geraldine newfry

help for haiti: it's my turn

a month has passed since the disastrous earthquake in haiti.  the pictures and stories may be beginning to fade from your mind.  but the devastation remains.

a lot of knitters have been donating a portion of their sales for patterns to haiti assistance.  i've been buying these up.  also some friends have been sharing their profits from etsy.  i've been shopping there too.  and finally i decided it was my turn to do more than shop.

from now until february 28, i will donate 50% of the sales from my etsy shop to doctors without borders for their continuing work in haiti.  there's still free shipping to the US and canada.

if you've been thinking about buying a book, now is the perfect time to treat yourself and help someone else in the process.  and what could be better than that?

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customizing a book, part three

this is the last part in my series of customizing a book.  i unbound tree of life; created new, thinner signatures; and added more signatures for a total of 320 pages.

i took the signatures out of the press and set them within the book covers to check on the location of the holes.  at this point i was ready to bind.  i used the celtic weave for two pairs of stations, and the coptic stitch for the remaining pair of stations.

this is the beginning of the binding.  Ten needles were used for this book.

with so many needles and waxed linen threads, there is often a big tangly mess.  i haven't found a way to eliminate that.

halfway done!

and the finished, rebound book.

and off in the mail to the client.  i'm actually more pleased with the binding this time than the original.

last day of free world wide shipping!

i have a real post composed in my head, but i wanted to get this out before it got too late.  Today is the last day of free world wide shipping from my etsy shop.  The polymer books are heavy, so it's a great time to scoop one up.  Each book is laboriously and lovingly made by hand.  The polymer covers can take up to three days to create.  Cutting, folding paper and binding generally take half a day.  Give a gift to your artist friends, or keep a treasure for yourself.

wordless wednesday...etsy front page

new books on etsy!

i spent the day yesterday photographing, editing, uploading pictures to etsy and facebook.  i have yet to upload the images to flickr.  i'm always surprised by the time commitment needed to list on etsy.  but books are up!  i added several polymer books which were on exhibit at the morgan conservatory.

key to travel 

tulle dress

tree of life

i also added some lower price point items.  the first, a book made with painted board covers, still sewn with a coptic stitch.

hidden entrance

the second is made with a simple accordion structure.

spring sunset

there's something for everyone!

i'm working now on some more  books with painted board covers.  they will be the next books i list on etsy.  oh!  i do have a few supplies to list too.  would you be interested in the rusty bits that i use on my polymer books?  they've been a big hit in the past.  i also have some mendhi stencils.  i'll have to spray paint my sample so the stencil effect is clear.  i guess it's back to the photography studio again tomorrow.

finished awls, x-actos and pens!

the tools are finally up on etsy!

i already showed you the canework and the sanding.  the buffing is the last stage.

here is my fancy foredom buffer.  i spent about 3 hours buffing 20 tools.  the buffing really makes a difference in how the tool finally has a lovely matte sheen.  i have the box behind the buffer to catch all the dust and a tool if it flies out of my hands.  notice the mask and safety glasses on top of the box.  safety first!  on the left are unbuffed tools, and on the right are the tools that i've finished.  i was almost half way done at this point.

now they're all complete.  here's the entire group.  i have some awls paired with x-actos and pens and awls and pens on their own.

i'm running a special for my internet friends.  20% refund for anything in the shop from now until june 12.  you just have to put in a message to the seller stating where we communicate.  you could write blog, twitter, facebook or lj.  if you know me in real life, or from a variety of places, put in where you saw the special mentioned first.  that's it!  now go shop!

retro space on etsy

Retro Space on etsy

I think I’ve had outer space on my mind lately since this is one of two books with the theme in mind. This pattern reminds me of the Jetsons.

Acrylic media create the distressed surface over traditional book board. Rubber stamping completes the design. The book board is sealed with a light coating of wax. The blank pages can be used to document your deepest thoughts, your drawings and inspirations.

The text block is comprised of 144 pages of white cardstock, moss and orange colored papers. Six needles and Irish waxed linen were used to sew the journal with the ancient Coptic stitch, which opens flat for ease of use.

7.5 x 5.25 x 1 inches.

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doesn't this book remind you of the jetson's kitchen?  i used gesso on rubber stamps to get the bright white images.

now i have to photograph again. i have about 5 polymer books which are almost finished.  sometimes the hardest part is writing the description.  usually my books tell me what they're about but sometimes they're reticent.

if anyone is in cleveland, my books will be at the morgan conservatory for their christmas sale.  now i have to decide which ones to send and which to share with you!  i'll give you more details as i become aware of them.

i'm about to take my first foray into international shipping using my computer at home.  here's hoping it works!

space trees on etsy

i just listed space trees on etsy

.

I think I’ve had outer space on my mind lately since this is one of two books with the theme in mind. 

Acrylic media create the distressed surface over traditional book board. Rubber stamping and rub-ons complete the design.  The book board is sealed with a light coating of wax.  The blank pages can be used to document your deepest thoughts, your drawings and inspirations.

The text block is comprised of 112 pages of white cardstock and moss colored papers.  Six needles and Irish waxed linen were used to sew the journal with the ancient Coptic stitch, which opens flat for ease of use.

7.5 x 5.25 x 1 inches.

$40

i love working with these rub-ons.  especially since they're white.  it makes a nice contrast to my dark background.  i wish i had more but it's hard to find ones that aren't too scrapbooky.  i've been buying them from hambly.  the book i'm going to list tomorrow has them too.

i have a lot of polymer books ready to bind.  i wanted to put more of the board books on etsy first, because of the lower price point, but i haven't finished painting them all.  and some of them need the holes drilled for binding.  it's so much easier to bind then drill since i have all the materials ready.  so there are some polymer books coming soon.

i also have a really nice polymer gift for a special friend, but i had better mail it before i post it!  i wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.

i think my family is getting books for christmas this year.  i've never given them books before.  except for my mom who really appreciates my work.  isn't that nice?  she sent me an address book that she wants recovered and she said it didn't matter what design i used that she liked everything i do.  that's just so nice to hear from your mom.  she did several shows with me in past years and that's when her appreciation grew.

we'll see how well the books do on etsy before i decide about the gifts.  i've heard it's harder this year because of the economy.  there's a piece of art by my friend bridgette that i'd really like to buy once i get enough money in my paypal account.  so buy books!  i really want this piece of art!

and don't be afraid to write in the books.  that's what they're meant for.

Fragile Oak on etsy

The oak stands strong against a sky colored background.  But even the mighty oak can be fragile, it’s bark torn away.

Acrylic media create the distressed surface over traditional book board. Rub-ons complete the design.  The book board is sealed with a light coating of wax.  The blank pages can be used to document your deepest thoughts, your drawings and inspirations.

The text block is comprised of 144 pages of deckled light blue text weight papers.  Six needles and Irish waxed linen were used to sew the journal with the ancient Coptic stitch, which opens flat for ease of use.

8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches.

just listed on etsy.

books on etsy

i relisted a couple of polymer books that had expired during my hiatus.

Collections from the Journey

this is one of my favorite books.  it uses a rust technique with copper insets.  the pages are thick scrapbook paper cut down from 12 x 12.  you can see the first page through the mesh inset.  i used the coptic stitch and this is one of my first books to use coptic headbands.

also
Ocean Swirls

this was a new technique i was trying out.  i carved the clay swirls and then back filled with purple clay.  then i went over the baked clay with colored pencil and marker.  i used the ethiopian stitch which just differs from the coptic in the board attachment.  see those little triangles near the spine?  that makes it the ethiopian stitch.

it seems like each technique i try takes longer than the last!  i guess with enough practice they should come along more quickly.  people love the ancient artifact books, but i'm getting a little tired of them.  here's an example of an ancient artifact book.  this one is sold:

where
i will continue to make more since people enjoy them so much, but i'd like another style too.  something that will still allow me to use all my rusted bits.  i'm just not sure where to go.

i'm going to be making board books for the holiday season, so i have plenty of time to think.