Our Family

My heartfelt journey to bridge the gap between generations, leaving an indelible mark on the pages of family history.

Through these unique handmade books, I have embarked on a quest - 12 books in total so far. These volumes tell a story of love, dedication, and an unyielding commitment to family.

In a world where distance and circumstance can keep families apart, these books serve as a living testament to the strength of family bonds. They are more than just collections of pages; they are portals to the past, gateways to the future.

I want my grandson to know that he is part of something special, something bigger than himself. These books are my way of ensuring that he knows his family, even if we haven’t been allowed to be part of his life.

In the pages of these books, the story of our family unfolds—a family determined to ensure that our history remains alive for Joseph.

Some pages are adorned with intricate paintings and drawings, capturing the essence of family adventures. Others display fading photographs, faces of ancestors, and places that hold the secrets of generations past. A treasured guest page from his late Grandfather whom he called Boompa.

There are writings that convey wisdom, values, and lessons learned. And throughout, there are thoughts and reflections, all dedicated to my grandson Joseph.

Eye of a Needle

In 2022 I took up the challenge of hand stitching an icon a day for a year. That's 365 icons, many more threading the tiny eye of a needle.

It's been a lot of fun and along the way I have learnt a few things. I decided it would be full of happiness, things I had done, people who interacted, my garden and of course my cat Bizzel is there too. When I look at it now it is colourful, cheerful and full of memories.

I used a 10inch hoop.  Would use a 12 inch if I did it again as small icons are hard to get detail. The wedges for each month are small so detail is difficult.

Keeping a drawing and story of each icon was invaluable in catching up

Always having needle threaded and embroidery handy to just pick up and do.

I decided in February to make the icons all face the same way so the finished piece when framed didn’t need turning to view.

December 31st has a happy face icon as I finished what was a challenge. In New Zealand we are the first in the world to see the New Year in. 2023 a new project underway.

So many happy memories tied up in stitch.

Spine

Your spine is your bodies central support structure. At some stage in life everyone needs support. The spine that helps you get through.

Determination, character and courage. Having a backbone in life needs willpower to achieve and accomplish.

Book spines are a bit like people. They can be supportive, all shapes and sizes or limp.

Some of my handmade books.

Brooklyn Art Library

The digital world is a constant but Brooklyn Art Library has both. You can create a book and it will be digitised for others to see anywhere in the world. It also has a physical form where people can touch and read the books creatives have made.

It was a fun process to fill the 27 pages. I rebound the book and gave it a spine as it started yawning. I’m not against yawning books. I have made a few myself as they get fatter with collage additions.

“Wearing Out” is available to view online.

https://www.sketchbookproject.com/library/S2628949

Flip through the pages and leave a comment if you can or click favourite so I know you’ve seen it.

Junk Journal

What is the purpose of a junk journal?

It can be anything you turn it into. As I enjoy bookbinding I'm stitching my own book.

Over the years I have kept ephemera so have plenty of supplies for gluing in collage, old drawings, memorabilia, old books and photos.

I have often been told I can't draw so I’m using it to doodle and paint in. My skills are improving and I’ve found I like using a fine black ink pen. I'm on a junk journal journey so who knows what it will turn out like. I’ll keep you posted.

Start at the Second Page

Bookmaking has its challenges. After spending time cutting pages, stitching a cover and binding that bundle, the first page often poses fear and anxiety.

What if I make a mistake?

I don’t really know what to write?

Shall I just leave the book blank?

This blank page is daunting.

Start at the second page. A quote is always a good way to start as someones else's words can give you inspiration.

Randomly paint a few pages.

Colour on a page can give you objects or patterns that you can make out. It's called pareidolia. Just like we see the ‘man in the moon.’ In some dyed paper I saw a blue splodge as an eye and so embroidered a few stitches.
Give things a go. There are no mistakes.

Joseph Books

I last blogged about the Joseph Books I make on 27 August 2018.

I’m still making them and every page is filled with memories for Joseph my Grandson. One day he will be able to read about me and all his family who love him dearly. He lives in Cape Town but we are still denied contact.

I write in them, draw in them, glue photos in them and hope that one day he will treasure this insight to the other half of who he is. He was 11 last month.

Today I chose ladybird paper as I love the outdoors and I see many of them while gardening. The other cover is shells. New Zealand has many shells and I love the beach.

Happy reading Joseph.

Junk Journal

Stash, collection, hoard, cumulation, stockpile, assemblage. I have them all. Who collects offcuts that they may use one day?

Today is my day. I have two boxes collected over the years. They have been very useful but it's time to lessen the hoard of all the treasures that have been part of an artwork.

I’m making a junk journal.

The white paper has shading and the stockpile of precious collage will diminish.

Let the book begin.

Female Form

Quirky art is something that appeals to me.

I focus on work I care about and these women have their own story. The connection between the past and the present gives them their own voice. Recycling, retelling, remaking and re-using old parts to give a new life to items from the past.

Maybe I've made my own fashion parade.

Brooklyn Sketchbook Challenge

Progress has been achieved. The blank book as been dismantled and some colour and holes added. I’m planning on attaching a spine and binding the book. 

Afternoon Tea with Nana

Memories are part of my artwork. As a child my Nana let us make mud pies in her garden. We were allowed to pick flowers and decorate them. The best part was she came with handbag over her arm and bought our creations. We then set off to the corner dairy where I soon learnt that vanilla, a new flavour, was not a fruity ice-cream. 

This book was made for the NZ Association of Book Crafts exhibition. Using muslin as a base, serviettes and photos of cupcakes were glued, collage style on to the muslin. These were photocopied and formed the pages.

The process in pictures.

Ironing with Style

Taking a saw to pages of a book is not something for everyone. Neither is using an iron on wet dye and hearing it sizzle but what an adventure.  I also like the furry edges of the paper. The heated bubbles produce some amazing patterns. There is no firm result for the outcome. That's the mystery of this process. You never know what you’re going to get. 

In the photos below I have drawn around images that I see on the pages. 

I have 2 irons for this process as they have different patterns on the base.

My iron has become a friend for the first time in my life. Oh! And the dye bottle.

Memories and Making

In 2012 my Grandson was smuggled out of New Zealand to Cape Town, South Africa. This left a huge gap in all our lives. 

To cope with the loss and to pass on family memories that I may never have the opportunity to share with him, I made him a book. 

I treasure these books. Not because I made them but because one day it will be a link to my Grandson. 

Each day I wonder what he is doing and where he is and if he receives the things I send.

My one book has grown into 8 books now. This will be his New Zealand family history. One day he will know he had a great family who were denied access to his precious world. 

One page is special as my late husband, his Grandfather wrote in the one of the books.  

This year Joseph was 8. We all love him and miss him

I call these Joseph Book’s. 

They measure 140mm x 75mm

Inside are drawings, photos, presents I've sent and cards I’ve made, copies of postcards about New Zealand, family photos and events, memories of times spent in the first 2 years of his life and jottings of what Bizzel, cat is up too.  

Mini is Mighty

The rules stated that the mini book could be no bigger than 2 inches. Now that's small. 

A topic was given and those people who had entered communicated. A deadline was set and then posted to the recipient.

I always felt remorse when my first book was sent away. After that I made two so I could keep one. I'm glad I did as I have so many treasured mini books that I have been sent and have made. 

It's amazing what you can achieve when there is a deadline

Turning the Page

An artwork from an idea to fruition is sometimes fraught with decisions. I made the pages for this book and then stitching it together needing resolving. It sat unloved for some time before I came up with the idea of stitching old curtain hooks on to the spine. I found a brass ashtray and a poker and with my husbands help the book was attached and easy to flip through and turn the page.

Outside the Box

My interpretation of 'Outside the Box.'  What a privilege it was to work with all these artists. The stitching on the completed book is a coptic binding with the fabric covering containing tiny boxes .

The page was illustrated  by Julz Henderson.

Page Swap

Making books is fun. As a diversion, our group decided to each name a title for a book and swap pages. Each month we sent a page with our title to a group member. The titles ranged from flowers, my kitchen, birds, seasons, pathways and dreams. I chose Outside the Box. That created a bit of a dilemma for some as I cut a square out of the page.