The story of a notebook
Behind every book there’s a story, isn’t it?! It’s definitely true for the porcelain notebooks I make. So let me tell you the story of my special notebooks which are completely handmade …
Ever since I was a child I loved books. Not only to read but also to write in, draw, collect, … During my teenage years I’ve been filling many diaries and started to collect beautiful notebooks. Even now, I can’t resist a lovely notebook. I have quiet a collection of notebooks filled with scribbles, notes, quotes, dried flowers, pictures, … . They are safely put away in an old suitcase. Every now and then I take a look and they take me back to pieces of my past and long forgotten memories. They are a visual thread of my life and I love the idea of leaving subtle bread crumbs along the road that we call life.
Every story begins on a white page. In my case it’s the blank canvas of porcelain. A soft and white flat plate, ready to be changed into a new story.
My story is a tale of flowers, leaves, and much more … It’s a collection of natural beauty combined with visual poetry and botanical elements.
Pieces of leaves and flowers from my garden are put together into a fitting design and rolled into the porcelain. Because of the soft texture of porcelain it’s possible to make delicate and clear prints. Every little detail will be visible.
Once I’ve removed the natural pieces from the clay, I start to colour every detail by hand with ceramic pigments. Before i begin, I create a colour palette in my head because I want the result to be a beautiful colour composition.
On the cover of this seasonal notebook I wanted to use colours that reflect the mood of every season. I even made a small composition with the same flowers and leaves on the back cover. So these notebooks I create are filled with beauty from cover to cover!
Once the porcelain covers are glazed and high fired, I can begin with the inside. Collecting different types of paper and cutting every sheet into the right size. I also add printed pages with digital designs I’ve made in the theme of the notebook.
The pages are bound together with a strong bookbinder’s twine in a colour that matches the cover.
Many pages are decorated with botanical treasures such as dried flowers, tiny envelopes, little stickers and much more. Every notebook is different and unique!
After hours of work, the story is finished and this is the result…
In my collection of notebooks you can discover a small and big version. This smaller one is really enchanting but if you like to write a lot, the bigger one might be more appropriate. It all depends on your preferences!
New notebooks will be available in October when I will have a shop update!