I wanted to make sure that I had the structures nailed down, so today I worked on making models. I had hoped to get the models done before today, but I’m in week three of the never-ending cough. I am sick of being sick!

I am loving Alisa Golden‘s book Making Handmade Books: 100+ Bindings, Structures & Forms. It has directions for a number of folded structures, including Hedi’s Crown Binding – I’ll be teaching this binding tonight.

This past weekend, I taught my Strappy Journal workshop at Beth Jacob Synagogue in Montpelier, VT.

I got to work with a lovely group of 10 women. We were a cozy bunch!

The Synagogue is taking part in a community-wide book read which includes People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I have meant to read this book for a while now. It’s about a woman tasked to work on conserving a Sarajevo Haggadah. Embarrassingly, I usually only read books about bookbinding (the non-fiction kind).

I really enjoy watching people sew. This particular binding, once you get the hang of it, offers a meditative sewing experience. Folks in the workshop seemed to pick up on it pretty quickly.

I love that the Synagogue chose a craft workshop that related to their book club reading. There’s so much potential in teaching workshops in nontraditional settings. I hope I have the opportunity to do more of it!

I taught a number of techniques in the workshop, including image transfer, rubber stamp carving, and pop-ups. Although the focus of the workshop was card-making, all the techniques taught in the class are applicable to book arts.

If you couldn’t make it to this workshop, but were interested in doing so, please let me know. I can make a better case for scheduling the workshop in the future if I know that people are interested in it.

Plus I just like punching out big fat hearts.

And still sick.

Welcome to the grand prize drawing of the Book Arts Improv!

Just in case you’ve forgotten what the prize is, it’s a set of books that includes one each of the four books created during the Improv:

• DOs and DON’Ts for Not Being a Dumbass
  
• Shaun the Sheep
  
• Little Known Facts About Crap
• Bras for Bros
  

 I’m just going to get right to it. The nonexistent envelope, please:

Congrats to Stephanie B!

And so concludes my four weeks of craziness…except that now I get to work on completing the four editions. That might take longer than four weeks!

I’ll be contacting all the Improv winners so that I can make arrangements to get your book(s) to you. For those of you who didn’t win, you’re in luck! This year the Improv editions are larger than three, which means that I’ll have books available for purchase. I’ll keep you posted on when that happens – they’ll be listed in my Etsy shop.

If you’d like to see the books up close and personal, I’ll have them on display during this spring’s Open Studio Weekend. You can also give me a call if you’d like to stop by the studio at another time – just give me time to clean (you should see it now – ugh).

This year’s Improv was exhausting, but fulfilling. Note to self – do not get a new puppy during the winter months. And do not get sick.

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the Improv – it wouldn’t have been possible without your suggestions. How else could I create books with such classic themes as poop and man boobs?

See you next year!

Being sick really sucked. All I wanted to do was get into the studio and my body kept saying, “Poof – body aches!” I’m still sick, if you can believe it. My throat is killing me and I’m pretty sure that I’m now addicted to cough drops. Poo.

Anyway, thanks to Chris, I was able to get a break from Wiggum duty and I cranked out a book that I’m quite proud of.

Here are the themes I was working with this week:

• The best holiday that doesn’t exist: don’t go to work day
• A fashion trend that should go mainstream: bras that feel good
• An inedible object that looks tasty: printer’s ink

And moving from butts to boobs, I proudly introduce Bras for Bros:

The concept for this book came to me while walking Wiggum, which seems to be my juicy brain time. Once I knew the theme, all the visual components quickly fell into place. I didn’t really have second thoughts about anything.

For whatever reason, I became convinced that if a man were to wear a bra, then it would have to be made of leather – that would make it manlier. Now I’m not so sure…

The bookboard covers were covered with reptile embossed paper – I have this paper in several colors and I love it! The text block was printed in Book Antiqua on Crane’s 24 lb. writing paper and was sewn over goat leather straps (bra straps, actually) with silk thread.

Here’s the complete text of the book:

I wish I didn’t have to go to work.
I swear I’m going to go berserk.

I work in a print shop, full of ink tubes…
…and co-workers who mock my sad man boobs.

I’m not overweight by any means.
But I’ve been cursed with rather unfortunate genes.

As much as I’d rather not have these…
…I’m not going to stop eating all that cheese.

So I’m forced to shop for manly support…
…because my t-shirt always falls short.

All I want is a bra that feels good.
And doesn’t make me sacrifice my manhood.

So until that day, with great regret…
…I’m forced to shop at Victor’s Secret.

The insides of the covers were lined with black Speckletone paper. This book will be printed in a limited edition of 10 copies.

I’ll be posting the grand prize winner shortly. That lucky duck will win a set of books that includes each of the four books created during the Improv.

Good luck to everyone!

I am sick as a dog. Well, maybe not a dog because Wiggum seems to be feeling fine. I suck at taking care of myself, so it’s no surprise that I’ve felt crappy for a week.

I’ve tried to coach Wiggum into making me chicken and stars soup (my comfort food). I put the can on the floor and he pounced on it.

After a few minutes, I realized that his intentions weren’t pure. He only wished to chew on the can.

Sad, sick mommy.

I hope I’m well enough to get my Improv book done this week. I’m starting to get nervous.

I do have something to share today - Sarah-Lee Terrat of YeloDog Design gave me this gorgeous Underwood typewriter!

Holy crap! Am I right? The thing is a beauty.

I am beside myself over Sarah-Lee’s generosity and I’m on standby in the event that she wishes to take it back (and she should). I really suck at accepting gifts from people.

I have wanted a typewriter so I can type labels for my three library card catalogs. It seems only right to not use technology on this job. In fact, I’m loving the idea of making artists’ books with typed pages. Now I just need to buy a ribbon…

This week’s winning entry is…

…number 5!

Congrats to Velma!

This week’s themes are as follows:

• The best holiday that doesn’t exist: don’t go to work day
• A fashion trend that should go mainstream: bras that feel good
• An inedible object that looks tasty: printer’s ink

I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to some of the entries:

• I’d celebrate that: it’s to damn cold to go out
• I’d wear that: down-filled panties
• I’d totally eat that: clouds, glass marbles, baby feet, and sea anemones

The Book Arts Improv grand prize winner will be drawn on Monday, January 30th – the prize is a set of books that includes one of each of the four books created during the Improv.

Everyone who has posted suggestions for the past four weeks will be entered into the drawing. If you have participated in the Improv for more than one week, each week’s post will count as one entry – if you’ve been following me for four weeks, then your odds are better.

Come back to see this week’s completed book on Saturday and find out who wins the grand prize on Monday!

Here we are in the last week of the Book Arts Improv – it has been a roller coaster! My studio is a total disaster. Enough of a disaster that I won’t take a picture of it. Ugh.

I hereby enter a state of denial.

[Denial]

Ah…much better.

Here are the suggestions for this week:

1. The best holiday that doesn’t exist
2. A fashion trend that should go mainstream
3. An inedible object that looks tasty

To participate in the Improv, just comment on this post with a response for each of the three categories listed above. I’d like to keep this suitable for all audiences, so please, nothing offensive.

I will accept suggestions until 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. On that day, one entry will be selected at random and not only will that person’s suggestions be used for that week’s book, but the winner will also receive a copy of the book.

This week is also your last chance to get an entry in for the big prize – a set of books that includes each of the four books created during the Improv.

Everyone who has posted suggestions for each week will be entered into a drawing (one entry per person, per week). If you have participated in the Improv for more than one week, each week’s post will count as one entry – if you’ve been following me for four weeks, then your odds are better.

One more thing – if the grand prize winner has already won one of the books earlier in the month, then I’ll send the remaining three books in the set. Another drawing will then be held for the remaining book. Hopefully that all makes sense.

Good luck to everyone!