Mini Books in Friendly Plastic

What is the fascination many of us have about miniature things?  I love all the tiny versions of larger items; as a child I spent many happy hours making things for my doll’s house, many more than I did actually playing with it, I just like to make the things to go in it.  My adult version of this pastime is making little books.  I have absolutely no use whatever for them, but they are a real pleasure to make.  The book above is made from Black Friendly Plastic and a metal motif that the FP has been Ooozed through (these will be on the web site soon).  It is 55mm tall (approx 2 1/4″). The ones below are a lot smaller.

This is a very simple book to make, it is only 34mm 30mm (approx 1 1/2″ tall), and the central circle has a coloured in Rub On in the middle and is glazed with Magic Gloss.  The rest of the cover has been stamped and rubbed with Gleams metallic gilding waxes in various colours.  The funny little box corner affair is a closure for the book, it slips onto a corner to hold it closed.

Same technique as above, but the centre heart has been filled in with little crystal gems and MagicGlos.  This one can be used as a pendant as there is a big Jump ring through the eyelet.  Acrylic paint sloshed on to the textured surface and then rubbed off again gives the definition of the stamped pattern.  It measures 35mm by 29mm.

Scraps of Friendly Plastic were foiled with one of the Fantasy Foils, and stamped for this little book.  Again I used a Rub On which I coloured in with permanent pens.  The closure is a piece cut from a thin bit of metal filigree threaded onto the cord and bent over to act as a clasp.  36 x 24mm.

Designed to be a pendant, this book is 36mm (approx 1 1/2″) tall and the cover is an Ooozed metal motif with a disc of FP on which is a paper image covered with MagicGlos.

The pages inside each book vary in their bindings, from stitched to glued, to articulated., and the hinges are either fabric or leather.  The inside covers are coloured with foils, or covered with fabric or paper.  Edges have been given a foiled finish to give a neat result.  The areas of the covers that have not got MagicGlos on – everywhere except the centre motif, have been varnished with satin Duraclear varnish which allows for a good degree of protection for the surface but also a nice contrast with the glossy centres.

The reason for doing these books, assuming I must have a reason at all, is that I am leading one of the workshop sessions at a PlayAway I have organised with some friends, and they are going to be making a little book like these.  The range of projects that we are going to be doing includes polymer clay beads, textile tags, making our own fabric fragments , these little books and more.  I can’t wait to have this creative escape and learn something new.  It is very rare that I have the opportunity to do something like this and I relish the chance to be with friends, surrounded by creativity, good food and the odd bottle of wine.

Category : Book Making, Colouring FP, Foils, mixed media, Papercraft, Pendants
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