How a Tiny Accordion Book Changed My Life

In 2000, I became a mother—and also, it turns out, a bookbinder.

At the time, scrapbooking was everywhere. You couldn’t walk into a craft store without seeing aisles of acid-free paper, decorative scissors, and sticker packs from Creative Memories. Every new parent I knew seemed to be creating elaborate 12” x 12” spreads to document their child’s life.

I tried to keep up. I really did. But I just didn’t have the bandwidth. I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and—if I’m being honest—a little inadequate. The pressure to perfectly capture every moment of my daughter’s early years felt like another impossible standard I was failing to meet.

One day, in the midst of this season of not-enoughness, I made my daughter Hannah a tiny accordion book. It was nothing fancy—just a few folds, some cardstock, and small 2-inch square photos of her faraway grandparents, aunts, and uncles. We were living thousands of miles away from family, and I wanted her to have something she could hold in her hands and flip through. A tiny reminder of connection.

She loved it.

So I made her another—this time with photos of her friends.

She loved that one too.

And I realized… I loved making them. Something clicked. I had found my creative spark.

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Back then, there weren’t many resources for bookbinding. The books I found were dry, complicated, and full of hard-to-follow diagrams. YouTube was barely a thing. Pinterest was new. And I couldn’t find the kind of clear, encouraging guidance I was craving.

So I figured it out on my own—through trial and error, late-night crafting sessions, and a whole lot of structurally questionable books. But I kept going—because I loved it.

Eventually, friends began asking me to teach them. So I did. I rented a studio space. I started offering classes. I sold my books on Etsy. Slowly but surely, this little passion project became something more.

But I never stopped thinking about how isolating it had felt in the beginning—and how different it might have been if I’d had a supportive, creative community and lessons that actually made sense.

So in 2019, I built the resource I wish I’d had:

✨ The Handmade Book Club ✨

It started small, but it quickly grew into something beautiful. Today, the club includes:

• A welcoming online community full of curious, creative people from all over the world
• Over 70 book structures, each with clear video tutorials and written directions
• Monthly guest artist workshops, Zoom gatherings, and a shared belief that creativity should be joyful—not perfect

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Looking back, it still amazes me how a tiny accordion book—made in a moment of overwhelm—could shape the next 25 years of my life.

I’ve made more than a thousand books now. I’ve taught thousands of students. And I’ve seen firsthand the joy, healing, and sense of purpose that can come from working with our hands.

If you’re curious about bookmaking—whether you’re brand new or returning to it after years away—there’s room for you here. You don’t need perfection. You don’t need fancy tools.

You just need paper, a little time, and the willingness to begin.

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Ready to try your first project?

 Get started with my free 35-minute mini book tutorial—no experience needed.
👉 Click here for your free lesson

Or come see what the Handmade Book Club is all about:
👉 Explore the club and join the community

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