Waxing Prose

The third book in the series (shown here) has waxed pages. I've felt internal resistance to making these books at various points during the process, and this one was no exception. 

These books are an integral part of my healing process, as well as being a symbol of the synthesis of ideas occurring when two artists collaborate. Frog, in various aboriginal mythologies, teaches us to speak out. Pine (oh, where did I read this?) is a picture of robust health, far sight, and deep roots. Keeping these things in mind, I made the three books: confrontation and forgiveness, cleansing and renewal, and the healing of scars. 

Nearly Finished!

Ta da! Nearly finished book! I'm so pleased. Cracking it open for the first time was a treat :)

However, I'm not happy with the interior. The pages are too bland, the colors too simple. It would take a long time to fill it with words, and I don't think my own musings would be appropriate for the collection as a whole. 


What am I going to do? Burn and rebuild.

The Next Step

It's been a little while since I posted (oh, shame on me!), so here's an update on the book's progress:

This is a photo of the book block and covers, right after I finished stitching on the spine. After doing that, i aligned the block inside the covers, put those loose cords through the front of covers (through the holes) and pasted them down on the inside.

The next few steps follow quickly, as you don't want to glue your book shut or mess up your papers. After the cords have been inserted and pasted down, add the leather, end papers, tie it up to enhance the spine ridges, and let it dry! 

This book's been a huge learning experience, as I was going on incomplete instructions and vague memories. 

Book Covers

 This past week I sanded down and oiled the book covers. It's a fairly easy process: sand down the rough spots and hard edges (if that's what you want), and rub in a couple of coats of tung oil. I chose the oil because I don't have the proper ventilation for varnish. Simple as that. The wood has a beautiful, clear grain and a great shimmer, and oil preserves that wonderfully. 

Book Pieces

 I spent the weekend carving up that board I purchased in my last post. My father helped me with the table saw, circular saw, planer, and drill (a fun and noisy process!)and in the end there were six little rectangles for the book covers, and two long boards left for a future project. Maybe some day I'll have a workshop and wood shed as impressive as my father's?