Tracey's Expanding Indigo Wedding Guestbook

This big, blue, beautiful beast was such a challenge but I love the outcome of it SO very much. 

Tracey needed a big, dip-dyed indigo book to use as a guestbook for her wedding. They were planning on having their guests add Polaroid photos to it from the ceremony and therefore needed a book that could expand as the pages were filled with photos. 

We also dip-dyed the edges of the pages which was a GORGEOUS effect. Blue ombre covers, blue spine and just a touch of blue inside. 

I also incorporated some vintage Mother-of-Pearl buttons that belonged to my Grandma. Something blue and something old all in one spot! 

It's been a LONG time (about 8 years when I was taking my first Bookbinding class in college) since I last did a concertina binding, or an expanding spine. I was such a challenge but it was a nice change from my usual coptic stitch. 

I was pretty enamored with the final product too. When it was all done, I couldn't help just flipping through it and playing with the expanding spine. It was such a departure from my usual wedding guestbook commissions and stepping back from it when it was all done was just such a nice, satisfying feeling. 

the creative collective: indigo photo hunt

It's been a while since I last completed one of the prompts for Melyssa's Creative Collective. Things have been busy is a bit of an understatement. But oddly enough most of my work these days works perfectly with the current prompt: go on a photo hunt and create a themed set of at least 5 photos. 

I could have used either chalk or indigo for the photos since I've had sooo many chalk projects come my way these past few weeks. But I'd like to share some of the Indigo projects I've had the pleasure of working on instead. Chalk will be shared soon though! I have another giant piece to finish up first before I can share the whole collection...

1. I had a giant dyeing day last week for a couple commissions that came my way. Too much fun!

2. Some of the larger pages were for a big, beautiful Indigo wedding album! I'll share more photos of that beauty soon...

3. The even larger pieces from the dye day were for a series of Indigo dip dye art panels. This is one of my favorites. I might have to make some for myself sometime...

4. I helped my sister and her 8th grade class make this quilt for a school fundraiser. Shibori Indigo glory! I wanted to keep it for myself! 

5. Natural side effect from all this Indigo fun: blue hands! 

currently

• listening to Ben Howard, I might be a little obsessed...especially this song and this one too. 
• planning to finish my wretched taxes and buy a plane ticket this week! Fingers crossed...
• dreaming of Tuscan sunsets and walking down cobblestone alleys again
• inspired by pretty much everything this amazing lady is pinning these days 
• watching True Detectives. Well, I was...so sad it's over now but I could binge watch it all over again! And X Files, oh man...I think I have plowed through 4 seasons in about a month and a half...
• eating strawberries! By the basket. No joke. 
• reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed...pretty good so far but I have been a lazy reader these days. It's making me want to go hike up the nearest mountain with all this spring weather...
• making SO. MANY. THINGS. I currently have 1 wedding guest book, 1 wedding album, 1 photo album and a very special "children's book" on my drafting table. Plus an assortment of smaller projects and new goodies for my Etsy shop. Including the pretty little INDIGO BOOKS below! And a couple new card designs...can't decide if I want to add them to the Sketchy Notions shop, thoughts?

This is one of my most recent Custom Giant Collage Cards, there's been an odd but very much welcomed influx in demand for them. I think they make gorgeous wedding gifts, what do you think? I might be a teeny bit biased...