I print watercolour paper with leaves and flowers to create the colourful covers and end pages of my one-of-a-kind handcrafted books. The process of capturing the natural dyes and pigments in plants on paper using heat and pressure is called ecoprinting. First I arrange fresh plant materials between damp sheets of watercolor paper. Then I press these pages with a heavy weight and steam them for approximately an hour and half. Afterwards, I rinse, dry and iron the paper. The colors and impressions left behind depend on the variety and combination of plant materials, the season, and the type of paper and mordant (or fixative) I used.

I love the seasonal cycle of creating my books. I print and dye during the spring, summer and fall. The cold, grey days of winter lend themselves to the meditative process of paper folding and binding. Each book has its own sense of place for me: I remember where I gathered the flowers and leaves that left their unique impressions.

My handcrafted books are made to be used. I brush the covers with a special starch to make them more durable and give them a pleasing leather-like feel. I choose strong waxed linen thread for the hand sewn Coptic stitch binding, which allows the pages to lie flat when the book is opened, and I always use high-quality acid-free paper for the inside pages.

Choose a book that inspires your creativity and write, draw, paint, sketch, collage, doodle, journal and more in it!