Angels and Christmas trees, folded books

I was asked to demonstrate how to make paperback Angels and Christmas trees. These are in the unfinished state. The top picture shows the basis of both Angels and tree. Simply fold the page, fold top corner to the spine, fold the folded edge to the spine, fold the bottom edge level with the bottom of the pages. Fold the book like that and you have a tree, Tear of the stiff front and back pages, For the Angel glue on wings, head, arms, hymn book/song sheet.

Bottom picture is my take on a Christmas tree. Fold page like first stage as above. Mark page under folded edge and cut to the middle of book. Fold half cut page to the bottom edge of the page and it will look like this.      
      
UPDATE...I have put a FLYING FOLDED BOOK ANGEL and WITCH and others on the July 25th 2012 blog post

I have been folding books in various ways, fascinated by the patterns the printed word made across the page and the way the gaps between words made tracks down the page. I investigated telephone books, TV guides, anything I could get my hands on. I wanted to combine stitching with folded paper by smocking the folded pages. In 2004 I won a place at uni for a practising artist to develop the ideas but left as my dad became ill and needed help with mum who had developed dementia. Still have the box of folded pieces.........one day....

bellycast with hands

Sometimes I do the cast with the mum standing and sometimes like this, sitting and leaning back on a chair. Gemma wanted to hug her bump and try to form a heart shape with her fingers and thumbs. The "bump" was affectionately known as Freddie. As you can see she is bound up in clingfilm (saran wrap) When I have finished and want to take it off I simply cut through the cling film at the back. The final cast was trimmed up a bit and painted white as requested to keep the look of the plaster bandage while sealing it. While dad was in hospital his grand daughter was also on the labour ward giving birth to little Freddie. (the name stuck) I had my first cuddle of Freddie last friday....lovely.......See May blog post for another belly cast.

sorry, life got in the way !

There's nothing like a whole bunch of problems to remind you that you are alive and kicking ! The winner of the giveaway (no I hadn't forgotten) is Jeannie. Hello Jeannie are you still out there ?  Congratulations, daughter picked you out what seems a lifetime ago........please get in touch so I can post it to you.
The builders came out of the blue and the plasterers.......
Dad rang in great pain and couldn't get a signal on his phone to ring for paramedics.......I rang for him, emphasising  where he lives and that I was ringing from a different address........the paramedic was here in minutes...... and sent away again.......neighbours were out like a flash to see if I was OK........ (it's not that long ago I was rushed into hospital)........stood 5hours in A&E with dad until they found him a bed..........
a week later father in law was rushed into A&E.......stood four and a half hours with him until they found him a bed. Usually has a black wallet on him with a lot of money in it.....had a BROWN one we have never seen before with only has a tenner in it .......mentioned it to the hospital staff....... search his flat for his money .....fear he has been robbed as we search his flat and things don't add up.  3 days later the staff tell us the hospital has his money in the safe.......Weeks later was checking out care homes for him........."best interest" meetings.........search his flat again, this time for paperwork.......mountains of it ! Father in law now in a residential home where he is settling in nicely and my dad is home misbehaving himself as normal......I just have to clear up after the builders and plasterers.........decorate........and put everything back......... empty father in laws flat...........and find out Jeannie's address to send her the giveaway..........

Free Giveaway

last chance to leave a comment to go into the draw for the free give away....... Over 150 people have looked at bits of the blog but only 4 people have looked at the give away..... So only 3 people in the draw.......

daughter's wedding

Daughter Angie and Nick getting married in Bali having a once in a life time experience, a fairytale wedding. 

GIVEAWAY open now !

2 pieces of vintage (unused) dress cotton and a used piece of vintage bark cloth (curtaining)  3 strips of space dyed cotton,a small piece of rust dyed silk, rust dyed cotton, piece of rust dyed old table cloth. Bulders scrim, coconut discs, some square shell buttons and 2 red heart beads.

Sitchcraft magazine March 1954 with transfer intact, colour picture on back of magazine. More vintage embroidery transfers including sweet little dutch children, borders and waterlilys.

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Vintage Dennisons Crepe (purple) assorted transfoils, vintage sheet music, vintage dress pattern made into sheets of paper (and a book made with some of this) and  a thingy for measuring angles on like a thick greaseproof paper. ( what is it called?) Its see through, great for mixed media.

Giveaway open for you to leave a comment on the blog until 31st August. You do not have to be a follower of the blog, although it would be nice if you were, and if you mention it on your blog let me know and I guess you should get an extra name in the hat if you did. Is that fair? Will post anywhere in the world. Always supprised at all the names of countries that turn up and sometimes have to check where in the world they are ! So guess is a thankyou to all who have read some of my blog at some time or other !

GIVE AWAY

My mate Lyn is doing a mystery give away over on her blog http:/liniecat.blogspot.co.uk. You just have to leave a nice comment, she is celebrating nearly 11,000 views.
I am still adding to my speculative giveaway which I will start on 1st August and pick a name......if anyone spots my giveaway..... on 31st August.
My giveaway is to see how many people read this blog in a month. I am just a baby in blog viewing numbers. Doesn't help if I haven't done much to blog about and I didn't want to blog too much about illness.
 My only daughter has been to see me before she marries her sweetheart. Next time I see her she will have changed her name. How I wish I could have been there. A while ago we sat down and discussed what would spoil her big day more......not having her mum there (her dad is dead) or mum being there and being ill and the upset and worry it would entail. They are getting married on the beach in Bali which will be very special for them. When I get back on my feet I will feel like I should have gone and risked it, but right now I know it is the right decision.