Hi, I'm Carmen. I'm a lifelong artist, a handmade-book-binder, a mom, and the creator and host of Codex & Collage.

For as long as I can remember, my hands have needed to be busy creating something beautiful. My happiest moments are often spent with a watercolor brush in hand or getting lost in the textures and details of a new project.

But a few years ago, I hit a wall. I found myself in a deep creative funk. The passion to make things was still there, a constant hum under the surface, but the spark felt like it was gone. The blank page, which used to be a world of possibility, started to feel like a challenge I couldn't seem to meet.

I started searching for a way back to myself, and I found it by combining two of my greatest loves: art and a deep curiosity about the stories of our past.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a historian. I've always struggled with memorizing dates and facts. That's why this podcast is fully scripted. I do the deep research—the "homework"—and distill it all down into the most fascinating parts of the story, so you don't have to. It started as a tool to help myself absorb these incredible stories, but I realized it could be a gift for you, too.

Codex & Collage was born from that idea. It's a community where we can explore the amazing inspiration hidden in history, without ever feeling like we're in a lecture hall. My mission is simple: to prove that we can find powerful inspiration for our modern creative lives in the incredible stories of our shared past.

When I'm not digging through history books or making a glorious mess with my art supplies, you can probably find me spending time with my family or dancing in my kitchen (even if I don't have a partner!).

Thank you so much for being here. I'm so excited to go on this creative journey with you.