Putting Our Best Cover Forward!
Today Avelino and I took another load of books in to Charlotte Elliott to help them prepare for the busy, gift-buying shopping season that is upon us. While we were there, we were super excited to see the beautiful display they’ve created just for UpDown Press and Bindery.
One of my favorite things about book binding is watching paper and board and glue and thread transform into the finished product–that amazing shift from piece to whole is breath taking. And that’s usually where I stop thinking about it, but today I got to see the display turn our books from simple journals into a collected whole, which was amazing.
I am extra thankful to the folks at Charlotte Elliott for their genuine enthusiasm for our work. It’s nice doing business with real people who clearly love books and are able to see the artistry and time that go in to these pieces. I also feel they deserve special recognition for the attention they are willing to give to this small press–in a bigger store, it’s highly unlikely we’d get a dedicated display, much less one so nice. The books look so at home on those library steps, nuzzling up to one another. It was nice, too, to see that they had included a book on journaling in the display, as a way to encourage would-be writers in their pursuit of self-reflection.
All in all, it’s been a busy month. I’ve made about 40 books for Charlotte Elliott, in addition to teaching and my work at UMBC. I’m ready to slow down the pace a bit as we move into the holidays and spend some time with family. In spite of my need for a bit of rest, I’m still scheming away on what will come next (a bound Abecedarium, book ornaments, and a couple custom orders that need my attention), and I’m incredibly thankful for how fortunate this fledgling press has been to land in such a wonderful place.
So, if you have a moment, come and visit Charlotte Elliott in Hampden and take a look at all their wonderful wares. And be sure to say hello to our books–even if you don’t find one to take home with you, I promise they’ll appreciate the visitors.
2 Responses 
Wow, that looks fantastic!
Thanks, Jenny! It was so exciting to see it!
[...] delivered some more books to Charlotte Elliott today, and because I have absolutely no impulse control and I pretty much love everything in that place, [...]