I’d like to start off this post by saying that I am an avid reader. I love the written word and I love books. When I studied in Paris when I was in college, I took a bookbinding course in Montmartre with Eloise Baille.

I respect books and the wonderful history that goes along with their creation. So, when I butcher one later on in this post- I do so with the greatest love and respect.

I’ve been inspired by a lot of book purses that I’ve seen lately.  I think they’re neat.  So, I went to the Salvation Army near our shop and found a few hardcover books- 6 to be exact.  Then the nice lady told me that they were 10 for $1…so I got 14 more. I had A BALL picking them out.  There are books with the title “A Woman of Substance” or “The Life of the Party” and “California Girl”….how fun!  I did not find many pieces of fine literature- and that’s ok.

What I find the most entertaining about this process is finding books with funny/ironic titles- which generally are not the great works of our time.

Except for the book that I tore up this time!  Marjane Satrapi is the author of, among other books, the graphic novel Persepolis.  It is about her childhood in Iran and her experience growing up under a repressive regime.  It’s a revolutionary novel and Ms. Satrapi has my greatest respect as a writer and artist.

Now that I’ve got my foundation and all my sewing jazz, I start to space it out.  It’s clear that I’ll need to cut down my notebook, because it’s too long.  Also, I don’t use a seam ripper, I use a razor blade- so I’m planning on adding in some magnets under that needle flap to secure the razor blade.  Also, the needles will affix to the magnet and keep the razor blade covered.  I won’t give up my razor blade, and that’s that.