Work in Progress.

Not much progress so far, as you can see.    This is another altered book which I have just started working on.  So far I have removed about half of the pages and begun to stick the rest together in threes so that I'll have a nice firm base to work on.   I then brush gesso over the printed text and when that is dry I add a light colour wash.   The worst part is waiting for the glued pages to dry before I can add the gesso, then waiting for that to dry before I can add the colour and waiting for that to dry before I can stitch the edges.   And at each stage I have to wait for the first pair of pages to dry before I can start on the next!   I have coloured about four double page spreads and am just starting on the stitching.   I have a wonderful ruler with little holes at regular close intervals all down one edge through which I can poke a sewing needle and pierce holes along the page edges.   It makes the sewing so easy having the holes there already and means they are of a uniform size.

I am making this as a gift so can't say too much in case the recipient happens to read my blog - I don't think she does but you never know.   I will add some decoration to the pages but think that I will leave plenty of blank ones for her to decorate.   I plan to include pockets, windows and maybe doors, and little matchbox drawers for tiny treasures.   It will be a long process but I have given myself plenty of time to make a good job of it.

What a lovely day it has been today.   I was busy gardening this morning but what I thought was going to be a little light weeding soon turned into full scale digging once again.  The soil is so heavy here, it's as if the weeds are planted in concrete in our front garden.   I'm amazed anything grows out there at all - in one place the fork struck a huge chunk of stone and elsewhere I have come across lengths of electric cable and other builders' rubbish.   I think they just chucked it all out of the front door when they built the house and then bulldozed it flat to lay the turf.   The soil has always been poor in spite of 30 years of care and nourishment from us.   At least this warmth is helping the snowdrop, daffodil and bluebell leaves to die away.  They look so lovely in flower but so awful when the leaves begin to wilt.

A bit more gardening tomorrow perhaps, then sewing in the sunshine - perfect.