Monday, May 01, 2006

Making books - what next?

Alice asked in a comment on yesterday's post, what I might do with the books I make. They do have pages in them so can be used as diaries, journals, even photograph albums. Some people use them to produce catalogues for their work (there were artists attending the weekend's workshop). Some people write poems in them, give them as gifts, blank or with photos/messages in them. I've thought of creating scrapbooks when I finally get around to doing that. The smaller easy and quick to make ones can be stationery, greeting/gift cards, and so on. They are also great for special events such as weddings. I've got a few projects in mind (no weddings though!). But it is scary to think of using the more elaborate ones that take a bit of work. They look so perfect, I'm thinking I'll just display them for now, especially the accordian book. That embossed paper has the look and feel of reptile skin.

This is another one we made, I still need to sew in the second and third sections of text pages. It's called a three signature hard cover book.

11 comments:

lindsaylobe said...

They look beautiful. Maybe you could use them to house all your blog postings in a hard copy publcation.

Vals Gardens & Travels.

Val said...

I have thought about saving some posts of my blog in a more permanent format. Has anyone ever done anything like that? Can you even save the html file for a post, or a month of posts for example??

WendyAs said...

Good choice of fabric. Very pretty.

How about Wallaby skin covers. You could start an export business to the US selling Roo skinned journals. Ya never know what someone will buy.

Alice said...

Thanks Val - I can now see that it could become a fascinating hobby, with ample scope to use your imagination to the full. You could make some delightfully personal gifts. I hope you continue to expand on what you've alread learned.

Susie said...

Interesting idea about saving your blog posts in a hard copy! Let me know if you figure out a way to do it! These books are so creative Val!

Val said...

Wendy,

awwww, you wouldn't want to use wallaby skin, would you? But up in Queensland they have a ready made skin in great quantity, and no one would be upset: cane toads! Their skin is used to make all kinds of things for the tourist market. The toads themselves are hideous, to say nothing of being an environmental disaster (they were imported to kill off something else), but the skin would be beautiful for covering books. Hmmm, you've got me thinking!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I think the idea of writing poems in them and giving them as gifts would be the perfect gift. It would be something to cherish forever.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Val...I save all my posts, by the month, to CD's. And have an email folder full of them too. I don't know what I will do with them, but I thought the kids might like to read them after I'm gone. I'm guessing that if you publish them yourself you could save them to hard cover...I have one CD for every month of posts...this was my brother's idea for safe keeping. Blogger may be discontinued someday...you just never know.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Very beautiful! I love arts and crafts.

Val said...

I've thought of something else you can use them for: you can put in favorite recipes, but on removeable cards so you don't wreck the pretty paper and binding.

WendyAs said...

I wish I could make a duvet cover in that. Stunning Val. The American in me can't stop thinking about a way to market them.