A very late letter.
New projects & a trip to Knaresborough.
FROM THE BINDERY…
Last year I really struggled with my work as a bookbinder, rheumatism pain and fatigue were riding high most days, I almost called it quits as I thought I can’t do this anymore. But, I remembered something I read in a book called Essentialism by Greg McKeown —‘‘When something is not working, it’s an opportunity for change and growth.’’
I realised I needed help and that I don’t need to do everything myself. I also realised that I adore product design and that I could have my ideas brought to life by other skilled artisans. So here we are nearly a year later of me having my hands in many pies, working in collaboration with a couple of creative friends and other small family business owners. It’s been exciting to see each project develop, albeit slowly. There are more collaborative projects in the works which I’ll share more about them in the coming months.
INTRODUCING PROJECT NO. 1 — EVERYDAY SKETCHBOOKS
An almirah full of tea stained papery goodness designed for your everyday sketches, inky trails and mess making, from flower pressing, paint swatches and all sorts of everything and anything you want to document in an imperfectly beautiful way.
There is still a bit of work to be done before these everyday sketchbooks become available. The Holiday Gift Shop, launches on 10th Nov!
STORYTELLER PRE-ORDER UPDATE
We’re into the third week of making your pre-ordered storyteller journals, between my Mum, Brian and myself we are working like good little beavers, chipping away at the longest list of orders for the Storyteller collection ever. Humbled and in awe of your love for this collection! It warms the cockles of my heart, that’s deep in Yorkshire terms! ♥️ Maybe you have been watching the process over on my Instagram stories, but I know most people miss what I share on that app, this is another reason I am enjoying using Substack to share this longer monthly update with you as it allows me to share behind the scenes videos with you easily.
‘‘Whether you pre-ordered a Storyteller this year or not, I wanted to send out a heartfelt thank you for just allowing me into your inbox and making me feel comfortable to share my craft and a bit of life with you.’’
BEYOND THE BINDERY IN KNARESBOROUGH
Brian and I made a promise to ourselves to do something different each weekend now that my mobility has improved. Recently we took a short train ride over the Dales to a beautiful medieval village with a witchy history called Knaresborough. It was my first visit to this quaint little hilly town by a river, complete with a castle ruin, thatched cottages, black and white chequered houses, antique shops and a witchy, fortune telling past; a place straight out of a storybook.
Apparently, Knaresborough is the most Instagrammable village in North Yorkshire, so of course there were many people posing for selfies in front of the ancient viaduct. I’ll have to make a trip back soon on a weekday when it’s quiet, mostly to have a rummage in all the antique shops for textiles and object to add to my growing collection of things to make journals with or add to the covers. Maybe on the next visit I’ll go to see the oldest paid attraction in England, Mother Shipton’s cave and The Petrifying Well, which turns everyday objects into stone because of the minerals in the water or maybe by witchcraft as they thought back in Medieval times! People have come from far and wide for hundred of years to hang all kinds of objects from the edge of the cliff, 3 months later the object can be collected once it has been petrified and turned to stone! Sounds like something out of Harry Potter!
I’m wondering what to take with me to hang up on the edge of Mother Shipton’s cave… an awl, a journal, a paintbrush or maybe a hammer? What would you hang up?
The queue was a mile long for the Petrifying Well and we were hungry so we decided to stop for lunch by the river Nidd where I gave one of the everyday sketchbooks a test run while watching happy people rowing boats. After lunch we took a walk around the town marvelling at homes and gardens with date palms, olive, banana and fig trees, strangely growing fruit, in Yorkshire! I’m still a bit confused about how they were growing there and I have come away wondering how I can grow them in our garden 30 mins up the road!
‘‘Inspiration is gathered when we venture away from the spaces we create in.’’
MOODBOARD FOR A FUTURE COLLECTION OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
It’s been so wonderful to be able to get out again with ease. We’re planning on visiting as many quaint little towns and villages while we’re still living in Yorkshire. It’s been 7 years since we moved to England from Ireland and I’m getting the itch to move again, there’s so many places to experience and explore, but there is so much of the county I was born in that I haven’t yet seen. If you ever you happen to find yourself in Yorkshire, Knaresborough is a town worth spending a day in.
If you got to the end of this letter, thank you for taking the time to read it.
Until next time,
stay curiously creative,
Loved reading about your process and totally agree, I am always so much more creative and productive when I’ve been away from my home studio. Your sketch books are beautiful, I’d love to get my hands on one of your new sketch books when they are released ✨💛