At Full Tilt, and Boogieing...

Here's another peek at how my mind (and hands) work in-process:

It's summer, so theoretically I have more time. "Theoretically" is the key of course, but I'm counting on it!

Continuing study is as valuable as practice, practice, practice. Therefore, I will allow myself three groups to study with over the summer. I say this to myself every January, then I follow through.

I knew who I'd be playing along with and learning from months and months ago: Kelly, Marit, and Mary Ann Moss. There are other places I'd like to be too, but I narrowed it down and made my pick long before some of the other groups sprang up, and I'm not sorry with my choices. Who would be? These three are golden! A stellar way to spend my continuing study credits, and I couldn't be happier! There is enough that's unique to each group along with subtle hints of an overlap here and there, so that if you concentrate and look hard enough, it can all be woven together whilst giving each module its own, separate attention. That's what goes through my mind, along with the whistling wind...

Mary Ann Moss launched day one of Full Tilt Boogie on Friday. Of course it's about books, binding them, and tarting them up a bit. Actually the tarting part is mine. The rest of the class is ARTing them. Sorry, I just gots to be me.

The entire theme of FTB centers around gorgeous, vintage cabinet card albums. Drop dead gorgeous ones! Some with celluloid covers, velvet bindings, exquisite clasps, embossed leather, gorgeous beveled mats to house the photos, tortoise shell covers, damask, silk, moire and more. Beauty! I spent all of March, bits and pieces of April and most of May trying to find albums to use in this class. I combed local antique stores and flea markets. I found two. One was 3" X 5" with a leather binding for *gasp* $260, and the second was even tinier with a mother of pearl casing, gold leaf, and a clasp that looked like a jeweler designed it. It was $600. *chokes*, and pass!

Now I know my experience was local, and I could have gone to Etsy and Ebay. But I had another idea. I collect library discards. Not just any, but ones with pages I'll use and bindngs that make me squeee with delight. The prices are a bit lower. Ten books for $1, or 10¢ a piece. So I have quite a few, and my total investment is under $20.

I sent Mary Ann an email. I asked, "What if I used some great boards from one of the books I have on hand? And what if I employ my underused Cricut Expressions with my SCAL software to design some faux cabinet card frames? What if I get a deep-cut blade and turn this puppy into a jig saw? What if I forget the heck about Ebay and antique stores, and make my own knock-off?" And she said, "Go for it!"

So yesterday, after dutifully concocting and taking a few sips of the official class martini (yes there is one, in fact there's more than one....), I proceeded to begin my practice book. Highly suggested, due to the fact that I've never done this binding before, and I want to solve any issues that may surface before I tackle the red leather bound encyclopedia that I'll be using for the real deal (also purchased at 10¢/vol., for a grand total of $1.20 -- get a tissue. No drooling on the computer screen).

I've used two of these volumes already, both for Juliana Coles Altered States workshop which I took last summer. That was an art-changing experience for me. Truly, deeply, awesome. Jules is repeating Altered States this summer--now, in fact--and has bundled it with Field Notes, another of her workshops which I took last year. I highly recommend both.

So before I get to this book, there's the practice book. And as I look through the stacks of possibilities, I'm thinking that I want something I can work with, something that won't be too precious, but that I'll love enough to use, because I can't do this unless I pour my heart and soul into it. And I see a book that I bought for the funky, retro designs on the pages. The boards are in fine shape, sturdy enough to hold up when I rip off library tapes and stickers and possibly citra-solve the residual stickiness. But the cover just isn't going to work for me. Santa, on a sleigh, with reindeer, and a tree? I wouldn't draw, collage, write, or do anything else in this book. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it just isn't "me". Hmmm, I love the lettering. I could mask "Handbook" and paint the boards. Then maybe stencil them. So I did. I cut the hands last. Like I said, while the others art it up, I'm tarting it. And this one's just for practice, right?

Mary Ann mentioned mod-podge. I'd never used the stuff, but I'd heard lots of people sing its praises. I think it was developed in the 60's for decoupage when that was so popular and was taught in high school craft classes. I decided to get a jar, and figured that this time I'd go ahead and seal my lots of thin layers of gesso, paint, stenciling and collage, especially since the area that I had masked-off was glossy, and a few layers lower than the finished, painted board. I never, ever, seal or varnish pages, but for these boards, it was a good idea. I'm not sure I'd use mod-podge for collage. Actually, I wouldn't. It's wet, it makes images curl, and I'm addicted to Cocoina, which is glue heaven. But for ease of spread, quick dry and clarity, mod-podge rocks! It's a keeper, along with the foam spreader I used to spread it, which I'd never, ever use with anything else. Paint brushes rule the day, even for glue. But I love the control of application I got from the foam + mod-podge, and it's essential that this stuff is spread evenly and thinly, layer upon layer. No bubbles, no pooling-up in globs.

So that brings us back up to the pic at top. On the left, you can see the inside cover page. I rubber-banded the block and saved the pages after slicing off the boards. Picture Santa in his sleigh with reindeer, proceeding in a diagonal path from the upper left corner of the tree top, heading across the page to the right, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what the cover looked like before I altered it.

Now to make signatures, fold folios, punch holes, put it all together and stitch the binding...

Comments

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I always enjoy your blog postings. Thanks for sharing. You book is beautiful. I am taking Kelly's class too but have not started yet.

Posted by: Connie Hammond Saunders | June 19, 2011 at 05:29 PM

So happy to have found your blog. I think the FTB class is going to be such fun. I am signed up for Kelly's class too but haven't done much with it yet.

Posted by: Nancy Lynn | June 19, 2011 at 05:56 PM

You are most awesome!!! Love the book and looking forward to seeing how you alter it in your own most fabulous way!

Posted by: kelly | June 19, 2011 at 06:03 PM

Just popped over from FTB to see you and your blog! INCREDIBLE! Your journal pages are obviously YOU YOU YOU. It is such a theraputic 'profession'. Love your practice book. I haven't got going yet, as I'm in Mexico and am awaiting supplies from the States (Mexico Mail ... well let's just say ARRRrrrggghh! So, have fun and we will see you around no doubt. take care, Donna

Posted by: Donna Parker | June 20, 2011 at 05:52 AM

I didn't understand it all, but a great deal of your post I could read - as you know, I'm Dutch and sometimes struggle with a your language, especially when I'm tired like right now and still want to read it all :)
Anyway - I LOVE what you did with the cover of the book. I too love books and bindings (I use the binding that I learned from LK Ludwig the most) I bought mod podge for the first time a few weeks ago, still haven't figured the stuff out very well. Foam spreader you say? I will remember that and give it another try soon!

Posted by: Marit | June 20, 2011 at 11:24 AM