Corey Le and Nova's Bookmarks

Dec 11

Written By Editors

I met Corey at a recent art and crafts fair in Irvine, CA. The vibrant colors of her paintings immediately caught my eye, so I had to stop by and see what that was all about. Corey also makes colorful string bookmarks, for all the bookworms out there, as well as bright-colored bracelets. By the way, these make great holiday gifts too.

*It’s all about the personality when you have a booth at a fair…*

Can you briefly describe what your business does?

I sell various unique and artistic products. My main focus is string bookmarks that fit standard hardcover and paperback books. These bookmarks have various colored jewels and pendants and either side that can fit any personality. I also make bead bracelets and acrylic paintings. Some of the paintings I do myself while others are abstract paintings done by my dog Nova.

So where did the idea come from?

I started making these bookmarks because I have always loved collecting bookmarks. Of all the bookmarks I collected over the years, I preferred the smaller ones that wouldn't crack or damage the bindings. These bookmarks let me show off my personality and keep my books in great condition.

Paintings have been a passion of mine since I was young and I feel that in the last few years, I have finally found my style of painting and am creating canvases that I am proud of. Painting with my dog is a new adventure I took on when I started following a social media video.

To create these abstract paintings, I take a small canvas pick 4 or 5 colors, and put drops of acrylic paint all over the canvas. It needs to be enough to cover the whole canvas or the paint may not mix well enough. Then you take the canvas and put it into a sealable plastic bag that has peanut butter on top of it. After sealing the bag, I put it on the ground for my dog. He has always loved the licky pads that you can freeze so this seemed like a fun trick to try.

The outcome is a unique swirled painting on the canvas. I did not have formal training to make these products, I have just always enjoyed art and have taken various art classes since starting school. My goal for this company is just to share my products with other people who share a love for physical books and enjoy art.

Can you describe your typical work day:

I have a small office in my home where I have been creating my bracelets and bookmarks. I get all of my beads and paint supplies from Michael's. In terms of my paintings, I typically set up my canvas in my office but will sometimes move it outside to paint. When the dog gets his occasional peanut butter canvas, it is done outside because it can be messy. Currently, I am a one-person operation but my husband does assist when I attend craft shows.

What would you say is your best-selling product?

My bookmarks and my bracelets are the best-selling items. The bookmarks are $15 each or 2 for $25 and the bracelets are $10 or 2 for $15

What do you feel sets you apart?

My business is unique simply because my products are handmade. Every item is unique and one of a kind. Competition isn't very high in this industry because art styles and preferences are specific to the individual seeking to purchase the artwork. I have seen many vendors selling paintings as well however, I have not seen other paintings in a similar style to mine.

Most artwork I see is created using drip techniques or realism. My own style uses thick layers of paint and a mixture of bright colors. I have also seen vendors who sell beaded bracelets similar to the ones I make however, I have not seen any that sell bookmarks similar to mine.

*This is a family biz, everybody has to work!*

How is social media important to your business?

I am currently only on Instagram. Most of the traffic on this platform is through friends who share it with others. I also get some foot traffic when promoting the craft shows that I attend.

What are your thoughts on working with computers, as a business owner?

I generally do everything on my phone rather than using a computer. For my business finances, I am old school and use receipts and checkbook balancing.

What are your thoughts about outsourcing work?

My business is very small and more of a side project that I do in my free time. I manage my Instagram page myself and manage my business accounts myself.

What do you use for customer retention? Do you use Email mailing lists?

I do not currently keep track of clients except for individuals who choose to follow my Instagram page.

How do you balance work and personal time?

I started creating all of my products during my free time as a way to relax and destress. It can be difficult to find time as I also have a full-time job and recently finished my college degree. When I started producing items to sell, I wanted to make sure that my art was still a passion of mine and not another necessity.

I always make sure that I only create paintings or bookmarks when I am in a creative headspace and need some me time. Unfortunately, this does make it so that I do not focus a lot of my time on creating new pieces of art but I have been able to maintain the passion I have for art and the joy I get from creating new pieces of work.

Is you business doing anything regarding the environment, social issues, and being a partner to the community?

Currently, I use reusable bags for purchases. Also, all of the items I use in my displays are reused with every show or they are seasonal for the holidays.

*All the colors of the rainbow… and then some*

What is the outlook for the future of Nova’s Bookmarks?

Overall, I do not see much room for growth in this industry unless I shift to focusing solely on painting. Reading is slowly moving away from physical books and into the digital age with various e-readers. I have a strong love for books and how they feel and smell but I realize that this is not a passion that many people have anymore.

My bookmarks are a personal effort to keep physical books exciting while they are still around. I have also considered making longer bookmarks that can accommodate textbook sizes but have not seen much of a demand for them as of yet. Over the next 5 to 10 years, I hope to partake in more craft shows and get my products out there more. I have been looking into various ways to make the bookmarks more sturdy without sacrificing the small amount of space they take up. Success to me means creating and producing a product that others enjoy as much as I enjoyed creating the items.

Do you have any final thoughts for other small business owners?

I would consider myself to be still starting out, but I am a big proponent of looking for the silver lining in all situations. I had many moments where I was discouraged but it's important to remember that even failures or losses teach you something. Learn from those losses and improve your process for the next time.

Where to find out more about Corey and her artwork:

Email: BookmarksbyNova@gmail.com

Instagram: /novasbookmarks