summer soaking and tahoe sailing.....

This weekend i learned the ancient art of .... bookmaking. I have been wanting to learn for a long time. I make a few books, poorly... but i wanted to learn from a master. My UGRA friend... Loretta was just that person. The picture above is a picture of Loretta's book press... and yes, they do come in handy.

Just a quick shot of alot of the papers that Loretta has in her studio to play with... very tempting.

Here is Loretta clamping down on a book in the book press. Not mine... but... one of the books.

These pictures are a bit backwards... but here is my finished book. I used dictionary papers for the cover and plain copy paper for the inside.

Loretta taught us how to make really strong straps using tyvek, cardstock and tyvek... each layer gets thick white glue in between and becomes like leather.

This is a shot of the book cover and the first choice for the cover... i got rid of the dots and went with the dictionary pages.

We learned a stitch called the kettle stitch. This is at the beginning of my stitching.. when it's done, it looks amazing.

This is from the inside.. doing the stitches.

This is a cradle... Loretta gave me the pattern to have brent make for me and whomever wants one. You use this to lay the pages and a template in and then with an awl or needle tool... you poke the holes so that you can tread it through...

Here are the tyvek straps and the begining book... in the making.

Loretta was fortunate enough to find a book binding shop that the owners were retiring from. She bought everyting she could get her hands on. This is the linen and waxed thread for binding the books... big, big spools.

I pre-cut all my 120 pound coldpress watercolor papers at home and then we never even used them. Probably best... because i made alot of mistakes. Now my second attempt can be a bit better ... with the watercolor pages.

Ahhh and here we are with our finished books.... from top left... it's Paula, me, Carmen, Karen and Janet and down below... is Loretta and Sharen. Thanks Loretta for a mavelous lesson in bookbinding.... i'll call if i need help!!!

This is another sneek peek picture of a HOCUS POCUS countdown sheet that I designed. All the squares show the background papers that will be coming and all the numbers are used to create a fabulous countdown to Halloween. I hope to show you everything in the next week!

And... last but not least.... Flat Fanny. This past weekend, Flat Fanny went with Tracy to Lake Tahoe. She rented her own boat and headed out to sail the High Sierra Lake of Tahoe... so beautiful! I hope you and Fanny had a great day Tracy!