Tuesday 14 August 2012

Rites of Passage

To celebrate the end of my "Fifty Miniature Books" project... I made another book!


This time I used the online sevice Blurb to make a  hardback book about the project with photographs of every single one of the limited edition books from  book number one, "Be my Valentine"




all the way through to book number fifty "Write On".
I've never used this service before but I am delighted with the quality and ease of use. It's also wonderful to have this lasting memento of each of the books I have created.


Of course there have been others as well as this fifty... twenty Jubilee books and eight extra Japanese books (the last remaining few are still available in my Etsy shop and could well be the last ever). And in addition I've had requests for books that came after the original fifty were already spoken for. And that is what I've been doing this week... finishing off the few remaining orders.


A rather delicate little book on the theme of "Hand Stitching"


One of my favourites I think, although it would be hard to pick an absolute favourite. If you are reading Sue... I'll bring to our meeting in September to save the postage!


I really enjoyed creating all the little pages of hand stitches.


There has been another Pisces book, the third one I've made.


This time with fish made with foils (saved from Easter eggs!)


A book about Crows


And finally a book about the Bard...


Filled with favourite quotes... which is another of my favourites.


And now I have only four more to make... and that is it! So if you are waiting, it shouldn't be too long.


In total I will have made eighty six tiny books in matchboxes since February, which is an awful lot of books. I did think I might try to get to one hundred, and I still might, but for now I'm thinking it really is time to move on to something new. I'm mulling about some new ideas concerning "Rites of Passage" but as yet nothing concrete. I'm hoping by closing a door on these books, another one will open... in itself a passage of sorts.

24 comments:

  1. I love the crow book and the little stitch book is so lovely. :)
    What a really clever idea to make a book about the books, it looks great too and as you say a reminder to you of all the hard work and imagination you put into them!
    Vivienne x

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  2. I, too, love the idea of a book about your books. What a great way to record the project!

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  3. Wow Gina! What a great idea to put all of your books into a blurb book -- otherwise, I don't think I could part with them -- they're all so wonderful!

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  4. What a lovely way to record all of your books - all equally delightful and so different.

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  5. Hi Gina!! I just wanted to say how much I love the Crow box & book. Mum gave it to me today and I LOVE it!! You certainly understand my love of all things crow - it's perfect. Thankyou so much. If you hop onto my blog 'A Circle Is Cast' you'll see I've done a post in honour of your beautiful work. Thankyou so much :D

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  6. The books are so detailed.
    I used Blurb to create a book showing all of the quilt blocks that I had created when taking part in Around the World Quilting Bee. Took ages to sort and upload everything from the camera and find all of the pictures on my laptop as the book covered nearly two years. Ordered several copies and I was also very leased with the whole thing. I am now thinking of compiling a book using pictures of Sophie as she grew up as many digital pictures do tend to stay on the computer don't they?
    Your books has lovely pictures in it.
    xx

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  7. So much went into these tiny books for such a bargain price,I'm glad you managed to create a great keepsake for yourself too.

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  8. Beautiful little books. I particularly like the embroidery one. Great idea to have a book as a permanent record of this. Blurb are certainly very good.

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  9. What a lovely idea to create such a lovely record of your little books. My daughter and I are delighted with ours.

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  10. have enjoyed my catchup after being away at the Art Festival in Pittenweem - I love my little fairy book and am so glad to have it - I thought I might have missed your summer workshops this year but obviously with the books and the olympics you hav ebeen very busy!!!! - looking forward to thing s to come

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  11. Oh that little hand stitch book is gorgeous so beautiful. I'm sure you will get to 100. I can come up with some ideas if you are stuck!

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  12. How lovely to have a permanent record of all your beautiful books. I love these latest ones too, I hadn't realised the handstitch one had hand sewn pages. Wonderful!

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  13. I love the crow book, into birds at the moment. Great idea for keeping a record of all those books you have ceated, I shall have to take a look at Blurb.

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  14. They are all so beautiful Gina, and what a phenomenal effort to make so many. I keep changing my mind as to which one I like best! Lovely idea to have a record of them all in a book too. Cheers

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  15. Hi Gina, finally gave in and then bought 2 of your little books, but I do love that crow one as well!
    As my health is not letting me get to the Uk this year, which is where I thought I would add to my mothers collection of Royal memorabilia I thought a little Gina box and book was going to be the next best thing, maybe the best thing! I know this is late but finally I feel I can find some money to spend on a bit for me.
    Have seen some really lovely blurb books and am thinking of doing something as well, they are great.
    Penny

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  16. Loving the crow book in particular. What a lovely book you have had pu blished too, I had a lovely time looking through the Blurb site. Definitely one to bookmark. (No pun intended!)

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  17. All these little books are wonderful and such an achievement. I haven't heard of Blurb, thanks for the link - it's such a super record of your creative challenge.

    x

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  18. I've just had a look at the preview of your book at Blurb - wow, it's lovely!

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  19. They are such beautiful little books - an amazing project - whatever next?!

    Pomona x

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  20. Your Blurb book looks glorious, a lovely memento.

    Having dabbled in making artist's books myself I know how much work can go into pieces like these. You really have completed an awesome number of treasures in six months. Go you!

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  21. I love the book you made for Sue, she 'll be delighted. Love the idea of the blurb book too, look forward to seeing it,
    Gill x

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  22. more mini-book gorgeousness Gina. love your stitching sampler one and what a wonderful idea to have a record of what you've made.

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  23. The subject of 'rites of passage' throws up tons of possibilities Gina. Getting to 86 books is an amazing feat of creativity and determination and the Blurb book is a fabulous way to record the progress. I've seen these before and the production is very good. Now that the books are there for all to see in posterity I hope you can channel your energies into that new direction you've been waiting for.

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  24. Your book of books is a brilliant idea - so wonderful to have all those pictures in one place - I just looked at the review on Blurb. Now this book closes and another opens.

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