Same View - Different Day!

So it's the 2nd of June today... no longer my birthday.  This morning the sun came up - no clouds to be seen (well maybe just a couple of tiny ones!).  

Same View as yesterday... but no rain!

Same bench, different day - we might be able to eat lunch sitting in the sunshine. And there's still some cake left - yay!

We could sit on the bench and admire the lovely pink flowers.

I love the sunshine!

* * *

Last night I finished the little birdy stamp, plus its pair.  Here they both are:

This is what they look like when printed.  Obviously they're not identical, being hand-carved, but I think they make a good pair.  I have some bought stamps with birds on, but the irritating thing is that they all face to the right.  Now I have some that face both directions. 

More are planned - watch this space!

If I can bear to, I may even make some to sell in the Shop... but I love making them for myself too...

* * *

Final bit of news for now- I had a message on Facebook today, from my friend Sue, in Pocatello, USA.

She is the friend for whom I made the book I mentioned last week, which I couldn't show you yet.

"Re: Happy Birthday!!!

It CAME and I ADORE it!!!!! I love dragonflies to begin with but this blue and gold is beautiful and mostly I love the texture of the material...and I can feel all the love you poured into it...thank you ever so much!!! "

 
Yay! She loves it! She's happy!  And so am I.
 
Now I can show it to you all:

A large sketchbook for Sue, who is an artist - see her website here.  I thought she'd like it to use for her initial drawings, when planning her paintings or items of sculpture and jewellery.  (I have a couple of pendants that she made for me. They are lovely! Go and take a look at her work - it's worth the effort.)

The back view.

It is covered with lokta paper, printed with golden dragonflies. 

The spine edges of the covers have golden silk tussore fabric.  I made a matching tassel from the silk and bound the book with a Japanese binding, using waxed natural linen thread.  The book measures approx 21 x 30 cm (12" x 8"). 

It is filled with plain sketch paper and has hand-torn edges on the pages.  The covers are lined with the same paper as the outsides, as they are semi-soft covers made from stiff card, rather than book-board.  This was partly because the book would be heavy if I used board, but also because it's a sketch-book and I felt this was the best kind of cover to have.

I am so glad Sue is happy with her present. I had such a lovely time making it (now I've discovered how to make a Japanese stab-binding without getting raw-red fingers from the needle!!). 

I'm going to make some more books with the lokta paper and silk (see yesterday's post, for a green and gold journal that I made for Kylie's birthday).  I love the bright colours and they come out so well. 

Meanwhile I have a commission to work on, for Carol, an Etsy client.  I'd best get on with it!!  Then I have a diary/planner to make for Kylie.  I love being busy!