My Story

French Cartonnage is the art of crafting boxes, folders and folios with its origins in the 18th Century. Since 2003 I have been reinventing the artisanal savoir-faire of French Cartonnage in respect of the traditional techniques inherited from the master makers of the 18th Century.

I started HOUSE OF CARTONNAGE in 2003, driven by a desire to create, though it took me a while to discover the right path. My journey began when I attended a box-making workshop, learning the art of French Cartonnage.

Since then, I’ve been crafting boxes and cartonnage designs by hand, following traditional French techniques.

I’m the creator behind the NDLPTframe© for a needlepoint canvas.

I live with my husband Edwin and our two sons Bruno and Caspar in The Hague, the Netherlands. I studied ‘Boekhandel en uitgeverij’ (Bookstore and publishing) in Amsterdam.

I am always busy with something and find it difficult to sit still! I describe myself as creative, enthusiastic and an optimist, but also a perfectionist. I'm a team player, but I don’t mind being alone. I love to listen to the radio (80s and 90s hits!) and to read magazines about interiors and design. You can often find me in a thrift shop. I only wear blue (& white)! I prefer lunch to dinner and enjoy a good cappuccino with a slice of carrot cake.

I am a benefactor of Stichting Handboekbinden (Foundation of Handbook Binding) (www.stichtinghandboekbinden.eu) and friend of Museum Meermanno (House of books, www.meermanno.nl) in The Hague.

If you’re passionate about the art of French Cartonnage in combination with needlepoint, you’re in the right place!

Enjoy,