Red Head Wondering
Based in Wiltshire, Red Head Wondering is the creative force behind a collection of hand-bound journals that are as meaningful as they are beautiful. Each one is a work of art – its cover made from original cyanotype prints created using sunshine, wildflowers and a touch of alchemy. For their maker, journaling isn’t just about writing; it’s an act of self-expression, reflection and healing. Through her art, she encourages others – especially women – to honour their words, explore their inner worlds, and keep their stories safe within something truly special.
Tell us a bit about your background and why you started your creative business.
I create beautiful hand bound journals because I really do believe that our words are worth it!
I got into making journals because I am a journal keeper myself, and I wanted to make beautiful books for myself. Now, I make them for other women who want to explore their inner world through journaling.
I first learned an ancient form of bookbinding called Coptic stitching, which is perfect for journals because this form of binding allows the books to lie completely flat when they are opened. Over the last year I have been studying the art of bookbinding with an incredible book artist, and I am learning lots of different techniques.
Most of the covers for my books are original cyanotype prints, which I create using wildflowers and sunshine and a little bit of magic … these are not just journals; each one is a unique work of art!
So, what exactly is a journal? It’s your story, your history, your present moment. It’s a gateway into who you really are and how you really feel. It’s a place to play and a place to get down to some serious work. Keeping a journal, whether you do it every day, once a week, or only in moments of strong emotions, (good or bad), can be so many of these things, and so much more.
Keeping a journal is meditation, it’s a place where you can open up a dialogue with your inner self, or your inner child, or your inner crazy-person-who-just-needs-to-rant!!
For me, keeping a journal has always been my link to myself, a place where I can be my true self, and a space for me to explore what I might become.
Expressive writing is creativity in action, and it is always good for you. I always choose beautiful notebooks and other women should too … Because their words are worth it.
My journals are for writers and artists.
They are for journalers and scrapbookers.
My Journals are for anyone who wants to treasure their words and thoughts and ideas.
My Journals are for dreamers.
Because they are handcrafted, using original cyanotype prints for the covers, each and every journal is a unique piece of art, as well as being the perfect vessel for people’s thoughts and feelings, their desires and their dreams.
Journaling quite literally saved my life, and I want to share that with other women. I have a website called A Cauldron of Crones, which I set up with my closest friend, Meghan, where we share our love of the inner work, our writing and our art. I am also a guide in the most amazing online membership for women who want to journey home to themselves (Gene Keys Unleashed with Hayley Curtis). I use my 25+ years of journaling experience to encourage women find their voice through journaling, encouraging them to write down their truths so that they may right their lives.
I’m originally from Scotland, but now I live in Wiltshire.
I love to take photographs and grow flowers. Oh, and in case you hadn’t already guessed … I’m a stationery addict!!
What do you make and how would you describe your style?
Hand bound books using my own original Cyanotype prints for covers. Because I want my hand bound books to be beautiful, whether they be journals or commonplace books, sketchbooks or photograph albums, I use only the loveliest materials.
The covers are made with original cyanotype prints, a fascinating alternative photography process, which is part art, part science, part alchemy.
I use wildflowers from the hedgerows around my home, or flowers from my garden, as the subjects of my prints.
Because no two cyanotype prints are the same, even if I’ve used the same flowers and ingredients in both, every book I create is completely unique.
It’s important to me to not only use paper that is aesthetically pleasing to me, but also that is either handmade, environmentally friendly, sustainably sourced, or fair-traded. In an ideal world it will tick all of these boxes!
The paper I use for the pages is always recycled cartridge paper, 140 gsm, or even heavier weight for sketchbooks or albums.
The paper is recycled from used coffee cups, and is supplied by a small, family-run business in Brighton, again, because I want to keep it local and keep it small as much as possible.
Because it’s 100% recycled, it has a slight texture to it which is great for crayons, pastel and paint work, so my books are perfect for artists.
I hand tear it or cut the paper to size, to keep the natural feel to the process.
The grey board I use to keep the covers stiff is also recycled … got to think about our carbon footprint whenever possible!
For the inner covers, I use handmade Nepalese Lokta or Washi papers, and I always try to find the best match for the prints.
Once I have assembled all the parts … the covers are glued and have holes punched in them, the pages have all been pierced in the appropriate places … the books are then bound together.
The thread that’s used in Coptic bookbinding is waxed. I use Irish Linen thread because it doesn’t stretch. It is extremely strong, making it perfect for bookbinding.
I use all of these wonderful materials to create my journals and they’re not cheap, but do you know what?! I believe my words are worth it.
I also cyanotype print onto wooden art boards, so they can be displayed on the wall. And I print onto ceramic bisque fired dishes as well.
What inspires your work?
The natural world is my inspiration. I use flowers from my own garden or wildflowers from the hedgerows around my Wiltshire home as the subjects for my prints. I always want my books to look and feel as natural as possible, so I am very choosy about what materials I use, and who I source them from. (Other small British businesses every time!)
I am inspired by book artists, modern and ancient. The manuscripts of the Mughal Empire and the illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages are a great source of inspiration.
Tell us about your creative process
The process starts with Cyanotype print. I choose the flowers I use in each print very carefully, making sure that they work together. I am always trying to recreate the wildflower meadows around my home, or my own flower beds! I like to add some extra ingredients to the prints … inks and dyes for splashes of colour, coarse sea salt to add a crystallising effect. The wonderful thing about Cyanotypes is that you never know until the very end just what the print will look like … so it’s kind of like magic!
Assembling the books is a meticulous process of choosing the right paper, tearing it to size, and then carefully stitching each of the sections together, using the best linen thread in a colour that will complement the cover print.
Every step of the process is done by hand.
What’s your workspace or studio like?
Oh my goodness, I dream of having a studio! For the moment, I live in a very small house (with a very understanding husband!), so my workspace tends to be my desk, my coffee table, all available floor space, my bedroom, my bathroom and my kitchen! I also spend a lot of time in my garden when I am making the prints, because I use the sun to develop them! I will also sit in the garden to stitch my books together, whenever the weather allows!
What’s your favourite thing to make – and why?
I actually love all of the books I make, but I have a particular fondness for the larger (A4) journals, simply because you really get to appreciate the depth and texture of the Cyanotype prints on such a big cover. I have also recently started to experiment with leather bindings, and I am rather in love with using soft Italian suede!
What’s something people might not know about your craft or the skills involved?
They often think the covers are painted, when in actual fact a Cyanotype print is a very old form of photography, where you use the sun’s UV rays to develop the print, and whatever your subject is (in my case it’s always flowers), leaves a ghostly negative on the paper.
What does creativity mean to you?
In a word, everything!! I have realised over the last few years that I was born to be a creative. Whether I am making books or prints, taking photographs or writing, tending my garden or creating social media posts, I pour my heart and soul into my creativity. Creation for creation’s sake has become a bit of a mantra for me. I love every single step of the creative process that goes into producing one of my books, and every one is created with love.
What does Christmas look like for you?
Christmas is incredibly low-key in our house. My husband and I exchange gifts (usually books!) and then we spend the afternoon driving around Salisbury Plain taking photographs! Then it’s home for pizza and chips, which has become our Christmas Dinner of Choice in the last few years!!!
Do you have any festive products you’d like us to highlight?
I don’t really make “festive” products. I simply make books that are the best Christmas presents, because every single one is unique … what better way to show your “someone special” just how special they are … one of a kind gifts, that no one else will ever own!
Which three Folksy things are you buying for, or Folksy shops are you buying from, this Christmas – or would love to receive?
Anything from Macclesfield Bag Works. I already own several of Alison’s bags, and they are fabulous. I would also love anything from Lost in the Pale House, especially Daniel’s frames. I also completely love Michelle Leaver Jewellery. Any of her gorgeous blues!!!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about starting a creative business?
I would say first, do what you love most. Oh, and join Folksy!!
What is a quote you live by?
To step into your power means to trust yourself, your instincts, and your intuition. To let the fear go and the shame and tell the stories which need to be told.
Sharon Blackie
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To find out more about Peach Plot head to her shop or read all our previous maker interviews here.
