On this special day of love Ms. Jeannie was thinking of her grandmother, Dorothy Ruth, who hand crocheted the tablecloth above that Ms. Jeannie used as a backdrop for her valentine message. Dorothy loved to sew, embroider and crochet. She wasn’t a professional seamstress, although she made a lot of clothes for herself and her family, including wedding dresses for all three of her girls and clothes for her grandchildren.
Dorothy with Ms. Jeannie’s mom as a baby.
She would never dream of calling herself an artist or a designer, even though she had so many artistic tendencies and talents. She just loved the act of sewing.
Dorothy’s husband, Philip, loved to build things, and in his spare time, he would make furniture. When Philip built a table for their living room, Dorothy loved it so much, she didn’t want to get a scratch on it. So she made this very tablecloth to protect the finish.
Now when Ms. Jeannie looks at this tablecloth she sees great reminders. She sees how one stitch leads to a circle, which leads to a flower, which leads to a pattern, which leads to a piece, which eventually leads to an entire tablecloth.
She sees how doing things that you love, however small they may seem, can lead to big things. She sees how true happiness can offer protection against the marks and scratches of life.
Protect what you make with love.
Protect what you love with what you make.
Make what you love.
That was Dorothy’s way. And in keeping, Ms. Jeannie’s special valentine message for you… May all that you love to do today, inspire and protect all whom will love it tomorrow.
All of November and December, Ms. Jeannie was waiting for this one particular tree in her yard to drop its seed pods…
They have these wonderful round pods that Ms. Jeannie thought would look fabulous strung together in garlands for her mantel, on her Christmas tree as part of her natural ornaments and maybe on a wreath for her front door. This is what the pods look like up close…
They sort of reminded Ms. Jeannie of stars, especially when she was looking up at them hanging so high in the trees! Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas, because these little stars didn’t fall until just two days ago, long past holiday time.
Now there are hundreds upon hundreds covering the ground. Ms. Jeannie could have made a million miles worth of garland!
Curious as to what type of tree these little beauties belonged to, Ms. Jeannie did some research and as it turns out, they are from the Sweet Gum tree, which is indiginous to North America, Mexico and Central America. The gum tree has been around since pre-historic times and is actually classified as a living fossil. It is one of the oldest recorded trees in history. Goodness gracious.
Ms. Jeannie found this information fascinating because the shape of the pods reminded her of some other-wordly items like the spiked wrecking ball weapons from the Middle Ages…
Ironically, you can buy these on ebay for $20.00!
Or those crazy underwater sea urchins…
Sea Urchin from the Getty Collection
The sweet gum pods (or gum balls, as they were nicknamed) are actually known as the tree’s fruit and contain one to two seeds within each pod. The trees can grow up to to 120′ feet tall and the leaves turn beautiful colors in the fall. Ms. Jeannie estimates her tree to be about 80′ feet and is indeed one of the tallest in her yard.
Here is an example of a sweet gum in the summer…
Sweet Gum tree photo courtesy of scstrees.com
and in the Autumn…
Sweet Gums in Fall photo courtesy of flickr.com
This species of tree was first recorded by Spanish naturalist, Francisco Hernandez de Toledo in the 1500’s.
Spanish naturalist and physician Francisco Hernandez de Toledo (1514-1587).
Francisco was the court physician to the King of Spain and in 1570 was sent to the New World on a botany trip specifically to study medicinal plants. In his journals, he noted the sweet gum tree bark as having a fragrant juice resembling liquid amber. Indeed, this liquid amber is where the tree got its name. Native Americans taught pioneers in America how to peel the resin from the bark and chew it in order to quench thirst, thus making it one of the first chewing gums in America.
The sweet gum tree was introduced in Europe in the 1600’s, planted in the gardens at Fulham Palace in London by way of Reverend botanist John Bannister, who had traveled to Virginia to bring back exotic tree cuttings like the magnolia, black walnut and cork oak among others – all of which are still represented in the palace gardens today.
The gardens at Fulham Palace, London. Photo courtesy of geograph.org
Throughout history the resin found in the gum tree has been used homeopathically to heal a host of ailments from skin conditions to bronchial infections. Likewise, it’s wood has been used commercially in the manufacture of low-grade hardwood products, plywood, crates, furniture and as an ebony wood alternative.
Ms. Jeannie had no idea, her tree was so useful! Now having learned all this , she is going to go out with a plastic bin and collect all the gumballs so she will be sure to have enough for her 2013 holiday crafts…
Place CardsHoliday wreath lightly spray painted white makes it look frosty!Garland!
Ms. Jeannie pinned these pictures above to her Historic Holiday board on pinterest, plus a few others. Stop by and see them here. She can’t help but think that these would be lovely spring wedding decorations for table decor or used in bridal bouquets – especially if you were having a spring outdoor wedding. These sweet gums are full of rustic charm and potential!
If you have any creative ideas about other ways Ms. Jeannie can use the little beauties, please send a message!
Mid-February marks two special events for Ms. Jeannie and her valentine. First, the holiday of love of course, and then two days later, February 16th, marks Ms. Jeannie’s wedding anniversary. Each year, her and Mr. Jeannie Ology alternate planning something special between the two events.
It’s fun to keep each another guessing as to what’s in store for a special treat. Some years, there are elaborate plans like a weekend getaway or an expensive gift, but mostly they are simple celebrations – a special dinner, a movie, a bottle of champagne. Time spent together is all that matters. Really they could sit at home and do nothing and still have a grand time together.
It was like that right off the bat for them. They struck up this wonderful conversation when they first met here…
in the lobby of the New York Hilton Hotel. Both were there on work purposes involved with running a tradeshow. Ms. Jeannie on the corporate side, Mr. Jeannie on the entertainment side. Ms. Jeannie had just been promoted to a new position with a ton of responsibility and Mr. Jeannie was there to keep the show moving along at an interesting clip. For three days, they worked side by side. For three days, they talked, they laughed, they got to know one another. For three days, they kept discovering small things they had in common…
…a profound love of Ireland. Photograph by TootsFair.…the same favorite movies. Vintage movie real canisters from PassedBy.… a newly discovered fondness for white cherries. Photograph by AmeliaKay Photography…the thrill of spontaneous travel. Vintage suitcase from epochco.…and a shared respect for each other’s dreams. Inspirational art from typoem.
As you can see they covered a lot of topics! By day three, it felt like they had known each other for years.
On the afternoon of the third day, the show ended. Ms. Jeannie packed up. Mr. Jeannie packed up. Ms. Jeannie felt ill at ease. In just a short while Mr. Jeannie would walk out those hotel doors and disappear from her life. Ms. Jeannie’s heart ached at the very thought of never seeing him again. So what did she do?
She gave him her phone number. Please note: this is a re-enactment for story purposes only and not Ms. Jeannie’s actual number.
By the weekend they went on their first official date here…
The Central Park Zoo
As it turned out there was a special celebration going on for the sea lions that day, which involved free cake for all zoo-goers. There was also a film crew, party balloons and a giant fish cake for the sea lions. It all felt very festive! Ms. Jeannie took this as a good sign:)
On a quick side note: If you have never been before to the Central Park Zoo, you must visit. It is a fabulous little hideaway tucked into Central Park and is often overlooked for the much bigger, much more well known Bronx Zoo. A lot of people don’t even know it exists, because it is laid out in Central Park in such a way, that every time you visit you feel like you have unexpectedly discovered it. Ms. Jeannie’s favorite exhibit is the penguins where you can watch them both on land and in the water in the same exhibit.
It’s like one massive fish tank. Photo courtesy of penguinnewstoday.blogspot.com
Ms. Jeannie just loves these penguins. They have zippy little personalities and always seem to be having a ton of fun. If you are lucky enough to find yourself alone in the exhibit – it can be very peaceful – just you and the penguins. Ms. Jeannie could watch them for hours!
Here’s a video of the exhibit Ms. Jeannie found on youtube. It gives you a feel for these active little guys…
So back to the date… the zoo, turned into an all day outing. And by the end of it, they still didn’t want to part. So they went for pizza. Then they went for cappucinnos. Then they walked to the subway – the long way – 25 blocks in total. They just kept walking and talking without realizing! It turned out to be a record breaking 13 hour first date, from 10:00am in the morning until 11:00pm at night. It was grand. Ms. Jeannie felt lucky to know such a great new friend.
Marvelous dates kept occurring. Ms. Jeannie knew she had met her romantic match when Mr. Jeannie took her up on the roof of an old hotel on the Upper West Side. “So they could look at the city at night,” he’d said.
Few things are more romantic then looking down on Manhattan from that perspective. The city almost looked fake. And all the lights seemed to twinkle. It was quite magical. New York provided quite the backdrop for falling in love.
Fast forward a few years, and Mr. Jeannie proposed in Florida on a tiny little boat during a Christmastime vacation. Ms. Jeannie was surprised, she had no idea Mr. Jeannie had such big plans prepared! Ms. Jeannie said “of course” without hesitation. Mr. Jeannie cried the whole boat ride back to shore:)
A few years later they were knee deep in wedding plans. Since it was so expensive to get married in the city, and because they were such big fans of road trips, they decided to get married somewhere else. They looked into Vermont, into Maine, into Connecticut, but couldn’t find just the right place. A friend of Ms. Jeannie’s tol;d her about a fabulous movie she had just watched, noting in particular, the gorgeous coastal New England town setting. Here’s the trailer…
The next weekend, Ms. Jeannie, Mr. Jeannie and their newly adopted border collie, were on the road to Rockport, Massachusetts where the movie was filmed. If you are unfamiliar, Rockport is located on the very tip of Cape Ann, just north of Gloucester (which, incidently, was the setting for the movie, A Perfect Storm). It’s a 5 hour drive from NYC and only a 45 minute train ride from Boston.
When Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie drove into town, this is what they saw…
Bradley Wharf. Photograph courtesy of fineartamerica.com
Bradley Wharf sits in the center of the scenic inlet that leads out to the Atlantic Ocean. The town of Rockport surrounds it on three sides. The red barn, known as Motiff No. 1, is the most painted barn in America and Rockport, itself, is an actual artist community. With views like this how could it not be?!
Rockport Harbor
The town sits nestled against the hillside, facing the water and is filled with gorgeous, historic seafaring captain-type homes.
View from the harborHouse built in 1711House built in 1900House built in 1771House built in 1840
Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie stayed at Carlson’s Bed & Breakfast, the only b&b in town, at the time, that would accept pets. Sven Carlson was a painter himself along with his wife (who dabbled!). They were extraordinarily interesting hosts.
Carlson’s Bed & Breakfast (on the left) . Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie stayed on the top floor in a yellow wall papered room that was bright and sunny.
Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie did all sorts of exploring up and down the coast. They went lobstering with a boat captain as he picked up his pods for the day, they went shopping on Bearskin Neck (see photo below) and they ordered take-out lobster from Roy Moore Lobster Company which they took down to the beach to enjoy. True picnic decadence:)
The shops of Bear Skin Neck.
You might also recognize Rockport from the movie, The Proposal, with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The movie is supposed to take place in Sitka, Alaska – but it was actually filmed in Rockport and the neighboring town of Manchester-By-The-Sea.
Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie returned to Cape Ann several more times for vacations. Each time having more fun then the last. They decided on the Emerson Inn as their wedding venue, because it was located on a bluff right above the ocean. Also Ms. Jeannie loved that it had literary connections in it’s namesake, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It had been lodging house, always, since the very beginning in the 1850’s. Ralph Waldo who spent summers at the hotel with his family, was said to have gathered poetic inspiration from the landscape.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) Boston born poet and philospher credited with leading the transcendentalist movement in America.
Ms. Jeannie and Mr. Jeannie were married at 8:00pm in a small candlelight ceremony, by the town clerk. They wrote their own vows. They held each other’s hand. Mr. Jeannie cried:) They danced to Ella Fitzgerald’s At Last. They had two cakes, a traditional lemon creme pound cake with rolled fondant and fresh flowers and then a red velvet groom’s cake in the shape of a lobster. Both of them agreed they were the best cakes they had ever eaten.
The Emerson Inn at night.
For their honeymoon, they traveled with their pup, up and down the Massachusetts coastline for a week, exploring each small town. They visited parks and cafes and antique shops. They ate lobster and drank wine and walked to the beach every day. On their last night, they stayed near the water’s edge until late in the night looking for their dreams in the depths of the stars.
Fast forward all these years now, and Ms. Jeannie and her valentine are still adventuring together and still dreaming. Their pup has come and gone, their lives have twisted and turned, and their love has lasted. And for all that, Ms. Jeannie feels incredibly lucky. To know such experience and to know such a man.
Thank you New York Hilton, thank you Central Park Zoo, thank you New York City, thank you best dog ever, and above all, thank you Mr.Jeannie for starring in the best love story of Ms. Jeannie’s life.
The two fig bushes in Ms. Jeannie’s yard, as pictured last summer.
In preparation for some spring gardening projects, our dear blog reader, Amy, sent in a gardening question about fig trees and whether or not she would be able to grow them from cuttings in her neighborhood, which happens to be arid Arizona.
Instantly, Ms. Jeannie thought sure, why not grow them in Arizona since figs first originated thousands of years ago in Arabia. But she wasn’t sure about the cutting department, so she did a little investigation on Amy’s behalf.
Lucky for us, Ms. Jeannie learned that since they are one of the oldest fruit trees in the world, they have now been adapted and modified to grow in just about any climate. Which is good news for all fig lovers! So first order of business is to determine which type of fig tree that will grow best in your neck of the woods…please consult this list.
Next, once you’ve found the right variety, you can visit your local nursery or garden store and either buy a small fig tree that has already been started or you can order a cutting online and start your own. Ms. Jeannie found this great video on youtube from the NewEnglandGardener which takes you step by step through the cutting process…
Ms. Jeannie was so inspired by the video – she decided to try her own clipping project, following the NewEnglandGardeners helpful guide. Here is what Ms. Jeannie used…
1. Garden Scissors 2. Publix Grocery Flyer 3. Quart size Ziploc bag 4. fig tree cutting (this one is 7″ inches)
She clipped a section that had a green sprout already (in hopes that it will encourage more!)
Close-up of clipping
Here’s the finished product. Now we wait for a few weeks and see what happens. Ms. Jeannie is going to keep the bag in her kitchen stairwell, which seems to collect all the heat in the house.
Grow big, little fig!
Please keep in mind, as noted in the video – growing trees does not happen over night. It will take a few years to get your cutting tree well established. However – they are fairly fast growers, so you’ll see changes over the course of months instead of years, like some other trees.
This is what the fig trees in Ms. Jeannie’s yard look like now, in the middle of winter (aka the dormant season, as the NewEnglandGardener refers to in the video)
A picture of Ms. Jeannie’s fig trees taken today. Stickily looking things in winter, but they still retain a nice shape.
If you look closely, you can see they already have buds emerging even though it is only January. This is a perfect stage now, to take a clipping.
You can see two of last year’s figs now dried on the twig. Ms. Jeannie wonders if this is inspiration for the new shoot!
Isn’t it amazing that this little sprout will grow from a tiny little wonder into this, in only about 3 short months…
The fig trees in Ms. Jeannie’s yard are over 12 years old and reach about 10′ feet high x 8′ feet wide. They’ve been pruned every once in awhile but otherwise, are incredibly low-maintenance. You may recall, last summer, the two fig bushes in Ms. Jeannie’s yard had a banner production season. There must have been hundreds of figs that plumped up from July thru September.
Mostly she passed buckets along to her friends, ate a few cups each day and froze gallon bagfuls for a jam lesson that never quite came into fruition. No problem though, as of late, Ms. Jeannie has been enjoying the frozen figs in her morning yogurt shake. Why add ice cubes when you can add some frozen figs instead?!
All you do is just pick, rinse and air-dry the figs and then pop them into a freezer bag and stick them in the freezer.
Ms. Jeannie tosses these little frozen delights right into the blender, straight out of the freezer in this state. They make the shake cold and add extra vitamins to the start of her day. Figs are high in vitamin K (good for blood clotting), vitamin E (protection from cell damage) and vitamin B6 (good for the nervous system, the breaking down of glucose and for cell energy).
They also contain the minerals manganese (good for your bones) and potassium (good for your blood pressure) and are also really high in dietary fiber. A delicious superfood! This is Ms. Jeannie’s recipe for her morning shake, if you are so inclined to try it…
Yogurt Fruit Shake
Makes two 8oz. glasses
1/2 cup organic 2% milk
6 whole frozen figs
1 banana (broken into 4 sections)
1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1 quarter fresh cantaloupe (rind removed and roughly chopped)
Add all ingredients in the blender and pulse on low until all the figs break down into pieces (about 30 seconds). Then put the blender on crush and let it mix for about a minute, which blends all the fruit and incorporates air to make it light and fluffy. If the shakes seems too thick, you can add more milk. Otherwise pour and enjoy! You can also add different types of fruit if you like. This is a really basic recipe and can be modified eighty million different ways!
Ms. Jeannie hopes this mini fig lesson will blossom into something wonderful for Amy and anyone one else with figgy aspirations. If you decide to start a fig tree from a clipping, keep us posted on how your progress goes. Ms. Jeannie in turn, will keep you updated on hers as well. Happy growing!!!
We are in the middle of our first ice storm of the season, here in the South. The weather is so grey and dark and COLD, Ms. Jeannie thought this would be a lovely time to take a little trip. Where are we going, you ask? Why, it’s off to France, my dears! To visit a bookbinder in Lyon, who specializes in upcycled journals.
Since she was small, Ms. Jeannie has had a love affair with journals and diaries, doodlebooks and sketch pads. But it wasn’t until her early 20’s that she really started to depend on them as confidante, emotional therapy and creative outlet.
During one particular portion of her life, Ms. Jeannie carried a journal around with her everywhere she went. She was in her early 20’s, living in New York, attending college, working at a Manhattan publishing company and living in an old warehouse in Brooklyn. She was exploring the city with her girlfriends, falling in and out of love with boyfriends and in the last book from those years, fell in love with THE boyfriend, who eventually became her husband, the very handsome Mr. Jeannie Ology.
These are her journals from that time…
There are quite a few of them because she challenged herself for one entire year to put down her reading book on the subway (her most preferred activity for train travel) and to pick up her pen and just free-write in her journal. If you are unfamiliar with free form writing, basically you just start with a thought and go from there without any sort of restriction or point. A steady stream of conscious, if you will. For example…The train smells like onions today. There are pearl onions in my freezer, in a blue bag with a bird on it. I think the bird is an eagle, with wings outstretched. I wonder if an eagle has ever ridden on the subway. Maybe it would get on at Central Park and get off at Battery Park… maybe the eagle is going to visit the Statue of Liberty. Maybe they are friends and spend their days discussing the stresses of being national icons. (So there you go from onions to eagles to national symbolism – all in a minute with Ms. Jeannie!).
For the most part this activity occurred twice a day while she was commuting, usually once in the morning and once at night. The writing project sparked a few short stories, but mostly they were just daily observations of things going on around her…sights, sounds, feelings. Notes from a girl and a city going through their daily paces.
As you can imagine, New York is a bevy of interest and intrigue practically every moment – so there was lots of material. She started going through journals faster then she’d ever had before which meant journal shopping became a regular routine. She had this one favorite bookshop, in particular, in the World Trade Center, that she loved. They carried a whole section of handmade journals there and Ms. Jeannie loved the fact that no two ever really looked the same. Her first book purchased from that shop was made out of recycled banana leaves, the last out of silk fabric scraps from India. Both very different in style yet each had been made by hand. Selecting which one to buy seemed as important as selecting which words to write.
So that brings us to our little trip. Ms. Jeannie thought it would be fun to learn about the writer’s craft from the other side of the notebook. So off we go on a magical trip to Lyon, France to chat with Karen, bookbinder extraordinaire beyond the Etsy journal shop Spellbinderie …
Ms. Jeannie: Your shop really is magical – from the name right down the line to the contents. How did you decide on Spellbinderie?
Karen: The name came to me after many agonizing nights spent brainstorming with my husband. I wanted a shop name that reflected the concept of binding while also suggesting upcycling/transformation and my location, France. Finally Spellbinderie came to me while I was thinking about words that had -bind or -binding in them. This word said all I hoped my journals would be, enchanting, fascinating, unputdownable. I think upcycling is a bit of magic, it’s transformation, a second life, so the wordplay kept working, spell, craft, bind. Once I was settled on the name, my husband suggested the spelling, using the “ie” instead of a “y” for a French touch.
Lyon, France. Photo courtesy of globeimages.net
MJ: Tell us a little bit about living in Lyon. Is that where you grew up?
K: I’m American, my husband is French. We met in Brooklyn just over 5 years ago and after three years together, he asked me if I’d be willing to leave my beloved Brooklyn and move to his hometown, Lyon. I was admittedly smitten with the idea of living in France and jumped at the opportunity. Plus we both wanted to have more time to create with our hands and do more traveling, instead of work, work, work. Brooklyn is an exciting place to live but it’s very much a career-oriented, go, go, go, type of city and I felt ready for a change. Lyon is a pretty city, famous for it’s gastronomy and well-located in the southeast of France. It’s a calmer pace, which I enjoy, while still being a good sized city, but I do miss coffee to go and good Mexican food!
This is a photo of some vintage booksellers who sell near Karen’s home
MJ: How did you become interested in binding?
K: Honestly it just sort of happened. My romantic move to France had the ugly reality of finding a job. A big hurdle considering I did not speak a word of French. My former career was in documentary film editing but I wanted to change my path. A friend of mine back in the US was doing really well selling vintage on Etsy. He encouraged me to do the same here. I began going to flea markets, thrift shops and yard sales, picking up this and that to sell, constantly drawn towards the gorgeous vintage books, often damaged but still enchanting. I’ve always had a passion for old books, started to collect them when I was quite young. I started to collect more here thinking eventually I’d figure out what to do with them. From there I researched upcycling ideas online and stumbled on bookbinding. I knew that was it, I just had to learn how.
French book published in 1909 now offered as a wedding registry book by Spellbinderie.
MJ: I love how your books are actual stories within stories. Does it take a long time to concept the construction a book? What is your most favorite part of the process?
K: Right from the start I wanted to make my journals more than just blank pages. What inspires me is a book’s history, where it’s been, who’s hands held it, what were they thinking, doing, eating, sitting, dreaming? The old paper calls me with it’s soft texture and warm color and I’m absolutely smitten by old handwriting or bits of paper or cards left behind. In the end, it’s my own imagination, my need to tell stories, my love of secrets and mystery, that is my favorite part of the process. I want that to be bound right into the journal.
Mixed paper journal by Spellbinderie
MJ: Do you have a sourcing method for all the old books and papers you incorporate into your items? Are you scouring France for great papers?!
K: I’m scouring my section of France for sure! I have a wonderful local thrift shop and the proceeds go to help the poor and needy, so an added bonus for buying there. I also shop the flea markets and vide-greniers, or “empty attics”, the French version of a yard sale. I’m lucky that my in-laws are avid thrifters and often find amazing books for me to use as well. My vacations tend to include a bit of thrifting now too.
MJ: What is your most favorite item in your shop at the moment?
Custom Made Art Journal Sketchbook by Spellbinderie
K: My custom made “Layo” artist sketchbook, I think. The photos don’t do it justice, I’m limited to how many photos I can add on Etsy so kept the focus on practical matters. The “Layo” was made for a repeat customer who’s an artist and avid journaler. We always work together to create very unique sketchbooks that fit her needs and I love each and every one of them.
MJ: What’s your best customer story? Do you sell your books anywhere else besides Etsy?
K: My best customer story is related to the “Layo” sketchbook. The sketchbook is named for her of course. She is very creative and pushes me, in a good way, to be more creative and learn new things. Her orders are the most time consuming because they are never simple and sometimes I need to think outside the box to make what she wants or to find suitable material. I love the challenge and the result. She’s been a customer for almost a year now and has become a friend through our conversations and collaborations. I probably would not know this amazing woman if I weren’t selling online!
I just started to list on Dawanda but Etsy is my main focus for selling.
MJ: Are most of your clients writers?
K: I’d say my clients are brides, next would be writers. I also get quite a few men ordering custom journals as gifts for their creative girlfriends. I LOVE that! It’s really exciting to make a special gift for someone and I have to say it, I’m impressed with these super cool and thoughtful boyfriends.
Wedding registry books by Spellbinderie.
MJ: Do you have an educational background in bookbinding?
K: No, I am self-taught through instructional videos and books plus lots of practice before I opened my shop. I am interested in taking a few courses in high level binding in order to improve and perfect my technique and be able to offer more variety in binding style but haven’t found the right course in my area. I’ve also reached out to some professional bookbinders for advice and found the community supportive.
Personalized Wedding Guest Book by Spellbinderie
MJ: Do you have a shop bestseller?
K: My wedding guestbooks are by far my biggest sellers but next would be my Retro Journal Series which are crafted from small antique books that have a math, literature, science or geography theme. I fell in love with this type of book early on, drawn to their distressed covers and simple cream and black color scheme.
Rustic Vintage Mixed Paper Journal by Spellbinderie. This one is Ms. Jeannie’s favorite!Retro Journal by Spellbinderie
I wanted to make them more distressed and mysterious, gatekeepers of secret formulas and agendas, by adding bits of the text, tattered reclaimed paper and burning the paper edges. I loved that it looked like it had been traveling around, maybe having a few too many drinks and a bar fight for it’s own good. When I listed the first one, it sold immediately, which shocked me because I honestly thought it would take awhile to find the right buyer. Turns out people love them just as much as I do and just like that this line was born. Which just goes to show you, ALWAYS follow your heart and your own style.
MJ: Is there an ideal type of book you look for when your sourcing your papers?
K: I look primarily for whatever catches my eye, could be great illustrations, a beautiful cover, a wonderfully distressed cover. I stay away from anything rare or in demand as well as too damaged or fragile.
MJ: When you are not working on your books what else occupies your time?
K: I love watching movies, reading, traveling, camping and photography. I also love to cook, and eat quite frankly. I enjoy infusing booze too! I make my own bitters and infused rum, known as rhum arrangé here, which comes from Reunion, an island off of Africa. It’s delicious! Only hard part is being patient for at least three months before you can enjoy.
MJ: Are your customers mostly in Europe or the US?
K: Primarily in the US and UK, then Canada and Australia.
MJ: Are you a journaler yourself? If so, do you make all of your own journals?
K: I’m always a bit nervous when asked this question because I am not a journaler and wonder if buyers would be turned off by that. My pleasure is in bookbinding and designing though, not in writing. I’m a storyteller but do so visually. My former career as a film editor probably seems so different from my new career but both involve taking pieces of something and stitching them together to create a new thing. Both end up with my interpretation of the story.
Rustic Wedding Guestbook by Spellbinderie. Note the vintage needlework she included!
MJ:What is it about the art of journaling that attracts people?
K: I think I’m not qualified to answer since I am not a journaler but I would assume it’s the same thing that attracts me to bookbinding or film editing: it feels good to do and it’s necessary to do, to create.
MJ: Do customers ever send you pictures of their journals or guest books all filled out? I bet they’d look incredible!
K: I’ve been hoping someone would but I think journaling tends to be a private thing more than not. I made a guestbook for a friend of mine in Lyon and that was so exciting. I got to see the reaction of her guests to my creation and see the guestbook afterwards.
MJ: What is your design space/studio like?
K: We live in a loft like space with a mezzanie. The area of Lyon that we live in is known for these kind of apartments because this area was formerly a silk weaving neighborhood. The buildings have very high ceilings to allow for the silk weaving frames and the mezzanines were where the weavers slept or for use as offices.
Karen’s studio space and her handmade bookbinding frame.
My studio space is not separated from my living area which means there is no door to shut, making it hard for me to really draw a line between work life and private life. That can be tough sometimes but I love my neighborhood and my open space. As much as I’d love to shut the door and go home at the end of my work day, I enjoy having everything right at hand too.
MJ: What inspires your work (besides antiques books, obviously!)
K: My neighborhood. I walk around looking at the architecture, I’m particularly drawn to the distressed doors and wood beam ceilings. I am also a fan of Keith Smith, a book artist. His work is very very different than mine but inspires me and pushes me to try new things.
The amazing architecture of Lyon, France. Ms. Jeannie loves those doors too!Keith Smith, book artist. For more info on his work, please click on the photo.
MJ: As far as gathering books for eventual re-purposing into journals, what subject matter interests you most?
Generally fiction because of the ornate covers and pretty illustrations. I love the drama, especially a darker, more gothic type. I also love geography and history books with old maps and descriptions about various places. I recently started making journals for a US buyer who spends quite a bit of time in the Alps. He’s an avid mountaineer, skier and journaler. He contacted me to find old books on the subject to transform into journals and now I am hooked on these books too. I discovered Pierre and Georges Tairraz, amazing photographers who traveled around taking incredible photos.
MJ: Do you have any new year’s resolutions? What is one thing you plan to accomplish in your Etsy shop this year? K: Double my sales, hire a part time assistant for the spring/summer wedding rush, come up with new ideas, learn a new binding technique.
Karen is currently reading:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. My favorite author!
MJ: What music are you listening to?
K: Hmmm, I’m 44 and sadly finding I’m listening to less and less new music! My iTunes recent playlist shows: Joy Division, Bjork, Kate Bush, Portishead, Bear In Heaven, Birdie Nam Nam, Mahmoud Ahmed, PJ Harvey
Karen, the artist behind Spellbinderie.
Do you have questions for Karen? Post them in the comments section and Ms. Jeannie will be sure they get to her. Or you can visit her shop here. Also, click on any of the Spellbinderie journal pictures in this post for more detailed information.
Not ready to leave the beauty of France quite yet? No worries, my dear, read a previous interview with French photographer Yann Pendaries here.
Or enjoy a year full of Ms. Jeannie’s other interesting interviews here.
This morning, Ms. Jeannie woke up to this on one side of the yard:
Frost as thick as a blanket!
and this on the other side of the yard…
the blooming of the crocus’!
Isn’t it amazing that two conditions like this can co-exist at the same time? She could almost hear Mother Nature asking – “…and which do you prefer Ms. Jeannie? The gift of winter or the gift of spring?”
Ms. Jeannie picks Spring! She’s looking forward to new year of gardening adventures! What about you?
The other day when Ms. Jeannie went over the year in review, she mentioned making a batch of cinnamon-nutmeg scones. If you don’t recall, here is what they looked like:
Scones, antique ironstone and vintage Royal Jackson china.
Blog reader, Amy, wrote in to request the recipe agreeing that such a simple treat would be the perfect partner to mull over one’s thoughts with. This recipe is an easy one and made even better by adding home made jam on top.
Ms. Jeannie’s sister, Marianne, makes AMAZING jams and jellies. Those pictured above are the latest batch she just sent. It is a happy day whenever a box of goodies arrives from her. Mr. Jeannie Ology can hardly contain himself while the box gets unwrapped. This gift box included: Blackberry, Raspberry, Orange Cranberry and Italian Plum jams (Italian plum not pictured – because it’s already been devoured!).
Each jar holds a magnificent concoction of flavors – this one is cranberry orange.
Marianne picks all the fruit herself, in the Seattle summer months (aka the non-rainy season!), and then gets to work canning away. She also makes her own labels – so cute! She was a true Martha Stewart way before anybody knew about the actual Martha.
Gorgeous jam in a gorgeous package!
She’s actually really crafty in all the creative areas. When Ms. Jeannie’s other sister, Christine, got married in 2010, Ms. Jeannie and Marianne put together all the floral arrangements and wedding bouquets.
Wedding flowers in route to the wedding!
Their work space for the bouquet assembly was the hotel room floor the morning of the wedding. It was festive and fun to see a floor full of flowers. The arrangements came together with ribbon and laughter. It was frantic but in a good way and left such an edible memory – one of her favorites of the entire wedding weekend.
So, as you can see Marianne’s creativity knows no limits. From jam to floral arrangements – she’s a one woman wonder.
Back to those scones… Ms. Jeannie recommends, that once you remove them from the oven, you should add a healthy dose of butter and jam on top of each scone while they are still warm. Hopefully you are lucky, like Ms. Jeannie and have an excellent jam source too.
Nutmeg-Scented Scones
Makes eight triangle shaped scones.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly grated whole nutmeg or ground nutmeg
1 egg white, beaten to blend with 2 teaspoons water (for glaze)
2 teaspoons sugar
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in processor; blend 10 seconds. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sour cream. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead 4 turns to form ball. Flatten dough to about 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Brush with egg-white glaze; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake scones until tops are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer scones to rack and cool slightly.
Recently, RoseMary from Shasta Lake Shop on Etsy, also wrote in about the Royal Jackson china (pictured with the scone). This is what she had to say:
“FYI The Autumn pattern was discontinued in the early 1950s. I was married in 1952 and chose it as my fine china pattern. I was devastated when in about 1953 I received a call that the pattern was being discontinued. I had just a few pieces, probably a service for 6. Replacement services were unknown at that time. It wasn’t until 50 years later that I found someone on ebay who had many of the pieces. I bought everything he had. Now I can set a table for 20+ people with all the extra serving pieces. Homer Laughlin also made a matching pattern in semi-vitreous china. Don’t know what its called or much about it but bought a set to help fill out my pattern for a while.” – RoseMary, The Shasta Lake Shop
Ms. Jeannie loves hearing stories like these! She tried to do a quick search for the Homer Laughlin pattern that RoseMary mentioned but she couldn’t come up with anything yet. If you know what the pattern name is, please write in! This china is so pretty – Ms. Jeannie couldn’t imagine having an entire set. RoseMary is one lucky lady!
Set of 6 Royal Jackson teacups – available in Ms. Jeannie’s shop.
When Ms. Jeannie got married she didn’t register for one specific china pattern. Instead she registered at Fishs Eddy, which is a vintage/contemporary china store in New York City.
The magical Fishs Eddy store on Broadway and 19th Street in NYC. Photo credit: David Mills.
They sell a mix-match of vintage and antique dishes mostly from old hotels and restaurants, and then they offer some unique new patterns from designers like Cynthia Rowley too. Basically every time you visit – it’s a new experience.
So Ms. Jeannie registered for a color scheme (blue and white at the time!), which meant any piece of china that fell under those two colors was a gift in the making. Some people thought Ms. Jeannie was brave for being so whimsical in giving guests the “pick whatever you like” experience – but Ms. Jeannie thought of it as an adventure. Besides – there was nothing at Fishs Eddy that she didn’t like – so how could anyone go wrong? As long as it was blue and white – it was perfect!
And as it turned out, each piece that someone chose as a wedding gift, carried with it a little bit of personality from the gift giver. So it became a great memory stacked on top of another great memory. This is the kind of stuff Ms. Jeannie loves most about china. It’s not only the beauty of the actual piece – it’s the beauty of the memory that it represents too.
A big thank you for sharing your thoughts, dear readers! Ms. Jeannie looks forward to more conversations. Until then, happy reading (and writing!).
With such wealth of imagination and inspiration on Pinterest who could resist? If you are unfamiliar with Pinterest – it is like a visual bulletin board where you can gather pictures from all over the internet into one tidy little space. It’s agreat way to figure out what appeals to you in an aesthetic way. And it spans all aspects of life: cooking, decorating, clothing, party planning, pets, kids, travel – so you are well covered.
Here’s Ms. Jeannie’s page:
Ms. Jeannie’s now on pinterest!
Ms. Jeannie likes to peruse it for new ways to decorate with vintage items and for a dose of daily daydreaming. She could easily get lost for hours!
So far, she has set up 11 boards (but over time this will probably grow and grow and GROW!). Here is what she’s started with… click on each picture to go directly to that board to see more related photos…
The Vintage House
Inside this board, you’ll find all sorts of vintage home decor items and historic house photographs.
The Vintage Wardrobe
This board contains iconic styles throughout history. This photo is by Tom Palumbo.
The Vintage Garden
This board contains historic garden designs and layouts. This pear tree allee is modeled after a garden in Historic Williamsburg, VA.
The Antique Bookshelf
This board contains all things relating to old books: library design, cover art, bookplates, etc.
The Antique Art House
In this board you’ll find old art and interesting ways to display it. This rabbit sketch is by J Van Noate.
Faceless Portraits
This a whimsy board! Ms. Jeannie has always been captivated by faceless portraits. Here, you’ll see a wide range of them!
The Vintage Dog
Ms. Jeannie’s friend has a wall of antique dog art that is absolutely stunning. He collects all different types and then clusters them close together collage-style on the wall. Who could resist such faces!
The Vintage Man
This board contains a variety of contemporary ways to dress your man in vintage clothes as well as interesting masculine decor and items for him.
The Historic Holiday
Here you will find vintage holiday decorating ideas for all celebrations throughout the year. Classic designs with a hint of nostalgia.
The Vintage Cloth
This board contains all things related to vintage fabrics and unique ways to display them. These framed beauties above are vintage handkerchiefs.
The Family Tree
And of course, Ms Jeannie has to have a genealogy board! This one is dedicated to unique family trees.
Stop by and have a peek…click here to go directly to Ms. Jeannie’s Pinterest page. Or for future reference, you can click on the blue front door photo in the side bar. If you are on Pinterest, please let Ms. Jeannie know so that she can keep up with all your pins too!
Happy New Year dear readers! Ms. Jeannie hopes that all your holidays were full of joy and cheer! May this year be even better and brighter then the last.
Always at the start of January, Ms. Jeannie likes to take some time to reflect on the previous year and think about the new year ahead. So she whipped up a batch of cinnamon nutmeg scones, poured a cup of coffee and contemplated all that she had encountered in the past 365 days.
A moment to reflect on the past and dream about the future. Ms. Jeannie tested out the vintage Royal Jackson tea cups available in her shop. Works just as it should – only prettier:)
2012 was a turbulent year for Ms. Jeannie, containing both exhilarating highs and devastating lows. She said a long, sad goodbye to her dear old border collie as well her 97 year old grandmother. She said a cheery hello to her Etsy shop and to all you lovely blog readers.
This was the first item Ms. Jeannie sold when she opened her shop! A vintage Jacobs Kaffee metal cabinet.
She gardened, she cooked, she entertained. She battled a severe case of poison ivy, she learned a new craft. She served as nurse maid to her father when he fell and hit his head. She drove her husband to the hospital when he bled (enough for 15 stitches!). She babysat for chickens in the spring , spent the summer reading 50 Shades of Grey and the Autumn months watching all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls. She traveled to Phoenix, Atlanta and Palm Beach Gardens. She went on sightseeing adventures in her neighborhood and got lost in daydreams in her own backyard.
Ms. Jeannie’s most read blog post to date was this one entitled: A Family of Firemen and the Women They Loved
Yes, indeed. 2012 was a year of romance and tears, love and loss, discovery and exploration. It was life. And Ms. Jeannie was thankful to be included in it.
In 2013, she hopes to travel more, write more and learn more. She’d like to adopt a dog, plant a moon garden and sew a quilt.
A moon garden is comprised primarily of white and pale flowers that bloom at night. When the moon shines bright overhead it looks like there are lights on in the garden. Photo courtesy of econesting.com
She’d also like to pick up her paintbrush again, make a mole sauce and sample all the wines of Spain. And more yoga. And the ability to master meditation. Oh and there is that bit about being better organized. And better at managing time. And she’s really, really looking forward to sharing more vintage adventures with you!
As you can see – it is shaping up to be a busy year! Ms. Jeannie can’t wait. She ends this post with the beautiful sentiment of this wired card that she found on Etsy. It reads:
Wired Note Card by ofTheValleys
For the times to come I wish for love to surround you, hope to strengthen you, peace to comfort you and overwhelming joy. Happy New Year!
Remember when you were in grade school and you had to write a paper or a theme, as it as called in catholic school, about what did over your holiday break? Well for some reason, this sort of reminiscence has always stuck with Ms. Jeannie, and she finds herself mentally recapping after every holiday and every vacation. So to continue the tradition…
What did Ms. Jeannie do during her Christmas vacation?
She learned how to sew!
Ms. Jeannie’s first-ever sewing project: an apron!
Thanks to her wonderful friend, Wendy, Ms. Jeannie got a crash course on Christmas Day that included all the sewing basics, while Mr. Jeannie Ology and Mr. Wendy cooked a magnificent turkey dinner. Yes, dear readers, the ladies sewed and the men cooked and then they all came together to feast! It was a splendid holiday, indeed.
Wendy taught Ms. Jeannie a pattern that she picked up in a British sewing book. With a few slight modifications, Wendy taught Ms. Jeannie all the sewing basics at once.
They started with converting centimeters to inches and then cutting the cloth with those fun little triangle edged scissors. Next it was off to the sewing machine to learn how to thread the sewer and work the pedal. Boy those first stitches were thrilling! The tricky part was trying to keep the fabric straight.
Stitches for gathers. Combining two fabrics into one!
As you know from previous posts, Ms. Jeannie comes from a long line of sewers, and she thinks inherently, that she will one day make a great one herself. Two hours in, she was already starting to feel like a pro! When she attached the pockets she felt like she had built the Taj Mahal of aprons…
Ladies and gentlemen – we now have pockets!
And then something scary happened. Wendy left the room. But wait, there was still more to do. The pockets had to be re-enforced and the apron ties had to be made, both of which Wendy had described in detail how to do but we had yet to practice.
“It’s sink or swim time,” she said as she left.
With nervous notions, Ms. Jeannie tried to remember all that she had learned. Keep it straight, keep it steady, don’t bunch and go slow. She tapped the pedal, she fed the fabric, and wouldn’t you know that sewer did exactly what ms. Jeannie intended. Her first triangle stitch was created in an instant!
A triangle stitch is born!
Ms. Jeannie just about cried with joy. A feeling of pure excitement and accomplishment on just about the same level as when she first learned how to write her name, read a book, ride a bicycle and drive a car. A little wobbly to start, but Ms. Jeannie felt like she just opened the door to a whole new world of possibilities.
The ties came next – a piece of cake!
The ties that tied it all together!
And there you have it! A five hour craft project involving fabric and thread, a machine and an iron, all to yield a useful household item. Ms. Jeannie is in love with her new found skills!
So much so that she is noticing and admiring all sorts of sewing handiwork about the house now… the duvet cover, the the lines of her new dress, the pleats in the couch pillows. Endlessly fascinating, they all are.
And of course Ms. Jeannie is eyeing all sorts of apron styles – now that she’s got this one under her belt, or tie, if you prefer. Here are some of her favorites on Etsy… (click on each photo for more information)
Penelope Apron by boltsandyardsfabricWilderness Apron by InnerWildKitchen Apron by studiopatroThe Urban Wrap Sewing Pattern by Modern Vintage Designs
And with Mr. Jeannie Ology in mind…
Leather Work Apron by CyclonaDesignsMens Full Apron by SSatHome
Yes indeed – this is a whole new world and Ms. Jeannie has big plans! Summer skirts, throws, pillows, bed blankets, dresses and definitely more aprons!
On a side note:
January marks the one year anniversary of Ms. Jeannie’s Etsy shop and in celebration she is having a 24% off sale! Why 24%, you ask? Well it all started back on January 24th, 2012. Clearly that 24 is a good number! Use coupon code HAPPY2013 to receive your discount upon checkout.
As we get closer to the big day, Ms. Jeannie will be doing a little past year re-cap so stay tuned. In the meantime, stop by and have a peak at some of her new listings…
In the Vintage Kitchen: Where History Comes To Eat 