I finally made watercolor paper! The original version of my paper was made only from recycled white paper and tap water. It was super absorbent, soft, and textured — great for dry media, but not for watercolor. Gouache or acrylic could still be used, but only with very little water. I wanted to make my … Read more
Thrifted fabric as book covers & 7 tips for making book covers without a paperbackThrifted fabric I got from Value Village: tablecloths and a curtainSecondhand fabric is so abundant—just like recycled paper. Tablecloths, curtains, bedsheets, old jeans—you name it. It’s everywhere and keeps emerging. And since my crafting principle is sustainability, extending the lifespan of … Read more
I made almost 200 handmade books. Here’s the whole story. Back in June 2025, I took on the most epic challenge of my entire paper crafting journey so far: making 175 handmade notebooks within two months. They were gifts for two business events: I was also lucky enough to join this beautiful soiree in Albany, … Read more
Ideas for using my handmade paper and handmade books I’m sharing with you fun ideas on how I use my handmade paper and handmade books. #1 Use handmade paper to bind notebooks I bind the notebooks with a French link and the Kettle stitch technique. They have double-layered glue on the spine, making it strong … Read more
What’s in my handmade paper I like to keep my handmade crafts simple. Let me share with you exactly what I put into my paper during the papermaking process.There are three main ingredients: Let’s break it down. #1 White recycled paper My goal is to make white or off-white paper. So, I use uncoated white … Read more
175 handmade books within two months? I’m on a mission to make 175 handmade books for two events within two months. It’s the biggest handmade book challenge I’ve taken on since starting my business. All of them will be gifts. I don’t make money off of them. I gasped the first time I heard the … Read more
What recycled paper, exactly, do I use to make my paper? The previous life of my beautiful handmade paper I thought it’d be interesting to show you the previous life of the beautiful handmade paper I turn into books and other paper crafts. Most of them are old bills and statement letters sitting in my … Read more
Entrepreneurship broke my old identity and beliefs “Seems like you have no fears at all.” A comment I received from my best friend while we were chatting about life. She was referring to my presence on social media—sharing my stories and selling my products and services over the past few years. It made me pause … Read more
How to make paper at home from recycled paper The ideal result of paper made from recycled paper The goal is to make white or off-white paper, which will make it easy to use in multiple ways, including bookbinding, origami folding, making stickers, stamp printing, etc. The ingredients Dig deeper into each ingredient here. Materials … Read more