Abstract-style bindings

My latest collection of mini notebooks features bright colours, bold abstract shapes, and a touch of gold tooling.  Having long been inspired by the work of many designer bookbinders, I began experimenting with inlays and gold tooling, using not leather but skivertex - a book covering material which has the appearance of leather, but is much finer, and is available in some amazing colours and finishes.

The notebooks are smaller than usual, the bookblocks sewn using French stitching with brightly coloured endpapers and skivertex covers.  Each design features random shapes which have been cut out in greyboard, and imprinted onto the book's covers in order to create a recess.  Into these recesses have been glued coloured pieces of skivertex.  Other books have been created by overlaying a handmade stencil over the cover in order to let the background colours show through.

In addition I've added some gold tooling (well, copper tooling actually), just to give them a bit of bling.  I've enjoyed making these books - I love the bright colours, abstract shapes, and I've been happy with the way the whole effect has come together.

The Designer Bookbinders website has some fabulous examples of abstract-style bindings, and I have included a few of my favourites here.  I would love to be able to produce work to this standard one day...

Binding by Jeanette Koch

Binding by Lester Capon

 Binding by Derek Hood

There are also a few gems out there on Etsy which I discovered whilst researching this post:

This coptic bound notebook by TheGiftShed was inspired by a greetings card.  The bright colours and shapes were a key feature, and resulted in this beautiful book.

This notebook by TheMojaveRose features another wonderful abstract design using bold shapes and colours.  The design has been finished with an acrylic medium which gives it extra flexibility and protection.

Hope you've enjoyed this post.  Until next time, have fun!

Stocking fillers

It's that time of year again.  Christmas is fast approaching, and I've been frantically trying to add stock to my Etsy shop.  My latest additions are these mini notebooks made from recycled wallpaper!

There are some amazing wallpaper designs to be found these days, and these are just a few examples of some designs that caught my eye.  The books are comprised of a single signature of around 10 folded pages which are then attached to the wallpaper samples which have been stiffened with gold or silver card.  The finishing touch is to round the corners, and then add a few beads to the spine in contrasting or toning colours.

I'm quite happy with the results.  I love the deep pink flowers against the black background on this one (above left), but I think my favourite is the 'lace-effect wallpaper' used on the notebook in the picture (above right).  I haven't seen this wallpaper before or since making this book, but I just love it.  Amazing things can be created from the most unlikely of objects.  Do you have any crafty recycling tips?  Do share them with me.

Until next time - happy making!

Diamond Jubilee celebrations

This weekend will see Jubilee celebrations and street parties up and down Britain (if we believe everything the media tell us).  Personally I've opted for a few quiet days in Whitby, one of my favourite haunts.  But feeling under pressure to acknowledge the Jubilee and all things British in some way, I've added a few notebooks to my Etsy shop - just to mark the occasion.

There's an abundance of British and Jubilee related fabrics and papers in the shops at the moment, and it's fascinating to see what fellow creatives have been producing.  On Etsy, I love Hayley Jayne Design's red, white and blue Union Jack 1950s party dress, AnnettesAllsorts London Icons Memo Board, and the Queens Diamond Jubilee A5 handbound hardback notebook by Floating on the Breeze, to name just a few of the Jubilee-themed creations.

Whatever you are doing over the Jubilee weekend - have fun!