1/31/09

Book #031



Well I thought I'd wrap up the month with a big, wild party of a book. It is Saturday night after all. This was made with all the junk mail I've accumulated this week, plus some free postcards that I picked up at Diva Espresso when we went out for coffee this evening. And I threw in a couple of candy wrappers and other ephemera that were kicking around.

There are 7 signatures, each with between 3 and 7 pieces of something in them, sewn together with a 4-needle binding. My favorite pages in the book are the window envelopes from bills and advertising; that's where I put the free postcards, candy wrappers, etc. It's always a surprise to see how accidental combinations of things can morph into something unexpected and way more entertaining - see a couple of details below. This was one of the most fun books so far. I guess junk just really speaks to me.



Looks like I have some threads to trim. The four needle binding is the first sewn binding I learned. It is a very simple concept and easy to understand, a royal pain to keep under control while it is the works and very satisfying when it is finally finished.

3 comments:

Elin said...

I love the idea of a junk mail book. I'm doing a "re-purposed art" summer camp this year and this would fit right in! Tres cool.

Liisa Mannery said...

Can I come to camp??? Sounds wonderful.

Gordon Kennedy said...

As a "close associate" of the artist, I can attest to this book's fascination. I saw it first hand. The envelopes provide ready-made pockets for the insertion of oddities and the windows let you glimpse what's inside, which adds to the visual interest and entertainment. Unexpected juxtapositions, wild colors, odd shapes, weird typography, snippets of advertising copy...this is a great book.