about delivery, you can always contact me, Susan Green, by email: info@boundbyhand.co.uk or you are welcome to call or text me on 07748 759371. If you are calling outside of the UK dial 44 7748 759371 instead.
Susan x
Image credit: Muriwai Mailboxes, New Zealand by Mathyas Kurmann on Unsplash.
]]>I love cotton rag paper - aka khadi paper - don't you? It's so tactile, a real pleasure to handle and so pleasing to look at. Plus, it makes artwork look amazing! Cotton rag paper is handmade, so no two pages are exactly the same, and it has attractive deckle edges because it's made in a mould.
And the icing on the cake, for me, is that it's environmentally sustainable - it's made from recycled textile manufacturing waste (e.g. t-shirt offcuts) that would otherwise end up in landfill. But that's not all - it's also fairtrade so you know the people who made it are fairly treated and given a decent wage. Win, win, win!
The cotton rag paper in my sketchbooks is strong and sized for extra wet strength. So you can use it for watercolour and ink, as well as dry mediums like the Graphitint pencils I used in the image at the top of this blog post. Oh, and have you tried stitching into paper? Scroll down for inspiration!
These cotton rag sketchbooks are stitched in the traditional Japanese Hemp Leaf pattern. Other patterns are also available.
These sketchbooks are held closed with a linen ribbon. Like cotton rag paper, linen is an eco-friendly material.
Why not experiment with stitching into your cotton rag sketchbook?
These concertinas are stitched at their centre page, each 'arm' extends outwards and folds in when you've finished using it. Heavyweight cartridge pages are suitable for all dry mediums, ink and light watercolour.
You can decorate the Concertina Sketchbook's cotton rag covers, too!
From watercolour to ink and pencil, collage to stitching, cotton rag paper is great artist's medium. I'm almost always thinking of new ways I can put it to use, so why not sign up to my newsletter so you know when new styles are released?
You can find my full range of Artist's Sketchbooks here, from paperback cotton rag paperbacks, to watercolour sketchbooks with leather covers and vegan sketchbooks bound in cork.
Happy making, drawing, painting and stitching, everyone!
Susan Green
contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk +44 (0)7748 759371
]]>I hope you're doing okay. I hope you have all that you need. I hope there's sunshine through your window and friends and family on the end of the phone or video call.
I wanted to let you know that, in these strange and difficult times, I'm still here. I'm still making. I can still deliver your orders - with some changes (full details towards the end of this blog post).
I have set up a home studio so I can carry on working during social distancing restrictions. I am going to the Post Office to send out your orders once a week, the same day I go out to buy groceries.
Birthdays still happen. Wedding anniversaries should still be celebrated. Thoughtful 'just because' or 'I'm thinking of you' parcels will be appreciated more than ever before. Although you can't go to the shops other than for groceries, and you can't see many of your loved ones in person, you can still send them something special and meaningful - through the post.
Please choose from the Ready to Ship collection as I have already made these books and can send them out soon. I hope to be able to continue making everything else in my shop, and also bespoke, personalised books, but please get in touch about these and leave plenty of time as there may be delays getting necessary materials.
If your gift recipient does not live in your househould, please ask me to send your order directly to them. I'm happy to include a handwritten note and I will make your gift look as nice as possible, I promise. No financial information will be included in the parcel.
You can arrange gift delivery by entering your recipient's details when you fill out the shipping address at checkout. Leave your message in the 'note to BOUND' box (but if that doesn't appear, just email me after ordering).
If you're not sure what to give, you can now order a Gift Card for your loved one. They're sent by email with instructions on how to redeem them. They're available in denominations from £10 to £100 and you can mix and match to reach any amount.
Like many people, you might be wanting to support very small independent businesses and self-employed creatives through this incredibly challenging time. Perhaps you know you want to buy yourself a Sketchbook, but not right now? Perhaps your wedding has been postponed but you know you're going to want a Guest Book once everything has returned to normal?
You could purchase a Gift Card for yourself. That helps me pay my bills right now (I feel squeamish typing that, but I might as well be honest, right?) and it means you've made a payment towards your future book (you can redeem the gift card yourself).
There are some changes to deliveries:
1. Slightly longer delivery times (UK & International) for Ready to Ship items. I've reduced my post office visits to once per week to minimise risk to myself and others. In addition, postal workforces around the world will be experiencing under-staffing. This means your order will take a couple of days longer than normal. If you have a specific deadline, please let me know.
2) Longer lead times for made to order and bespoke books. My usual lead time is 4 weeks plus delivery, but this may increase because of difficulties in obtaining materials due to disruptions in supply chains. I can advise current times on an individual basis - so do get in touch.
2) Posties are practicing social distancing measures. Please support them by not opening your door to greet them until they have had time to put your parcel on the doorstep, knock on your door and step back. They’ll wait for you to open the door.
3) Signed-for services. If I can fit your order throught a postbox then I will send it through normal post, not signed-for (so I don't have to visit a Post Office unless absolutely necessary). I'll refund you any difference in postage cost. Orders over £50 will still be sent using a tracked and signed-for service. However, you won't be asked to physically sign for your parcel. Once you've opened the door and the postie can see you've got your parcel, they will sign for it themselves. If you're not at home, they'll leave a card.
If there's anything I can help you with, please let me know.
Look after yourselves, and each other.
Susan x
+44 (0)7748 759371
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
After nearly 6 years supplying my fellow bookbinders and other craft makers with colourful Crawford Waxed Linen Thread, I regret I no longer offer it for sale.
I originally started selling thread because I was ordering whole spools for my own bookbinding business and, given how hard it is to find in many countries, I wanted to offer affordable smaller quantities to other bookbinders and crafters in the UK, Europe and beyond.
Unfortunately, the cost of keeping sufficient stock to keep my linen thread customers supplied has become too great a risk in the current economic climate.
Yes! Customers wishing to order a bespoke hand bound book from me will still have the widest choice of linen binding thread colours to choose from, it's just that I'm not offering the thread for sale by itself anymore.
It has been a real joy selling this thread to you over the years, learning about your creative practices and seeing your projects. I wish you all the best and thank you for buying linen thread from me these past 6 years.
Susan Green]]>
I truly believe in making everyday life special by using beautiful products that bring us pleasure through their appearance, their touch and their ease of use. So I hope this year's sale helps you treat yourself to that journal or sketchbook that you might have had your eye on for a while.
Perhaps you made a new year's resolution to start journalling, you're pursuing some CPD that you need a notebook for, or you're taking some art classes this year and want a sketchbook to try out colour palettes?
I'm not making any resolutions this year, but I am re-affirming my commitments to my creativity including piano practice in my 'personal' life and exploring new techniques for leather and botanically dying cotton rag paper in my 'professional' life as a bookbinder.
If you're celebrating a special event in 2020, such as a 'big' birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, a retirement, or sadly find yourself having to plan a memorial service, a fine leather book is a fitting tribute.
My Bespoke Service allows you to customise a book to your requirements (size, colour, paper) and you can have a personalised dedication printed on the title page of your Guest Book, Memory Book, Journal or Sketchbook.
View your options and find inspiration from my previous bespoke clients here or do get in touch with me if you'd like to discuss your plans.
With best wishes for 2020, I hope it brings you everything that you need.
Susan Green
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0)7748 759371
I was shocked (but shouldn't have been surprised) to learn that only 1 in 20 Black Friday deals offer a genuine discount, according to a recent Which? report.
95% of the Black Friday deal items we investigated - which included popular tech, home and personal care products - were available for the same price or cheaper in the six months after...
And, while you might expect some products to fall in price over time, we also found that 61% of the items had also been the same price or cheaper in the six months before Black Friday.
In fact, just four of the 83 products we tracked were at their very cheapest price on Black Friday.
That would be reason enough to raise a skeptical eyebrow at the onslaught of Black Friday deals, discounts, promotions and marketing strategies.
The other reason is more existential. Ethical, even. Hell, environmental. If there's something we need, we've researched prices and we know we can get a useful discount, well, that's great. But aren't we weary of the constant persuasion to own (and store, and organise, and clean) more stuff? Will that discount truly satisfy our needs and wants and support us in living a life we value?
And does that discounted product support other people in living a life where their needs are met? Who made it, what were they paid to make it? What of the earth was spent in order to make it? At what cost? And what happens when we're done with it?
I believe we must - and we have the power to - actively create the kind of world we want to live in. How we spend our money is where a large part of our power lies.
I want a world full of diversity, of originality, of well-made items bought from a person with a name and a face, a dream, a family and a business that I can support.
I want towns with small independent businesses and a network of mutually supportive creatives.
I want to be valued for what I do as a maker. I want to earn a living that fairly remunerates the value of my skills, expertise and time, not to mention the cost and value of the materials I use to make my books.
So, at any time of year, but especially around the run up to Christmas and the Black Friday discounting period, if you have money to spend, shop local, shop independent, support small businesses, choose handmade and sustainable wherever possible.
Small Business Saturday falls on the 7th December this year (it takes place on the first Saturday in December) and their website can help you find small businesses to support in your area.
A small purchase makes all the difference. That's the premise of the Just A Card campaign created by Sarah Hamilton, and JAC's #IndieWeek. Spending a relatively small amount - say £5, £10 or £15 - makes a difference to your local community.
When you buy 'just a card' from a gallery, a bookshop, a lifestyle store or similar, you help it stay open. That doesn't just mean there's a nice place to browse and buy a vase, or that the owner has a place to work, or that the makers and artists and writers might earn enough to pay their bills that month.
Shopping independent also means that your town is a nicer place to live. It means your high street has one less Costa (other coffee chains are available), one less charity shop (we all love a Chazza Challenge, but how many charity shops does one town need?), one less boarded-up, sad little eyesore representing downturn, lost opportunities and absence.
And even more than that, shopping indie means you voted with your pennies and pounds for originality, diversity, genuine human connection and perhaps a little wonder, too.
Choosing to spend your money with a local business helps to build sustainable, thriving, financially viable communities. When you make a purchase from a local business, around 68% of that money stays in the community. This compares to 43% when you shop at a national chain (Independent We Stand, USA statistics likely to be similar in the UK and similar countries).
If you don't have money to spend, I hear you! Let's face it, very few creatives are rolling in it. But we can still make an invaluable contribution to creating the world we want to live in by supporting indie, local, handmade and sustainable makers and small businesses in other ways.
If you've bought an item from an indie business in the past, take two minutes to write a glowing review on their Google page (search for their business then click 'write a review' on the right hand of the page). You can write a review for my business here, for example. You could share a picture of that lovely thing you've enjoyed using or wearing for years, too!
If you haven't bought anything from them at all, you can be of enormous support by simply telling all your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours and dogs (not really) about their work. Like and comment on their social media posts (it helps them get seen) and then share their posts to your own accounts.
That's exactly what I'm doing. Take a look at my recommendations below; I hope you'll visit their websites and find some wonderful Christmas gifts. All these independents offer delivery by post and I can vouch for a lot of them as I have given many of their beautifully made items as gifts over the years (marked with an asterisk).
I should say that my Ready to Ship collection is also a good place to buy a Christmas gift! I run a genuine sale once a year in January, which is often how my longstanding customers are able to continue shopping with me year on year. If you sign up to my newsletter you'll be the first to hear about it. I also offer 'seconds' for sale where appropriate.
I am truly grateful for everyone's decision to shop with me. And thank you for reading this blog post. Scroll down to sort out your Christmas shopping and help create the kind of world you can love.
+44 (0)7748 759371
IndieWeek from JustACard
Debby Kirby* woven silk items
Toad Hall (vintage clothing & furniture)
Blandford ForumHere are gorgeous new Marbled Notebooks with labels - presented in gift sets of 2 books - just in time to solve a few Christmas gift dilemmas. If one (or more!) of the gift sets takes your fancy, I recommend you purchase now to avoid disappointment; I have made just one of each set and have now used all my vintage papers. Click here to order or scroll down to learn more about these new Marbled Notebooks.
With just one exception, these exquisite papers were hand marbled more than 20 years ago; I inherited them - via a mutual friend - from a retiring London bookbinder. Each paper features a traditional marbling pattern and was hand dyed, one sheet at a time.
Paper marbling is one of the world's heritage crafts and has a long association with bookbinding. I've thoroughly enjoyed using my traditional skills to bring something new, beautiful and useful to life with these vintage marbled papers.
In a style update, these Marbled Notebooks now have labels on the front cover. I hope this will help keep your notes, plans and lists organised, especially if you need to refer back to your notebooks in the future. The labels are ivory coloured with a variety of patterned borders in Petrol, Navy, Grey, Mustard and Red.
The Medium sets have one A5 Marbled Notebook and one A6, and the Small sets have an A6 and an A7 notebook. I use the A5 size (with 56 pages) for taking to meetings and workshops; anywhere I might want to make comprehensive notes. The A6 book has 44 pages and is the perfect size to carry in a bag along with your diary and phone. The A7 jotter is great for slipping into your pocket.
The pages are unlined Mohawk Superfine Smooth paper, which is a dream to write on in fountain pen, ballpoint, biro or pencil. They're bound in a single signature and hand stitched through the covers in linen thread. As these are paperback notebooks, I made them with cover turn-ins to reinforce the opening edge.
I ship worldwide but if you'd like to see and purchase similar Marbled Notebooks (see image below) in person and you're local to Dorset, visit Walford Mill Crafts in Wimborne. This fantastic contemporary craft venue is stocking my Marbled Gift Sets and Miniature Leather Journals during their Christmas selling exhibition from 2 November to 29 December.
I hope you love these new notebooks as much as I do! If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Susan
info@boundbyhand.co.uk
+44 (0) 7748 759371
Some of the Marbled Notebook gift sets stocked at Walford Mill.
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