Indie Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: Bookish Lady
‘Be Mine’ gets a makeover with a line of handmade valentines and journals
By Sara Grace McCandless
Published: February 8th, 2006 | 11:43am
<center><img alt="bookish.jpg" src="http://venuszine.com/stories/bookish.jpg" width="500" height="280" /></center>
Favorite Valentine’s Day memory: third grade class project, Eagle Elementary School, Farmington Hills, Michigan. Hand-cut construction paper hearts and Modge-Podged doilies transformed ordinary tissue boxes into miniature mailboxes, sitting on our desktops and eagerly awaiting the delivery of an expression of young love (Hey, James with the yellow shirt who sat behind me in class — I’m looking in your direction). The only drawback? Most of the valentines received were of the pre-packaged, mass-produced variety. You know what I’m talking about: the boxes of Hello Kitty, Star Wars, and Care Bear cards with those cheap, flimsy white envelopes. Borrrrring.
Looking for a more unique, hand-crafted way to say, “I don’t just like you — I <i>like</i> like you,” but pressed for time? No problem — Bookish Lady offers a selection of handmade cards, books, and journals in a variety of shapes and sizes. The creations are designed by D.C. artist Moira McCauley, who studied the art of binding at the prestigious Corcoran College of Art + Design. Her work is influenced by a variety of visual triggers and textures, including antique Valentines, Catholicism, knitting manuals, and treasure maps. McCauley also draws inspiration for her book art as part-owner of <a href="http://www.junctiononu.com">Junction*</a>, a cornucopia of vintage clothing as well as eclectic pieces by local designers.
<img alt="bookish2.jpg" src="http://venuszine.com/stories/bookish2.jpg" width="225" height="282" align="right" hspace="10" />Most of the Bookish Lady selections are one-of-a-kind or limited production runs. Current Valentine’s Day offerings include an “Undies” card ($6 a piece) with a hand-drawn corset image stamped from a linoleum block carving. For those who really want to make a proclamation of love, check out the hard-covered accordion book ($30), fashioned with pocketed pages that fold out like — surprise — an accordion.
Some of the pockets are pre-filled with goodies. As McCauley explains, “I am always on the lookout for found and vintage papers and other little trinkets, so I just pulled things from my collection that felt valentine-y to fill it up. I love little pockets and hidden notes and things, because I want it to take a long time for the receiver to notice every detail, and to maybe be surprised by something they didn't initially notice was there.”
Other pockets are blank, allowing you to add in your own personal mementos — ticket stubs from your first movie, a Polaroid of your weekend in New York, a lock of your loved ones hair…well, maybe not the last one.
Bookish Lady also offers a number of selections that transcend the season of Cupid. Check out the series of journals constructed from recycled album covers, such as the “What Bachelors Do” piece with a vintage Ray Conniff cover. The book, 5-5/8” high by 5-1/8” wide, is a half inch thick with 48 pages of white drawing paper. The pink thread binding in a chain-stitch style allows the journal to lay open flat — a real plus whether you’re writing the beginnings of a novel or sketching designs for “Project Runway.” Prices range from $16 - $40, so there’s something to fit everyone’s budget and declare your true love — always.
Visit Bookish Lady online at <a href=”http://wwww.bookishlady.com”>bookishlady.com</a>
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