Made an impromptu name card box for my name cards for a networking session this evening. Name cards were also printed impromotu. Made using Japanese book cloth and a small leather leaf as an accent. 

I have to reblog this to keep a copy of this useful guide on different types of handsewn headbands. Thinking of reinventing newer types of weaving methods. Still exploring! 

(Source: jaclynco)

For some time, I have been looking for somewhere to sink my roots into. As in somewhere, I can stay for a long time, to apprentice and learn bookbinding and eventually evolve into a proper bookbinder/book artist, with great skills and craftsmanship. I have been thinking that this is a never ending search since bookbinding is a slowly dying trade and that all the immigration laws in the world are against me. For any good souls out there, who knows any bookbinder who is willing to take me in for a good 2-5 years apprenticeship, I would owe you my life for letting me know. 

dddots gave the first bookbinding class today, with much persuasion from Dru and Junie. We huddled together in the little workshop, blessed with a nice cool weather and made 3 pretty case bound books. 

Louis (www.louiskwok.com) took this picture of me and my teacher, Yamazaki-sensei during my fine binding lessons in Japan in December 2012. This picture was taken using his Hasselblad and was just scanned into digital from film today. 

Case bound mini books with hand weaved single cord headbands, with matching slip case boxes. (Oooph, what a mouthful!) Really enjoyed making these. 

Secret Belgian Binding in a bookbox or boxbook. I was inspired by my good friend Francesca when she mentioned she wanted to try this Secret Belgian binding method. It is not very much of a secret anymore but I combined this with the drop back box. Similar to the coptic bind bookbox, but now with a spine. 

Francesca, my dear friend from Italy, sent me a very nice surprise. A nice package with nice old papers for me to use, some vege-parchment, a nice piece of blue leather and among all that goodies, a very nice little tiny book with a matching box! Very pretty with its hand-weaved headbands too! Thank you, Francesca! xoxo.

Here’s her tumblr: http://rilegatoamano.tumblr.com/

Coptic bound book with a drop back box as covers. Super idea if you want a journal you can stick things into and not worry about things falling out when you are on the go. I love the red checkers, giving a really nice picnic look. One of my explorations of bookbox, or boxbooks.

This dos-à-dos is on its way to Japan today, for Yamazaki-sensei’s students exhibition on 4th to 9th June 2013. Hoping that it will survive the journey. Hand painted end papers and box lining using food colouring.

On my recent trip to Japan, we passed a shop that tailors kimonos. And on the outside was a nice little basket of cloth scraps. This blue silk is one of those I bought *couldn’t resist*. A slip-case box for a french fine bound book with match headband. The headbands are made using a mix of cotton and silk threads.

Sometime ago, I watched a marvelous video online about Tara Books and how they screen print and bound their books by hand. And it was a feature on The Night Life of Trees. I wanted so bad to go to India and to visit their workshop. Louis just came back from Chennai after a charity photoshoot and bought me these when he visited the Tara Book Building in Chennai. And I only asked for 2 books and he came back with 6. *Elated*

The video can be seen here.

First attempt at marbling the fore-edge of the book. Pleasanty surprised that it worked and turned out rather brilliant. Looking forward to marbling the other edges too.

This is the first project I am going to embark on, in this new year (we just celebrated the chinese new year, so it’s a new year for us all over again). Rebinding this brilliant book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The artwork is by Yayoi Kusama and it is a pity that the binding does not live up to the standards. The front end paper is sticking out of the cover, not too sure if this is due to bad workmanship or because the paper expanded in our humidity, but I guess it should not be the latter as the glue has already set. Bound in Italy by Graphicom Srl. Sadly, there was no quality checks before the books were sent out.

And yes, I paid a hefty $50 for the book, just to rebind it. Happy New Year, everyone!

Work in progress pictures to come.