Friday, October 30, 2015

LAW 50: Handmade Books for Sale, part two

Well, here i am again! Twice in one week, don't expect this behavior very often, but an out of area friend wanted to see these… sometimes, someone has to light the fire.

Any way, with the exception of the  Sunflower book, these smaller books are quite reasonably priced. The Sunflower is a first for me, made from  100% post-consumer recycled products. It is also completely hand made. Late this summer i decided that would start making my own paper. So, October being a month when the marina population thins out here   i felt i had enough space to commandeer and dedicate to the paper making project. If you have never made paper on a large scale, it is a wet, messy space consuming type of process. Something best practiced outside on hot summer/fall days. Did i mention low humidity would be nice.

Handpaper paper has so many interesting qualities, properly prepared it has many applications(more on this later). I particularly like the quirky traces of prior use; sometimes a word will escape the shredding process, small flecks of color float just under the surface, and of course anything you put into the vat will float on or near the surface of the paper. Sunflower Nouveau Woman has flower petals from our Jerusalem Artichokes. Which incidentally were blown down by the remnants of hurricane Joquim.

So here is a sampling of the smaller, earlier books. I am willing to entertain special requests. If i find them interesting enough. So, let me know if you're interested.

SMALL FORMAT BOOKS

SUNFLOWER NOUVEAU WOMAN: 4.5 x 5.5", 72pp handmade 100% post-consumer recycled paper with sunflower petal inclusions. Cover, handmade papier mache,  board with brown and gold patina with 'vintage' brass pin head. Black ribbon Coptic stitch binding. *Paper has been blocked, pressed, gessoed and burnished to more easily accept ink. $150


 





So here you have four views of Sunflower. I am going to post this now, and go hit my head repeatedly again a wall somewhere, as that will make me feel better after dealing with computer glitches all morning. No, of course it's not operator error! 

More later,
Morgainne



Thursday, October 29, 2015

LAW 49: Handmade Books for Sale


This year i re-visited the art of bookmaking. I have made books and taught bookmaking for many years, but for some reason was never attracted to the most traditional of binding stitches used in the West, the Coptic Stitch.  I was, however, increasingly unhappy with the usability of books that were bound with the Japanese stab binding.  So… one of the great gifts of living here on the Empire, and calling all of my time my own, is time. Time to experiment, time to learn, time to have fun.

Finally i am getting around to posting images and descriptions of what is available. I will continue to update this page as i make more, so check back often! It takes about a week, start to finish to make a book, unless i am also making the paper(more on that later). These books are all blank books, with a variety of paper types and sizes. They make great gifts, think, Christmas, birthdays, weddings, any special event, and of course are ideal for the poet, writer, or artist in your life.

MEDIUM SIZE/NAUTICAL THEMES

BOLD BUCCANEER:  5.5 x 7", 120pp. Canson 98# mixed, wet or dry media paper. Cover; recycled Sunforger fabric with board. Black and white cotton hand stitched embroidery, top bound with red ribbon Coptic stitch binding. $150

Bold Buccaneer


PIRATES: 7 x 5.5", 120pp Canson 98# mixed wet or dry media paper. Cover, recycled Sunforger fabric and board with black cotton hand stitched embroidery. Black linen Coptic stitch binding. $100



Pirates

MERMAID WITH ANCHOR: 5.5 x 7",  96 pp,  Canson 98# mixed, wet or dry media paper. Cover; recycled Sunforger fabric with board. Multi colored cotton hand stitched embroidery and red ribbon Celtic stitch binding. Top bound $100

Mermaid with Anchor





CELTIC DRAGON: 7 x 5.5", 120pp Canson 98# mixed wet or dry media paper.  Cover; recycled Sunforger fabric with board. Multi colored cotton hand stitched embroidery and black linen cord Coptic stitch and long stitch binding. $100
Celtic Dragon

 CELTIC HEART SWANS:  5.5 x 8.5", 144 pp, pink medium weight card stock paper, dry media only. Cover is Dupai silk  and board with multi color cotton hand stitched embroidery. Black and red ribbon Coptic stitch binding. Side bound $50.

Celtic Swan binding detail
Celtic Heart Swans

  



 CELTIC KNOT: 5.5 x 8.5 180 pp, multi colored light weight writing paper. Cover, Dupai silk and board with multi colored hand stitched cotton embroidery. Black and red ribbon coptic stick binding. Side bound. $50.


Celtic Knot embroidery detail
Celtic Knot bind view

  


 BROWN PAISLEY: 5.5 x 8", 84pp medium weight mixed media, dry only paper. Cover brown paisley upholstery fabric and board. Black linen and long stitch binding. Ribbon tie close on book.$50.


Brown Paisley


RED MEDALLION:  5.5 x 8.5" 120pp tan toned Strathmore 80# acid free drawing paper. Cover, red medallion upholstery fabric and board with red and natural sinew Coptic stitch binding. Side bound. $50.


Red Medallion


 GREEN PAPIER MACHE: 5.5 x 8.5", 120pp, tan light weight writing paper. Cover handmade papier mache with green tone patina. Black linen Coptic stitch with Stab stitch binding. $50.



     
Green Papier Mache


 HEALING HAND: 6 x 9", 96pp tan toned Strathmore 80#, acid free drawing paper. Cover, card stock with Kirlian photo of healing hand. Red sinew Coptic stitch binding. $50.



Healing Hand