SCRAP PAPER CIRCUS
Upcycled Bookbinding Studio
Bel Mills, Book Artist
Do You LOVE Books?
Have ANY
souvenir postcards
stashed in a drawer?
What if You Could Bring Your Passions Together?
introducing
UPCYCLED BOOKBINDING 101
File Folders + Postcards = LOVE
Where you'll create a set of
one-of-a-kind journals using paper most people overlook
Your Bookmaking Adventure Awaits!
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Create 4 clever journals from salvaged paper
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Showcase your favorite postcards in book form
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Complete charming collages with just a few postage stamps
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Make beautiful books out of boring office supplies
Just $67
take a sneak peak
What Topics Are Covered In This Class?
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ALL the basics of bookbinding and paper upcycling
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Two different notebook spines and how to create them
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Four easy, decorative stitches: pamphlet, chain, twisted chain and dot-dash
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The unexpected truth about folding found paper
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Enhancing upcycled paper with bookcloth tape
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Creating a button-and-string closure from scratch
Here's everything you'll
get with the class:
1 Over 5 HOURS OF PRE-RECORDED VIDEO, with 15
lessons and simple, easy-to-follow steps
2 HAND ILLUSTRATED INSTRUCTIONS -- to create more
notebooks later without rewatching the videos
3 BONUS VIDEOS demonstrating variations of the
notebooks, as well as book photography tips
4 MATERIALS LIST, with links, detailing all the supplies
you'll need
5 RESOURCE LIST, with links, to online sources of collectable postcards, vintage postage stamps, and more
6 INSTANT ACCESS to all the video lessons, so you can dive
in when you're ready, set your own pace, and fast-forward and
rewind as much as you like.
7 LIFETIME ACCESS to all the course materials, including any
future updates or bonuses added to the class
So, is this a beginner's class?
This class is perfect for beginners, BUT even
experienced bookmakers will appreciate:
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Understanding salvaged paper on a deeper level
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Discovering a clever use for your favorite postcards
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Learning simple stitches you may have overlooked
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Having a new gift idea for book-loving friends and neighbors
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Discovering a new approach to bookmaking that's sustainable, affordable, inventive and fun
What Students Are Saying...
Upcycled Bookbinding 101 is lovely and open-ended. I can use this method to create any shape or size notebook with any type of cover (with a recycled greeting card for instance). I loved hearing Bel's tips and tricks. It was also helpful to hear her tips about where to find specific materials. The illustrated instructions are beautiful!
--Carey Piech
The class is great inspiration, a lot of fun, and amazing instruction. Wow! Virtual classes can seem intimidating, but I felt Bel was in the room with me and the other students. Her classes are well organized and easy to follow, and along the way she includes topics like the best adhesives for each project. She guides students in a clear, friendly way, and seems sincerely happy to see students’ results. I look forward to future classes!
–Judy Shasky Nadler
Bel is a great art teacher with a gorgeous aesthetic. She is very inventive and glad to share all her techniques. She does this in a very thoughtful, engaging way that came across through the camera. Her lessons were packed full of excellent instruction backed with exciting visuals. I could tell that she wanted every student to get the very most out of their experience
–Vici Gray
Bel's down-to-earth approach [in Upcycled Bookbinding 101] was great for a total beginner to try things out and gain the confidence to keep exploring creativity. Making four different notebooks with slight differences each time allowed us to repeat the basics while building on them. The natural presentation style was refreshing (mistakes are left in to show how you'd fix them!)
--Didi Santos
I have taken several of Bel’s classes. All are wonderful to gain knowledge on bookmaking, have fun, and leave with creative, personalized books. Her upcycling, unique style and colors help inspire and unleash your creativity. Whether you are a beginner or experienced bookmaker, you will be at ease with the detailed instructions. And since classes are recorded you can watch the videos again. I highly recommend and look forward to her new classes!
--Nancy Slyman
Bel was such a terrific instructor. Besides her artistry, she encouraged beginners
to learn new techniques and create awesome projects!
--Melissa Howe
Taking a class with Bel Mills is more than bookmaking instruction. It introduces you to her wonderful style, creativity, and way of thinking. The upcycled method means supplies are affordable and expensive tools are not required. Her style of teaching is paced nicely, easy to follow, and welcoming to all levels. Along the way, she offers wonderful tips and tricks to make the creative process easier to execute. Once you’ve completed a project, you can make more independently from the instructions that she provides. Her classes are among the best I’ve taken and I always look forward to new ones being offered.
–Jill Berry
STUDENT WORK
Your instructor
Have we met?
I'm Bel Mills, intrepid book artist and trusty guide on your upcycled bookbinding journey.
My home studio, Scrap Paper Circus, is nestled just outside the vibrant city of Washington DC, and it's where I hang my multiple hats as book artist, devoted teacher, and avid upcycler. Since 2016, I've been crafting one-of-a-kind handmade books from the most unexpected of sources--salvaged paper. But it's not just about me – I'm here to teach you how to unlock your inner book artist too!
Join Our Merry Band of Imaginative Book Artists
You see, we're not just bookbinders; we're creative adventurers who believe art is a way to re-imagine the world. We see magic concealed in ordinary materials and find potential where others might not. To us, a simple cereal box isn't boring; it's a book waiting to be born! Envelopes, cardboard boxes, paper sacks, even old file folders – these are our raw materials, ready to be transformed into extraordinary handmade books and mail art.
You Can Do It, Too
Best of all, every one of my classes follows this philosophy. I’ll show you that you're surrounded by bookmaking supplies if you know where to look. This approach liberates us from the fear of "ruining" precious materials, encourages us to follow the call of creative experimentation, and infuses our book-making with a sense of freedom, whimsy, and delight! Our adventures result in clever, personalized journals that aren't just beautiful; they're an absolute joy to create and use.
My Artistic Journey
The seeds of Scrap Paper Circus were planted in 2015. After a decade dedicated to parenting, I embarked on a new adventure by enrolling in book arts classes at our local university. There, I was captivated by the Fluxus artists of the 1960s and 70s, who turned everyday materials like envelopes, magazine clippings, and photocopies into art and artist books.
Inspired, I began blending classic bookbinding techniques with found paper. The encouragement of a professor who purchased one of my original upcycled designs kindled a creative fire within me. Soon after, another instructor approached me, asking if I'd step into her teaching role at a nearby art center. And thus, my teaching career began!
After six fulfilling years of juggling teaching and selling handmade books on Etsy, I made a bold decision in 2022: I suspended my Etsy shop and devoted myself entirely to teaching. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm thrilled to have you along for the ride!
Upcycled Bookbinding Is Your path to Creative Living Through Inventive Bookmaking!
Learn to see the ordinary paper with new eyes, find magic in the mundane, and discover artistic possibilities where others don't. Join me to see how it's done!