Jeannine Stein is an open book in her Los Angeles Times article

I have to giggle a bit when such a talented writer is equally as talented in making books. It seems like a match made in heaven. If you are like me and would like to know a bit about the artist that makes such amazing book creations, pop on over to this Los Angeles Times article by Jeannine Stein to get an inside peek into the author of the Quarry book Adventures In Bookbinding: Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books.

To celebrate all the book and word goodness, you can score yourself a copy of Jeannine Stein's book Adventures In Bookbinding: Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books simply by answering today's question in the comments section of this post by Midnight ET August 24, 2011.

The Question:

What is your favorite "gift" book? Was it one you got or one you gave?

I have to share my answer. It is Dr Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go! that a family friend gave me for my college graduation. Not only am I a fan of Dr. Seuss's art, but the sentiment of the title was just such a fun inspiration to carry me forward into my new life.

 

Adventures In Bookbinding:

Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books

by

Jeannine Stein

Each project in this book combines bookbinding with a specific craft such as quilting, jewelry making, or polymer clay, and offer levels of expertise: basic, novice, and expert.  Illustrated step-by-step instructions and photographs demonstrate how to construct the cover pages, and a unique binding technique, easy enough for a beginner to master.

Each project also features two other versions with the same binding geared to those with more or less experience.  The novice version is for those who have no knowledge of the craft and want shortcuts, but love the look.  For the quilter's book, for example, vintage quilt pieces become the covers so all that's needing in the binding.  Or if you're interested in wool felting use an old sweater.  This offers great opportunities for upcycling. The expert version is for those who have a great deal of knowledge and proficiency of a certain craft - the master art quilter, for example.  For this version, an expert guest artist has created the cover and the author has created the binding.  This offers yet another creative opportunity - the collaborative project.  Since crafters often get involved with round-robins and other shared endeavors, this shows them yet another way to combine their skills.

No other craft book offers the possibilities and challenges that Adventures In Bookbinding does.  Readers will return to it again and again to find inspiration and ideas.

Jeannine Stein has been making books for more than 15 years, exploring bindings, mediums, and techniques. In addition to teaching book-binding, she is an award-winning journalist, and she has written extensively about paper crafts-artists' books, scrapbooking, rubber stamping, and letterpress. She is the author of Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books with Recycled and Repurposed Materials (Quarry Books 2009). She lives in Los Angeles.

Comments

[Pat Upton]

This looks like a great second book for her! I already have Re-bound. Now I need Adventures! For Christmas last year, I made books of all sorts for family. I loved doing it too! There was the book pendant with attached pencil. There were the golf score books for the specific course they play. There was the sketch book for the real artist in the family. And so on. Everyone got one!

[Melanie K.]

I will always remember making a little mini-album/scrapbook for my kid's babysitter. She absolutely loved it and kept it out for people to look at. It really encouraged me to KEEP giving books as gifts.

[Kelly Massman]

I love handmade books. I just got a book on it from the library intending to make a few more! Loved your post today!

[Annamarie]

I've recently learned Coptic Binding and have been using old book covers to make new books. We also just had a class from Leslie Marsh in a friend's home, where we learned metal working and binding. I love that tee-tiny book.
But my favorite book I've received is Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree."

[NancyW]

My favorite gift book was a handmade journal. I have Re-bound and would love to win this book. Thanks for the chance.

[Janel]

One of my favorite books is a journal that I won in a blog contest. It is made from a dictionary cover, but is now filled with blank pages and has a spiral binding. The best thing is pages from the dictionary are scattered throughout the blank pages. I love it!

[Cheryl]

The book I received that meant the most to was by Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar. My very first cooperating gave it to me when I left her class. I learned so much from her and hated to leave. She gave it to me because the kids and I had found a caterpillar and watched it go through all the stages and then released a beautiful Monarch butterfly in the end. I still have that book and truly love it!!

[annie!]

My favorite gift book is one I made and gave...Davida's book because I so very rarely receive them as gifts. Posted on flickr if you want to take a look http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohemiannie/page10/. I can't wait to see Jeannine's book!!!

[Barbara Hagerty]

My favorite gift book was a copy of a very old book of riddles and puzzles called Sphinx Lore. We were caring for my mother during her last year, and she remembered this book fondly, as one that her father would read from and use to quiz my mother and aunts and uncles when they were little. So I did a web search and found an out of print copy published in the late 1800s, and gave it to her. I've never seen anyone so excited to receive a surprise. She was so touched that I'd search out a copy and have it sent.

[Maryellen Galley]

Eating Mangos Naked is one of my favorite books. Given at the right time, when life just seems to keep pushing. The book helps pull me up, so sull of FUN and encouragement.