Summary

The website content describes the author's journey of creating a handmade poetry chapbook as a gift, inspired by a challenge and a past experience of crafting a recipe book.

Abstract

The author of the web content, who enjoys challenges, was inspired by Christina Ward to create a poetry chapbook. This project was prompted by a combination of reading an article on chapbooks and the serendipitous appearance of a POM group event focused on chapbook creation. The author, who has written hundreds of poems over three years, selected ten thematic poems for the chapbook, deciding to handwrite them for a personal touch. The process involved choosing suitable paper, writing without mistakes, and carefully planning the order of the poems. The chapbook, titled "Holding My Heart," was hand-stitched with jute-like string and presented to the author's partner, who was deeply moved by the gift. The author expresses satisfaction with the result and considers making more chapbooks in the future.

Opinions

The author has a positive view of creative challenges, particularly those that are "artsy and crafty."
Handwriting the poems is seen as a way to add a personal and artistic touch to the chapbook.
The author values the aesthetic and tactile qualities of the materials used, such as the sketchbook paper and jute-like string.
There is a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality in the author's desire for the recipient to still have the recipe book made in high school, which parallels the creation of the poetry chapbook.
The author believes in the therapeutic power of tea, humorously noting its "regenerating powers" during the challenging task of handwriting without errors.
The act of creating the chapbook is portrayed as a labor of love, with the author taking great care in the selection and presentation of the poems for their partner.
The author is pleased with the emotional impact of the chapbook on the recipient, indicating a successful realization of the intended gift.

My Poetry Chapbook

Because Christina Ward 💗 set a challenge and I couldn’t resist

I love a good challenge.

Well, I think this was an event, but it was creative and artsy and crafty so what’s not to love?

Handmade Chapbook Event

a POM event

medium.com

Sometimes the universe just swirls things in front of you. I had just read an article on Chapbooks for poetry when the POM group Chapbook event popped up. Of course, I was in!

Christina wrote an article about her experiences of making her own chapbook when she was studying. It reminded me of a little book I made for a friend when I was in high school.

It was full of recipes for things like face masks and scrubs, homemade shampoo and hair treatments. I decorated it all by hand, bordered the pages with little vines, with leaves and flowers. I loved it!

I really hope she still has it. And the chapbook idea kind of reminds me of that.

All Poets Should Create a Handmade Poetry Chapbook

It will become one of your most treasured possessions

medium.com

The start:

I went through my poems. I have hundreds. I have been writing poetry daily for over 3 years. So I collated some that had a theme. I only needed 10 for this little experiment. I chose poems that I wrote a few years ago, for my partner. I decided this little chapbook would be a gift for him.

I decided to handwrite my poems. Mainly because I don’t have a printer at home and my laptop is running a little slow at times so I didn’t want to bother with formatting anything. My handwriting is okay, I have nice paper and pens, and I could make little sketches as well.

The process:

I chose the paper from a nice sketchbook. It’s a nice weight, not too thick so I could double over one page to make one page in the chapbook. Not so thick that I couldn’t stitch it together.

Sketchbook paper, pens, and thread for stitching. (photo: author)

I then had to think about order — which poem first and so on. I sort of went in a ‘shortest to longest’ poem order, not sure why. They just fit well like that.

Of course, when you choose to handwrite, and you are having double pages as I did, you have to ensure you don’t make mistakes or you’ll be re-doing 2 poems.

Handwriting is not for the faint-hearted! (photo: author)

That was all fine until the very last page, which was re-written 4 times!! I actually took a large break which included chocolate and a cup of tea between attempts 3 and 4.

There is no underestimating the regenerating powers of a cup of tea.

I then worked on the title page, dedication page (it’s a gift for my partner, my muse and biggest fan).

My chapbook — Holding My Heart (photo: author)

The binding I chose was more about what I had on hand, which was jute-like string. Luckily my workplace had a sharp needle that made the sewing of the binding easier.

Fiddly little sewing — sharp needles required! (photo: author)

The result:

I am very happy with my little chapbook. The fella was delighted with his gift and had tears in his eyes when he read through it! So lovely!

One page with a handwritten poem and little leaf sketch, front cover with jute string binding. (photo: author)

I think I might even make a few more!

Lisa Bolin is a crafty poet! She lives on the Åland Islands with her partner, taking inspiration from nature and the surrounding water…and love.