Tea Book

 

This has to be the ugliest book cover I have ever made. It was my first time to ever make an embossed cover and use Modge Podge, which I will never use again. Then the burgundy color for the cover not only doesn't photograph well, it doesn't look that good in real life. The highlights are copper. The letters are cut from leather and also the metallic copper color. I have never used a ribbon to tie a journal shut before or used cheesecloth as head and tail bands. But other than that it was a win. The inside has turned out fine. The purpose is to house all of my collected tea ephemera.

I did crochet edging on one page.

Inside I included two woodblock reduction carvings I did in 2009. The blue one is on rice paper. The teal one is on printmaking paper.

Also I put in one of my old watercolors of a stack of my teacups.

The first page in the book is a paper weaving I did 20 years ago. Also included in the journal are blank tea-stained papers for notes, maps, antique tea labels, tea bag tags, and tea envelopes or packets, ribbons, and other packaging from tea shops I have collected.

decorated Steampunk Journal

 

I got a tube of glue that will adhere to metal so I was able to add brass gears to the cover.

Steampunk Journal

The Steampunk Journal is a work in progress. I have been collecting items for well over a year and am still on the lookout for any interesting items to add to the collection. It contains 12 signatures which are set up to be used as a one-year bullet journal. Each section begins with a tabbed divider. There are tags, pockets, and numerous tuck spots.  I have added a huge ring to and added steampunk-themed charms. There are lots of blank pages and some really beautiful scrapbook pages. There are maps, dictionary pages, clock images, scientific equipment images, lots of wheels and gears. I really like this fun book. I am planning on using it for my 2022 bullet journal. It is large (9.5" tall by 6.25" wide with a 1.75" spine) but I don't usually take my bullet journals out of the house. My present BuJo is only 5x8 inches, so I will have to see how this works out but it is a pleasure to look through now.

The second signature has a nautical theme inspired by Jule Verne. It contains some of my gel plate prints which have been overprinted with sea creatures.

There is a travel theme running through the entire journal. this includes maps, tickets, and several modes of travel, trains, bicycles, flying ships, submarines, etc.

There are a number of hot air balloons, tickets, and aerial views.

Vacation Sketching Journal

In November 2020 I made this faux leather traveler's notebook cover. I had a 12x12 inch piece of faux leather in my stash for 15-20 years. I was saving it for something special. Then one day I saw a journal by Sea Lemon on YouTube and went digging through my pile of scrapbook paper until I found this piece. The cover design was drawn with a black gel pen. The four corners have metal tips with an embossed filigree on them. There are 2 rings added to the top held on by the elastic threaded through the spine just in case I find some charms to add. Then there is the extra elastic closure that wraps around the center of the journal. I filled it with watercolor paper thinking I might take it to document a trip.

Inside I had placed 3 signatures, each of 6 sheets of 10x7 inches 140 lb. watercolor paper folded in half. There are only 2 elastic bands on the cover but by using a third band holding 2 signatures together, then slipping the center of the band under one of the existing bands, you can add that 3rd one. Well using the same method you could add a 4th one but the signature would need to be thinner probably.

River Songs Journal

This post was reposted because for some unexplained reason Blogspot took it down as meeting some undefined objectional reason but then the next day said it was OK. Go figure.

This journal based on the Tardis was created in May 2020. The dimensions are 7 5/8 tall by 5 1/2 inches with a 1 1/4 spine. I was inspired by others I saw on the internet, but mainly by the one made by Sea Lemon. There are bookboard pieces glued to the front cover and spines creating a 3d effect before gluing on the hand-painted muslin fabric. I added a loop of red twine ribbon in the spine in case I ever found anything to dangle off the book. There are seven signatures with eight pages and one additional signature with four pages and a file folder containing the pull-out photo strip of the 13 Dr. Whos bringing the total number of signatures to eight. 

I had won an assortment of bookbinding supplies from Roz in an internet giveaway several years ago. One of the items was a large sheet of hand-marbled paper. It was beautiful but until this time I never had a book it would go with. The pattern reminded me of the special effect the traveling Tardis creates. 

This pull-out has photos of the first thirteen Dr. Who's.

This blue envelope holds River Song's invitation.

 

The Bee Keeper's Journal

I started this journal after started the Forest Lore Journal but much of the work I did on both books were done in parallel processes. I used the same handpainted muslin fabric on both. The oval was added just like the Forest Lore tree silhouette with the picture behind the oval opening. The only difference was the bookplate on the cover. The  12 signatures were assembled and sewn in the same manner. For a few years, I had collected a number of bee-related papers and ephemera to use in a bee-themed book. This book was mainly completed on 6 March 2020 but I did come back adding bits and pieces afterward. 

A view of the inside pages and inside back cover.

 

Pack Rat

 

Yet another book I had to repost because this blog host felt it was objectionable and without explanation removed one day then rated as OK the next. Again go figure.

This book was made February 10-12, 2021. The purpose of a Pack Rat journal is to use all those special items, one-of-a-kind papers, things you have been saving. Mine isn't quite that special but I have never made a journal/book using this cover construction technique. The cover front, back, and spine are one continuous piece of upholstery fabric to which I glued the front and back cover of a deconstructed book. The signatures are sewn directly through the spine after gluing a piece of suede cloth over the inside of the spine area to beef it up a bit. The dimensions are: Spine 1.25", covers 7.75 x 5.25 ( the hardback book pieces are 7.25 x 5).

There are six signatures with approximately 14 pages each. The papers vary, tea-dyed copy paper pages from a primary school reader, music composition paper, sheet music, old book pages, maps, accounting paper, colored vellum, envelopes, and scrapbook paper. There are plenty of pockets, tags, and tuck spots. For the most part, it is complete but you never know. I might come across something that finds its home in this book, after all, it is a pack rat journal.

Forest Lore Book

This is another reposting of a book that Blogspot removed one day as objectionable but deemed OK the next. This Big Brother stuff is getting ridiculous. 

I realized when I went to upload the recent work that I hadn't put up any photos of the journal and books I had made in 2020. The Forest Lore was the first of the group I made in the February of 2020. It is 9 inches tall, 6 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep. There are 12 signatures with an average of 10 pages.

After putting the book together I added a photo to the cover. Then I cut out a tree silhouette in the center of a rectangular piece of cardboard a bit smaller than the front cover. I painted to match the fabric cover of the book before gluing it on top.

I added the title on the spine and painted the raised spine gold.

In addition to tea-dyed pages, old book pages, sheet music, brown paper bag, and accounting pages this book included some of my original art; an etching on my handmade paper, a photo I took of tree bark printed on vellum, and a 12 x 18-inch black ink etching folded. I also included tags, a small matchbox-styled notebook, a cut-out window, machine stitching, envelops, and tuck spots.

 

LavenderSage Retreat DAY EIGHT - HOME

I was up and on the road my 7:00 am. My bracelet was still secured to my wrist. The wish I had made was for an uneventful trip home. The drive to Albuquerque was smooth and fast. I made the drive in 2 hours and 15 minutes. While I was at the Hertz desk getting a free tank of gas for the battery problem, my bracelet fell off on the to counter. I picked it up and tucked it into my bag. Had a lovely breakfast of blue corn pancakes, wonderful coffee and crisp bacon. Yummy! The Albuquerque airport is the nicest airport I have ever been in, clean, good announcement system and stylish charging stations. When I got off the plane in Atlanta I can't believe how well I felt. Getting all that oxygen into my system was a fabulous nature high. We boarded our plane home and started to pull away from the gate. PROBLEM. The pilot came out of the cockpit and said something didn't feel just right. We drove over to a new gate. The mechanics found a brake breaking apart. We were only about 1.5 hours late. The trip wasn't uneventful but it could have been much more eventful and newsworthy.

Once home I started adding more things to my book. This is a Turkish fold map in the back of my book. I haven't made one of these since I did altered books. Fun.

The back cover and the end of a fun trip.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY SIX

Friday morning we made fabric washi tape to bind our books with. Then we decorated our covers and began assembling our books.

That afternoon was free. Fran and I had reservation for the 3:30 pm tour of Georgia O'Keeffee Home and Studio, at Abiquiu (2 hour drive). It was only an hour tour but well worth the trip.

all photos on the 2 above pages are by Herb Lotz from a Georgia O'Keeffe Museum brochure

Another one of my Gelli plate prints using a real leaf as a mask. The Margaritas and chicken enchiladas were very good. My appetite seem to be returning some what. I actually lost weight on this trip.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY FIVE

In the morning Jane showed making envelopes from our Gelli prints, watercolor cloud painting, drawing with a Tombow brush pen on her "rain page". We continued to work on the lessons from the previous days.

The afternoon we were scheduled to plein air sketch at the San Franciso de Assis Church in Rancho de Taos then on to dinner. Unfortunately for me, my rental car battery was dead. By the time I finished with the Hertz everyone was already at the restaurant. So I grabbed a burger and called it a night.

An award I wish I had not qualified for.

Another Gelli Plate print I had sewn into a signature of my book.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY TWO

Monday morning we collected nature items to sketch which we drew then, cut them out and placed them in our books. We also painted a "rain page", a couple of wash pages and tore down our watercolor paper for the books we were to make. Jane taught a book assemble technique that I had never done before but I had also brought a case bound book, one of three I had made with a Southwestern theme. I did make the one we were taught in class but ended up taking the pieces from that book and putting them into my casebound book.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY ONE

Had a great time even though I had altitude sickness the entire time. On Sunday morning, I left home at 5:00 am, flew to Atlanta GA. then flew on later to Albuquerque NM. Rented my car, picked up Mary Ellen and drove 137 miles to Taos (a total of 13 hrs of travel). Shortly after arriving we had a welcome party. Nice snacks and a wonderful goody bags (Apron, cloth goody bag, name tag, lavender soap, lavender lip salve, Moleskine notebook, and charms for our books). Jane LaFazio briefed us on the plans for the upcoming week.

We stayed at the Mabel Dodge Luhan Historical Inn.  Each day we had a wonderful vegan breakfast and lunch. Monday night, as we did several of the evening, had a "happy hour" of snacks and wine. Some of the ladies spent extra time in the studio each night. Their wonderful books show the results.

above photo from the Mabel Dodge Luhan Historical Inn brochure

Book Binding

I have been busy making sketchbooks. The three in the top image are for my trip to Taos. I used my Gelli Plate prints for the covers and included the rest in the text blocks. I will be taking the one with the dream catcher (detached) with me and one other, probably not all three on my retreat trip to Taos NM. The bottom image shows the 4th book I made. It is a gutted and filled $1 library book. I spray painted the outside and add silk book cloth to the spine. I used purple print old scrapbooking paper for the end pages.

Gelli Printing Party

Spend yesterday afternoon making Gelli Plate prints to use for book covers. I have enough text blocks for 4 case bound books. Sewed one together last night. I think I have enough prints for 3 of the book covers, end papers and pockets. The color choice was based on what I consider a Southwest color pallet. I am making one to take on my trip to the LavenderSage Retreat in August/September.