A Book a Day? What's Up With That?


Hi, and welcome to this year-long project. So what's this all about and how did it happen, you might ask. In mid 2007, artist Noah Scalin decided to make a skull out of anything he could find, every day for a year. It stretched him in ways he never imagined, as an artist, a writer and a person. His experience turned into a blog that went viral, and then a book.

Others have picked up on the idea: 365 Hearts, 365 Masks, 365 Bears drawn on a cellphone, 365 paper napkin mustaches.
I wanted to play, too, and I chose books. I love books, I know a bit about making books (thanks to my talented book-maker sister, Marilyn Worrix), and they're broad enough in definition to give me a lot of creative leeway.

The whole point is not really the books. The idea is to stretch myself in many ways as an artist and a person, to set up a discipline, stick with it and see what that teaches me.

I hope you'll join with me and follow along on the journey chronicled here, and let me know what you think.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Day 55-Peppermint Pattie

Another "found in the store" book, cut up pieces of a case of York Peppermint Pattie Candy Bars (one of my favorites). I just really liked the look of that big round logo and wanted to use it.

I cut the logo out and added a "handle" on the left for the hinge, cut the back board from the part of the box with the nutrition info. I cut regular text paper pages in the same circle shape with hinge and sewed the book in a Japanese stab binding technique with red waxed thread. The finished book measures 5 1/2" by 4 1/4".

I should have started the stitching in the back or inside the book. I started at the top in front because I thought I would add some sort of tassel or bookmark with the leftover red thread. But there wasn't any left over. I barely had enough to tie the knot. I'd be happier with this is the knot was a little less visible. Other than that, I'm fine with the book.



6 comments:

  1. Just made some origami (actually kirigami) bitty books!

    It's fun to make them from sticky notes--so teeny tiny.

    http://extremecards.blogspot.com/2011/03/bitty-books.html

    Carol

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  2. Found you via Craftzine. It's a very interesting project you have here :) Love your books!

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  3. Just found your blog googling "japanese stabbinding" Love it! Planning to do one creative projekt a year - we´ll se how it turns out, at least i´m looking forward to follow your blog ;)

    Annika from Finland

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  4. That is one project a day :) Got to brush up on my English ...

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  5. I love the way you are using the cartons with the familiar food logos, they are a delight. Of course now I am checking the trash at my local convenience store, not that I dont have a houseful of supplies already. :-)

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  6. When you use boxes like this, how do you finish off the cut edges, or do you leave them plain? I'm making a book out of a hot cocoa box, but the plain edges bothered me. I ended up cutting it so there was 1/4" of the sides left beyond the folds, then glued them on the inside of the cover. Then I covered another piece of thin cardboard and glued it inside the covers to cover the area that was left. (Hope that makes sense) It took forever, though, and looks a little sloppy.

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