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<\/a><\/p>\nBook artist Rachel Hazell, also known as\u00a0The Travelling Bookbinder, will be taking part in the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2025 with an innovative junk journaling workshop. <\/p>\n
The hands-on session will take place as part of the Festival\u2019s programme, running from 9-24 August at the Edinburgh Futures Institute.<\/p>\n
Perfectly aligned with this year\u2019s overarching Book Festival theme of\u00a0Repair, Rachel\u2019s workshop invites participants to transform discarded ephemera into beautiful, meaningful books through the meditative art of junk journaling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be part of this year\u2019s Festival and to explore how broken, forgotten, or discarded materials can be given new life and purpose,\u201d\u00a0says Rachel.\u00a0\u201cIt perfectly embodies the Festival\u2019s mission to examine \u2018the many things around us which feel broken, and how we might seek to fix them.\u2018\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis workshop represents the essence of what repair means in creative practice,\u201d\u00a0explains Rachel, whose acclaimed book\u00a0Bound: 15 Beautiful Bookbinding Projects\u00a0has inspired bookmakers worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re taking fragments of the past \u2013\u00a0envelopes, festival flyers, travel tickets, magazines, brochures, old maps and maybe even an old book that has fallen apart and won\u2019t be read again\u00a0\u2013 and weaving them into new narratives. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about finding beauty in the discarded and creating something whole from the damaged or broken.\u201d<\/p>\n About the Workshop<\/p>\n The immersive workshop offers participants the opportunity to engage in mindful making through collage, transforming everyday detritus into treasured keepsakes. While all necessary materials will be provided, attendees are encouraged to bring their own \u2018found handwriting\u2019 \u2013 personal ephemera that carries emotional resonance and hidden stories.<\/p>\n Drawing on her expertise in traditional bookbinding techniques combined with contemporary artistic sensibilities, Rachel will guide participants through the process of:<\/p>\n Selecting and preparing discarded materials for creative reuse<\/p>\n Understanding the emotional and narrative potential within forgotten fragments<\/p>\n Mastering fundamental junk journaling techniques<\/p>\n Creating personal books that serve as both artistic expression and meaningful record-keeping<\/p>\n About Rachel Hazell \u2013 The Travelling Bookbinder<\/p>\n Drawing her inspiration from remote landscapes, typography, shorelines, flea-markets and remarkable literary cities, book artist Rachel Hazell takes people on creative journeys, making books and unfolding stories. Home is the city of Edinburgh and the small Hebridean island of Iona. Through The Travelling Bookbinder, she conducts bookart workshops globally, from Venetian palazzos to Nantucket libraries.<\/p>\n As both teacher and author, Hazell has built an international reputation for her innovative approach to bookbinding that combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary storytelling. <\/p>\n Her work emphasizes the transformative power of handmade books and the deep connection between physical making and emotional healing.<\/p>\n Her published works include the critically acclaimed\u00a0Bound: 15 Beautiful Bookbinding Projects, and she offers both in-person workshops in inspiring locations worldwide and comprehensive online courses through her digital platform.<\/p>\n Edinburgh International Book Festival 2025<\/p>\n Taking place from 9-24 August, Edinburgh International Book Festival are delighted to announce our 2025 programme, with close to 700 events featuring 641 writers from 35 countries, across 6 continents. Repair is the Book Festival\u2019s core theme for 2025, seeking to explore the many things around us which feel broken, and how we might seek to fix them.<\/p>\n The theme resonates across multiple dimensions \u2013 from environmental restoration to emotional healing, from social justice to personal recovery. Rachel\u2019s workshop exemplifies this approach by demonstrating how creative practice can serve as both personal therapy and cultural commentary.<\/p>\n Further opportunities\u00a0<\/p>\n Rachel also hosts workshops all over the world, from her homes in Edinburgh and Iona, to Paris, Bath and Venice. <\/p>\n You can find more information and booking details here:\u00a0<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.thetravellingbookbinder.com\/product-category\/workshops\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n To try your hand at Rachel\u2019s craft from the comfort of your own home you can find her hugely popular e-courses here:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n