Play your cards right

After admitting to Graham Rawle that since attending his talk, where he described his upcoming book The Card and his own collecting of lost cards, I had passed up the opportunity to pick up a dropped 5 of clubs on the platform at Paddington station, I was compelled to pick this up.  It was lying on the pavement on my walk to the station at 6.20am on a sunny morning after a rainy night, making it a little soggy and grubby.  I tucked it into the inside cover of my book to dry flat and forgot about it until the train ride home.

Closer inspection revealed that it was not a playing card but a language translation flashcard, which disappointed me at first.  However, after glancing at it every morning over breakfast I have fallen for it and set off for work repeating the words over to myself. As yet I have no picture in my mind for what it will become, but there is definitely a project in there.

Stamped out

Had a brilliant time at the Homemade Rubber Stamp and Book workshop taught by Stephen Fowler at UWE this week.  Who knew carving into rubbers could be so satisfying? (well I had an inkling) and I learnt so many tricks and tips that will help in my future making thanks to Stephen's expertise!  I arrived somewhat unsure of what to make, but drew on my now familiar world of ticket and text related ephemera to make some stamps I am really pleased with and can use again.

As a group we made 2 books, one based on the concept of the game 'consequences' or 'exquisite corpse' where we each made a 3 part figure and then shared them to stamp a mixture of top, middle and bottoms to make 8 unique pages.  The second book was a chance for us to each display our favourite stamp creation in an edition of 8 books.  So great to have something to take away at the end of the workshop with a reminder of other peoples designs to provide ideas about techniques.

Here are a few pics of the day:

Jam

With the Homemade Rubber Stamp and Book workshop I am participating in later this month in mind, to get into the groove I whipped up some labels for Dad's birthday, to use on his homemade jams and preserves.  Simple but effective, and not at all chintzy.

(NB They are not PG rated, those are his initials!)

Tempting fate?

I've been working on some visuals / graphics / objects / artwork - whatever you like to call it - for the next issue of the artists' books journal The Blue Notebook.

Heres a sneak preview:

I really hope I'm not tempting fate for my new commute next week.

On show

The Russia - UK book project - Sons of the Sea (times) - that I contributed to earlier in the year in has now been compiled and the UK edition has gone on show in the Library Special Collections room at UWE's Bower Ashton campus.  Further venues to be announced, but you can see the full range of 24 images from the Russian and UK participants on the Book Arts webpage.

Loose ends

I spent most of last week on the letterpress, as it was the last chance to use the print workshops before the long summer break.  I was experimenting with some of the 'ornaments' or symbols to create text reminiscent of a digital message board.  100 bookmarks were duly printed, plum black ink on ivory 270gm card, plus a few extra bits and bobs.  Now all I have to do is cut them all to size.

I have also literally been tying in loose ends, this time for the blanket I have been crocheting as a gift.  Full photos will be posted after it has been gifted, but I can tell you that I based it on this granny stripe pattern from Attic 24 .

Many happy returns

After a break from making to finish coursework (for most of May by the looks of it) I'm trying to catch up with some long overdue birthday gifts.  Some rubber stamp carving later and we're in business....