Make your own leather journal this Saturday

This Saturday I'll be teaching one of my most popular bookbinding classes at The Skillery. You'll learn how to bind your own large large leather journal from start to finish. And if that wasn't reason enough to get excited, this will be the first class I'll teach in The Skillery's brand new (and super awesome) space in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville. 

There are still a few spots left in the class, so register now to reserve your space. This is not a class you'll want to miss! See below for the details.

Create a handbound leather journal or sketchbook

Date: Saturday, August 16, 2014

Time: 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Where: The Skillery, 1323 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208

Cost: $115 (or $105 for Skillery members)

To Register: www.theskillery.com/classes/create-a-handbound-leather-journal-or-sketchbook

Learn to bind your own unique and functional book from a professional bookbinder. 

In this workshop, you'll learn to make a soft-cover leather book that can be used as a journal, a sketchbook, or a photo album. Using the Italian Longstitch style, a historical binding that dates to 14th Century Europe, each student will create a book with a leather cover that features exposed, decorative stitching on its spine and pages that lay completely flat when open. Students will use leather for the book cover and have the option to include interesting contemporary papers inside. The book will feature a wrap-around leather strap to keep the book closed. 

The class will also include an introduction to the world of handmade books. You'll learn the fundamentals of bookbinding, including proper techniques for folding, tearing, cutting, and stitching using traditional binding tools. And students will have the opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally-made examples. 

All students will leave this class with a completed leather book, and the skills and resources to continue binding at home. No previous bookbinding experience is required. All tools and supplies will be provided.

Learn to bind a book during Maker's Month

The Skillery is planning to kick off the new year with a full schedule of creative classes. As part of their mission to shine a spotlight on Nashville’s creative entrepreneurs and the brands they’re building, The Skillery is designating January as Makers' Month. 

You can take a look at the class offerings here, and you'll be sure to spot some gems. Teaching artist extraordinaire Allison Jarrett of Precious America will be teaching an Intro to Hand Embroidery class. Chris Cheney and Nieves Uhl of Sawtooth Printhouse will be teaching a Letterpress Poster class.  I took a screenprinting class taught by Chris earlier this year and had a blast, so I'm sure the letterpress class is a can't-miss experience.  I will be leading a bookbinding workshop as part of Makers' Month, I'm thrilled to be teaching alongside such a talented bunch of Nashville creatives. 

Learn to create a handbound journal

When: Saturday January 25, 2014; 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Where: Dandelion Salon, 1117 Porter Road, Nashville, TN 37206

Cost: $38 (or $30 for Skillery members)

Description: Start your new year with a creative project: learn the basics of bookbinding while creating a one-of-a-kind handbound blank book. Then use your book this year as a practical day planner to get organized, or as a sketchbook to stoke your creativity. We'll be making a book bound with the French link stitch. The stitching will be exposed on the spine of the book, allowing you to see and show off your handiwork. This class is appropriate for all skill levels, including beginners. Katie Gonzalez, a professional book artist who has taught bookbinding to more than 200 students, will guide you through the process in this one-night workshop. You will leave the class with one completed journal, and the skills to create more books in the future. The class will also include an introduction to the world of handmade books, and the opportunity to handle a collection of professionally made examples.

To register: theskillery.com/classes/learn-to-create-a-handbound-journal

Book arts class for repurposing vintage book covers

This bookmaking class was a long time coming.

For years now, my husband and I have been collecting quirky vintage books, both to display in our home and with the inkling that they would spur creative repurposing in my bookbinding. But for the most part, I was doing more collecting than repurposing, whether it was radio operator manuals, Gregg shorthand books, 95 Russian Authors, or A Treasury of Cat Stories, to name a few.

In February, I found out I wasn't alone in my affinity for old books when I hosted a sold out class through The Skillery to teach the Coptic binding, using salvaged books to serve as the front and back covers.

I brought a couple dozen books from my own collection, which has grown slowly, usually just one book at a time, by shopping at antique stores and estate sales, and at one of my favorite stores ever: Book Thing of Baltimore, where all of the books are free! Really, they are. But there is a rule at Book Thing: each visitor is only allowed to take out 150,000 books per day. If you still don't believe that they're free, you're not alone: the Book Thing FAQ suggets many are skeptical.

I also encouraged my students to bring their own books. Many did. Among my favorites were a variety of colorfully illustrated children's stories and a little book about the Tennessee Capitol building.

We met at Dandelion Salon, where I have hosted classes before. I taught the students how to carefully remove pages and spines and then walked them through a complete Coptic binding lesson. The journals we created have new blank pages on the inside, between two vintage covers.

While we stayed busy, local photographer Kate Cauthen also stopped by to capture the class in action to bring attention to The Skillery, which I've written about often. The Skillery helps coordinate classes throughout Nashville. Kate was kind enough to share her photos.

Leading up to the class, and since then, I've continued to work with my vintage book collection, completing a few projects that will soon be shown at the Porter Flea art show.

I think we're still taking on more books than I'm upcycling into new blank journals. But having a few more books around has never seemed like much of a problem to me.

Photos by Kate Cauthen.

The Skillery hosts weekend conference to inspire creative entrepreneurs in Nashville

It's an exciting time to be an entrepreneur in Nashville, and an event coming up in a few weeks will celebrate all that we've got going on here, as well as helping artists like me to push forward in the new year. I'll be attending the Nashville Creativity Summit, hosted by The Skillery, which includes one day of workshops to empower the creative community, and a second day for those creators to share their skills through hands-on classes across the city.

The lineup of speakers on Saturday is impressive (and includes some friends!) and on Sunday I'll be leading a (sold out) bookbinding workshop in which we'll be making handbound journals with upcycled vintage book covers. There will also be classes about letterpress, green business practices, freelance writing, and more.

In advance of the event, The Skillery interviewed me for a write-up on the company blog, which really got me thinking more about how far I've come as an entrepreneur. Here's a little bit of what I had to say:

"... If someone would have told me in college that I'd own my own business one day, I would not have believed them. The whole process just came about so organically. It began with a dream of having a more fulfilling, creative career. I quickly found myself spending hours poring over business blogs, and loving it. I actually enjoy branding, marketing, self-promotion, and product development ... "

You can read the full interview here.

This isn't the only time I've been on The Skillery blog lately. I was excited to read a first-hand account of the bookbinding passion that one of my classes inspired. Right before Christmas, I taught a class on binding miniature book ornaments. My student wrote:

"That class, quite unexpectedly, launched a new passion in me. I spent the next few days making books that were slightly less mini, based on Gonzalez's tutelage. Then I set out to learn other binding methods ..."

Find the full story here.

I feel like The Skillery has come a long way since launching in November 2011 — and so has my business since I came to Nashville. In some ways, these go hand-in-hand. I actually taught the first class that The Skillery ever hosted, and I've happily sold out four more classes since then.

So I'm looking forward to the Nashville Creativity Summit on Feb. 9 and 10. If you're here in town, consider signing up.

What: Nashville Creativity Summit presented by The Skillery

When: Saturday, Feb. 9 and Sunday, Feb. 10

Where: The Emma Bistro, 9 Lea Ave, Nashville, TN 37210; and locations throughout Nashville

Admission: Conference registration $180; workshops priced individually

Information: creativitysummit.theskillery.com

Japanese Stab Binding mini-workshop

I'm partnering with The Skillery once again to teach a neat mini-workshop on October 20. It's part of a full day of hour-long classes, with topics ranging from juggling (taught by my husband!) to making terrariums with succulents. 

There's still plenty of time to register for my Japanese stab binding class, or any other class that intrigues you.  Hope to see you on the 20th!

Bookbinding: Make four fast books

When: Saturday, October 20; 3 - 3:50 p.m.

Where: The Offices of Emma, 9 Lea Ave., Nashville

Cost: $10

Description: This introduction to bookbinding will teach you how to create four small softcover notebooks — all in 50 minutes. You'll learn variations of the traditional Japanese Stab Binding and the basic techniques of bookbinding, including tearing paper by hand, working with sewing templates, and stitching decorative patterns. We will be using high-quality handmade and decorative papers for the covers of the books and colorful waxed linen thread for the binding. You will leave the class with multiple pocket-sized notebooks, and the skills to create more handbound books in the future. The class will also include an introduction to the world of handmade books, and the opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally made examples.

To register: http://www.theskillery.com/classes/bookbinding-make-four-fast-books

The Skillery EXPO: One day, eight workshops

On Saturday, October 20, join The Skillery for a pop-up workshop series, featuring a collection of Nashville artisans, entrepreneurs and experts leading one-hour mini-workshops on a variety of engaging topics.The Skillery EXPO will bring the passionate and the curious together under one roof for a day of demonstrations, conversations and community building.

I will be teaching a workshop about variations of the Japanese stab binding, and participants will learn how to make four different books in one hour. You can read more about the class, see photos of what we'll be making, and purchase tickets here. My husband will also be teaching a juggling workshop that day! Read below for more details about the awesome lineup of classes scheduled for the day. 

An Introduction to Specialty Coffee with Sean Stewart of BEVE Mobile Coffee 9:00 - 9:50AM; $10 Enjoy a tasting of coffees from various growing regions, and a discussion of processing methods, roasting profiles and the meaning of the term "Specialty Coffee." Delicious Lighting with Kyle Dreier 10:00 - 10:50AM; $10 Renowned photographer Kyle Dreier will share tips, tools and tricks to help you get what you desire when using your camera (or even your cell phone) to photograph the most delicious of subjects: food. Inbox Branding: Components of Email Design with Cynthia Price of Emma 11:00 - 11:50AM; FREE A must for marketers and entrepreneurs, this class will explore how adding email to your marketing mix can strengthen your customer loyalty, drive more traffic to your site and grow your business in style. An Introduction to Backyard Chickens with Jesse Alvey 12:00 - 12:50PM; $10 Curious about raising chickens at home? This class will provide an overview of the backyard chicken experience, including how to get started, and tips for maintaining a healthy flock. Succulent Design and Closed Container Gardening with Emily Marlow of 400 Moons 1:00 - 1:50PM; $10 What are succulents, and why are they becoming so popular? Learn to break away from the boring clay pot, with a better understanding of succulents, air plants, terrariums, and closed container gardening.  Juggling: Anyone Can Learn with Tony Gonzalez 2:00 - 2:50PM; $10 Anyone can learn to juggle! So says award-winning juggler Tony Gonzalez, who will teach classic three-ball juggling, and let you try out other juggling props, like the diabolo, kendama, juggling clubs and rings. Bookbinding: Make Four Fast Books with Katie Gonzalez of linenlaid&felt 3:00 - 3:50PM; $10 Create four small softcover notebooks in just 50 minutes! Bookbinder Katie Gonzalez will teach Japanese Stab Binding and other techniques, including tearing paper by hand and working with sewing templates. Bicycle Maintenance 101 with Dan Furbish of The Oasis Center 4:00 - 4:50PM; $10 Got a bike? Bicycle advocate Dan Furbish will teach basic maintenance skills such as changing a flat, basic tune-ups to increase the life of your bike, and the best tools to carry with you.

Learn to make a handbound wedding guest book

I'll be teaching a new class next month for creative brides (and grooms!) in Nashville.  In the three-day class, I'll show students how to make their own personalized, one-of-a-kind wedding guest book for their big day.  

I'm always dedicated to making unique books for my customers, but I'm especially excited about this class because I think a book made by the bride and groom themselves could result in something even more special.  

More details about the class are available below, and if you're ready to sign up visit The Skillery website. And if you're not getting married, it's not a problem. You’re still welcome to enroll to make a wedding book for a friend or a journal for yourself.  

Make Your Own Wedding Guest Book

If the details matter in your wedding, don’t forget the guest book. You’ll work with a professional bookbinder to create a meaningful and long-lasting keepsake to hold messages written by friends and family on your special day. 

You’ll use high-quality materials (all provided) while working over three days to go from concept to completion — with numerous opportunities to include your personal touch and wedding colors. Your invitations, engagement photos, and other mementos could even be bound right into the book. 

The class begins with a brainstorming session to introduce the world of handmade books. We’ll talk about the possibilities for your guest book while handling a collection of professionally made examples so that students can choose between two traditional binding techniques. Everyone will have about a week to gather or buy special materials (if desired) before completing the bindings in the final two classes. 

You’ll leave this class with a completed and customized book, as well as the techniques to make handcrafted books in the future — journals, sketchbooks, photo albums, or even another wedding guest book for a friend. 

Dates: 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 7 - 9 p.m.

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Sunday, May 20, 2012, 1 - 4 p.m.

Cost:

$160 (includes $20 materials fee)

If you'd like to bring your spouse-to-be to the workshop so you can make your wedding guest book together, they can attend the workshop for a discounted ticket price when you purchase your ticket here. Spouse-to-be tickets are $40, and can be purchased at the door.

Location:

Brick Factory Nashville

Cummins Station, 209 10th Ave South, Suite 126

Nashville, TN 37203

Teaching bookbinding with The Skillery

The holiday season was filled with teaching classes, selling at shows in Tennessee and wrapping up special orders to be given as gifts across the country.

In early December, I taught a one-day bookmaking workshop through a partnership with The Skillery, the new Nashville company I've mentioned before that encourages locals to teach and to learn new skills. My class about books that can hang as tree ornaments was The Skillery's first event, and it sold out! (Oddly enough, a power outage almost thwarted the whole thing. You can read about that at The Skillery blog. The workshop photos shown here are by Matt Dudley, professional photographer and founder of The Skillery.)

The two-hour workshop sent each student home with two handmade books: a hardcover pamphlet stitch book and a folded paper star book. Like in other classes, I cut paper and bookboard to size in advance to give students a head start so we could jump right into the fun of making books. Unlike some of the other classes, Matt from The Skillery wisely thought to provide wine and snacks for all students, a nice touch for a cozy night class.

The books that students made will be long-lasting keepsakes, and because of their blank pages, they work well for writing messages to family members. When visiting my husband's family just before Christmas, we used one to write memories of the weekend together, then we found a home for it on the tree.

The Skillery launches, and I'm teaching book arts

I'm excited to announce my latest bookmaking class and the awesome organizing force behind it: The Skillery, a new project in Nashville promoting interesting classes and lectures. The Skillery community connects people looking to teach (all sorts of things) with neighbors interested in learning.

Launched on 11/11/11, The Skillery is busy promoting four classes, including mine about miniature books as holiday ornaments. And if you're reading this today, Saturday, Dec. 3, you can use a special discount code to save 20% off the workshop price (note it's only available today). Details below.

Connecting with Matt, who launched The Skillery, is just the latest great connection that has cropped up in East Nashville. He found my work online, we grabbed coffee together, and it's been an exciting time ever since, as this project gets started. I'm pretty sure that even my husband will soon be teaching classes: Most likely juggling!

Here are the details for my class, just four days away:

INTRO TO BOOK ARTS: HOLIDAY BOOK ORNAMENTS

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 7-9 p.m.

What If Studio, 69 Trimble Street, Nashville, TN 37210

Create eye-catching miniature book Christmas ornaments in this introductory bookbinding class. We’ll make sculptural books with surprising folded structures and functional journals that can be given as gifts to friends and family. This introductory class explains the fundamentals of bookbinding, including proper techniques for folding, stitching, and gluing, as well as varied binding styles using high-quality decorative materials and traditional binding tools. All materials will be provided. This class will give you the techniques, ideas and resources to continue making handbound books.

Admission: $28, and includes all materials and supplies

Tickets available here: http://www.theskillery.com/intro-to-book-arts/

One-day promo code: PORTERFLEA

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