Book 355 - "Women in Hats" - Single Sheet Folded X-Book with Pockets

This is another idea I lifted directly from Alisa Golden's book. It's what she calls an "X-book," because of the shape of the thing while you're folding it over. It is exactly the same structure as the Indian Wedding Prayer book I posted a few days ago except that there are pockets at the bottoms of the pages for stashing things in.

The book measures 2 3/4" square and is folded from a single sheet of paper. The folded up pockets hold small images of women in hats--with all their charm and silliness. The photos can be taken out of the pockets and moved around at will.

Unlike the Indian wedding prayer book, I made a separate cover for this one from a piece of decorative paper. Then I folded flaps from the cover over the first page and glued them down.

Kind of a silly thing, but I'd like to explore the idea of the hats a bit more.

Book 343 - "A Wedding Prayer" - a Single Sheet Folded Book

This little folded book is a simple thing but I like this design a lot. The actual book is so simple you could make it in a class with young children. But it can made quite sophisticated too.

I've had this "Indian Wedding Prayer" rattling around in a saved file on my computer for awhile. I wanted to use it in something because it is so lovely, but it wasn't until this book that the proper use hit me.

The book is made from a single 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of heavy paper. I laid the text and image out in a desktop publishing program and printed it. Then it's just a matter of folding it very carefully so all the folds line up properly when the booklet is closed. These folded books frequently tend not to stay closed, so I incorporated the ribbon through the last page and wrapped it around to the front to tie in a bow.

A sweet little thing.

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 214 - "A Little Nonsense" from Edward Lear - Single Sheet Folded Book

Something easy tonight -- a little 6-page book folded from a single sheet of paper. Fun to make and, I hope, to read.

I've always enjoyed the nonsense songs and writings of Edward Lear, ever since I first came across one of his silly songs in college. And I remember how surprised I was to discover he was a Victorian writer. He seemed so contemporary to me in the '60s. For this book, I choose three of his limiericks and the three matching illustrations. I picked a pair of self-portrait line caricatures--one for the front cover and another for the back.

This single sheet folded book structure is the easiest thing in the world. The only tricky part is getting the text laid out correctly so it reads right after the book is folded. I just folded up a prototype from computer paper then marked the front and back covers and numbered the squares for the interior pages, noting their orientation on the page as well (up or down). After you've marked it, unfold it flat and you have a very clear map of what goes where and in which direction.

I laid out the drawings and text in PageMaker. Most likely any other desktop publishing or design program would work as well or better.

This would be a nice simple project to try with kids using t heir own drawings.

Book 201 - A Card Accordion Book to Honor Ella Fitzgerald

This card/accordion book is pretty much a direct copy of a book posted this week by Susan Gaylord Kapuscinzki on her bookmaking blog. Every week she does a "book arts Tuesday" post featuring a different book. This week she made this structure as an herbal with nature prints. I wanted to do something different with it.

Some of you probably realize by now that I love to use quotations in my books. In fact, I love quotations so much, I actually have a website full of them. You can see it at www.inspirational-quotes-cafe.com. For this book, I chose a quotation I love from Ella Fitzgerald, something she said when she was presented with an award. I think it captures what "Mama Jazz" was all about in one sentence:

"I guess what everyone wants more than anything else is to be loved. And to know that you loved me for my singing is too much for me. Forgive me if I don't have the words. Maybe I can sing it and you'll understand."

The structure of this little book is quite simple. I think you can understand it all just from the photos. I used card stock and printed some lines from the sheet music for "God Bless the Child" on the accordion folds.

Day 183 - A Snake Fold Mini-Book--How Do I Love Thee?

Today, a pretty and romantic little snake-fold book.

But first, a treat...

Today, I passed the half-way point on this year-long challenge. 183 books. It's been a tad more than 183 days (I think I'm about 3 days behind, but I will catch up in the next week or so). I am inordinately proud of myself. You sort of have to know me to fully understand what a big deal this is. I'm creative, I'm interesting, I'm sometimes funny. What I'm not is disciplined at sticking with something till the end. So yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. And I have no intention of quitting. On to 365!

OK, today's book... This is a little, 2 3/4" square accordion book that is a snake-fold, all nine pages made from a single sheet of 8 1/2"x11" card stock. The trickiest part of this folded book is getting the text laid out right so it's reads correctly when it's cut and folded.

The two cover boards are covered with decorative paper. The front cover has three hearts added, cut from three different colors of metallic finish paper. The cover is then sponged with gold Pearl-Ex. The text is Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous love poem, "How Do I Love Thee?" The whole book is held closed with a silver stretchy tie that slips over the corners.

A sweet romantic little book--it would be a good Valentine's or Anniversary gift.

Book 151-"Banned Books" - A Book cube-Handmade book

Here's a silly little thing. I came across this fold in a book today and decided to try it. I got a template off the internet, but it was a bit off (or I just measured and cut it wrong). It has gaps in the cube.

***SIDEBAR***
I do find it rather amazing--not to say annoying--that I can measure things not once, not twice but several times and still have them not fit when I cut them. How can I keep getting it so wrong?
***END SIDEBAR***

Anyway, back to the cube. The six sides say "I read banned books. Don't you?" The text/image was created on the computer and glued onto the cube before scoring, bending and gluing. The cube itself is made from a heavy green card stock.

Quite a simple thing, but mine own...

Book 148 - A Folded Diamond Book - Vintage Book Decor

OK, so I didn't "make" this book. But I did make this book "into" something else. For the purposes of this challenge, that counts.

I love the look of these folded up books, turning old books into contemporary art and home decor. I've wanted to try one for a really long time. Tootling around the internet last night, I found a tutorial for a simple folded book and decided to try it. In this one, you simply cut off the book's covers and spine, leaving the gluing and stitching intact for strength. Then, beginning at the first page, you make a diagonal fold, pulling the upper right corner of the right hand page down into the spine.  Then make another diagonal fold from the bottom left corner up into the spine. Then do the next page. Until The End.

What did I learn doing this? I learned that you should use a newer book or one with better paper. This older book is printed on acidic paper that has yellowed. More importantly, it is brittle. Many times, as I made the sharp point fold at the top, the paper would crack and tear. Newer or stronger paper would solve that. I also learned you need to pay a lot of attention to the exactness of the folds. I think you can see in the photos where my folds improved.  The first ones were a little ragged.

There are many, many fold designs for these folded books, all of which yield different shapes. And I want to try some more. Today, I saw a tutorial being sold on etsy that supposedly has directions for 24 different folds. I think I'll order it. So expect to see more folded up books before the year is out.