BEGINNING BOX MAKING

Our September workshop on Zoom will feature Edge Gerring teaching us how to make a basic hinged lid box. These basics will give you an understanding so you can move on to make any size box you want, or try different types of boxes. We will make the box shown below, which is 3" x 4" x 1 3/4" and was made to accommodate two decks of playing cards, stacked.

Once you RSVP for the class, instructions for preparing the box parts will be emailed to you, along with the Zoom link. In order for the box to be completed during the class, please have the cardboard and cover paper pieces cut and ready. We will glue the box together and apply the covering papers to the box during the class. A lift tab of some sort is optional. Edge used a paper bead rolled out of the covering paper on the box shown.

Tools:

• cutting knife with extra blades (sharp blades are essential)
• metal ruler
• pencil
• bone folder
• glue applicator (brush, foam brush or roller)
• small, pointed scissors
• damp rag (for cleaning fingers)

Optional Tools:

• right angle (see through is best but not required)
• sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper wrapped and glued to it
• right angle with bumper guide to help with mitering corners of box
• wax paper, or other no-stick paper or surface
• jar of water (for cleaning brushes)

Materials:

• 7" x 8 1/2" piece of 1/16th thick mat board. Figure direction of grain and put pencil marks to indicate it on one side.
• PVA (Tacky Glue is also okay for box assembly)
• 2 pieces of 8 1/2" x 11" cover paper (the thicker the paper the harder to use on a small box)
• rolled paper bead or other lid lift tab (optional)

Please feel free to call or email Edge for clarification on any of the tools or materials. Her contact information is in the newsletter.

September Box Making Meeting Details:

When:     Saturday, Sept. 12 at noon Pacific time

Where:    On your computer, tablet or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:      To Dolores Guffey by September 7 to receive password

Contacts: To Bobbie Hayes regarding Zoom; Edge Gerring regarding the workshop. Contact information is in the newsletter.

HINTS, TIPS, & TOOLS MEETING

Once again we dipped our toes in the testing waters by having a Zoom meeting for our members. Dolores presented a plethora of hints, tips, & tools (although the difference between hints & tips wasn't fully explained). In any case, we had 42 members join in the meeting, 17 locals and 25 from outside of Humboldt County. Being able to Zoom has allowed us to connect with members both close by and far away during these trying times. We will continue the monthly Zoom meeting/workshops as long as we have members volunteering to teach from their computer to ours. Thank you Celeste, for getting us started and showing us how. And now it is time for NORBAG to set up our own Zoom account.

 

Here are some of the items we looked at…

Piercing Tools

Different types of needles

Threads
Background - DMC #5 Perle cotton (skein & box)
Other threads shown: bookbinder's linen thread; waxed linen thread;
buttonhole thread; sample card from Royalwood, supplier of waxed linen threads

Weights
 covered brick, sad irons, marble base from a trophy, soft leather drafting weight, small box filled with lead weights

 

Measuring rule set
 brass set of metal bars ranging in size from 1" to 1/8"
(available at hardware stores, look for K&S Metal Stock)

Centering Ruler 

 www.creativeimpressions.com (centering ruler #80003)

Glue Brush

Crayola So Big, on chopstick rest

When you don't wash out your glue brush and the next day (week or month) you find it hard and stiff...don't throw it out. Just soak it overnight in rubbing alcohol and the next day it is good as new. Just pick out a few glue strands and rinse well. If you leave the cap off of your glue stick and it is all hard...just use a craft knife to slice off the hard area and you're good to go (and try to remember to replace the cap next time).

At the end of the presentation we showed the July and August exchange books, and our members were able to discuss their book while it was on the screen. It was a wonderful way to share our creativity.

Special thanks to Dolores, Bobbie & Celeste and everyone else who contributed.

ZOOM WORKSHOP TUTORIAL

What happens when technology and NORBAG meet? We have a tutorial about using Zoom for our meetings. On July 24, Celeste Chalasani led a Zoom tutorial on how to use Zoom for workshops. She talked about the technology we would need and it was a surprise to learn that we already have most of the technology needed...such as a smart phone, tablet, or desktop computer. If you plan to lead a workshop for NORBAG you probably only need to purchase something to hold a smart phone or tablet. It could be as simple as a goose neck cell phone holder that clamps to your desk (prices range from around $12 to $30-40). 

There are also document cameras made specifically for this kind of workshop that may plug into video systems or other computers. The prices can range as low as $100 and some are over $800. Some of our members are already giving classes over the internet and are using the more specific technologies. Either high or low tech, our NORBAG members can easily set up for workshops.

We talked a bit about staging of the actual workshop (Margaret did this very nicely at our June workshop) and how helpful it is to have a co-host who can direct questions to the speaker so things run smoothly. Celeste also spoke about how we can spotlight the instructor while eliminating other voices and noise that cause the camera to move away from the instructor. 

Are you interested in giving a workshop but missed the Zoom tutorial or want to refresh your memory of the information? Send an email to Dolores (email in the newsletter) and she will send you the necessary link to see the tape of the workshop. No excuses now...if you have an idea for a workshop we’re happy to help you through the first time.

Member Projects

This is a wet-cyan on a coffee filter.

Have you ever wanted to try making Cyanotype prints? Our member from Pennsylvania, Mary Elizabeth Nelson, has been doing just that with beautiful results. Here is what she shared. 

"Cyanotype and wet-cyan have taken over my life and the joy of waking up to a sunny day is the best ever. I think I must have done well over a 100 prints on paper and fabric. Thinking about book structures as I apply the chemicals for the cyanotype process, I have 5" x 14" papers and fabric for French folded pages to incorporate onto accordion fold spines and lots of other sizes to use however I wish. Many different weights and grades of paper, a sea of blue and white all around me."

Traditional cyanotype on Stonehenge paper

French folded pages adhered to mountains of an
accordion. Cyanotype and wet-cyan methods of
printing on Stonehenge paper. 3" x 5" size.

A Queen Anne’s Lace, a wayside flower belonging to

the carrot family. This cyanotype is on a cotton fabric

with French knots added. The fabric is 5 x 14, shown

here folded in half to be included in a fabric book.

Many thanks to Mary Elizabeth for sharing these photos and information of her latest project. We hope she'll give us a workshop on the process in the future.

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.

JULY ZOOM WORKSHOP

Thanks to Zoom, we're back in business NORBAGGERS! On June 13th we had a great "meet and greet" Zoom event hosted by Celeste Chalasani. It was so successful that Margaret Beech, our prolific member from York, England, graciously volunteered to lead our first Zoom workshop in July. Margaret will be teaching us how to make nested pinwheels that provide an interesting and dimensional effect. She wrote, "I am aiming for each person to make one pinwheel card and if all goes well, a second one."

Margaret said that this is a very easy project with a real piece of Paper Magic at the end and will not take long to complete, so there should be plenty of time for members to share some book art that they've recently completed. There won't be a slideshow this time so have your piece close by and be prepared to say something about it. If you have questions about using Zoom, refer back to the June NORBAG newsletter and/or email Celeste. Please email Dolores Guffey by July 8 to receive the password for this Zoom workshop. 

Tools to have for the workshop:

• Cutting mat
• Craft knife with a new blade
• Double-stick tape or a glue stick
• Pencil
• Steel ruler
• Scoring tool
• Bone folder
• Fine black marker pen

Pre-cut papers (construction paper or slightly heavier).

Please have these cut prior to the workshop!

• At least two squares of paper (so you can make two cards) in each of the following sizes: 8", 7.5", 7" and 6.5". (It's best if each square for one card is a different color since contrasting colors will show up best in the finished fold). Please be sure these papers are truly square.
• Two 4.5" x 9" cards scored & folded to 4.5" square for attaching finished pinwheels to.
• Please make a ruler template 2” x 8” in stiff card before the meeting.  This will save much measuring when drawing the margins on the squares.

WHEN:       Saturday, July 11 from noon - 3 p.m. Pacific Time via Zoom

WHERE:     At home on your computer, tablet or smartphone

SUPPLIES: See above list

RSVP:        YES! before July 8 to Dolores to receive the password to enter the Zoom workshop (contact information is in the newsletter). 

ZOOM!

We’re officially Zoomers! NORBAG held its first Zoom online meeting on June 13 attended by 37 members. It was an international meeting with 2 members from England, 9 from 6 different states, 17 from Humboldt County, and 9 from other areas of California. We’re very grateful to Celeste Chalasani for organizing and hosting the meeting.

We started off by taking turns introducing ourselves. What a treat it was to finally put faces to names that we’ve known... sometimes for many years. It was also fun to see some impromptu "guest cats" who wandered into view. Thirteen members sent photos of books they had been working on to Celeste who created a PowerPoint slideshow. Each person was able to give a description of their book, the materials, and/or the inspiration for the structure. Several members had just finished taking Helen Hiebert’s online Flexible Book Structures 2 workshop so they shared photos of some of the projects completed in the class.

Members with a large screen can see a maximum of 25

participants at a time and scroll over to see the rest of the group.

Margaret Beech described some of the photos she shared.

All in all it was a positive experience and one we hope to share again. Our member from York, England, Margaret Beech, has offered to teach a Zoom workshop for us on July 11 so watch for more information in the July newsletter. Please contact Dolores Guffey (contact information in the newsletter) if you have any suggestions, would like to offer to lead a workshop or host a sharing session and she will help to coordinate the event.

Many of our out-of-town members also belong to book art organizations in their local areas. We love to hear what other groups are doing and how they are coping with the challenges the Coronavirus has presented. One activity currently underway with the Puget Sound Book Art group is a collaborative project. Thirty-six members signed up for the “Staying Home” project and were randomly put into six groups of six. Each participant was directed to make a small blank book (4” x 6” size), create an artwork on one page of that book and mail it to the next person on their list. That person would add their own artwork to a page and then mail it to the next person and so on until all six books were completed and each participant would keep the last book they received. Ideally this should take about six weeks with a goal to finish by July 19. The hope is to actually share these books in person later this year. The following photo is the cover of one of those books.

The artist who created this book has invited

the other five group members to also add

artwork of their own to this cover.

Be sure to look for more information in the newsletter and future blog article about our next Zoom meeting in July. Thank you to Bobbie Hayes for sharing her Zoom photos.