Sunday, September 23, 2012

Guestbooks, Albums, Journals, Sketchbooks.... a Love for Bookbinding.

 I have always loved books. I loved to read them touch their pages, smell their old or new characteristic scent, arrange them in alphabetical order, keep an inventory list and recently making books.


Making a book requires a lot of time and inspiration if you want it to mean something, if you want to catch a part of your soul in it.
I don't really have time for that anymore and I definitely don't like making books as custom orders.
However, from time to time, especially when I know who the book is for, I manage to find that pleasure of creating freely with no time or design boundaries.

Here are a few of my past books:

Wedding Guestbook for Adrian & Mihaela
Starting with a design I used to love but later caused me a little sorrow.
In addition to her wedding colors the bride wanted something "vintage with little buttons".  I presented her with more options amongst witch she chose these cabochon doves. Doesn't look vintage at all too me and it turned our that at least the groom wanted something with a more luxury feel.

One week after delivering the book I decided I would never take any custom book order again from total strangers. I had put all my soul into it as it had been a long time since I didn't have time to make books. I stamped vintage corners on every single page and I remember how delighted I was with the final result. I never make things I am not totally happy with, yet I know tastes differ from one person to another and I am not taking the risk to be disappointed again. Sorry!



Floral Guestbook for Baby Ilinca
This guestbook was inspired by the floral paintings from Ilinca's nursery room. Her mother is one of the brides I worked with whose number didn't get erased from my phone. She made her own wedding invitations to save on the budget but I helped with the materials.

I loved the idea of having a book each person visiting the new baby could write in so in the hope that Ilinca would have lots of good will messages I made as many pages as I could without making the book too scarily big. My colleague, Raluca, hand stamped matching corners on each page. Everything about this guestbook is floral, even the paper I made the pages from. The paper is called "Flora" and has real floral inserts.



Trees Sketchbook for Anca
Some of my blog reader might remember the traveling sketchbooks project I initiated two years ago. For more posts about it you can click on this link.
Anca was the last person to join our traveling sketchbooks circle. Since the person inviting a new member has the honor of making that person's first sketchbook I got to make this one. Anca's theme is TREES and I added the word "love" because I can tell she really loves trees.

My little one is up now so I have to go. I hope you liked this post and will try to get back with more one day when time permits.

1 comment:

Court said...

REALLY gorgeous books Meda! Bookbinding is something I hope to get around to learning some day! But for right now with a newborn, my life is pretty full. I know you understand! :) Gorgeous.