A Class with Miriam Schaer

Do you know Miriam Schaer's elegant installation and bookwork? I've followed her for some years now and so was thrilled when, in conjunction with Raw Beauty at the Princeton Art Center, she offered a class called Wearable Books.

Thrilling, really. We played with paint and paper and the concept of creating small books as pieces to be worn. Size, in this case, doesn't matter - some of us worked very large!).

One of my fellow students stack of scrolls. To be worn as a necklace.

I like working small so was content with that.

Today, I worked (played, really) with the small books I'd started and an idea began to emerge from this "sketching." Stacking, sewing and rolling one bead-like book and then another (and another), I found myself pulling out silky ribbon and tying the scroll-beads closed

neatly with a bow. And then: how easy that is to do to women. We say of small girls: she's a sweetheart - even though she may not be. And so, what is wrong with saying "She's a corker, that one!" I'd rather she was a corker, a character, a tough cookie. She'll go far.

And so sketches grow into thoughts and thoughts, well we should let them continue to move.

I'll be posting more about the idea of using sketches in different media over at The Sketchbook Challenge in the next couple of days. Will add the links back here.

Flag Book Video and Paste Paper

I love paste paper. Yummy. I love the color, moving tools through the paste leaving patterns behind. Finding new tools to use is one part of the fun and last weekend's visit to the Moving Sale provided some unexpected tool makers. I had a class on Paste Paper and introduction to Flag Books this week and here are some of their results.

Textile, brush, skewer

Brush, scraper, foam brush

Flagbooks are an excellent way to use paste paper (and a very good reason to make paste paper). Here are some pics of a flagbook I made. Still photos just don't justify these little burst of activity so I decided to make a video of the process so you could watch the thing in motion and while it was being made

an inside peek!

The Flagbook video

Choosing an art journal

Hi all. My friend Zoe recently asked me what sort of a journal I work in. Here is a video response which I hope is helpful to all of you. Cheers, to a great weekend!

Maze Book how to and new year's revelations

I don't do new year's resolutions usually. It just makes me feel like a failure. This year, though I thought I'd write down revelations (get it: New Year's Revelations). That was enough of an exuse for me to make a batch of little maze books to write this astonishing mind-blowing brilliant revelations. Such as, for instance, I really don't want to learn to crochet. Ever. Let.It.Go.

I offer you this little freebie: How-To Make a Maze Book.
1. Print out this page:


2. Watch this video to make the How To Maze Book (without snickering! This is my first video and Bess was my camerawoman and darn it! we did a good job).

3. Gather some paper (any size any color, graph paper, recycled paper, etc.) and make as many maze books as you'd like. Vary the cuts and folds using the How To Make a Maze Book. These little books are perfect for your 2009 Revelations books or less exalted purposes such as shopping lists, notes to self and so on. Make a bunch and keep them in your pocket, purse, car, office. Carry them everywhere, give them to your friends, tuck them into your journal when they are filled up. Have fun.

Recycled envelope book

From Meadowlark Days, here is a lovely, simple recycled envelope book via WhipUp. What a great holiday gift this could be filled with recipes, quotes, bits of inspiration (fabric swatches, small drawings or photographs). Oooo. I'm gonna make one!