Book 270 - "Mom's Favorite Breakfast" - Recycled Packaging Book/Journal - Long Stitch Binding

OK, I'm back! My little posting break is over and I'll be starting to upload some of my backlog of books little by little. And to begin, here's another blank book/journal made from recycled product packaging - Strawberry Toaster Strudel, my mom's favorite breakfast.

Would you believe I carried this flattened package all the way back from Oregon in my suitcase and have had it sitting on my worktable for weeks? At least it does make a colorful little blank journal. I cut the front and back off the box and another narrow strip for the spine. I used blue duct tape (ah yes, we're back to the duct tape) to make a hinge for the spine.  Then I glued a sheet of heavy dark blue card stock to the inside of the entire case to add some stiffening, boned the hinge creases down and folded it into shape.

The pages are regular white copy paper folded into eight signatures of 12 pages each. The binding is a long stitch binding tied together at the center of the spine. The stitching is done with red waxed linen thread. The closure is three strands of the same red thread braided together and tied to the stitching at the spine to keep it in place.

This book makes a very neat litlte package.

(BTW, something I have always wondered about Toaster Strudel--which you'll understand if you've ever eaten this stuff. What DO they have to put in that icing to keep it from freezing, so it's still soft and spreadable right out of the freezer??? On second thought, I probably don't want to know. I ate all my mom's leftovers while I was there.)

Updating

I just wanted to check in with my faithful followers (you know who you are... and so do I), and let you know that I am still here. I have a backlog of several books to post that I'll be giving you in the next few days.

A busy period contrived with exhaustion and general sloth to keep me from posting regularly the last couple of weeks. But books are still being made. I will try earnestly to get caught up on posting them very soon. I don't want any of you to go away in disgust!

Donna

Book 269 - A Simple Blank Journal w/ Hidden Longstitch Binding - Cased In Book

Here's a simple blank journal similar in construction to a few I've made before. It's like a cased in codex except that the book block is not stitched the same way. I basically bind it with a long-stitch binding onto a strip of strong material (in this case, a piece of the same recycled vinyl wallpaper I used for the spine).That block is then glued into the prepared case with the stitched spine strip acting as a hinge between the outer case and the inner end paper. That's what holds the block firmly in place.

For this one, the covers are made of Davey board covered with a beige flowered decorative paper. This was another experiment. I used scrapbooking paper because I wanted to see if it would hold up to the gluing and folding at the edges and particularly at the corners of the cover. It did all right, though you do have to be careful. It will tear in the turning process with any rough handling at all.

The reason I wanted to see if it would work is because there is really no craft store (a la JoAnns or Michaels) or decent art supply store within 75 miles of me and prettily patterned scrapbooking paper is the one thing I CAN find in the local WalMart. It comes in those big "stacks" of various papers at a reasonable price. So now I've learned I can use them if I need to, but I still prefer better paper with more strength and flexibility.

The spine looks like leather in the pix, but it's really another piece of the recycled wallpaper samples I picked up in Oregon. The pages are hand-torn Neenah Sundance 70 lb paper.

I made this book last night, but it definitely needed to spend several hours under heavy weights if it was ever going to lie flat. I think the block is still set just a tad too far into the case, because it wants to open just a bit.

Anyway, I will do more of these. I like the structure, and I need more practice in getting the block glued in perfectly.

Book 268 - "101 Dalmations" - A Recycled C hildren's Book Journal-Single Needle Coptic Stitch

Here's a cute recycled kids' book made into a blank book/journal  made from a copy of the book "101 Dalmations." I came home with a quite a stash of old children's books from the thrift shop the other day, so expect a lot more of these.

Those who have been following me here for awhile are familiar with this technique. I remove the book block (often battered, yellowed and/or torn) and slit the book covers apart right down the middle of the spine. I then fold the cut edges back over the book covers and glue them down to the inside to create the two covers for a single-needle coptic binding.

I folded 40 sheets of plain white text paper into eight signatures to make 80 pages (160 counting both sides). Punched holes in the signatures and the front and back covers. The binding is a single-needle coptic stitch done in bright red waxed hemp cord. I can finally do this stitch well and have it look neat and tight and nice.

I created end papers for the book by raiding a couple of illustrations from the original book.

It's nice... and I think some girl would love carrying it to school.

Book 265-267 - Presidential Wisdom Series-Part 2 - Single Page Fold Books

Here are three more small single-sheet fold books in my Presidential Wisdom series I first posted about yesterday. This probably makes the series complete, although I may add one or two more if I come across more perfect presidential quotes.

Again, each book is folded from a single sheet of cream 8 1/2" x 11" card stock using the snake fold. This accordion fold gives each book 12 pages for text, photos and/or end papers. For the covers, I used textured card stock and made a wrapper with the title.

The three presidents and their quotations are:

Every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add...artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society--the farmers, mechanics, and laborers--who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government. ~President Andrew Jackson, 1832.


I again recommend a law prohibiting all corporations from contributing to the campaign expenses of any party.... Let individuals contribute as they desire; but let us prohibit in effective fashion all corporations from making contributions for any political purpose, directly or indirectly. -~President Theodore Roosevelt, Republican, 1906


It was natural and perhaps human that the privileged princes of these new economic dynasties, thirsting for power, reached out for control over government itself. They created a new despotism and wrapped it in the robes of legal sanction. In its service new mercenaries sought to regiment the people, their labor, and their property. And as a result the average man once more confronts the problem that faced the Minute Man.~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt

I've not included new photos here since these three little books look just like the other ones in the series.

Books 261-264 - Presidential Wisdom for Today - Single-Page Fold Books

Hey! I'm still here! I have a series of books to post tonight that I've been working on for the last few days. These are four little single-page snake fold books with quotations from some of our earlier presidents.

I've been wanting to do something that touches on my feelings about the Occupy Wall Street protests and the political/economic situation of the country that has inspired them. If you think the protests are a mistake, you might want ot quit reading now. Because I think they are WONDERFUL. (Yes, I really am shouting it.)

I'm so excited to see the people finally rising up to fight back and I wanted to use whatever talent and ability I might have as an artist to express that.

Each of these four single-sheet fold books focuses on a single quote form a single president. Here are the quotes:


"I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomas Jefferson

"Every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add... artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society--the farmers, mechanics, and laborers--who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government." ~Andrew Jackson, as he vetoed a national bank bill, July 10, 1832).


"The money powers prey upon the nation in times of peace and conspire against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, and more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces as public enemies, all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes. I have two great enemies, the Southern Army in front of me and the Bankers in the rear. Of the two, the one at my rear is my greatest foe.. corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money powers of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few, and the Republic is destroyed." ~Abraham Lincoln


"Big business is not dangerous because it is big, but because its bigness is an unwholesome inflation created by privileges and exemptions which it ought not to enjoy." ~Woodrow Wilson, July 7, 1912


Each quote is laid out on the computer with a couple of portraits of the president, printed on a single sheet of cream-colored card stock, then folded and cut into the snake fold, which results in an accordion fold book with more pages than you think you could do with a single sheet. The book is then glued into a cover of red or blue heavier card stock and a slip-on label wit the book title is slid on to hold the book closed.

I really like these. They look very clean and neat. I also have a few more quotes and plan to do more of these tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Book 260 - "Que Comes Frijoles" - Eat Beans - Rosarita Recycled Package Blank Book

Recycled  packaging "R" us! Here's today's look at what I was putting on the shelf in the store. While oening a case of refried beans, I noticed there were recipes on the package, just enough and just the right size for a nice little blank book/notebook. (It's official; I now see potential books everywhere I look, out of everything I see.)

I cut the part of the package I liked into two pieces, lined them with some gold-toned card stock, and poked holes along the spine edges. I folded plain white text paper into the signatures and stitched the book with a single-needle coptic stitch in a nice red thread. If I say it who shouldn't, I'm finally getting good with this binding. This one is very neat and tight.

And I do have to say, owning a convenience/grocery store and having all this packaging laying about has certainly cut down on the cost of doing this challenge. Materials are everywhere.

What have you seen laying about today that you could make into a book?

Book 259 - Gray Leather Journal with Yellow Belt Closure-Long Stitch Binding

Yet another leather journal today...  This one was inspired by the cool retro-style yellow elastic belt I found in a thrift shop. I knew right off it would make a great closure. Then I just had to find a piece of leather in my stash that was in a good color to go with it.

I came up with this piece of warm gray cowhide and I love the combination. The journal is a standard long-stitch binding journal, also called the medieval limp binding. I used yellow waxed linen thread for the stitching to compliment the yellow belt, with a pair of sewing stations near the center of the book to hold the belt in place.

The pages are 24 lb classic laid paper in cream, 112 pages in eight signatures. For the end paper, I used a gray plaid print paper that seemed a good match for the gray leather.

I think I'm going to be looking for more of these elastic belts on my next thrift shop run...

Book 258 - Red Cowhide Leather Journal-Long Stitch Binding

Found another scrap of nifty dark red leather from the scrap bin for today. This is almost certainly cowhide, embossed and dyed. The scrap had a nicely angled cut on one edge, so I used that for the wrap-around at the fore edge.

This little journal has eight signatures of 24 lb parchment-like cream paper. There are 104 pages (208 both sides). For the end paper, I used a leaf print paper in a gray/maroon color. I wanted something pretty but not so feminine that a man would not want to use this blank book.

The long stitch binding or medieval limp binding is done with black waxed linen thread and the journal closes in front with a circle of industrial weight Velcro.

A decent example of an everyday journal...