Creating a "Wee Book"

Here I am with my latest creation of a "Wee Book". Measuring about 3 inches square, it certainly deserves its title. Inside are some fifteen images, relating the the theme of winter.
It is essentially one long page folded like an accordion, hence the name      " accordion fold". This book was a study in printing out text and assembling the images with words in a consecutive format.There were also lessons on using cutouts for design purposes, as in the cover you see.
I am a calligrapher, so using words from the computer is harder for me than just writing on a page. This is what is happening  today. I am trying to get into the twenty first century, even though I am more comfortable using  techniques from years gone by, when it was all was done by hand
My bookmaking often happens with a group of fellow artists in the book arts.  At the given workshop, we are all students, with one taking the turn of being the instructor. The level of competency is high with this group. It is inspiring and helpful to learn with others. Makes one feel less the idiot, seeing others in your same sense of confusion. 
Being a visual artist, I learn more by seeing things happen, rather than just reading instructions.That was one of my joys teaching classes in calligraphy, the kindred spirit of everyone learning.
So that is the story of creating this wee book.

Blue Book in a Box

I noticed I got a lot of viewers  on my most recent blogs about the pop up books. Thus I will continue
 more about my handmade book series.This particular image is my blue book in the tarot decorated cigar box. I call it "Blue Book in a Box". But what a special box. I covered an old cigar box in paper decorated with images of tarot cards. Tarot was used as far back as the 14th century by fortunetellers and gypsies to predict the future. I liked the paper, and the concept that this book could be filled with thoughts and words to come. In truth, it is really more difficult to cover an existing box than to start from scratch.Getting the corners to close tightly is not easy. However, I like to recycle, and I like a challenge. 

The book is an open signature design. Signatures are sheets of paper sewn together, often in multiples of four, that form the pages of a book. Those decorated beads in front actually hold them all together. I used a handmade Italian paper, the last  sheet that I had been saving for just  the perfect project. I like to give each book I make its own  "home". Then I feel it is complete. Maybe I could have called this blog " Completion".