My name is Tenae Stewart and I’m a 20-year-old art history student in Northern California. I own Strawberry Moon Books & Boutique, an Etsy shop where I sell vintage books and handmade items including watercolor bookmarks and decoupage pieces made from recycled book pages. I’m inspired by the beauty of books and the smell of old pages, especially in our modern e-reader world.
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| Watercolor Bookmark |
My store is quite new, having only opened in April 2013, but it has always been my dream to own a book and gift shop. When I was 12, my mom bought the local flower shop and through the years. I've become more and more involved in the gift portion of our store, particularly working with small American-made companies like those found on Etsy. Someday I hope to expand Strawberry Moon into a brick-and-mortar location where I will be able to sell new and used books, my own creations like those found in my Etsy shop currently as well as unique gifts from American artists.
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| Decorative Pink Book Page Birdhouse |
My shop is a combination of new and vintage items, all focused on books for a sense of consistency throughout. My watercolor bookmarks, for example, are quite unique; although there are innumerable shops that sell bookmarks, mine are all guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind. First I paint recycled book pages with abstract watercolor designs and then I use the painted pages like scrapbook paper to decorate paper tags, along with glitter tape, buttons, ribbon and more. I like the romance of handmade pieces that are all unique!
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| Old Book Pages Blue Bird |
The hanging wall plaques in my shop were a pleasant surprise – I didn’t expect them to turn out so well! They’re really quite simple to make but they make a big impact in any room and each one is unique since they’re made from a recycled book page. The pink “dream” piece in particular is my favorite.
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| Dream Pink Hanging Wall Decor |
I don’t typically do custom orders simply because the majority of my pieces are one-of-a-kind based on what book page is used or how the watercolor painting turns out. However, if a customer is looking for a certain word to be printed on a wall plaque or a box, I’d be happy to accommodate!
My products are almost exclusively found on Etsy but I do have a small display in my mother’s shop, Middletown Florist & Gifts.
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| Watercolor Bookmark |
Outside of Etsy, I work part-time as a manager at my mother’s flower and gift shop as well as attending college as an art history major. I also volunteer at a private school teaching art which I absolutely love!
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Website: www.strawberrymoonbooks.com
Tenae has graciously offered a 15% off discount to readers of my blog. Use coupon code DLITE15 now - coupon expires September 21st!
