June Pocket Book

I wouldn't want anyone to think I had fallen behind....yet.  My June books were finished well within June, but couldn't be posted as they were gifts for people who do read this blog.  It started with a friend mentioning she was several albums behind in documenting trips to England.  I offered to make her a pocket book, similar to the one I used for my 2007 trip so she could get at least one book behind her by simply putting photos and paper bits in the pockets and adding a minimum of decoration.

As mentioned, I was not completely happy with the pocket book I had made before, so I decided to try and create my own.  I used 12"x12" scrapbook paper - scored, folded, and punched - and rings for binding.  In laying out the folds, which included doubling the edges for strength, I wrote the steps and directions on my sample page and kept it with my other book templates.  While working on the first book, I decided to make similar books for both of her sisters for the gift exchange on our regular "All-England, All-Birthday, Whidbey Island Weekend".

My friend requested her book be in the Union Jack colors of red, white, and blue, so I alternated the colors and folded the pockets as deep as possible while still allowing enough height for the 5X7 photos.  I dug into my stash of England 'stuff' and started her off by loading the pockets with stickers, postage stamps, postcards, tags, and other paper bits. 

I made this with ten pages, which means twenty pockets, and used larger rings for binding.  I suspect when it is full of all the photos, cards and ticket stubs, it will be pretty fat.

The second sister had mentioned that postcards I had given her were kind of scattered around in various places (she is not a collector, just the recipient of cards I just 'know' she needs).  Amazingly I had a group of co-ordinated scrapbook papers that had the word 'postcard' printed in the design of one page so I used it as the cover. I made this book with a shallower pocket since she had no plans to do any decorating, this book was to be totally functional.

For the third sister I had no specific use in mind, but I knew she would put it to good use.  Since she is a crafter, I gave her the deeper pockets in case she chose to decorate the book and I made it in soft feminine colors - which suit her.

The grain of the paper dictated the direction of the design - I would have preferred the stripe be vertical.

The first thing I learned making this book was how important working with the grain was.  With all the creasing and folding, the only fold against the grain had to be the bottom edge, and I creased that rather gently by comparison.  The second thing, which should have been self-evident, was that all measurements had to be PERFECT.  This book allows for no trimming to even things up like blank books with signatures do.  My new pocket book was less bulky than the diagonal fold page, so I was successful in that.

I have at least one more of these to make, also a gift, another travel journal.  It will be taken along on the trip and serve as a repository for collected paper bits and notes during the holiday and then as soon as photos are ready, it will be done.  This one I will get to decorate as well...looking forward to that.

72 Booklets and Counting

In my rash of booklet making, I was able to almost completely use up a small stash of 8 1/2" x 11" art papers I had been saving for....who knows what.  The magazine Somerset Studios publishes several free pages of art paper in each issue and of course, I have saved them all.  Because I needed to cut around the credit printed on the back of each sheet, I wound up making a pair from each paper - one 5" tall and one 4" tall.  I finished them with beads and my regular postage stamp on the back.

As an added bonus, by the time I had used up all the pages that worked for me, I was able to let go of the remaining 8-10 pages and that is one little stash gone.  And just in case anybody is interested, you can easily make 45 booklets in the time it takes to watch four Premier League Soccer (football) games.

Although I have already moved on to my May books, there are about 3 weeks left in the Premier League season, so I will be making a few more booklets, including a couple of variations.

More April Booklets

After I made the small blank booklets it was time to make some larger ones.  These were to be single signature using 8 pieces of 8x11 1/2 paper.  Given that one of my goals is to use up materials I already have stashed, I have made it a general practice to use a decorative text weight or lighter page inside the cover paper.  I am also putting a subject or color matched (hopefully both) postage stamp on the back of each booklet. For these four booklets I also dipped into my stash of paper bits, which included a couple of 'Cinderellas' - stamps that are not actual postage stamps but were made as advertising, or to commemorate something.  I used the five hole booklet binding and waxed linen thread where the thread is tied on the outside and cut to about 1".

These went together very nicely and quite quickly so I plan on making quite a few more.

April Booklets

On my 2007 trip to England, in Winchester,  I bought a pad of paper placemats with maps of London, Paris, New York and Tokyo - lovely paper with pleasant green, blue and tan colors.  I have used a couple sheets in the last four years, but going along with the goal of 'using up' I started this month with five booklets using the sheets as covers.  I used blank white paper for a single signature pamplet with a three-hole binding.  These were made for my book group, inveterate travelers all, just the right size for dropping in your purse and taking notes while traveling or dreaming about traveling.  In keeping with what seems to be becoming a theme with me, I used postage stamps on the inside front page and low on the back cover.

Of course, I kept the one showing the Tower Bridge for myself.

March Challenge

Do you see what I see?

It’s the middle of March, and I’ve just lost an hour, but I’m setting myself a pretty high challenge for the March book(s).

When you look at this picture you see a Starbucks paper cup, a teapot lid, a paper mache pear, a cheap camera, and some computer hard drive parts.  When I look at it, I see five books….well, I don’t actually see them, but I have some good ideas……..let’s see how it works out.  (This may be the month when I have to be very honest about my failures)

A Few More

Part of this year long project was to use up some of the papers and materials I've squirreled away for the last thirty-plus years.  The good news is that I already have used some, the bad news is that it's just a drop in the bucket.

Years ago I worked for a company that made diplomas, and at one point I was in purchasing.  As a result, I brought home several 'books' of paper samples - colors and textures that made my mouth water.  What is it about paper and yarn that does that to me...subject for another post I suspect.  At any rate, I cut down some of these samples, sorted them in color families, and made a few more small stab books.  I pulled the cover papers from my paper scrap bin.  No amount of books or projects will ever make a dent in that bin, papers breed like rabbits.