HINTS, TIPS, & TOOLS

The August Zoom workshop will feature Dolores Guffey sharing her book art Hints, Tips, and Tools. Having been one of the original NORBAG members (25 years ago this September), Dolores has amassed a wealth of great ideas learned from fellow book artists, her own discoveries, and from the many conferences she has attended. This “workshop” will be a time for sharing ideas. She invites those of you who join the Zoom meeting to bring your own tips and favorite tools to share with us. We all learn from one another and there is always something new to discover.

When:   Saturday, August 8 at noon, Pacific time

Where:  On your computer, tablet, or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:   YES, to Dolores Guffey by August 5 to receive the password. Her contact information is in the newsletter.

What to have on hand:  Paper to take notes and your own tips & tools to share.

Projects from our members

Michele's Keith Smith books

Those of you who received the June NORBAG newsletter saw the information about how to purchase unbound copies of some of Keith Smith’s books to bind yourself. Our member, Michele Kamprath, did just that and shared with us this photo of her books. Like the examples Dolores Guffey shared in the newsletter, binding these books with a Coptic stitch or sewing over tapes is a perfect way to have them bound so that they will open flat…very helpful when trying to follow Keith’s instructions.

Bonnie's "books-in-sheets" classics

Did you know that it is also possible to find unbound copies of classic books? On the Volcano Arts website you can find “Books-in-Sheets” that are ready to bind with your favorite materials. According to the website, the books “have been formatted in content-appropriate fonts. They’re imposed into separate sections and copied onto good quality 70 lb. paper. You just fold and sew.” Some of the books that are available include A Christmas Carol, The Secret Garden, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and several favorites by Jane Austen. Bonnie Julien has bound several of these books with plans to give one to each of her grandchildren. Here is a link to Volcano Arts: 
https://volcanoarts.com/?s=books+in+sheets&post_type=product

Randi's Eco-dyed print

This print and the one above are available on Etsy

What else can you do with your beautiful eco-dyed or other surface designed papers besides make cards and books? Frame them! Our member, Randi Parkhurst, has refined her eco-dyeing techniques into an art form worthy of framing. Here are some photos of her work currently for sale on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/EcoPrintLove

Thank you to our members for sharing information about your projects. We're happy to pass along your photos and ideas.

NESTED PINWHEELS with MARGARET BEECH

Our July Zoom meeting featured a workshop and a bit of paper magic. It was a busy and lovely day.

As we settle in, there is a lot of talk and chatter.

On my computer screen, you could see either 25 pictures of everyone or just one photo taking up the screen. Meet Margaret Beech. She lives in York, England and Zoom has enabled her to have this workshop without a plane flight.

  

The ever smiling Margaret Beech.

For our July workshop she demonstrated how to make a paper pinwheel and turn it into these delightful nested structures.

This is the first structure we made. Please note that all of the openings 
have edges parallel to the one next to it.

Margaret is our first artist to give a workshop on Zoom, and she did a great job from an artistic, teaching and technical standpoint.  We started with 4 squares of paper of graduated sizes and a jig to measure with so we didn’t have to play with rulers. Using those things, we had the base form.

Using our jig, we measured and made the cutting lines on all four papers. 

We made and cut out the other squares and when finished, folded them on the lines per Margaret’s instructions. The smallest of the folded units goes inside the next larger size. The graduated paper size made this very simple. While we didn’t glue them to each other during the workshop, you can do that when making your final structure.

Each of the points is folded down with the last one slipped under
 the first to hold it together. The finished product can be seen above.

A Bit of Magic

Margaret gave us a bit of magic too by simply cutting the papers and putting the wrong side up on alternate sheets. If you cut all of the pieces and the diagonals have the orientation, you will make a structure with the sides parallel to the nested one below. If you turn every other one to use the back side of the paper, you can get a different look to your structure...like nested diamonds. These pictures show the diagonals and then the result of this minor change.

These are all cut and positioned so that the right angle of the pinwheel
 is on the left side for all colors . This will result in a structure with all 
 nesting edges parallel to each other.

This is the alternate placement. By turning the paper over
 to the wrong side on every other paper, the points alternate.
 (The orange and pink has the right angle on the right side.)
 This will give you openings whose points are at a 45 degree
 angle form the one above and below.

Many thanks to our always happy Margaret.

There is more

After the workshop Dolores held up each of the books sent for the March exchange so that each artist could give a brief description. Congratulations to Kenzie Mullen who had her first book in that exchange. She spoke about the process and materials. It was great to be able to ask a quick question directly to the artist. If you would like more information about someone's book, ask Dolores Guffey for a roster so that you have everyone’s email and phone. The July Newsletter shows a batch of dates for you to get your books in for the previous exchanges that we’ve missed. August exchange books must be received prior to August 8, the day of our meeting, to be in the exchange and allow us to share them at the Zoom meeting. 

ZOOM Statistics 

Who attended? There were 19 of us that could be considered “locals” in Humboldt county which covers 4,200 square miles. Ten other California members joined in along with 11 members residing in other U.S. states. Margaret Beech and Jill McInerney were our British attendees. It was a lively crowd of 42 people. By the way, Karen Chew just became a member of NORBAG and attended her first meeting with us. (When she sent in her registration form, she sent a tiny corona virus paper mask.)

   

The March Exchange books should be up on Flickr by Friday, July 17. Since Zoom is such a new experience for us, we are not yet sure what will be on the August 8 meeting agenda. If we have time in August, we will show more of the exchange books. We’ll let you know in the August, 2020 newsletter.

Announcement

Our technical host for the Zoom meetings has been Celeste Chalasani.  She is offering to teach a class (via Zoom) to our members about how to set up meetings and how to go about giving a workshop using the devices they already have at home. This would enable anyone who is interested to offer a workshop. This class is open to all members. Bobbie Hayes (bobbie.hayes666@gmail.com) will be sending out a bit more information via email in the next week to those members who have previously attended the meetings. More info will be sent when we have more detail. If you are interested in the class and didn’t receive an email, please let Bobbie know. Everyone is welcome.