Book 364 - "She Works Hard For the Money" - Work Gloves Book of Working Women - Accordion Fold/Concertina

And now for something completely different.

I've had these work gloves sitting on my bench for a couple months now, waiting for me to make magic with them. Finally, I realized I wanted to use them to point out how much work in this world is done by women. According to a Report by Richard H. Robbins, called "Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism," women do two-thirds of the world's work, receive 10 percent of the world's income and own one percent of the means of production. I had a theme.

The book is an accordion fold/concertina fold book with 16 images of women working. From Rosie the Riveter, to seamtresses in a 19th-century sweat shop, from African women carrying baskets to soldiers, cops and crossing guards, Oprah Winfrey to Judy Garland, a Muslim Wal-Mart clerk to a doctor, PBX operators to Hilary Clinton, these women are the workers of the world.

To make the structure, I painted the insides of the gloves with several coats of acrylic medium to stiffen them and keep the fingers together. I left the thumbs unpainted for flexibility. I folded a long strip of Arches Text Wove paper into accordion sections and glued the printed photos to the pages. Then I glued the first and last pages to the palms of the gloves, under the thumbs.

I stitched the gloves together at two points with a chain stitch cord in two colors of cotton thread to match the color of the gloves.

OK, so I think this book is pretty damn cool.

Book 334 - "Chloride Days" - Accordion Fold Miniature Book with Tile Covers - Coptic Binding

Going small again tonight. This little tile cover miniature accordion book is similar to the book I did a couple weeks ago about San Miguel de Allende, the home of my heart. Puttering about in the store today, I noticed that some tile magnets we had were about the same size as the ones I used on that book.

I knew I had some nice photos I've taken here in Chloride, Arizona in the last couple years. So I thought why not do another tile cover accordion book.

First I had to pry the magnets off the back of the tiles, but that was not hard. I covered the back and edges of the tiles with brown lokta paper and painted over it with PVA glue to make it stronger. I sized and printed out all the tiny photos. Then I tore strips of Arches Text Wove paper 1 3/4" wide and accordion folded it. I needed one join in a valley fold of the accordion to make it long enough for all the photos.

After folding it up, I glued the photos to the pages. I designed and printed a first page plus a last page colophon. Once I had glued the tile covers to the accordion, this little jewel was done. I do think it needs to go under some weights. It tends to want to lay just slightly open.

Some of you have probably picked up on the fact that I'm not all that fond of Chloride. But this little book (about 2" square) makes it look not so bad. So I guess that's a good thing.

Book 330 - The Iowa Caucuses - Silly Season Begins - Concertina Book

OK, so I know this book is being posted late. With the presidential primaries, we're already on to South Carolina. But I made it over a week ago... just wasn't able to post it then.

This book was sort of a no-brainer. All I had to do was watch a few of the debates leading up to the first caucuses in Iowa to realize what must be the only proper response. I'm something of a politics junkie, and long-time followers probably have a good clue as to my political leanings, but I defy anyone, whatever your party or beliefs, to watch more than a bit of this nonsense without breaking out in guffaws. The waffling, the "oops" moments, the twisted history, the "facts are not really facts" arguments of this year's crop is simply too brilliantly twisted to take seriously. Besides, if you did, you'd have to pound your head against the wall or go running through the streets crying "IS THIS really the best we can do?"

OK, off my soap box. Let's talk books.

This is a really simple little thing. I just found a county map of Iowa online and an image of the Republican elephant and printed them both out to size on good heavy satin finish photo paper. I backed them with white card stock for extra strength. Then I laid out the pages for the accordion book in my desk-top publishing program, printed them out, folded them into the concertina folds and glued them to the insides of the covers. Voila!

Please don't tell me I'm now going to have to do one of these for every primary. I don't think I can stand it. (And feel free to copy the idea for the political nonsense of your choice. The year will certainly offer plenty of fodder.)