Michelle Skiba, or Skiba, as her friends call her, started making books when she was 20 years old. I was making paper in my apartment, and I had stacks of it. Not knowing what to do with it all, I decided to start making books, says Skiba. My motto has always been do what you love, and she does, waking up every morning excited to start the day at Three Trees Bindery, where she specializes in designing and creating custom wood photo albums, guest books, and blank journals.
Binding books is a meditated process. The process takes about six hours. Birch bark is her specialty. I peel the bark down to a thin veneer and put the bark on the oak using a press, explains Skiba. Each book is then sanded and finished with tongue oil, so the bark has a natural look and feel. Skiba utilizes a Coptic binding stitch, as well as some other unique techniques that make the books even more gorgeous and one-of-a-kind. For more information visit www.threetreesbindery.com.
