Have you ever had a really bad dream about someone, and no matter how hard you try to shake it, some of that feeling lingers on after you wake? No problem if you can avoid the person for awhile, but when that's not possible, remaining as neutral as possible is usually my solution. Invisible works, and sometimes, so does vacant.
Today's page was built with J.O.Y. in mind, using Crayola's "aquamarine" crayon color as inspiration.
I made the book for this series of pages. It's just a plain, brown wrapper with a cowboy tape spine. I'd been toying with the idea of how a plain, brown wrapper would be really appropriate for a paperback journal, so I whipped up the prototype for this book and fell in love with it! It was made after the unique construction which is being taught at J.O.Y. Up to now my bindings have been fairly complex. Even the simple ones I've made were complicated compared to this one, and I've designed quite a few of those myself. But never in a million years would I have thought this one up on my own! So far I've made three more, each for a separate series of pages, and I'm not stopping when those are finished. I have a new project on the horizon which will use aspects of this binding combined with some uniquely cut pages.
A couple of years ago, I was given a Cricut Expressions machine. A really stellar gift! At the time, I needed it to cut some custom stencils I designed, and also to cut some images I'd be using in relief on pages in a hand bound book I was making. I added SCAL software so that I could import my own vector drawings as .svg files, and then let the machine do the cutting. It was a huge success. The software was easy to learn and versatile enough to convert my drawings, and I was able to get around the limitations of the machine by tweaking my drawings a bit, and by making some of the extra fine cuts with an Xacto knife afterward. Except for some stencils I've cut here and there, I pretty much forgot about it after that.
Now I'm almost ready to start a new book project, so the Expressions is back on the work surface and hooked up to my laptop. I'll tell you more about that project as it unfolds, but in the meantime, I thought it would be good to re-familiarize myself with cutting from the software. I chose a font, adjusted the height and kerning, and made the cut for today's page. I had it in mind to letter the negative of "Vacant" in brown and paint it with opaque acrylics, but it was so much easier just to cut it out of brown paper. Sometimes the easy way is best way. At least it was this time, because I doubt that I would have thought to use the positive letters along the left edge if I'd done the negative lettering by hand. Don't let anyone tell you that using dies or cutting with a machine is not artistic. We learned to cut with a jigsaw in art school. This is just smaller scale and uses software. Most of today's professional jigsaws are computer driven, so what's the difference? It's what you do with the stuff you cut that counts, so create till you drop!
Well said soul-sistah! I think that I shall (when I recover from another sleepless night), explore Natalie's workshop too!
I LOVE this page - especially the cricut word and negative (or +ve). Bravo!
Posted by: Rosie | June 13, 2011 at 09:35 AM
what a DARLING little book, barbara! love-love it!
Posted by: sharon | June 13, 2011 at 04:17 PM
I have those dream, yes. Not too often though - I do dream about 'accidents' happen to my loved ones, those dreams linger all day and although I'm not supersticious, I can't help but call my son/parents the other day to hear if they are allright...
I did quite some bookbinding myself, and I like your pocketbook! Off to check out the link!
Posted by: Marit | June 14, 2011 at 10:42 AM
GREAT stuff Barbara.
Posted by: Barbara Rossman | August 14, 2011 at 04:16 PM
It's so cool! I love the cut of the word Vacant and your use of the color aquamarine!
Posted by: Nancy B | August 15, 2011 at 07:44 AM