Making Books with Ingrid Dijkers, et al

 Kari, Julie and I made a quick trip to Mechanicsburg, PA in September, for a three day book-making fix with our book-making friend/teacher, Ingrid Dijkers, http://ingriddijkers.com/.  Jean Van Brederode, www.etsy.com/shop/CharmdImSur‎, hosted the weekend classes in her fabulous basement studio.  Jean on the left, Kari, Julie, k, and Ingrid, sitting.  Ingrid creates journals using sensible, readily available supplies, and you know that concept is close to my heart.  She also puts many months of work in the supplies she assembles for us, asking students to bring only the most basic supplies (which we all have!). 






I'm holding the Handbook, and the detail of this wonderful binding is here.  LOVE the binding for a single sheet, rigid cover book!















The Beebook uses the same binding, different personality.  We assembled both books in one day, using the Ingrid's artwork on the covers.




             .




















  This binding is done without a needle.  Isn't it pretty?!?

















 The first day we assembled, from scratch, a ring binder for the Bug Book.  woohoo, love the idea of making my own!  But, since I have no access to the ring mechanism, I'll continue to tear-down and rebuild thrift shop binders, using Ingrid's instructions.  The Bug Book cover took all day, and it was a good lesson in practical and artistic skills.  We used her artwork, some public-domain artwork, and papers from our stash to cover the binders.  As always, everyone shared their bounty!


















The File Folder Book comes with a great story about a city-wide yard sale...you'll have to take her class to hear it!  We assembled lots of curious, unlikely combinations of papers for this class.  I practically stopped working on this book in class, because I had so many ideas of what I want to do with this beginning in my own studio, where all my supplies live.  You know how it is with a class:  the supply list is complete, but I just can't haul all the goodies from my studio with me!  I'll enjoy finishing this book, in my own time.  Again, love the concept.

Now, back in my studio, the Four Acre Table is piled high with unfinished books, and they have spilled over to the dyeing bench and the cutting table.  I need to triage this mess.

One of the local students told us of a wild and wonky fabric shop in Lemoyne, which necessitated a trip after class Friday evening.  We spent three hours in there!  It was great fun, and we all left with great bargains and Good Stuff for the stash.


Jean's gardens are beautiful and soulful.  The fish pond is full of Big Goldfish, who are trained rock climbers!

Now, I'm home again, and puttering away with both my new computer (ohboy, new OS, too), and stacks of projects that are causing me to circle the studio working on several at one time!  Yep, life is good!