We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Dykes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren , appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’m largely self-taught. When I first discovered book folding, it started with a simple Google search and a lot of trial and error. I watched the few tutorials that are out there and experimented with different techniques and practiced on discarded books. Because this is such a niche art form, there wasn’t a formal class or mentor—so I learned by doing, making mistakes, and refining my process over time.

The most essential skills in book folding are patience, precision, and accuracy. Each piece requires careful measurement and consistency, and even a small error can affect the final image. Creativity is important, but so is discipline—this art form demands focus and persistence. My background in paper crafts and attention to detail helped tremendously.

One of the biggest obstacles is time. It takes 6 to 26 hours to complete a book fold depending on the intricacy of the design. Overall, the learning process has been slow, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. Every book teaches me something new, and I’m constantly evolving my techniques. That ongoing discovery is one of the things I love most about this art form.

Lauren , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a local book folding artist based in the Tampa Bay area, and like many artists, I balance my creative work with a full-time job. My journey into book folding started in an unexpected way. While working at St. Petersburg College, we were cleaning out cabinets and bookshelves when I came across a stack of old, outdated textbooks. As the daughter of an author, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for books, and I couldn’t bear the thought of throwing them away. I wanted to give these books a second life.

A quick Google search led me to the world of book folding, and I was instantly hooked. I’ve always loved paper crafts—I once folded 1,000 origami cranes for good luck—so this medium felt like a natural extension of my creativity. That first year, everyone in my family received a folded book as a Christmas gift, and what began as a hobby quickly grew into a passion and then a business.

Through various folding techniques, I transform book pages into images, words, and logos, creating custom, hand-crafted sculptures that tell a story. The process is deceptively simple—just a ruler, pencil, and small scissors—but the real artistry lies in the patience, precision, and time required to execute each intricate design. Every piece is carefully folded by hand, making each work truly one-of-a-kind.

I’ve been fortunate to share my work with the community by gifting pieces to local establishments like Artpool, Book and Bottle, and Long Horn. In 2016, one of my sculptures caught the attention of Daytime Channel 10, leading to a feature segment on their morning show. That moment inspired the creation of Dilly Dally’s Custom Book Folding, a business I run in partnership with my husband, Chaz.

Since then, Dilly Dally’s has received a Creative Loafing Award and participated in the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg. My work has been exhibited at the Pop-Up Gallery at Citrus Park Mall and featured on Fox 13’s Made in Tampa Bay, HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home, and Rock the Block. Also, my sculptures were displayed at CraftArt in their exhibition Beyond Words: Celebrating Books as Art.

What sets my work apart is the idea of storytelling through transformation. In an age of tablets and smartphones, countless books are discarded and end up in landfills. My art upcycles these books, preserving their text while reshaping them into meaningful keepsakes. These sculptures are perfect for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries, and other milestones—capturing moments in a form that lasts a lifetime.

I’m most proud of creating art that honors books while giving them a new purpose. Each piece is designed to be proudly displayed on a shelf, mantel, or tabletop—a lasting reminder of a story, a celebration, or a personal connection. My goal is to create meaningful, custom art that sparks conversation and keeps the love of books alive in a digital world.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is capturing someone’s story in a book fold. Every custom piece represents a memory, a milestone, or a deeply personal moment—whether it’s a wedding date, a baby’s name, a favorite quote, or a logo that represents years of hard work and passion.

I love taking something that already has a story—the book itself—and transforming it into a visual symbol of someone else’s journey. There’s something incredibly meaningful about turning pages into a keepsake that will live on a shelf or mantel and spark conversation for years to come. Knowing that my art becomes part of someone’s home, celebration, or legacy is what makes this craft so fulfilling.

Each fold is intentional, and each finished piece feels like a collaboration between the book, the client, and my hands. That connection—between art, story, and person—is what keeps me inspired.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to give books a second chapter by transforming them into meaningful, personalized works of art that tell people’s stories. In a world where so much is digital and disposable, I love creating something tangible, lasting, and deeply personal. Each book fold is more than just a design—it’s a moment, a memory, or a milestone captured in pages that once told another story.

I’m also driven by the idea of upcycling and honoring books. Seeing old textbooks and novels discarded made me realize how many stories are being lost or forgotten. By reshaping these books into sculptures, I’m preserving their integrity while giving them a new purpose and life. It’s my way of blending sustainability with storytelling.

Ultimately, my goal is to create art that people connect with emotionally—pieces that celebrate weddings, births, anniversaries, businesses, and personal journeys. I want my work to spark conversation, evoke nostalgia, and sit proudly in someone’s home as a reminder of what matters most to them. Creating something that lasts, both physically and emotionally, is what continues to inspire my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dillydallysart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dillydallyscustoms
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dillydallyscustoms

Image Credits

Photo Credit to Chaz D Photography