Monday, October 12, 2009

Lisa's Labyrinth Book



Update 7, Nov 2.
Well here they are, 2 completed spreads in my book. I am not planning on doing any more than that or there won't be room for you guys! lol. I still have to do my last signature which will hold some swap pieces.In between each signature is a piece of paper which I have glued in which will act as each persons VD page/Notes/Sign area or what ever else you want to use it for. Also, just because I have done a page to interpate the definition of Labyrinth dosn't mean you have too...just what ever comes to mind when you think of Labyrinth!



Update 6. October 27.
My finished cover. Its not perfect but over all I am happy with the result. I used wax to fill the niche and set the circuit board into it. It's settled a bit flatter than what it looks here. Sure hope my book dosn't encounter any hot places on it's way around the globe though!


Update 5
Ok, so here's the cover nearly finished. The foam board was covered with pva glue and gold tissue paper and then it underwent a treatment of indian ink and watered down gesso until I was happy with the look. The copper foil was eventually found and bought and as you can see it looks great around the niche! Great advice:) The book cover itself was red so I rubbed indian ink onto it using make-up pads. I still need to stick the circuit board in proparly...

The pic above makes my book look reallly fat and I am only posting it here because I love it:)
The photo below shows how the foam has gone and bowed on me BUT I think I've taken care of that with a liberal does of glue and the use of my flower press! (Bottom pic.)

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Update 4
Ok, so here's what I am playing with at the moment. My son is a 'pull it apart to see what it's inside' kinda boy. He's after the motors and lights from things and I occasionally inherit bits of copper wire and circuit boards. I stopped getting them from him because I wasn't using them, I just like them coz the look pretty! Anyway, today one of them got put to good use and I cut a niche from foam board to put it in for my books cover. Isn't it beautiful and jewel like? and the maze pattern is just perfect for labyrinth! As you can see I've cut the niche a bit crooked (!!) so I will need to figure out how to fix that...maybe I am going to have to cut the whole thing bigger now and then some how fill in the 3mm gap I will have? Doh!
Also, I am going to fix this foam board to the cover of my book, am thinking of using PVA but not sure if it is durable enough? Any suggestions of what glue to use? I have also done a bit more inside my book but that will be another post as the kids need to be picked up from school very soon!



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Post 3.
This book is in my mind, thoughts and dreams 24/7 lately so I am so pleased to have had 3 whole hours to play today and an hour yesterday! I am loving the way it's coming out so far. I've done most of my 'title' page too (not photographed yet) and you can see a teeny peak of it in the top photo. The weaving thing had the last minute addition of the beads which slide along the cotton a bit like a abacus but in a different direction. I love the rythmn of them as you slide them along. The word 'entanglement' became quite literal at several points today but this has been such a labour of love it's hard to put down! I am sure you all know the feeling!

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Post 2.
I am being bad,very bad. I should not be here doing this post or playing with books but the urge was to strong...I just finished tying the last kebab stick to my page, they will form the framework for a weaving of threads and papery things. The back of it is the photo below. I left the thread tails long so they'd tangle but I may tie things on to them as well...my thoughts are still thinking!

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Post 1

It's not much compared to the trillion and one ideas I have for this book in my head but here's a sneak peek at my books begininngs! My theme is Labyrinth. Not as in David Bowie Labyrinth but as in the dictionary definition of the word "intricate and tangled, windings, entanglement" which to me describes anything from a nest (suprise! suprise!) to intiricate celtic work and old vintage letters....in the days of sloped and curly handwriting not computer fonts!Anything that is interwoven, bound or maze like... I look forward to seeing how everyone else translates it when this book moves around each player!

What you see here is my book (an old novel) divded into signatures for each player (my husband is drilling the cover for me later so I can add another) and a sneaky glimps of 2 of my bound pages.

36 comments:

  1. This looks like so much fun, I can't wait to play! Great theme, ideas are bubbling already, LOL!

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  2. Hello Kim!!!! So glad you made it. Phew! I was getting worried there.

    Lisa - I can't WAIT to get my grubby little hands on your book! Your close up shots are so amazing and it's so neat to see the detail in crystal clarity...and WHAT detail there is! Such a feast for the eyes. My camera (as you may have read in my posting above)just died tonight(I mean, really died...as in, it's dead forever). I am quite envious of anyone who has a digital camera that does close ups like that.

    Alicia - is it true your camera has died too? Ok, that's just spooky if it has. You and I got too many coincidence things going on.

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  3. P.S. Lisa...your book is just so AMAZING! I keep having to go back to suck it all up!

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  4. oh wow! wowz! i am at a loss for words with how flippin' cool and beautiful this is! i can't wait to play in it and i have something that i'm saving that i HOPE will work... that i got from my husband. i will find a way to make it work 'cause it will rock if i can pull it off.

    my camera did die, deb. but i fixed it. it's died several times, including the hole lens mechanism falling off at one point a couple of weeks ago but i somehow miraculously keep fixing it (typically with force or slamming it against something -- can't break it worse, right?). if you can find a cord for it, i will send you my nikon when i get a new camera at least as a hold-over until you get a new one. how horrible with the timing!

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  5. i just had to peek back too! i am soooo loving this!

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  6. I can't wait Alicia! Thanks Deb's....your's has blowen me away! That eye! omg!

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  7. you guys have me all giddy with bliss! seriously! i soooo can't wait. i hope i can do your books justice. :)

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  8. Wow!! I cannot wait to see where you take this. To me it already looks incredible as is!

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  9. Happppppyyyy Day!Just had a 3 hour play and have uploaded the results:)

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  10. holy crap, lady!!! (i keep saying that to each of you!) omg -- this is so amazing beyond words! i lovelovelove it and i can't wait to play! i have an idea... or seven. wow. this is so very fantastic and lovely and beautiful and perfect. when we are done with all six books, we should put them in the second altered bits print zine (three online and one print per year makes for happy things to look at). how fun would it be to share the photos and stories of us six! i'd enjoy it at least. ;)

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  11. abacuses are one of the COOLEST things in the world to me.

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  12. Holy crap Lisa - this is stunning!!! Is weaving something you've done before? I am intrested to know why you've chosen this fabulous medium for this journey of yours?

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  13. Lisa your weaving is awesome!! Great colors, texture, baubles. I can't wait to see what's next.

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  14. Zine things a great idea Alicia. I signed up with Yu-du but that's as far as I got lol! You on the other hand are a bit of an expert I believe!

    Thanks everyone for your warm and fuzzy feedback...I am loving this group!

    Debrina...I've weaved on and off over the last few years. It's a nest thing! In relevance to this book it's the weaving, winding, woven...(how am I going for illertation points??) wonderfulness of the labyrinth I'm playing around with!

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  15. maybe we could do a "here are the covers" peek in this next zine, then next year's print zine have the full books. i think that would be so fantastic! one to two pages per book, or whatever we think at the time.

    i keep peeking back at this and keep having more and more ideas. i really, really love what you're doing here!! i'm going to get to work on my book for a couple of whole hours today and i'm so excited! then i'll be off to the beach tomorrow and not back until super late on sunday, just so everyone knows why i'll be quiet.

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  16. this is so lovely and tactile Lisa...i can already think of lots to do with the pages when it comes my way..

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  17. ooh, i've just returned from the beach and am so glad you're not all the way done yet. i had a wee panic while i was gone for two days. off to peek at everyone's now!

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  18. Okay now I'm on the mend again and am finally re reading all the posts to catch up properly. Love the woven nature of this Lisa, really gorgeous texture, Yumm! I so have to slow down some of my ideas, my head is spinning with them from everyones posts and themes! I think I better make some notes!

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  19. ooh, notes! what a grand idea!!

    and i hear you've posted yours!! off to look, kim. your title/theme has me all giddy with bliss and anticipation!!

    (lisa's book rocks!)

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  20. I've been playing around with my cover and just posted a few pics. Still a work in progress ofcourse!

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  21. how fantastic, lady! i love circuit boards too and have an ever growing collection! the gap could be easily fixed with copper or aluminum tape, i bet, or resin clay or some other type of clay molded around like a wee frame... or wax. can you tell i'm well versed at fixing whoopses!? i typically mess my holes up so have found lots of ways to fake a little fix for it, lol.

    i'm soooo bad today! i've been utter crap at responding to emails or tending to any of my responsibilities other than cooking dinner and feel like a jerk! instead, what did i do? i spent ALL day (9 hours!) researching what fonts were used in the 1920s newspapers, researching the origins of various first names and surnames, writing an obituary, creating faux diary pages, etc. all this just for ONE small book page. and did i do anything in the actual book yet? not really! just made a couple of accompanying pieces, soaking them in coffee, baking them and wrinkling and unwrinkling them to give a super aged appearance. i'm insane. and i'm LOVING (again!) the board on your cover!

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  22. Wow, a circuit board is a great choice for the labyrinth theme cover. Now i might have to get out that soldering iron! I used to do miniature electronics for a living and have bags full of goodies around here somewhere, although who knows where everything will end up after the move!

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  23. Lisa - i somehow missed this posting. i love it!!! I'm just getting into circuitry myself - Kim, I'll need to speak to you...lol!

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  24. i keep meaning to ask you if you meant to write this because i love it: "Altered Book Bound Robin Collaboration"

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  25. Ok, so the copper wire was great advice, my thanks! I was mid way through adding ink and stuff to the foam when my dad turned up to stay a few days (which was a surprise!) and then of course my nephew (Blake) was born...so long story cut short I've been 'mid niche' for a few days and have finally gotten time to play! New pics have been added:)

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  26. Love the look the foil tape has added to your covers Lisa. Its helped define the niche really well and filled in the gaps. I use it quite often here myself and always love that coppery colour.

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  27. Thanks Kim, it was quite fun to use and since I've bought it I have found 2 other things that 'needed' copper foil too! I think this will become part of my regular stash too!

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  28. Oh my goodness! WOW! I'm in awe and am inspired to once again, try some new ideas. thank you for sharing. Beautiful execution, Beautiful ART.

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  29. ohohoh! i love it, lady! this is sooooo great! so fantastic! sooo beautiful!

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  30. This is fantastic Lisa. Love the extra metal embellishment you have used over the boards and that copper wire. I'm a sucker for copper anything really! Can't wait to get hold of your book for a play and to see what you have done in here in more detail!

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  31. Quick update on my post of my spreads for my book....it's easy to keep on playing with this!

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  32. That just looks so awesome Lisa! I love the left hand page with its lettering! Gorgeous stuff! Yes, it is easy to just keep playing. I'm still planning my portfolio front piece!

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  33. your book is gorgeous!! i love it! everything is so perfect and beautiful!

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  34. Love what you have done with your book Lisa. great textures and details with the threads and pearls. Looking forward to seeing it in more detail when it winds its way here eventually!

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