books

Mandy is almost home from her honeymoon, which is a good thing for us, because I'm anxious for wedding pictures. As one of Mandy's sisters, I can promise you that she looked like a total babe on her wedding day, although that probably isn't a big surprise to any of you.

I was lucky to spend winter 2007 in icy cold London. I missed my sisters like crazy, I thought about my boyfriend (now husband) constantly and I was completely broke. Pathetic? Just a little bit. I spent a lot of time on my bed eating Galaxy bars and even more time getting lost on the Tube. It didn't take me long to find out that if there is one awesome thing in London* it's the shopping. And time after time I found myself in a cozy British paper store.

The thing is, British paper stores are nothing like American paper stores. They are chock full of cheeky greeting cards, draped with exquisite wrapping paper, literally dripping with ribbons. I really lost myself in those stores. My London friends laughed every time I came home, because I always returned with a card, or a roll of tiny marbled paper tucked into a little shopping bag.

I came home with a lot more paper than money and I needed something to do with it. I begged myself into a packed bookbinding class at BYU, and learned how to sew, glue, and bend paper to make books. I haven't stopped bookbinding since, and my paper supply is running low. Guess I need another trip across the pond . Who's with me?

*It turns out, there are many many awesome things about London.