Book binding is fun!

I did some book binding back when I was undergrad, taking all different art studio classes. In fact, fibers was one of my favorite courses while earning my Fine Arts degree. Thats when I learned how to hand felt things, and make handmade paper, and some book binding. (oh, man that was over 13 years ago!!!! ) Doesnt feel that long ago.

Now I have my own business, designing and hand making all my own books for the wedding photo albums featured in http://artistmadealbums.com/ and I really enjoy making them. There are many different stages to making a book, the first part is cutting the book board, measuring is extremely important so that everything lines up right. If the parts and pieces don't fit together, then you can't make the book. After measuring and cutting everything, you piece it together using linen tape, next you drill the hole where the screw posts go on both the front and back sides of the book. Next measure and cut the book cloth to cover the board, this not only gives it the main color and texture but makes it more endurable. Glue the book cloth down, and make sure everything lines up right. Lastly measure and glue your choice of decorative paper on the inside cover of front and back. And you are done!!!!

The thing I like the most about the screw post way of book binding, is that you can take it apart, by undoing the screws if you need to add more pages to the photo album. I think this is extremely valuable since alot of times you can always find more pictures to include, that way your album can continue growing and evolving!

Pottery and such...

Just got back from the pottery open studio, I wish they had more hours, this time they cut back to like only 3 days a week and they are all back to back, Tues, Wed, Thrusday, which is kind of unhelpful if you have projects that need to dry or you don't want to get too dry. If they are too dry then you can't trim them and you're screwed. Timing is a very large part of pottery and with such inflexible hours, it makes it very annoying and extremely challenging.

So today for example, I had plates that I made thrown on the wheel, four of them from my class on monday and two from last week that we're drying... well, the two I had thrown last week were too wet to trim on Monday (in class) but TOO dry today!! urghhh... I trimmed them the best I could. Then I'm faced with the dimlemna of do I trim the ones from Monday -today or wait till next Monday (since there's no open studio b/w today and MOnday) so those are my only options, luckly almost all of the plates were ready to be trimmed except for one-- I just waited till the last min for the wet plate and carefully trimmed it up anyways.

I am trying to make a set of plates to replace ones that my boyfriend still has , and that we both use all the time , that were from his previous marriage , that he got as wedding presents. I don't have much against them except for the association of his former life and they aren't much to look at... brown with dark blue flowers painted on in the middle. I know I can do MUCH better then that! AND how cool will it be to eat off my very own plates EVERYday!!! SO much fun!!

I will post some pictures of the plates when I get done with them. Plates are very tricky, because there are some many steps and stages where things can go wrong, and I have broken and/or had cracks happen right up to the very last final stages. As it stands right now I have 6 that are trimmed up and drying, hopefully they will all survive .. [fingers crossed]

New work to check out!!

This is my lastest update to recent work!!!

I've added more photos to recent work on Artist made albums. Check out this very unique photo album, with original mixed media collage artwork on the front and back of it. Each photo album is custom made with YOU in mind! Once you send me your info, email and best time to reach you, your free consultation will help me get an idea of the size, color of your album as well as some themes for the artwork that you'd like included, or maybe you want me to just create something for you and be surprised!!! I feel that you are well deserving of something as unique and as special as you for your wedding day photos! After all that time and energy spent into making the wedding perfect and exactly how you want it down to the very last detail, why not get the perfect wedding album to show off those photos of your wedding pictures to your friends and family! No one album is the same, no replications, each one is original, handcrafted and completely one of a kind!

http://www.artistmadealbums.com/