Wednesday 1 December 2010

⦁ Benjamin's Book ⦁

Benjamin's book

Rebecca wanted a book for her new born son...Benjamin. A photo album that she could arrange pictures, notes and writings in. I used watercolours and my hand carved rubber stamps to make the cover, I also created something similar for the back cover without his name, I just forgot to photograph it. The name was created with my 'circus' rubber stamp alphabet that I drew freehand and had made into rubber stamps in India. 
The spine is lovely French book cloth in teal. The pages are all hand sewn with linen thread and each page has a 'shim' which is a very very short 'page' to allow for content to be added to the pages without bulging the book out of shape when full. It's easier to show you an image!

shims

Rebecca was very happy and it's a really nice keepsake that is fully functional. I hardly remember to take snaps of my work as it comes and goes too quickly but this was on my desk for a while as I was snowed under. And now we literally are..
Hope you are all enjoying the snow in the UK? It just makes me incredibly hungry.

8 comments:

Bex Stonehill said...

And I am the veeeeery proud owner of this now sitting on my mantlepiece! I will send you some pics of my lovely boy nestled in the pages of your book once I've done some sticking
xoxoxo

Lizzie said...

It's a lovely book, Louise! I like making albums for photos or guest books for weddings - knowing they will be special to someone for a long time... makes me smile!
I didn't know those "mini-pages" are called "shims". I just call them spacers. Something new learned today... I like learning new stuff!
Great book - thanks for sharing!

Carol said...

Great album, Louise, and I love your covers and your hand-cut stamps. Did you go to India to get your alphabet cut or did you send it away somewhere?

Louise said...

Carol, I got the stamps made when I was in India..There are loads of places that make them. They were quite puzzled by my request though!
Lizzie, Hey...nice to see you. And I hope they Are called shims, I'm off to look it up!
Rebecca,You probably know a bit more about the album now!
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Thanks for dropping by and commmenting

Francesca said...

wow. really really lovely. and i never new what a shim was! what a clever addition. x

Louise said...

thanks Fran, you are kind...yes, the shim makes the book look like a wedge whilst empty but works to keep it in shape whilst full...all my sketchbooks bulge with added papers. Shims are tres useful
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Gill said...

I've just found your blog - wow! I love the book you made for Rebecca
I'm off to read your old posts and sign up to follow you

Louise said...

Gill, welcome! Send me your address by email for a letterpressed postcard
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