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Friday, July 22, 2011

An Open Book...

At last! I have completed the Remains of the Day journal. The cover was shown in a previous post. I may be slow and plodding, but projects eventually do get done. After enrolling in the class offered by Mary Ann Moss, I made the cover and began saving and sorting all sorts of paper and images for use in this journal. Then it was time to compose pages, sewing bits and pieces in place in a pleasing way. Business cards, food photos, magazine covers, advertising brochures, patterned paper, envelopes, paper bags, fabric strips... all of it found its way into the journal.

There are two signatures (groups of pages) in this journal, and each one contains 8 folded pages for a total of 32 pages in the book. I even sewed enough pages to have a pretty good start on my next journal.















There is always more to a subject than first meets the eye, and I've enjoyed learning about book making. There's an entire vocabulary to master... words like "signature" and "spread" (the two pages you see when a book is open). Even the left and right pages of a spread have a term. In the photo below, the green heart is on the recto, or right-hand page, while the yellow arrow is on the verso, or left-hand page. I don't know if I'll remember the terms, but I hope to craft more handmade books, so they might just stick with me.







I've also borrowed several library books on the subject of handmade books. It's fascinating how many methods and styles there are, some of them quite simple to accomplish. "Making Handmade Books" by Alisa Golden is one title that has useful information and clear instructions.


The next questions to answer are: Will I be courageous enough to write in my journal? Will I have anything to say? Even if it remains blank, it's been great fun to create!

11 comments:

Nancy said...

What a great job, Nancy....love the colors and all the pages......Looks like you may be making a few more...

I find journal making fun as well......I've gotten sidetracked by a quilted wall hanging but hope to finish mine before too long....I am enjoying the class...

Barbara Hagerty said...

Your book is beautiful, Nancy! Thanks for sharing the pictures!

Unknown said...

Nancy! You are finished and it is GORGEOUS. I too have really enjoyed learning about book making which rather surprised me. Your pages are wonderful ... I think you might like writing in them once you get going. It's addictive. So glad you had fun. Have a lovely weekend. Donna

Carin Winkelman said...

Congrats on finishing your first ROD. You did a great job! Hope you enjoy using it as much as I did!

Unknown said...

I think this is a work of love and it will always be an experience you will remember. I do hope you will make more journals in the future. Dxx

Michelle LaPoint Rydell said...

Your journal is beautiful! I love the colors and detail you put into it!!!

Robbie said...

What a cool journal!! I love all the different elements you put on the pages! The tickets and pockets and everything!! so interesting!!! Nice work, nancy!

Altered Art Studio 9010 said...

Love your ROD journal. Your use of color is great. Have fun filling it!!

creativelenna said...

Nancy, I love your journal. I have yet to start mine, been busy with other things... seems like I am going to gave myself a deadline to start because your journal is very inspiring! The Alissa Golden book you mention is one of my favorites!

A tired retired recluse @ Swallowcliffs.blogspot.com/ said...

Nancy: Hi. I find with my books that I do write at times because one of the pages just "fit" with something on my mine I want to write about. If you feel like writing, try just flipping through your pages, enjoying your own eye candy until something sparks. Your journal is lovely.

Browndirtcottage said...

Your journal is quite interesting!! I have never done one but I have sure seen some great ones on blogland!
Your quilty projects are great too. I especially liked reading about your machine quilting 'ordeal'!! I agree with what you said but I am still going to keep trying to maybe master THE BEAST! HA!