Well hello sweet humans! 💛
It’s me, Joleen—and I’ve just wrapped another Happy Time Craftcast episode that left my heart completely full, my brain buzzing with inspiration, and my tote bag... still full of pens (we’ll get to that). This week I had the absolute delight of chatting with the brilliant, tender, deeply creative soul that is Charlie Andrés—the artist behind Charlie Horse Press. And let me tell you: I learned SO much.
First, let’s talk about my bag (yep... again)
Before we even got to Charlie, I had to share something hilarious and slightly embarrassing—I did a spontaneous “What’s in My Bag?” reveal and, friends, I discovered EIGHTEEN pens floating around in there. Not in a pouch, not organized. Just loose and rolling alongside a rogue chocolate-covered pretzel and some macra beads. Totally normal, right?
I realized something mid-episode: What Jennifer Garner is to almonds, I am to pens. And I just know some of you get it. 😂
Enter: Charlie Andrés – Book Maker, Story Shaper, Magic Creator
Then came Charlie. 💫 And oh my goodness. From the second they popped on the screen, the conversation was cozy, curious, and totally electric with creativity. Charlie is a gender-fluid, neurodivergent, queer Colombian adoptee who creates handmade journals, zines, and letterpress prints—and their work is rooted in identity, memory, and storytelling. I mean, yes please!
They told us how they fell in love with bookbinding, and I was squealing when they pulled out examples of their work (like REAL hardcover books with Coptic stitching and handmade cave paper—more on that in a sec). Their favorite method? Coptic stitch, which they lovingly called their “ride or die.” I’m officially adding that to my crafting vocabulary.
Things I Learned from Charlie (That You Will Love Too)
Here’s just some of the delightful, nerdy, inspiring knowledge Charlie dropped on us:
🌀 Cave Paper is a thing—and it's TOUGH. Like, can’t-tear-it kind of tough. It’s handmade and gorgeous and feels like it belongs in a medieval scribe’s studio.
🎨 Risograph printing is like printing with personality. It’s this magical old-school printer that uses soy-based ink to create textural, vivid, almost stippled prints. Think zines meet screen-printing, with vintage flair.
🔡 Letterpress printing is finicky, fussy, and fabulous. Charlie sets individual metal letters to make prints (like for Jeremy Messersmith’s song lyrics!) and we geeked out over spacing, registration, and the joys of imperfection.
🧠 Being neurodivergent shapes how Charlie creates—favoring tactile, repetitive, grounding processes. They talked about how important it is to make art accessible and inclusive, and my heart basically burst.
📚 Zines and journals aren’t just notebooks—they’re archives of identity, of memory, of belonging. Charlie’s love for sharing their story through paper just glows.
Why You Should Totally Watch (or Listen!) to This Episode
If you’ve ever stitched a spine, journaled through tears, or looked at a book and thought, could I make that?—this episode is for you. 💕
Charlie makes the often-intimidating world of book arts feel joyful and doable. Whether you’re just starting out or you've got glue on your elbows and thread in your teeth (been there), this convo will give you fresh ideas, new techniques to explore, and a whole bunch of heart.
And also: you’ll want to look up risograph printing immediately. You're welcome.
My Favorite Quote from Charlie?
“Crafting is how I make sense of myself—through color, texture, and tiny folded things.”
HELLO?! Can we just put that on a banner and hang it in every studio?
Wanna Dive In?
Make a cup of tea, grab your favorite notebook (maybe one you made?), and settle in. I pinky-promise it’ll leave you smiling, inspired, and probably reaching for a new pen. Or 18. 😂
Big hugs,
xo, Joleen 🎀✨
PS: 🎥 Watch the full episode below:
Guest Bio
Charlie Andrés (they/she) is a Minneapolis-based queer, gender-fluid, neurodivergent Colombian adoptee and the genius behind Charliehorse Press. They create stunning handmade journals, zines, and letterpress prints that tell beautiful stories about identity, community, and creativity. When they’re not teaching workshops or collaborating with musicians (like Jeremy Messersmith), they’re nerding out on paper, stitching, and risograph printing magic.
Follow Charlie
Episode Chapters with Timestamps
[00:00 – 06:29] – Hello, pens! Joleen’s hilarious "What’s in My Bag"
[06:30 – 08:44] – Introduction to Charlie & their crafty world
[08:45 – 13:19] – Bookbinding 101: Coptic stitch vs Traveler’s Notebooks
[13:20 – 17:09] – Cave Paper and other delicious materials
[17:10 – 21:59] – Risograph Printing: Old-school machine, modern magic
[22:00 – 28:44] – Teaching vs creating: Charlie’s approach to sharing book arts
[28:45 – 30:59] – Letterpress for Jeremy Messersmith
[31:00 – 35:09] – Crafting as storytelling and identity work
[35:10 – 37:19] – Printing Methods Breakdown: Differences between letterpress, photopolymer plate printing, and risograph
[37:20 – 43:19] – Creative Play vs. Perfection
[43:20 – 44:59] – Zines as Personal Archives
[45:00 – 47:14] – Resources for Beginners
[47:15 – 50:09] – Charlie’s Upcoming Projects
[50:10 – End] – The Big Wrap-Up
Quotes from the Episode
“Bookbinding is my love language.” – Charlie Andrés
“Risograph is the texture queen—it’s like printing with personality!” – Charlie Andrés
“Crafting is where my stories live.” – Charlie Andrés
“Bookbinding is my favorite way to make stories feel real.” – Charlie Andrés
“Crafting is how I make sense of myself—through color, texture, and tiny folded things.” – Charlie Andrés
“We all start somewhere—usually with glue on our fingers and thread in our teeth!” – Joleen Emery
Resources and Links:
📚 Check out Cave Paper (super durable, doesn’t tear!)
🎨 Learn more about Risograph Printing – a new love for both Charlie and Joleen
🎶 Listen to Fast Times in Minnesota by Jeremy Messersmith – lyrics printed by Charlie!
🧵 Want to learn bookbinding with Charlie? Watch for classes on Charlie Horse Press
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