I am passionate about bookbinding and handbound  books. My favourite site for finding them is Etsy

I have posted pics of two  unusual ones from Abbots Hollow.

It’s only a few weeks until Christmas, and if you’re struggling to think of the perfect gift, then Ancestry by Heir Line may be able to help!  We can research your family history and present our findings in one of these stunning, personalised books, packed from handbound cover to handbound cover with highly detailed information about your ancestry.  We can tell you:

* When and where your ancestors were born

* Where they lived

* Who they married

* The names of the children they had

* What they did for a living

* How they relate to you

* When and where they died

* What their surname meant

* What their towns and villages were like

* And we could even include a photograph or two of them!

The books make beautiful presents for your family members to treasure forever, and can be passed down through the generations, ensuring that your family history is never forgotten.  Additional copies of the book are available to purchase in the name of anybody mentioned within the family tree.  And for those of you who have already researched your tree yourselves, all we need is a GEDCOM file (along with copies of your favourite family photographs) to produce your stunning Heir Line Storybook.

The contents of your book includes:

1. An introduction to your family history.

2. Pedigree charts showing your direct maternal and paternal ancestry.

3. A detailed explanation about the lives of your direct and indirect ancestors, including living relations.  This can include the postal addresses of your ancestors (if these have been recorded).

4. Family tree charts.

5. An alphabetical list showing your ancestors’ (and living relatives’) occupations.

6. An index of everybody referenced within your book.

7. Relationship paths, explaining how everybody is related to you.

8. An index of all the towns, villages, cities and countries where notable events happened within your family history.

9. A chronological index of all the notable dates, eg. births, marriages, deaths.

10. The historical origins of all the surnames you have in your ancestry.

11. A beautiful family photograph album.

12. Topographical descriptions of the towns and villages where your English ancestors lived.

Contact Ancestry by Heir Line for further information.

And of course, you know me, if I’m not writing a book, you can find me making a book.

This one started out with a piece of cardboard off the flap of a box headed for the recycle bin. I tore off some of the top and painted it. Once the colors where sprayed on, then came digging through my embellishment pile.

This wedding guest book album isn’t like any of the other books I’ve made in the past. I broke this book into three sections. A guest registry section for the church, a section for notes and best wishes at the reception, and album pages for photos after the wedding.

I’ve already got ideas for the next hand made book, but for now there’s a chapter waiting to be written.

I love books in all their forms. I have a vast collection of handbound books so I don’t need any more. But…..a customised version of this is winging its way to me right now. It will have my name on it,  a brass lock instead of a tie and have more pages. Will send pics when it arrives.

I have taught myself how to sew signatures together by watching YouTube but I can’t do the leatherwork —– yet

Page Technique: Sky was done first in plain ol’ blue highlighter (because I love highlighters- cheapest and fastest color ever. Next I pasted several cutouts of buildings I received from an ad or brochure. Next I sketched in the jellies with the use of some photo references. I outlined them in dark blue pen from my trusty set of old markers. I later added some lighter maker. In order to color the jellies in more, I used my prismacolor pencils to add in blue and purple on the caps and light blue and a scribble of orange on the tentacles. I outlined some buildings afterwards because I thought that they would stand out more.

Detail: (Supposed to be orange scibbles on the jelly.)

Later I might add a phrase at the top. I haven’t thought of a clever line of words or a quote I like yet.

Rogue.

Finally finished page 11. It’s a whole page with crazy lines and patterns and doodling. I don’t think I managed the patterns very consistantly and from far away the thing looks a little crazy, but it is done. Frankly there’s no way to fix it or any space to add anything.

Page Technique: Pretty self explanatory from the photos. It’s just some roofing paper and covered in outlines in pen and sharpie. I just kept doodling and making patterns till the page was full.

Here is a close up of some of the detail:

You can see there is som difference in the quality of the ink in certain places. The ballpoint pen is slightly off-black (?) and reddish, while the sharpie is very dark. Towards the end, I was getting tired of the sharpie fumes and switched to an old color pen.

I’m also working on page 10 at the same time:

It will be next after a little more marker work and maybe even a bit of paints. And there will be JELLIES.

Rogue.

I’m trying to work slow with the book. It’s a tricky line because I want to get the pages painted and done, but at the same time I don’t want to make mistakes. For this reason, I made a little practice paper to try out sewing into paper and colors. I painted the grey watercolor over both sides, added a little rubbing alcohol, and painted the random lines all over it. Unfortunetly I did learn that the watercolor paper is way too thick to sew into (in a quick fashion). I had to pre-punch the holes with an exacto knife and it took an excessive amount of time to sew. I frankly am too impatient with a needle and tread to try this again. I added the numbers (which are old old label numbers I found in a box) last.

It will probably be glued into the book or put into an envelope. It was a good practice of painting and such, so I’ll keep it for later. Besides that, there’s some images for the next pages (9 and 16). I have an idea for page 9, sort of going to play around with it, but I painted page 16 only out of impulse. I used a sprizer to add rubbing alcohol to the watercolor. Alcohol is a pretty cool thing to drop onto watercolor because it makes odd patterns that are splotchy, but not as splotchy and textured as adding salt.

Page 9 wip1

Page 16 wip1

Rogue.

Page Technique: It’s on hotpressed watercolor paper, with a splash grey watercolor in the background. I literally just colored it just to have a color on it. I scrawled math all over it in sharpie, paint pen, and regular pen. Over all that I wrote the first 17 or so numbers in the Fibonacci series in a grey pen I found in my desk. I made the 07, 8, 1, and 3 with computer paper, black paint pen, orange highlighter, and a white gel pen. Then I wrote a really poorly written poem I had from a year or two ago.

I suppose you could read the poem on the page. It’s a pretty bad poem, full of awkward phrases. I regret even writing it on the page now, but it’s done in paint and there’s no going back. The ending is the worst. I think I was too tired to make a coherent ending. It was written for a creative writing class, and it was sort of inspired (well now I think a lot of the page is inspired) by Jean Micheal Basquiat. http://basquiat.com/ Except Basquiat could draw crazy words everywhere and it would make sense. I just made a mess except with numbers and calculus.

#13. Obviously I need to use a little more glue...

Another detail shot:

ALL THE PRETTY NUMBERS AGAIN AND AGAIN.

I didn’t specifically plan it, but the number 7 ended up on this page. Thumbs up to my subconcious for numbering the page for me.

Rogue.

Downward view of book

I found that I never punched the holes between the signatures and appently left behind the strip of canvas I was planning to bind the covers with. I simply could not use the technique I was taught in the class for binding the book, so I scoured the internet and found plenty of resources for bookbinding. I used bits and tricks from all the tutorials and bound the book with some matching fabric I had laying around. I added fabric to the spine before the pages were in- UPSIDE DOWN. I wanted the fabric to lay downwards, but unfortunetly they’re stuck upwards in the opposite direction than what I intended. Let that be a lesson for all to check twice before sewing. For whatever original intention I had, there is a chunk carved out of the cover in the rough shape of an eye. I’ll get around to fixing that later…

Book Cover- Maybe I'll carve something on the front. Fabric is sewn into the spine for fun.

It has approximately 42 pages, seven sheets of hot pressed/or cold pressed water color paper in each signature. There are some random papers in there, like what seems to be some kind of illustration paper that’s a vanila color and some kind of roofing paper. It’s been so long since I did the last book that I’ve forgotten all the intricate things about making books and what I wanted to do with this book. I’ve already started on some pages. I would scan these puppies to show off all the tiny details, espeically in the watercolor page, but I’m super cautious with handling the pages and stuff (and my scanner has it out for me…)

Inside cover- has a little handmade envelope for something and covered in meaningless doodles

Page 2- A watercolor treatment with my two favorite colors

Page 3- The Spoon song lyrics in the background didn't match what finally landed on top.

I’m still working on all the pages. I don’t think I could ever put them down and say it’s finished for the world. Page 3 is a big dissapointment to me, since I intended a very different ‘feel’ from the fish (which is a cutout from some magazine) and the tree. They don’t match the lyrics in the background, so I’ll probably come back and add something or another.

Rogue.

I made another couple of handbound / handmade books up in my shed this afternoon, to finish off my WOC DT project for this week..

I did record a video for it once they were made, and once I uploaded it realised it had no sound… so deleted it and will re-record another one this evening.

Here is the first of the two books.. a lovely pink fabric book… my daughter bought this fabric for me for christmas, it was part of a fat quarter bundle and I loved this piece..

Supplies List:-

• Scrap Chipboard / Greyboard
• Pink Rose Fabric
• Green Vintage Seam binding from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code SB00023
• TH Book Plate
• Moonstone Brads from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code BR00004
• 10mm Pale Peach Foundation Roses from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code FM-00082
• Wild Tea Roses from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code PM00123
• 50mm Pink Tipped Rose Leaves from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code LL00024
• Diamond Stickles
• Sewing Machine, Scortape and Red Line Tape

I used up some patterned paper scraps for the inside of this book

and then I made a tiny green book… I love the colour green and this is a dinky wee 3″ x 2.5″ book

supplies used :-

• Crushed Olive Distress Stain
• Evergreen Bough, Shabby Shutters and Iced Spruce Distress Inks
• Claudine Hellmuth Gloss Medium
• Cord fibre
• Stone and Lampwork Beads
• Cartridge Paper
• Scortape
• Chipboard / Greyboard

and I used plain white 120gsm cartridge paper for the inside of this wee book

Thanks for popping in

I have been busy as a wee worker bee up in my garden shed creating loads of different things for my Secret Sister Swap Partner…. it’s hard work!! lol

SO in between making a box and the things to go inside it.. I have managed to squeeze in a few other crafty creations… handmade books!.   This is also this week’s project for Wild Orchid Crafts, I will make a couple more tomorrow in different sizes from those already made and get the video up onto youtube.

Making these hand bound books is also a great way to “Use it Up” ….. remember the Pledge??

This book measures approx 4.5″ x 3.75″

Supplies List:-

• Leftover scraps of Chipboard / Greyboard
• Pink Peony Patterned Paper
• Pink Lace
• Cameo Beige Seam Binding from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code SB-00003
• Pink Tone Cherry Blossom Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code EX-00041
• Moonstone Brads from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code BR-00004
• Cartridge Paper

Next up this pretty little purple book measuring 2″ x 5″

Supplies used :-

• Scraps of Chipboard / Greyboard
• Purple Fibres for the binding
• Stampin Up Frame Sizzlet
• Various Purple and red Inks
• Water Spray Bottle
• Heather Stem from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code No. FS-00190
• Frayed Burlap Distress Ink
• Claudine Hellmuth Multi Matte Medium

I also made a postcard book too, the back cover being plain chipboard and the front a Sizzix Postcard Diecut..

Supplies List:-

• Postcard Diecut from Sizzix
• Sky Blue Seam Binding from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code SB-00019
• Sweetheart Mulberry Blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code FS-00056
• Decoart Sky Blue Acrylic Paint
• Docrafts Artiste Latte Acrylic Paint
• Diamond Stickles
• Vintage Ephemera
• Prima Botanicals Patterned Paper (for the back book cover)

and finally a dinky 3.5″ x 3.5″ .. something completely different colour-wise so put your sunglasses on

Supplies List :-

• Bright Yellow and White Felt
• Sewing Machine (minus all the dust bunnies and oose and the imaginary spider)
• Multicoloured Ribbon Fibre
• Pinking Shears
• 2″ White Daisy Blooms from Wild Orchid Crafts Product Code : BM-00076
• Cream and Green Edge Rose Leaves from Wild Orchid Crafts product Code : LL-00022
• Golden Fish Cosmic SHimmer Mist
• Tattered Angels Lemon Zest Glimmer Mist
• Hot Glue Gun and Red Line Tape
• Watercolour Paper (offcuts)
• Scraps of Chipboard /  Greyboard

Thanks so everyone who kept me company on Ustream today when I was making these.. I appreciate your company

Have a great weekend!!

Sarah x

Appalachian Center for Craft

I attended a two day workshop presented by Bruce Baker the craft marketing guru whose columns I have read in The Crafts Report ever since my career as a professional craft artist began some time ago. I’m glad I went. Mr. Baker was informative, engaging and entertaining.  Among the pages of notes I managed to take during the workshop sessions, the one concept that stood out more than any other was that we as craft artists need to tell our customers a story about our work. This little exchange of information will make the sale more personal and the memory of it long lasting. So when the piece is admired, the buyer can repeat the story, or if the piece is a gift then the giver can retell the story to the recipient. This is what makes the piece special to the buyer.

I thought about that for awhile, and I realized that I do tell stories about my work.  I often tell my customers about the fibers woven into the scarf, the fibers’ origins and  their sustainability. When customers are interested in my handbound books, I share with them how I use the blank journals. One of my handbound books has pages of recipes that have been handed down from generations. A lovely little coptic stitched  journal has a more mundane task and acts as the keeper of  my passwords to the various online sites I visit. My customers who don’t journal or sketch need to hear these stories to know that there are many ways to fill up the pages of a blank book.

Handbound blank journal with fabric cover and coptic stitch binding.

My father in law, Lou was a great story teller and also used this technique with his customers.  He had been the owner of  several jewelry stores in Brooklyn.    Against his better judgment, he gave his 21 year old son a sales clerk job in one of his stores. This is how I came to know the story, because as it turned out I married his son. On a particularly difficult day, a woman entered the store near closing time.  She asked to look at bracelets. She tried one on, then another and yet another. A small pile of bracelets began to accumulate on the counter top.  None of them seemed to suit her.  Every one that she tried on was too big, too small, too gaudy, not her style, not the right kind of stone and so on. There didn’t seem to be one that agreed with her, but neither she nor my father in law were ready to give up. After nearly an hour of trying on bracelets, she put one on her wrist and turned it a bit and admired it from various angles.  In the meantime, Lou had become exasperated and was about to end the transaction and close the shop for the day. The woman turned to him and said, “This one seems to fit better than the others, why is that?” Without skipping a beat, Lou replied, “Why, that one is circumcised.” Upon hearing that, my  husband who was observing the entire exchange was ready to dive under the counter and become invisible. But he didn’t, because the next words he heard were “I’ll take it!”.

It doesn’t seem to matter what the content of the story is that we tell our customers. What does matter is that whatever we say should make them feel special. And that is the end of the story.

Cream City Ice Cream sign in Cookeville, Tennessee

This little journal is made from some scrap kraft card stock and writing paper. I stitched it with green cotton thread and stamped it with one of my Close To My Heart Stamp Sets called “unscripted”. The journal a little bigger than the snake skin book but perfect for carrying around for those moments you want to write down the things you are grateful for,especially during this time when we all are more aware of what we are thankfull for with the upcoming holidays.

If you had a little grateful journal like this one, what kind of things do you think you would keep track of inside it?

You never know, I might just get inspired enough by someone’s response to make a random commentor one of thier own!

]]> http://susanlower.com/2011/11/14/snake-skin-book/ Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:16:09 +0000 Susan Lower http://susanlower.com/2011/11/14/snake-skin-book/

A few weeks ago, I participated in a book swap. Probably not the kind any of you are thinking of. This book swap was through my Etsy Bookbinding team and the books were all handbound. I had a lot of fun creating my book for the swap.

In return I received this package from Swap member Blue Roof Designs.

Now is that a cool book or what?

Well, I’m off to work on my own book today, tomorrow marks the halfway point in Nanowrimo. I’ll give you an update in the morning.

Happy Monday Friends!

The Chiyogami Handbound JournalThe Gold-Lined Garden Handbound JournalThe Mini Handbound Cutout JournalHope your day is going swimmingly!

Front cover

Decorative chain stitich binding.

Decorative 'spine' with beads and buttons.

There’s a wide range of beautiful art to be explored in the series of Touch and Feel books and allows people to get up close to the samples. Here’s a double page example, it’s Linda Young’s colourful and textured illustrative work.

Linda Young's beautiful pages.

Just got to make a bag to protect it in transport, then it’ll be winging its way to the Museum and Art Gallery, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, UK next week.

This one became the cover fabric for a coptic stitched blank journal I made for a milestone birthday for my sister. The linen was a little on the thick side–great for wiping dishes, not as great for book cloth–but I’m tickled with how it came out. The art on the cover is a watercolored print from one of my hand-carved stamps. The interior pages, which are a creamy white, are from a block of Sennelier “Le Maxi” sketching paper that I snagged on sale (the cellophane wrapper of the block was torn, but the paper was perfect) from my local Dick Blick store a while back.

I made a similar one with a kraft paper cover, red enameled eyelets for the waxed linen thread to go through and a handpainted, hand-carved stamp of a bird for a friend whose birthday was last week, but that one didn’t get photographed. In fact, I was so late in finishing it that I sat at the table in the tea shop where some friends and I were celebrating her birthday and finished the coptic stitching as we chatted over our iced teas on a hot afternoon. She was pleased–said it was like getting a present and a show.

(At least) one more to go, for yet another friend with an August birthday. Jeez, you’d think that December was a cold month or something.

It all comes together, I promise.

More to come soon.

Let’s start with some art. In fact, let’s start with the book I’m doing the art in. WHICH I MADE ALL BY MYSELF (plus this wonderful, fantastic YouTube tutorial).

boom! my first hand bound book!!! I went with a coptic stitch because 1) it’s easy, 2) I love the exposed spine look, and 3) it always lays flat when opened . I also left the covers plain because I was in too much of a hurry to start binding, I didn’t want to wait to decorate them haha. the yellow thread was the best choice, too, it’s so cheery! color of the year!!

first session in my brand spankin’ new art journal. inspiration came fast and hard from a spread by Frances Pickering (www.frannyp.co.uk/galleries_1.php), and this is what happened. this isn’t the first time I’ve ever embroidered into paper, but the first time I’ve used it so directly into the design. it was more of an experiment that went really well, and I will definitely be doing it again. I’m glad I didn’t get rid of all that cotton embroidery thread I had from when I was younger and used to make bracelets out of. without it I couldn’t have made this book, and I guess I know what I’ll be doing with the rest of it, too!

above: collage from an article out of the January1994 issue of National Geographic. I saw the article and really couldn’t resist.

below: the start of another collage that transformed into a background. I haven’t finished it yet, but I know what I’m going to do; now it’s just a matter of finding the right image.

I haven’t drawn or even sketched in so long it’s almost ridiculous. sitting down to fill in this guy felt great!

the blackout poem on the right is from quite a while ago. it was a page I ripped out of a previous art journal, but then I started reading it and this happened. I couldn’t bear to throw it away, but I didn’t know what to do with it, so I kept it in a folder for a few months. it’s been floating loose around my room for a couple of weeks, and today I knew exactly what to do with it. see ma! being a packrat isn’t so bad all the time!!! sometimes stuff is useless, sometimes stuff makes a person sit down for the first time in almost a year to sketch the first man she’s ever sketched. sometimes, good things really do come from stuff.

the text reads:

a mysterious figure

A tall, intense looking man, with burning eyes, he was as thin as death and seemed worried and tense.

She looked at him now, and he caught her eye. Suddenly, she remembered seeing his photograph in the newspapers.

He looked like a man who had been through hell.

“The whole world has been wondering what happened to you.”

“I have escaed,” he said simply.

That was ominous; it sounded as if the Nazis might still be after him.

A bitter expression cam over his face.

“I did not want to leave my country. But if I had stayed, my work might have contributed to a Nazi victory.”

Her dilemma was resolved.