June, 2021
One of the perks of being in Ali Manning’s Handmade Book Club are occasional workshops with teachers she brings in. One recent Sunday, Bel Mills of Scrap Paper Circus led a workshop using business reply envelopes to make this mail art wallet. Lots of ways you could take the collage design with this, and lots of possible uses to keep bits and pieces organized. It also gave me an excuse to buy and try a Crop-a-Dial for the little rivet closure. And then there was the new experience with clear gesso. So yes, it’s intended to be a project focused on up cycling, but no stash busting project feels complete without a new purchase or two! I love a workshop where you can actually complete the whole project by the time the session is over. Take a look at the video to see how this one works by clicking on the photo below.

June, 2021
Yes, I’ve joined another group. The Winslow Art Center in Bainbridge Island Washington, like many other schools, offered online classes for the first time this year, and I joined a three month prototype with Lucie Duclos called Paper Pals Collage Club. I’d known of Lucie after seeing her featured in Uppercase Magazine (highly recommended) and then on Instagram. I’ve mentioned the Handmade Book Club before (Ali Manning’s creation), and now Lucie is trying out something similar for collage crazy people – weekly exercises/prompts, monthly live on-line sessions to learn new techniques and share, and a private community. This one isn’t on Facebook, which is my preference.
Lucie has been giving prompts every week, and so far they have focused on composition issues – kind of familiar to be from composition classes I took when I lived in Atlanta with Chery Baird at Spruill Arts Center – I’ll no doubt talk about Chery more, because her classes had a tremendous impact on me.
Anyway, The group was originally set to run for three weeks, but I think the plan is to continue, we’ll see. I do know that Winslow has announced that they will continue online offerings, and I hope that many other teachers and schools decide to do the same.
June, 2021
I don’t really know why this structure is called Sewn Boards, but I can tell you that a lot of work goes in to it that winds up being covered up. This is another project with the #HandmadeBookClub, and it was my first experience with using Kraftex. It was also another opportunity to practice precision – I’d give myself a solid B/B- in matching up the edges. The stripey paper is a long-ago gift from my dear friend who sees me and my obsessions and aids and abets me regularly.
June, 2021
Here’s a little 2 needle Coptic book made with homemade bookcloth. I make bookcloth using the Heat N Bond and tissue paper method, and it’s a great way to use up the huge stash of fabric I have and give me more color and pattern options.
This is not my first handmade book, but my first project with the #handmadebookclub. Ali Manning has put together a great community and I’m looking forward to making it part of my creative practice and creative community.