Normally, I am not trendy gal. I leave that to my teenage daughters. Accessories? What are those? But I have found an accessory I absolutely am salivating over! A book purse. A purse made out of an old book. For all you authors out there trying to spread the word about your new book–wouldn’t a book purse featuring your book lead to some great conversations? Unless, of course, you’re a man and then it just may just lead to some great eyebrow raising!
I got in touch with Michelle Pulis of Phoenix, Arizona to find out how this 26 year old graduate of Johnson and Wales University became the book purse lady.
Jodi: How did your company, Spoonful of Chocolate, start?
Michelle: I wanted to start a business to help my parents out. They are going through a tough time right now because they co-signed a loan for my uncle’s business that eventually went under. My parents are about to face losing their fully paid off house that my father built with his own hands. I have always been a “crafty” person. Every year for Christmas and Birthdays I would go out of my way to make extravagant and personalized gifts for everyone. I would say that the real “start date” of my business was on December 30th 2008.
Jodi: How did you get from chocolate to books?
Michelle: Funny story actually… initially I started my business selling “Chocolate Spoons” meant to stir in your coffee, great for when you have people over! Well, eventually that back-fired on me when I discovered that if I would even take one step outside into the 120 degree Arizona heat they would instantly melt into a puddle of chocolate syrup. So, I had to start thinking of new ideas. A few months later I saw a tutorial on how to make a clutch out of a book. I decided to add some handles, pockets and buttons and change the production process a little to make the handbags sturdier and started selling these online.
Jodi: Where do you get the books?
Michelle: I usually go to local book stores. Sometimes I have luck at garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets. There is supposed to be a huge book sale at our local fairgrounds next month. I’m quite excited about it!
Jodi: Do you ever use new books? That is, if an author wanted to have a purse made out of a book they had written(fun way to advertise their book), would you do that?
Michelle: I don’t usually do new books just because of how expensive they can get. However, I do have many people send me books that they have found. I usually tell everyone to make sure the book is a hardcover book (preferably with no dust-jacket), and the thicker the book the better because it can hold more!
Jodi: The purse doesn’t include the actual pages with the book’s story. What happens to those pages?
Michelle: The buyer has the option of paying more to have the pages re-bound with the matching fabric from the book handbag to make a gift set.
Otherwise, I just take the pages that are still fully intact and donate them to the International Rescue Committee(IRC) in Phoenix.
Jodi: How did you find out about IRC?
Michelle: My mother immigrated from Czechoslovakia and actually was a refugee at one point. It was when she was younger and they were fleeing the Russians in 1968. So the idea of relocating refugees had always appealed to me. I started volunteering for this organization about 2 years ago. I “adopted” a family from Burma who have spent over 25 years in refugee camps! When they first came to America I helped show them around. I showed them how to use the oven, where the post office is, signed them up for ESL classes, took them roller skating for the first time, etc. I absolutely love them. They are like a part of my family now!
When I donate the books they are able to give them directly to the refugees. It’s a great way to learn/practice English. I usually sit down with my refugees with a highlighter and a dictionary and read the book page by page.
Jodi: I’m guessing Spoonful of Chocolate is a side business. What do you do for a day job?
Michelle: I actually work full time as a Study Abroad advisor. I help organize American college students’ study in different countries for short periods of time.
Jodi: Wow, you have quite the international theme running through your life. Any new developments on the book crafting front? New products?
Michelle: I have been making passport holders/wallets out of smaller books. It’s meant to keep the pick-pocketers away while traveling! I also have just recently starting making book shelves from old books. I also plan on making a lamp out of books and maybe even a table one day!
Jodi: I can’t wait to see the lamp! You obviously love to use books creatively. But what types of books do you like to read?
Michelle: I usually like books that are based in an international setting. For example I loved The Historian and The Shadow of the Winds. I have also just recently read Three Cups of Tea which I felt was very inspiring. I would honestly say my favorite books right now are the Twilight series. I was pretty skeptical about reading them- but immediately caught on to the addiction. I didn’t even talk to my boyfriend for 3 weeks when reading them.
Jodi: Well, thanks for your time Michelle. Hope I didn’t take you away from a life of reading and repurposing book!
It really is a small world after all…and I’m not just saying that because I’d rather be in Florida than in Pennsylvania anticipating 10 to 15 inches of snow! Recently I’ve been playing the writer’s version of Six Degrees of Seperation.