I spent this morning putting the finishing touches on the most recent book…
Primary construction is cotton fabrics and assorted threads. The pages are stabilised with Pellon heavy-weight stabiliser (not super heavy weight, just plaint heavy) and the covers are stabilised additionally with the pages from an old kids' board book. I found the cover on the last book flopped too much when used with a Coptic binding.
This tome is wrapped in an organza book cloth, which I think adds a nice touch. The tassel is silk, hand-dyed embroidery thread and the bead is glass.
The front cover features a panel made with foam, glue and paint, the combined effect of which is a metallic, embossed surface, without the weight and corrosion problems that can go with metals.
It's bound with a Coptic binding and the holes are reinforced with rivets this time. Bought a scrap-booking riveting tool and really like the effect. I also made leather clasps:
The clasps fasten like buttons, using glass beads:
The edging on the front and back covers looks quite red in these photos, but it's really more of a wine-magenta mixture. These pieces were added both to enlarge the cover so that it extended past the pages and to accentuate the clasps.
And here's the inside! Page one and the inside cover:
Pages 2 & 3:
Pages 4 & 5:
Pages 6 & 7:
Pages 8 & 9:
Pages 10 & 11:
Pages 12 & 13:
Pages 14 & 15:
Pages 16 & 17:
Pages 18 & 19:
Page 20 and inside back cover:
Back cover:
Apologies for the pictures. I realise they're not the greatest, but my tripod is elsewhere and I wanted to get the book up and on the blog. 🙂
Raising the Bar Strength & Conditioning 
Just love the crisp finish – how did you stiffen the pages? Love it, it’s really fab. The windows are brilliant. Well done Vicky.
Your book is one of the best I have ever seen, it’s fantastic.
It’s absolutely beautiful!
AHA! I was going to ask how you stiffen the pages–and you answered–brilliant idea! You’re so inspiring. Have to stop over-thinking mine and just DO. Thank you–for the beauty and the motivation!
your book is wonderful thanks for inspiring you did a great job
Thanks everyone!
Kate – the pages are stiffened with Pellon stabiliser and the covers have an additional stabiliser in the form of pages from a kids’ board book.
It’s good to have it finished – it was becoming albatross-like in its inertia.
Arlee – sometimes you just have to decide to do it and finish the job without agonising over things. Go intuitive! You’ll be surprised by the results.
absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for the inspiration to get going on my art!
Oh this book is FABULOUS – each page is truly a work of ART!
THANKS for posting it!!!
GREAT JOB!
This is perfectly wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing and , perhaps, inspiring . . .
I have been waiting to see this one finished. It was well worth the wait. Vicky this book is so beautiful.
Oh, beautiful, beautiful. Did I say, beautiful? And inspiring, too.
I am in awe. Your art lifts off the page/canvas/paper and into imagination – art that inspires art.
Again, wow.
How different it must be to create art that isn’t followed by applause? Then again, and thankfully, the quiet joy that can be achieved in the heart by what one has “created” (or helped create in my case) isn’t always (and perhaps, not often, now that I reflect) linked to the reaction of others.
Still, you deserve much praise for the achievements of your journeys.
(Hmmm…a little deep for a Saturday morning…must be something your art brings out in me. I’ll neeed to shake this off with some more coffee before heading out into the real world…)
Wow your book is beautiful… I just stumbled across your blog through the photoaday blog…did you make this for someone or is it for an exhibition, shop ??
amazing awesome gorgeous..what else can I say!
Hi are the signatures just sewn to a spine, I didn’t see a picture of the binding, or is it a secret? I am so glad a post of mine generated a link to your blog entry… I love books!!I love making them just as much!! Yours is tremendously beautiful, incredible work!!