Welcome to my site! This site is mostly dedicated to documenting my journey learning the art of book binding. I’ve also shared projects that I’ve worked on in the past – notably photography and podcasting. I hope you’ll enjoy this little corner on the web!
My Shop
Recent posts
The sun
when feeling low and down belowwhen feeling trapped under the snow the golden rays undo what’s spunand i step out into the sun
Vocabsy – Build the longest word chain in 60 seconds
If you’ve ever been on road trips with friends or family, you know this – after it’s been a few hours and you’ve exhausted various entertainment options, be it conversations or listening to podcasts or checking out the outside scenery, at some point you get bored and someone or the other suggests playing a game.…
I finally found a leather paring knife
Ok…so – if you’ve ever tried to make your own hard cover leather journal, and you’re like me in that you’re self taught and you’re using whatever leather you can find to cover your journal – you will understand this problem: If you’re using even remotely thick leather, when the time comes to fold over…
Bookbinding excursions in Melbourne
Over the winter break in Dec last year, I went to Australia for two weeks. As has now become customary on any trip that I take, I try to spend atleast a little time looking for stores specializing in handmade books and bookbinding. You never know what you might find! I visited a few different…
Bookbinding excursions in Florence
I recently went on a one week trip to Florence, Italy – the heart of the renaissance, a city filled with gorgeous sculptures and art at every turn and corner. As a bookbinding enthusiast, I of course carved out some time to find some “true bookbinding” workshops in Florence. After all, this was the birthplace…
If you don’t use it, you lose it
I recently went on a 7 day hiking trip to Iceland. It was one of those trips where you hike as part of a larger group, giving you the chance to not only experience extraordinary scenery, but also meet new and interesting people from many different parts of the world. I loved the trip. The…
An ode to keeping a travel journal
The Smell of Spices and History I open my leather journal and take a deep breath. The smell of spices and history wafts up from the pages, reminding me of my recent trip to Istanbul. I close my eyes and let the memories wash over me. I can see the bustling streets of the Grand…
Change your environment to interrupt your thought patterns
For the last few months, I’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts. My job is mostly remote and while working from home offers a lot of flexibility, it also keeps one at home for majority of the time. I find that when I spend the bulk of my time in the same place, it…
The benefits of bookbinding for mental health
On days when you might be feeling a bit stressed, anxious or just low on energy, it is helpful to have an activity that can take your mind off of things, and help you calm down. Bookbinding is one such activity that can help ease you out. The process of bookbinding can be a meditative…
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Sonali Mangal 