Thursday 8 March 2012

Three More Books

I have a lot of books on my Commissions List just now.  It's good news really, though I'm having to keep myself organised, so I get it all done (those who have known me for a while, will know that organisation doesn't come easily to me, nor am I a particularly speedy worker... hmmm..).

This week, I've completed 3 more books (one of which I posted an In Progress photo last week). 
This - a ten-needle Coptic Binding - became...
this Wedding Guest Book, for Maria and Bruce.
This is the completed binding.  I think it looks good!
The cover images kind-of continue across the back and front pages. 
The Coptic binding allows the book to open out flat all the way through - you can see that the stitching forms a sort-of "hinge" on the bound edge.
I made a special label for the inside of the book.  The coloured section-wraps are cut with my new Martha Stewart edge punch. I thought it would be lovely for wedding books!
* * *
Yesterday, I finished this Japanese stab-stitch Photo Album, for Sarah.  She saw one I made last summer (posted on Facebook) and asked for a similar album, as a gift for her grandparents.
It has 15 pages of white stiff card, with spacers included, to prevent the photos making the book bulge.
A detail of the binding, made with a grape-purple waxed linen. 
You can also see the spacers and the gaps between the pages.
 
I used some threads from a piece of the silk, to make a hand-tied matching tassel.  It's tied with gold thread, to match the printed design on the paper. 
Sarah has seen the photos I posted on Facebook.  She says she loves the book, so it will soon be on its way to her!
* * *
This is a Coptic-bound book, that I completed today. 

It's a Comments book, for a lady I know, who runs a stall at craft fairs and farmers' markets, selling her excellent herbal-based remedies, soaps and skin-care products.  Her name is Melanie. 

I took a selection of papers to her, just before Christmas, and she chose this "Bird and Nest" paper, by Cavallini.  I made up some covers -  a pair of hinged covers, for a stab-stitch binding and this pair, for a coptic binding.  She chose the coptic binding, so she could have more pages.  I then added the silk edges, to enhance the binding.
The back cover has more birds on (though the silk has covered a bird's head).  It's not a very large book, so the big designs have been rather chopped up, but I think it still looks nice. 
Melanie wants a label for the book. 
I have taken a number of shots for her, with various label ideas.  This is one, for the inside of the book, with an oval label mounted on a piece of silk, to match the covers.
Really though, I think the front cover makes far more sense, and looks much more balanced, with a label mounted under the medallion with the big bird in it.  I hope this is the option she likes, as it's definitely my favourite idea.
I'm waiting for her to see the photos I posted on Facebook (it's so useful to be able to post an album full of photos on my Facebook Page, then send someone a link to it!), then for her decision on a label.  Then this will soon be displayed - and I hope, used - on her table, at various fairs and markets!
* * *
That's the three books I've completed in the past week.  I still have plenty to do; also I want to make a number of books for my shop, as Stock items, that are ready to send out immediately.   Tomorrow I must go "paper shopping", then get back to work! 

14 comments:

  1. Lizzie, those are just beautiful. You do lovely work. I am very sure everyone is going to be tickled pink! xox
    Pam

    PS I am going to use the frames for some little drawings, I think. :)

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  2. Lizzie, your books are lovely!

    I love your blog changes too. I do find blogs with white backgrounds a lot easier to read and the tabs look to be working well, along with the righthand sidebar - do you like your changes? Is this the final change? Can we expect more? :-)

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  3. These are perfectly stunning ... you do such beautiful work and make such lovely, lovely things. Glad the commissions keep coming; you deserve them. :)

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  4. Aww... how nice, thank you all! I so enjoy making my books. I just need to get organised, then I could make 3-times as many!

    Amy, I had a list of blogs, in my old l/h sidebar, which I visited daily. I moved it into the "Friends" tab... but I missed seeing the list, with the new posts highlighted. So I've put it back - limited to max 20 blogs though! It's now near the bottom on the right.
    Who knows if I'll change any more? I'm not that organised, you know...

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  5. Love that purple one - glad the commissions are going well!

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  6. The inside detailing on the first is fantastic! And I adore the print on the second one.
    Rinda

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  7. Beautiful. You go from strength to strength

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  8. I love the second one, both the color and the stitch type. They are all so pretty

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  9. L absolutely live the wedding book x

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  10. Beautiful work Lizzie! Your customers obviously love the way you give them options and try to make the best book for them. That's what keeps them coming!

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  11. Wow Lizzie - these are absolutely beautiful - I especially like the first one and also the one with the bird on x

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  12. Wow Lizzie - these are absolutely beautiful - I especially like the first one and also the one with the bird on x

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  13. Your books are BEAUTIFUL!!! I love all the different bindings and the colours are gorgeous. The wedding one is stunning. Can you bind paper that is already written on?

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