Old Books
I live in Vermont on the beautiful Lake Champlain Islands. I started in the field of book restoration over three years ago. As soon as I walked in the door of the Restoration Lab, I was in love with the idea of restoring beautiful old books full of history and wonders. I learned first to disbind and then to de-acidify old books to help stop the aging process. I then was taught how to mend, sew, round, and eventually leather and finish the books. Each skill can take a long time to become competent in. There always seems to be more to learn in restoration, as each book can have different problems. I love working with the books, the feel of them, and the process of taking them apart to rebuild them into less acidic but stronger versions. These skills seem very natural to me and once learned, I knew it was what I wanted to do as a career.
Sadly the restoration company moved to another state without me. Two co-workers and I established a company to continue the restoration work here in Vermont. The restoration part of my life is separate from the journals you will find on this page. I will include links throughout this site if you are interested in the restoration services that A.E.L Restoration can provide for you.
New Handmade Books
I started making leather bound journals after the restoration company left the state. I had the knowledge to make the books, although using new materials was new to me. I started experimenting with different leathers, laying patterns, different stitching, and using dyes. I love designing the books and making one of a kind books that will last hundreds of years. I am delighted to create custom books for people, whether the books are a large size for an artist's work or very small for traveling convenience. I am even able to print and bind leather books with text as well. These would have to be books that are out of copyright or a writer’s personal books, novels, or even a treasured diary from a lost loved one.
I try not to limit my books by always calling them journals. The word journal is a bit limiting. I feel my books can be scrapbooks, sketchbooks, photo books or anything you want to use them for. They are beautiful on the outside and extremely well crafted on the inside. I take great pride in my work and want people to enjoy them as a usable piece of art.
Future Handbound Books
In today's digital world I'm afraid that quality handcrafted books are losing their value. I'm hoping to change that. I can't imagine finding an old hard drive and reading one’s history or treasured secrets on a computer screen. Or being moved by a moment in time and grabbing your laptop to sketch it digitally. This might be possible in today's age but it feels wrong to me. Beautiful books have such a long history and we need to continue this tradition.
I hope you enjoy my books as much as I do, Books for all Time
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