This year, instead of making resolutions, I decided to devote myself to a general sort of ongoing project.  I wanted a project  which would involve creativity and yet accomplish something; one with a general direction as well as specific goals.  I wanted to flex as many muscles as possible.

As I mulled over my various unfinished projects, my vast stock of unused materials, my favorite things, and my mental list of artistic ideas…all these came together in BOOKS.  Sure, I read a lot of books, but it is more than that.  I genuinely love books.  I love the look of them, the smell of them (is there anything more awfully wonderful than the smell of an old used bookstore?), and the feel of them.  My favorite artists are almost all illustrators.  The first big purchase I made for my new condo was ceiling to floor bookshelves for the living room.  I have several completed handmade books I am rather proud of and several more unfinished ones that are on my conscience.  And yet, I have never made a ‘proper book’.  Indeed then, books it is.

So I sat down and made a list of goals (see sidebar) and then a list of reference materials (see sidebar).   I have, on my always handy Excel spreadsheet, several more lists: book ideas, theme ideas, notes from my reading.  And now that this post is here for you to read I have already completed my first goal.

I plan to document both existing books and new books here as the year progresses.  Hopefully, I will have more successes than failures to share – but I promise I will honestly share them both.  You won’t find any posts about authors or illustrators, or book reviews here, those would show up in my regular blog….unless of course I think of a brilliant way to include Terry Pratchett or Anthony Trollope in a double-layer interwoven slit concertina book or perhaps a soft spine book with multisignature tacketing….hmmm, let me think about that.