Many moons ago I started this project, the Book of Questions, and thought you might like to take a peek at its progress. I was inspired by the work of Nina Bagley, and had lots of cabinet cards tucked away from years of collecting. It always saddens me to think these beautiful photographs are no longer with their families, but I do adore them and even if I don't know the names and the stories behind them I will recreate something!
The idea was to find a question to fit each photo, and that has definitely been the fun part, because I love words so much! On the backs (where the question goes) I've applied scrapbooking paper, and with my trusty calligraphy pen and my rusty calligraphy skills, I've started writing out the questions.
There was a possible alternative here : Can melancholia be a symptom of tight corsets?! The next cabinet card is from Paisley, Scotland so could very well be an ancestor of mine. He's dashing enough, might claim him anyway!!
A couple more, just in case you're still with me on this!! I've put the question on the photo, but it will be done like the others above, handwritten with pen and ink on the opposite side to the photo.
I have twenty of these gorgeous cabinet cards, so you can imagine how thick The Book of Questions will be by the time it's all done. Binding is going to be a bit tricky, but I have this idea in mind, once I've got over punching the eyelets!
What project are you enjoying most right now?
Trudy
I love making books! It is one of my most favourite things to do. When I spied an upcoming class being advertised in a local flyer, I knew I would have to take this opportunity to learn a new way of binding and jumped in boots and all. Our teacher had travelled from Melbourne to teach eight book-loving people in a room behind the Meeniyan Art Gallery.
Down went the newspaper and out came the tools of trade. We got to play with ink and paint and wood blocks and beautiful handmade paper for six hours! It was So Much Fun. Here I am with my friend Jo who came along for the fun of it all and is now hooked on printing and stamping. Looking like serious artistic groovers, I hear you say!!
The print below was made with a shell which had been sawn in half. Beautiful. We also used all sorts of different leaves.
This is my book. Can you guess how this print was made? It kind of looks skeletal, don't you think? And the colours worked so beautifully on my draft page that I stitched it into my book. Isn't it always the way that the print you do on the beautiful handmade paper is not quite as perfect as the one you do as a practice run?!! Anyway, this print was made with a long piece of lino which had broken egg shells glued to it. I know, who would have thought? Then I double stamped it - green and dark brown - and got that not quite lined up effect which I rather liked!
When I brought my book home I decided to use it for inspirational thoughts about travel. "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" by Lao Tzu and "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Nice thoughts.
Perfectly good fun. And a book at the end of it all. I realise I haven't even shown you the binding which is called Coptic Binding, 'nother day.
Do you like making books? Do you have a favourite paper to use, or a favourite stamp?
Wishing you a Happy Day!
Trudy
