In the Post Today

I have been working on a number of books recently, both for stock and commission items.  Today I gift-wrapped and packaged these three books, for the postman to deliver to three lovely ladies in USA!

"Butterfly Garden" Wedding Guest book, for Victoria. 

This is 9.25" x 6.5" and has 30 pages of nice cartridge paper, for guests to write their good wishes.  It has a Japanese-style stab-stitch binding, in red linen thread.

The covers are lined in strawberry-coloured art paper.

Inside there is a book-plate with the names of the bride and groom, plus their wedding date.

"Damask and Silk" Wedding Guest Album, for Kristina.

This book is 10.5" x 8.25", covered in ivory damask-effect embossed paper, with a purple silk edging.  It contains 20 pages (40 sides) of medium/heavy 280gsm Fabriano paper, which is slightly textured.  The binding is a Coptic stitch, with 12 ivory linen threads.  I made a pattern on the cover, with the centre stitches longer than the next pair and the outside stitches the shortest, to give a "stepped" effect. I think it looks very good!

Kristina asked for a design of starfishes to be put on the front of the book, along with the names of bride and groom.

I made a special lino-cut stamp for her and stamped these two starfish, in the colours of her choice.  They are printed on the same Fabriano paper as inside the book.  The name-plate is also printed onto Fabriano paper and both prints are mounted on silk pieces, to match the cover edgings. 

I really hope they will be pleased with their book!



Buddhist Themed Sketchbook, for Holly

I was asked, by Holly, to create a sketchbook on a Buddhist theme.  We talked about various colours and symbolic ideas and chose the saffron and deep red colours worn by Tibetan buddhist monks, with a string of tiny prayer flags, plus a lotus flower. 

The book is covered with saffron coloured Lokta paper, with deep red silk edging.  It is bound with a Coptic stitch, sewn with six threads of golden yellow linen, with an orange tassel embellishment.  The prayer flags are made from small pieces of mulberry paper, in the five prayer-flag colours, attached to natural-coloured cotton.  The lotus flower is mounted on matching red silk.  There are 80 pages (160 sides) of off-white Daler-Rowney 65lb sketch paper.  The coptic binding means the book will open flat all the way through - handy when you're sitting sketching!

I was quite excited about this book and it's been real fun to work with this customer, who had definite ideas about what she wanted, but was also interested to hear my ideas/input too.  The finished book is definitely a collaborative effort, combining both our ideas.  I'm so happy with it - I hope she will be too!

So the postman will be busy these next few days.  I hope he takes good care of my hard work and delivers these undamaged and in good time!