Anticipation

Here is my lovely old book press, in its temporary home in the living room:

I've been waiting with great anticipation for the contents to finish being pressed. Inside are the covers for two new journal/guest book/delirious products of the imagination, which I started working on yesterday. More on that to come anon, but I'm thinking at the moment that they (and some other books I'm thinking about) will have to do with my favorite cities: Paris, New York, and Venice.  

That little black blob in the background on the right is my faithful bookbinding dog, Gretta, who does no actual bookbinding herself, but is a very devoted companion and keeps me company while I work. She is at present hoping for a dog biscuit.

Now,Voyager, sail thou forth

 After much thinking and pondering and a bit of mumbling, the vintage passport wallet I showed you in my last post has been transformed into a journal that I am really quite in love with. I added a bit of a wonderfully worn reclaimed leather to create the spine, and some hand-marbled end papers I discovered a while back in the smallest imaginable book shop on the Rialto bridge in Venice, Italy. Here is the finished book:

Now, Voyager, sail thou forth

(sold)

I named this journal "Now, Voyager, sail thou forth"

The title comes from a Walt Whitman poem:

"The untold want, by life and land ne'er granted,

Now, Voyager, sail thou forth to seek and find."

A Bit of Inspiration

Whilst I was doing my outing and abouting at some of the local antique stores and thrift shops, I added a few more things to my horde of book-building materials. The thrift shop owners must think I'm completely mad at times. Whereas a normal customer would pick up a leather purse and check to see if the zipper works, there am I, muttering to myself, myopically squinting at every inch of the thing, mentally transforming it into a book or two. But I did come away with some very nice things.

Including this wonderful patchwork piece. An apron  made up of little bits of leftover material, all of it looking to be early 20th century vintage.  So now this apron, made up of recycled things, will have its pieces become part of my books. And so it goes.

New City, New Studio

After living a somewhat gypsy-like life for the past while, I'm finally all settled in a beautiful old neighborhood. My new studio is light and airy, and I have all my lovely book making things about me again, including my stash of antique linen thread.

And some of the trunks I store my bits and bobs in.

The all-important inspiration corner.

And even more thread for sewing books.

It feels so good to be settled again. Even better, I now live near the quaint old Hyde Park area of Boise, which has many antique shops full of lovely old fabrics and things which are giving me some interesting ideas....but more on that, later, dear reader.