In Bookish Company is my free, 'home-brewed' periodical: devoted to homemaking, literary living, and heritage, and put together as a companion to my work under Noted by Chloe.
I use Canva to design it as an interpretation of the printed society bulletins of yesteryear. In this way, In Bookish Company takes plenty of inspiration from vintage women's journals, companions, and the newsletters that once moved between homes, reading groups, parish communities, Women's Institutes, societies, and local clubs.
The In Bookish Company newsletter was established on Sunday 21st June 2026, with this being the first copy published and shared among friends.
Before email newsletters, social media feeds, and group chats, modest printed publications served an important role in everyday community life. If one were to have landed on your doormat, you'd have eagerly opened it to then pour over household hints, practical notices, recipes, correspondence, book recommendations, craft ideas, announcements, and observations from ordinary people. They were informative, certainly, but perhaps more importantly, they were connective and helped to create a sense of shared culture.
I have long been fascinated by these forms of ephemera, by which I denote the small printed materials so easily overlooked by history, yet often rich with evidence of daily life, domestic practice, creativity, and community. 'Circulars', parish newsletters, society bulletins, women's magazines, club papers, recipe booklets, and handwritten notes all tell us something about how people lived and what they valued. I'm happy to say that In Bookish Company grew from a desire to revive some of that spirit!
The idea for In Bookish Company began after I saw my own artwork featured in the August 2026 edition of LandScape Magazine through their Reader's Craft page, branching off from the Makes & Bakes group that I am a member of. It really made my day seeing shared creative work appear in print, especially in the 21st century. Receiving my copy of the magazine reminded me how much I value tangible things: properly printed pages, notebooks, clippings, letters, journals, keepsakes, and the other material traces of a creative life. These are things that can so easily disappear unless we intentionally preserve and revive them over time.
From there, I found myself reflecting on the kinds of publications that are missing from contemporary media, for likeminded audiences who value the sorts of things that I enjoy, and who would also eagerly await those snippets of joy were they to reappear. This struck a match beneath In Bookish Company!
What to Expect
Each issue of
In Bookish Company is created as a several-page bulletin, published every two weeks. It serves as an ongoing celebratory record of seasonal notes, bookish reflections, homemaking hints, and creative happenings.
Regular features may include:
❦ From the Editor’s Desk — reflections, essays, and editorial notes
❦ Household Notes — practical hints, homemaking ideas, seasonal living
❦ From the Bookshelf — book recommendations and literary observations
❦ Make, Do, and Mend — crafts, journalling, collecting, and creative hobbies
❦ Society Notices — featured makers, artists, businesses, and creative projects
❦ Correspondence — letters, questions, recommendations, and reader contributions
The hope is that each issue offers something nostalgic, useful, thoughtful, and companionable.
The Reading Room, Archive & How to Access In Bookish Company
There are several ways to read In Bookish Company:
Download the Current Issue
The most recent issue is always available as a downloadable PDF from this website.
Ideal if you would like to:
- read offline
- print your own copy
- keep a physical archive
- add issues to a binder or commonplace collection
Visit the Reading Room or Archive
Past issues are stored in
The Reading Room, a dedicated Google Drive archive containing previous editions of the circular. Alternatively, I keep and maintain an
In Bookish Company Archive Page on this website, where previous articles are organised by Volume and Issue.
Subscribe via Substack
You may also subscribe via
Substack to have each new issue delivered directly to your inbox. This is an easy way to ensure you never miss an edition.
Call for Correspondence
How to Get involved
In Bookish Company is collaborative in spirit. The original publications that inspired this project were rarely 'one-way' publications. They relied on contributions, letters, shared knowledge, notices, and communal exchange. That tradition is being revived here!
Readers are warmly invited to submit material for possible inclusion in future issues. Submissions might include:
❦ Letters to the Editor
❦ Reader questions
❦ Seasonal observations
❦ Book recommendations
❦ Household hints and recipes
❦ Craft ideas and hobby notes
❦ Reflections on homemaking or creative life
❦ Historical curiosities
❦ Photographs of projects or collections
❦ Society notices or community events
Whether long or short, polished or informal, all thoughtful contributions are welcome and warmly encouraged. Please email submissions to notedbychloe@gmail.com with 'In Bookish Company' as part of the subject line.
I also personally scope for features on Instagram, where my account is
@notedbychloe, I only ever get in touch from this account if I'd like to include something you've posted, with your kind permission and collaboration.
Maker & Feature Submissions
I also regularly spotlight makers, artists, illustrators, craftspeople, writers, small businesses, and creative projects. If you would like to be considered for a future feature, please feel welcome to get in touch. This may include:
❦ Handmade goods
❦ Independent shops
❦ Heritage-inspired businesses
❦ Creative workshops
❦ Bookish projects
❦ Arts and crafts ventures
I especially love hearing about projects rooted in craftsmanship, storytelling, heritage, and slow creativity. As before, please email details to notedbychloe@gmail.com, with a brief summary of your work or to express an interest in being featured.
Correspondence Address
To submit correspondence, recommendations, or feature enquiries, please email:
notedbychloe@gmail.com
Thank you ever so much for visiting In Bookish Company. In an age of endless scrolling, fast content, and fleeting digital noise, this free newsletter is my small attempt to make space for something more lasting, and ultimately, satisfying.
With warm wishes,
Chloe Martin
Editor, In Bookish Company
('Noted by Chloe')
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