Friday, 8 August 2025

Flip Flap Shutter Book

Video is available on NWBA Whats App 

This month Jac led us in making a Flip Flap Shutter Book, adapted from a card.   It was complicated and needed concentration, but most of us managed to complete it by the end if the meeting. June suggested it would work well for a ‘what the butler saw’ end of the pier book! There are several YouTube videos which show how to make this, the best probably being at Ruth’s Stamping corner, where it is the Reindeer flip flap shutter card. There’s also a transcript which might help.






We discussed the Liverpool Book Fair, and decided that we would have a table and pay half from our funds and half from those who are taking part. Julie, Mary, Cath, Jac and Marilyn have volunteered to help look after the stall on the two days.
June will lead our next meeting will be using collaging techniques on a geli plate.


Saturday, 19 July 2025

Alltered Books



Our workshop this month concentrated on altered books. Not the many folded pages sort, although folding does have its role, but much more cutting and collaging, with the alteration of words to give new meanings also playing a part. 

Everyone had brought a book that they were willing to cannibalise, and we showed each other the results at the end of the session. Some were happy with what they had produced, others not, but this was very much an introductory session with possibilities of future work on this book or another one waiting to be explored.  No one person actually did the same thing so the outcome was very interesting








We also enjoyed a show and tell session, many of us having completed the previous two month’s theme of ‘boxed’. It was so interesting to see where our different interests had led us on this one. 

We will be receiving an item to customise from Frances at our next meeting as our two month theme.


Jac will be leading our August workshop, details to follow by email and What’s App group chat.

Thursday, 12 June 2025

No stitch or glue




It was great to have such a well-attended June meeting, with plenty of great work to share,  if not all  it on our ‘boxed’ theme which is, of course, an optional jumping off point for anyone who feels inspired. 

We discussed the opportunity that bigger meetings give us to possibly book a larger room at the Quaker Meeting House, and Marilyn agreed to research how much this would cost.









Julie led the meeting in making a book with a removable spine. Despite the fact that no glueing or sewing was involved, this seems to be a robust structure which we all enjoyed making.


Our July meeting will be on the theme of  'altered books'. These are not the folded books which are so popular now but a different structure altogether.

  

Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Rolling Cube Book

This session needed concentration and accurate measuring, and to everyone’s credit a rolling cube book was made by the end of the session. The making is in inches, including eighths, but it is possible to translate this to centimetres with a bit of practice. 


Marilyn will write up the instructions and post them on What’s App in due course. This is a book format that lends itself to hidden and revealed themes, and is very satisfying to make.





There was not too much time for a sharing session this month, but we all especially enjoyed Mary’s book on women’s suffrage, cleverly titled SuffRage. So true. 

The theme for the next two months is ‘boxed’, and members were given a box to act as a starting point. We look forward to the results.

The Kirkby Gallery exhibition has June’s work in it and is running from May 6th to August 15th.  Worth a look if you can get there. June is also participating in Wirral Open Studios running from the 14th -15th June.

Saturday, 12 April 2025

Inky stuff


Frances led us in a very relaxing workshop on using inks to make loose landscapes for incorporating into books or simply as stand alone pieces. 


 



 

Frances used liquid watercolour ink , others used fountain pen inks (not Indian ink), and watercolours, plus additional acrylic inks.  Starting off we created large pebbles to get the feel for our media.

 

Different effects were  created using a variety inks and colours, alongside resists and differing grades of paper, although hot pressed smooth watercolour paper is recommended.

 

We showed and discussed works in progress, including some on our current theme of Flow/flowing and others reacting to other stimuli.


At our next meeting we will be attempting a Rolling Cube Book.

 

Items used  :         Wall Rock Lining Paper from Amazon

                              Ecoline Dark Grey Watercolour Ink from Amazon

  Walters WKL All Purpose Wax Crayons for Marking All Surfaces (Pack of 3,         White) from Amazon