Hope Journal

I participated in a journal swap for Christians on Swap-Bot a few months ago. Well, my first one never made it to the intended swapper, so I had to remake it. The end result was inspired by the Project Spectrum theme for the quarter: Earth.

Sadly, my digital camera was not working at the time, so I had to borrow a very mediocre camera. This week I stumbled across the photos, so here it is...

The cover was made using white Grandee paper, colored on all exposed surfaces with pearlescent chalks (i kan dee Shimmers from Pebbles Inc.). For the binding, I scored flaps to fold in the front and back covers, like the flaps on a hardcover's dust jacket. However, mine are adhered shut, since their only purpose was to strengthen the edges. For the spine, I cut slits at the center and one inch in from the top and bottom edges. I sewed in each signature separately using a traditional pamphlet stitch. (I think the end result had five four-folio signatures.)

The thread is Color Variations floss from DMC. I gathered all the strands together, tied them off, and braided them for a couple of inches. I tied that off, added the beads, and tied it off again.

The flowers are from Making Memories, stacked and attached with a brad. It worked out nicely: the back of the brad is hidden by the flaps!

Painted Paper by Artist Alisa Golden

Cross-posted from my other blog, Mirawyn Crafts, because sometimes I'm a doofus...It should have been here to start with!

So over the weekend I stumbled across Painted Paper by Alisa Golden. I had a 40% off coupon that expired that day, and I was despairing of a worthy use. Well, soon as I saw this, I knew my coupon would not go to waste!

Alisa Golden is an actual book artist! Yes, a real book artist, not just a crafty person making books! Now, I'm all for getting as many people as possible hooked on bookmaking, starting with kids if I get my way. That way, we get them hooked early... And to be honest, most of my books are more craft than art. Non-artists have contributed some brilliant ideas, so I really value their participation in the book and paper arts community, too.

But I need the art approach to books! There are way, WAY too few books like that, and most of them are very binding and form-oriented. I love finding new ways to bind (oh, do I love it), but I need more help with the content side of things.

And that's what I found here! It's art, no doubt about it. Alisa Golden uses paint and inks to create beautiful works of art on paper that she then turns into books, either as cover material or, more often, as a base for letterpress pages. (I can see great ways to incorporate this into my art journal, too...)

Did I mention the letterpress? Yes, she's a letterpress artist! So for each technique--and throughout the book--she shows finished books she has created through her imprint. With each technique, she shows one of her books which makes prominent use of it. Then, she has excellent instructions, and shows you what she created with the page you just saw her make. (Well, saw through photos, of course, but you know what I mean!) Talk about inspirational!

But wait: there's more! The last part of the book features binding techniques--very awesome techniques at that. She also features several book forms from some of the more prominent binding books and manuals, and tells you which form it is! Is that not awesome?

I'm in the middle of a move, so I can't really play right now. But I cannot wait to get my new workspace set up: I'll have more room than I've ever had, and since my balcony is on the fourth floor, I can dry papers on my deck without it being an eyesore.

I'm not even packing this book. It's going to the new apartment with my "too precious to pack" craft stuff, in the car with me!