Making A Multi Sectioned Book - It's trials and tribulations

The request was simple enough, “Will you make our coven a Book of Shadows?”
The problem with questions like this is that the answer can be only one of two things….Either “Yes” or “No”. I already make small, A5 Books for this particular clients shop anyway, so she knew I made books….but what she didn’t know is that I had never made an 800 page book before! I am not a formally trained Bookbinder and never profess to be. I have however made a multi section book before. In actual fact I’ve made a few, but never one of these proportions and with this material.

The brief was: To make a 1.000 page book, A4 size, Parchment effect paper, leather bound and with a pewter Vesica Piscis on the front.

To be honest, I answered Yes before I really had time to think about it. Once the reality dawned I was overcome with doubt and fear.
I have 2 ‘Formal’ and ‘Traditional’ Bookbinding books, one of which takes about 250 pages to explain the process! GULP!

I decided that the worst thing that could happen is that it would go badly wrong and I would have to admit it was impossible. So I took it one step at a time.

FIRST OFF…..I folded all the A3 sheets, and pricked through the sections.

THEN….bit by bit, section by section I sewed up and down each section catching each end to the section before and sewn over tapes attached to a frame. The frame I use is a home made one that my husband made me when he was alive. Nowhere near the all singing all dancing type you can buy, very basic and very crudely put together, but it functions perfectly. I had a serious problem with the thread knotting and twisting and there were more than a few choice swear words thrown around the studio I can tell you….This Pixie can swear like a trooper when she wants to!

After the book was put together, the end papers are tipped in and the tapes cut and stuck down.

Then came the grinding halt….The problem came because I have always made flat backed books with a ridged spine, but 800 pages was far too thick for this to work without bursting the spine and leather being pliable needed to flex. The idea is that once the book is open, the book will lie flat and the book will pop upwards and the outer cover spine will follow suit! Also to make this happen the book sections had to curve gently at the fore edge and not be flat…..Well so the book said anyway!....Phew, from there I was even more terrified….. a case of feel the fear and do it anyway springs to mind. Well after a few anxiety attacks, rock bottom self esteem issues, fear, panic and a fit of uncontrollable giggles to deal with I glued the cover boards onto the tapes. Then apparently the mull is glued around the spine before the cover is glued down.
There are many ways to so this and in the past I’ve used a self invented way of doing it but not this time…. Well not if it was to work. Perhaps the worst thing to get over is the not knowing how the leather would glue, and while gluing how to stop the other bits flying up in the air…I must admit being born a spider and having the advantage of 8 limbs may have been a huge advantage here….but I wasn’t so used any part of me that could be manipulated into action. One thing about bookbinding that I know to be true is that you need just the right amount of delicacy with sheer brute force and just at the right time depending on the stage you are at. Fear, timidity and caution will not make a book!
Well the deed was done. I put it in the drying press and resisted the temptation to open it and look at it till the next morning. While the glue is drying it’s always a recipe for disaster anyway, so I made myself leave it well alone.

The next morning….I gingerly opened it up…..an it was perfect! It opened just as it should, the pages pay flat when opened, and the spine sprung up and popped down just when it should…Much to my relief and even more amazement! Happy, relieved, amused, elated and down right proud as punch are words to describe how I felt. Then looking at it and realising what a work of art I had created thought I should have charged at least twice the price. Lol. Sheesh, anyone looking would think it had been done by someone who knew what they were doing.

This is the detail of the spine popping up

The Vesica Piscis was glued to the front

I had one more hurdle to cross. My printed who trimmed the sides for me asked to see it when it was finished. I had told him what I was doing with the paper, and very blasé about the job in hand…THEN he told me he had trained as a Professional Bookbinder as part of his Printing Training many years ago.
Despite the odd looks from passers by, probably assuming that I was some nutter carrying round the family Bible (YES it’s that big!) I took it to him while he tugged, pulled and pushed it and cast over a critical eye.
I waiting for his advice on where I went wrong. There were none. He smiled and looked at me and said….”Nowt wrong with that is there? If I were you I would make another, and soon!”.
So if anyone wants an 800 page, leather bound Book of Shadows making…..just get in touch…. I’m up for making more.

And you’re probably asking, 800 pages, I thought she wanted 1.000?
Well, totally impractical, it would have been a massive 6” deep and impossible to lift never mind open.

Other lessons learnt? The client sent me the leather, next time I will buy my own bookbinding leather….not ‘shoe’ leather which is crazily thick! DUH! Thought it was giving me some grief.
Also the most valuable lesson?
There are many occasions in life where we are taken well out of our comfort zone. We feel that we are incapable of things we are asked to do, challenges that need to be met and fears to overcome, but take that risk, loose that fear and be brave. The reward of succeeding is immeasurable.
I can assure you the benefits far outweigh the anxiety and once the fear is dealt with first hand it will never return.

Adventure isn't hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain.
Adventure is an attitude that we must apply
to the day-to-day obstacles of life:
facing new challenges, seizing new opportunities
,testing our resources against the unknown and,
in the process,discovering our own unique potential.
John Amatt

Hand Made Wedding Card - Concertina Wedding Card Gift Idea

This is a simple Wedding Card for Nathan and Alexis. The brief was Sage Greens and Silver.

Left Side ease Click To Enlarge

Right Side Detail: Click To Enlarge
Of all the jobs I get at the studio, concertina or accordian style card/Books are the most common. Possibly becasue of their novel construction. The long thin horizontal construction make for an interesting layout.

Hand Made Baby Birth Card - Concertinba Book Gift For Baby Boy

A simple Baby Birth Congratulations Concertina

Gorgeous baby blue's and the covers have an overlay of very thin Japanese Tissue paper with silver and gold threads
Simple, subtle and cute

Hand Made Baby Birth Card - Concertinba Book Gift For Baby Boy

A simple Baby Birth Congratulations Concertina

Gorgeous baby blue's and the covers have an overlay of very thin Japanese Tissue paper with silver and gold threads
Simple, subtle and cute

Hand Made Books and Journals

As I was in between jobs and waiting for a paper delivery so I could start with a commission...I made 3 more 'Inspiration Books'.
The idea of these is that they will appeal to the person of which the quotation 'Speaks'.

First off is this gorgeous Blue and Turquoise one with the wording: Be Still, And Listen to the truth

Then this one:

Let the Beauty of what we love,

Be what we do. Inspirational for any artist or creative person

And the last one:

Blend with the tune of nature, it's magic is everywhere!

All books are:

A5 sized,

Quality Cream Laid Paper,

Hand Bound 200 Pages

and have a beaded decoration to the spine and a lucky charm.

Hand Made Books and Journals

As I was in between jobs and waiting for a paper delivery so I could start with a commission...I made 3 more 'Inspiration Books'.
The idea of these is that they will appeal to the person of which the quotation 'Speaks'.

First off is this gorgeous Blue and Turquoise one with the wording:
Be Still,
And Listen to the truth

Then this one:
Let the Beauty of what we love,
Be what we do.
Inspirational for any artist or creative person
And the last one:
Blend with the tune of nature,
it's magic is everywhere!

All books are:
A5 sized,
Quality Cream Laid Paper,
Hand Bound
200 Pages
and have a beaded decoration to the spine and a lucky charm.

Birthday Idea - Concertina Card

Although this was made for a friend who is seriously ill in hospital, it would work just as well as a novel Birthday Card/Book. It is the usual construction of a concertina card with two single section books sewn in the front and back folded section.

I wanted to write a little greeting at the beginning and added a secret to the back section. Writing the whole thing in a long concertina would have spoiled the surprise.

Quite a twist on the usual construction.

Birthday Idea - Concertina Card

Although this was made for a friend who is seriously ill in hospital, it would work just as well as a novel Birthday Card/Book.
It is the usual construction of a concertina card with two single section books sewn in the front and back folded section.
I wanted to write a little greeting at the beginning and added a secret to the back section. Writing the whole thing in a long concertina would have spoiled the surprise.
Quite a twist on the usual construction.

Calligraphers and Lettering Artists - I need your help

As a footnote to my last post and by way of moving forward into the 21st century......
I have observed over the years that 'we' are natural teachers. All levels keen to show and share our knowledge and experiences with others who show and interest. We are struggling against the tide sometimes to educate the general public, that we do far more than 'certificates' and place cards. We need to be valued and recognised in our own right as Artists who have a wealth of experience, training, blood, sweat and tears under their belts. An the buck starts with the many Calligrpahers and Lettering Artists out there, especially in Blogland, to enlighten the people and explain the ART in your heART. Otherwise calligraphy will forever stay in the minds of some as just a bit of nice writing. So if you are a calligrapher/lettering artist and want to rise to this challenge, add a comment and link to this post and I'll see that you get a mention and link in my side bar.

Calligraphy and Lettering Art - From then to now - VERY LONG

I’ve been a Calligrapher for over 20 years….OK I wouldn’t really call myself a ‘calligrapher’ for a least the first 7 years but I had a love and a passion for mark making on paper.

Perhaps being told by my art teacher that it would be a waste of time pursuing Art at ‘O’ level and even less of a chance that I would become a Graphic Designer put a spanner in the works for me and I took ‘O’ level Physics instead (even more of a waste of time – except I can wire a plug!).

Little did I know when I picked up that first pen and dipped it into the ink, slavishly copying letters and attending numerous workshops by some of the top calligraphers in their field and ending up with a career that has spanned more than 2 decades.

I trained as a formal calligrapher. We analysed manuscripts, slavishly copied and tried to emulate the scribes of old, learned and processed the long and valuable history attached to the wonderful letters created over the many years, from the time that ‘writing’ as we know it began. And, not only calligraphy as we know it today, made with a broad edged tool, but we had to learn lettering as created by stone masons, wood carvers, pointed pen lettering from the cursive styles… it was a long and sometimes arduous road and sometimes without an end in sight. We looked at brush lettering of the Chinese Scribes and Islamic Calligraphers, from silk painted letters to the temples of Islam. The journey has been long….and still it continues.

I have done my fair share of certificates, family trees, place cards, heraldic shields and other more ‘usual’ mundane jobs to keep the wolves from the door but there came a time when calligraphy elevated into something greater than just a neat, formal letters on a sheet of paper. The word ‘Lettering Artist’ was given to me by my friend Michael Clarke from the US. I’d never looked at letters in this way before. Slavishly following exemplars became monotonous. By a stroke of luck I heard that he was visiting the UK to see a friend and took the bull by the horns and asked if he would honour us with a workshop. Amazingly he agreed and we ended up running a full weeks Summer School and the first US Calligrapher to visit and teach in the UK as far as I’m aware. Michael and I are still in contact periodically and I owe him a lot.

Then there was another calligrapher from the US Rob Leuschke who was coming over here soon after and I promptly wrote to him and asked if he would give my local group the pleasure of a 2 day workshop….he did!

The two workshops were different to each other in that Michael taught us how to use more unconventional pens than we were used to in the UK and took us away from the standard broad edged pen, Rob also showed us unconventional pens along with unconventional letters and while he was with us talked a lot about marketing our work and services. Both Michael and Rob are also Type designers.

Strangely the Americans have always been way ahead when it comes to lettering. In the Uk we tend towards ‘formality’, American Calligraphers are far more freer with their lettering and see calligraphy and lettering more as a marketable Art Form as opposed to the British who look at it more as a craft.

For the last 12 – 15 years Calligraphers have wanted recognition in the Art world. Most of us believe that we are not taken seriously for the Art side of our Craft. For years the debate has gone on over whether Calligraphy is an Art or a Craft. Certainly when you are learning it is a Craft. For some people it remains a Craft. There were many hours of practice, keeping the proportions to their correct form, shape, size and weight. Perfection was the order of the day and something to be achieved and strived for at any cost.
The Art side came for me when I learnt that changing any one of those components that formed the traditional and formal lettering…wasn’t ‘cast in stone’ (excuse the pun!) Suddenly combining traditional with contemporary made the work come to life, the letters started to live and breathe, dance about on a page. Although the underlying structure of the letters and my background training gave me a foundation for contemporary lettering…. I was transformed from a mere ‘Calligrapher’ to a ‘Lettering Artist’.

Most Eastern cultures combine their lettering with the spirit of the soul. Hard to describe unless you’ve been there and are an advanced calligrapher or lettering artist. Most of us would agree that it is a meditative process, a time of quiet and inner stillness that connects our core, minds, down the arm and flows out through the hand. The movements of the arm very much connecting to the movements of energy through our bodies. A spiritual experience that’s really difficult to describe to the layman.

Today, the problem comes when we are asked ‘What Do You Do?’ When you answer calligrapher you are met with a blank stare and the reply ‘Oh’. Modern day Calligraphers are so much more than people first realise.
We are: Graphic Designers, Artists in our own right, a lot of us are Bookbinders too, we letter with brushes like sign writers, some carve letters in stone and wood, we design logos and write out poems, we letter on canvas and walls, cloth and glass, so eclectically we are many things. We are Srtists with words and Wrod Artists.

Overall we are creators of a visual stimulus using letters as a vehicle of communication.

Like a spiritual path we are keen to share our knowledge with new beginners and develop, grow and learn from those more experienced. There is no end. Everything is continuous. We never become such masters that there is nothing left to aspire to. We are just as comfortable in a beginners company as a master’s. We make no distinction between the two. No wonder so many Calligraphers and Lettering Artists also follow a strong spiritual path. Calligraphy connects and uses many of our senses at the same time...sight, sound, touch and even small (yes EVEN SMELL - hmmmm freshly ground stick ink - the perfume of the East!).

We are Lettering Artists and Artists in Letters. A superhuman bunch of people, as fascinated with the sound of the nib plopping in ink and the noise as the pen is drawn over a page and we are splashing paint on canvas an lettering with a brush. A totally different tactile approach. We are connected spiritually all around the world. We have formed friendships that have lasted a lifetime and extend our hands and hearts of friendship as equally to brand new beginners of the Craft as much as the Lettering Artists that have dedicated their whole lives and made a living out of it.

We are all equal, we just come from different directions, we are going up different paths and are at different stages in our learning…..but the connection is there. What we call ourselves, be it Scribes, Calligraphers, Lettering Artists is not important, it is of no relevance . What is important is …. We all have the same passion….. We are one!

Increase Your Ranking - How to Improve Your Search Engine Ranking on Google

I'm absolutely snowed under with work, extremely busy and spare time to blog is at a premium at the moment, so apologies for my lack or posting....and my rather weird postings when I do. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible I promise :o)

In the meanwhile I couldn't help pass on this link that you may find VERY useful How to Improve Your Search Engine Ranking on Google

Also with9in the site is a fantastic section on Blogging

There are many more interesting and useful article and the main URL is www.thesitewizard.com Please visit, it's full of valuable hints, tips and advice....and IT'S FREE!

All good stuff and a real must for all you bloggers and web builders out there

More Pain For Women It Helps You Bond!

I was alerted to a story where a Dr. is trying to get women to abandon the ever increasing use of epidurals during labour and childbirth in the expectation that it will help them ‘bond’ more easily with their child…..you have to be kidding me!
I read this response in an online newspaper that I have been alerted to….The Daily Mash.

Another is the response from women….seems like they want to force a hatstand up Dr. Walsh’s…..errrrm where the sun don’t shine….If I were him I would be VERY AFRAID

Read all about it and more not the usual stoies at READ THE STORY BY CLCIKING HERE …..way to go girls!

From Then To Now

Do you every sit back and travel back in time over your life and wonder, how if you had made different decisions at different times, how differently your life may have worked out?

I often time travel….way back and see that every decision no matter how small and how each even has made me into the person I am and the life that I have now and I am grateful for every little experience that has brought me to here. Sometimes life has been hard, events have caused me to question my faith and wonder ‘why me’. The answers to my questions are always the same….Why NOT! And everything is working out for my highest good no matter how bad, tragic, painful or upsetting they seem at the time. From these things great lessons can be learnt.

Luckily, I have always seemed to have a bounce back spirit. I know that nothing lasts forever. Events, dramas, depression…. Whatever the negative situation you WILL come out of the dark cave eventually. You just have to hang on in there, try your best to go with the flow and wait patiently for time to heal and things to become clearer.

One of the greatest gifts I have in my life is my calligraphy. It ties up my spiritual side of my personality with my creative side. It’s more than a job, a hobby or an interest….It is my life. It’s something that has got me through the darkest and most troublesome times in my life. It brings joy in the creation and manifestation of an idea into a visual form that hopefully will touch others who need it in the same way. Through calligraphy I have learnt more about philosophers of the past, the spiritual teachers the writers of times passed and their words that touch the very core of our souls. More importantly than this I have learnt more about myself, what floats my boat, brings me to tears, makes me laugh and gives me Goosebumps! Through reading quotation books and then trying to find out more about the people who write such profound words I have learnt about Buddhism, Paganism, Druidism and all manner of spiritual paths. Through the philosophers I have learnt a self belief, self awareness and self improvement that has made me stronger in myself and the permission to love and accept myself just the way I am. I have learnt through calligraphy to meditate, contemplate and find that quiet place inside me that looses all fear and judgement of the ‘self’. Through y calligraphy and Lettering Art I capture the essence of what is me every time I put pen to paper. I know that only other spiritual people who have a deep connection in creating and the arts will understand any of this. The ideas, pictures and images in the mind transfer onto paper so that others can effectively ‘read you mind’ creates magic. As artists we need to loose our fear of being wrong. We have to open up our very souls and leave them wide pen to criticism. What is art anyway? What one person loves in a piece of work can so easily be criticised by another. Artists are touch cookies…. We have to be.
Creating a piece of work is like giving birth. From the original seed of an idea comes a concept and many ours churning over what to bring to a piece and what to leave out. The gestation period can be quick and almost instant or slow and progressive. Eventually the work evolves and grows and finally the birth is the completed piece.
I and I know many other calligraphers, have great difficulty letting go of a newly created piece of work….almost like it is a baby and it has to stay with it’s creator until such time as it’s through it’s difficult childhood years being loved and treasured and then eventually l the attachment wanes and you are ready for it to find a new home with new people and to give joy in a new way.
There’s no wonder artists and crafts people connect so much with the ‘spirit’. Their work comes from their spirit, the energy used to create is spirit and the completion itself is spirit. So all you artists and creators out there, loose your fear of being judged, loose your fear of being wrong. Value your self and your work, it is your highest gift. Let everything you make be made with love and joy and the spirit of what you do will be passed on to the person who receives it.
Believe me, your creations are your highest treasures.

WOW! Well that was a bit profound for a Saturday lunchtime! The above post was not what I was going to write about at all. I had no great plan of action on this blog posting and intended to take it down another path….as with many posts (and I’m sure people can sift out the differences) I don’t quite know where that all came from and I'm left slightly bemused! . I’m not sure that I really want to post it now I have re written it….but hey ho….here goes!
Enjoy your weekend everyone.
Brightest blessings,
Sue

Michael Jacksons Ghost?

Ok so a bit off topic....in fact a long way off topic, but this was passed on to me by a Friend and paranormal investigator and I must admit it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
Is this the ghost of Michael Jackson?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhq9l3c7XgA

Comment and let me know what you think!

Hand Made Baby Christening Gift

On of the joys of my career is making special gifts for special people. Claire rang me at the studio and asked me to make a Baby’s Christening Journal for her 6 month old daughter Connie Violet (what a beautiful name) like I had made for her son Oscar James some 3 years before.

The opening page had her name, date and place of Christening on it….
The following Page had a 16 line poem….

Then further pages were added with spaces for the Grandparents photos with comments, Godparents Photo with comments and the rest of the 30 page book was given over to the guests.

The outside covers were white with a splash of pink Japanese Silk paper and a black and white photo of Connie was added.
I added 4 charms to the Japanese Sewn Binding. A butterfly for transformation, a little dolly, A dragonfly for peace and tranquillity and another spiral charm saying ‘Follow Your Dreams. Hopefully this will be a lasting reminder of a very special day.

The lettering was done in a baby pink gouache to match the pink on the outside.

Click on photos to enlarge. outside.

If you would like more details of how to commission a book yourself, please feel free to email me at inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

Hand Made Wedding Stationery Website

It's been all hands on deck at Inspired by Script and I've been concentrating heavily on my Wedding Website North Yorkshire Weddings Theres still a huge amount of work to be done on it and this has to be somehow fitted in around the many commissions that seem to be coming in at the moment.
I decided to develop a few new ideas for Wedding Stationery, this time with a more contemporary feel. Perhaps they will be slightly off beat for some but I'm sure the days of Cream/Ivory and Gold are numbered. We need something fresh and appealing.
The bright Light Selection follows.....
The envelope or card (if you choose to still put them in an envelope, can be left square or cut into a point. The outer cover is a 3 fold construction and inside is a picture of the particular flower you want (or could be something you provide us with if preferred) and the invite and the photo is then mounted on a bright coloured Canson, textured, cover stock.

The card can then be sealed with a photo stamp and sent as is....without the need for an envelope, thus the card doubles up as the envelope. Choose a contracting colour for the card against the inner mounted photo and invite. The choice is yours and we have a large selection of colours to choose from....one is sure to match you theme.

Here I've shown the purple on green and the green on purple idea, both of which compliment the lavender flowers perfectly.

Choose from mounting your cards portrait (running top to bottom) or Landscape (running side by side)

You can also choose from Small, Medium or Large Photos, making the whole card personal to you and you alone. It depends on your taste.

Of course there is still the option to go more traditional and incorporate a more subtle colour theme if that suits your taste better... Remember all our designs are tailor made to suit you! And if you are happy, we are happy... so give us your ideas You can also choose to have your name printed in beautiful calligraphy on the front.... a guaranteed eye catcher!
You can choose the picture at the bottom and the invitation at the top....
Or the other way round....the choice is entirely yours.

For further details please visit our website at www.northyorkshireweddings.co.uk or email Sue direct at inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk My studio phone number is on the website.