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.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Book 220 - A Recycled Necktie Journal/Blank Book - Coptic Binding

I really am starting to think I can make about out of anything! This blank book/journal is made with a pair of recycled neckties I found at the Salvation Army store. I had to do a bit of rummaging to find two pretty ones that were the same width. I used a lightweight chip board cut to size and slid inside the tie to give the covers more substance. The small part of the chipboard that showed on the inside I covered with decorative paper (actually a piece of a pretty cocktail napkin).

I then folded regular text paper longways and cut the pages in the shape of the tie covers. Put them into six signatures and bound the journal with a single-needle coptic stitch in red waxed hemp cord. Both the front and back ties are silk, so the journal feels really nice to hold.

I like it, but I think it still needs something. I think I'm going back to the Salvation Army or Goodwill to look for a vintage tie pin, preferably the bar kind. I could attach it permanently at the back then clip it onto the front as a neat closure. If I find what I want, I'll take new pix and post them here.

Got a couple more ties to play with too.






8 comments:

  1. I love this!
    best, Annie - the Netherlands

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  2. Very creative, love this. How about a bow tie?

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  3. I do think you could make a book out of anything--LOL! This is really clever and unique! Your sister's bench must be inspiring you? Or has inspired you? Are you still there?

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  4. @Joy - A bow tie! I'll have to think on that.

    Yes, I am still at my sister's and will be for two more weeks. I haven't forgotten that I promised studio pix. Coming!

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  5. What beautiful colors. And there had to be SOMETHING to do with that nifty fabric. Great idea.

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  6. From the first picture, I was expecting them to be bound at the top, but i like the look of them opening at the top.

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  7. I'm way behind on my reading... What a great, unique books!

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