The end of Teal is nigh!

This isn't the post I had wanted to make today, but since the swap I had hoped would be ready for the mail this morning didn't happen, I am showing the remaining TEAL pages. This is one complete signature, minus two pages which I apparently failed to scan.

Before I show these pages, I wanted to answer Esther's question about signatures. Since many of you bind books, you could probably skip to the first image. For those of you who have no idea what a folio or a signature is, please continue reading.

I used 8.5 X 11 inch paper in this book. I believe this is called A4 in Europe (and possibly Asia). Each page was folded in half on the long side, thus making the completed pages 5.5 X 8.5 inches. Each folded page now has two leaves and is called a folio. You can see how a single folio (or sheet of paper folded in half) will produce four pages of writing surfaces. I stacked 10 sewn pages (folios) one on top of the other, thus creating 40 pages. When they were combined in this way, they became a signature. Technically speaking, a signature is a section that has printed text. If the pages are blank, the stack of pages is only a section. However, I don't want to confuse you.

In review, a folio is a page folded in half to make four pages in a book. A set of folios make up a section or signature. The term is often interchanged. I suspect that if Esther had the question, then many others who read my blog may have had the same one, also.

It seems like "forever ago" when I made these paste papers while trying to make my own TEAL by mixing paint colors I already owned. However, it was just this August I made this page, page 41 in my friend's visual journal, and the first page in the second set of signatures.


Page 42 has some old wallpaper, a note card, and a sticker. A postcard from Mexico hangs from a "flap" on page 43.


My neighbor Sally gets on everybody's mailing list and she gets a ton of address labels. I cut the name portion off the ones I used for the left border of page 44 and added a security envelope I filled with blank tags made from some of my handmade paper after I scanned the pages. The background was made using 91% alcohol and staz-on reinkers. Click here to read my tutorial on this fun background technique. Page 45 uses more reinkers, this time the distress kind. To see how I created this background, please click here. A part of a calendar and a MS punched strip completed the page.


Page 46 has the rest of the calendar page which overlaps onto the previous page. The pink cardstock also overlaps onto the previous page. A tiny dress and a thrift store price tag complete the page. One of the reasons I like the color teal is because it goes with so many other colors. Page 47 is a great example. I used a piece of wallpaper and a page I rusted to go with the paint chip.


I must have been in an overlapping mood when I created page 48, because you can see I also overlapped the rusty page. And yes, those are rubber stamped birds. More wallpaper, grid paper, and a word from a magazine were sewn onto scrapbook paper to make page 49.


I tried to leave plenty of room for my friend to write her thoughts on the pages, so left page 50 uncluttered. Page 51 is a part of a map that I colored around using an oil pastel. It's amazing how the color of the map changed the color of the "teal."


For page 52, I wanted to add a metal frame, but realized if I did, it would add too much bulk and weight to the page. So I traced around it, instead. I added a magazine image for interest. Page 53 has a fun vintage photo from Las Vegas, and a bit of ledger paper that can be used as a pocket.


The nice thing about doing mixed media is, you never know when you're going to find a use for something you made while playing around. This piece made from security envelopes is no exception. I'm sure if I looked back, I would find where I sewed these together this year before they became page 54. Shaving cream paper background, cardstock, and my crow punch were used to make page 55.


A page from a reminder book was all that was needed for page 56, while a single image from Antiques Magazine and my bird punch were all I used to make page 57.


Page 58 has an envelope that will be used to hold notes and tags. Scrapbook paper and a rubber stamp added to the fun. Page 59 uses magazine images, cardstock I painted, and a bandage. Nothing is off limits when I'm creating my pages.


When you open the envelope on page 58, you see a winter scene, a rubber stamped image of features, and a photo of eggs in a nest.


The center folio, comprised of pages 60 and 61, of this set of signatures uses scrapbook paper and part of a map. I used a "stencil" to write the word "LOVE" both normal and flipped vertically and backwards. The textured cardstock I wrote it on made it hard to get a good image. The page flips up so you can write on the back and underneath.


Although my little birds colored with H20s didn't quite match the magazine images on page 62, I thought they went well with the picture and the sentiment. Page 63 has a part of a postcard and a bit of a book page on which I melted crayon.


Page 64 has a piece of drapery fabric and a magazine image. A book page and part of a travel brochure were sewn onto some shaving cream paper for page 65.


A sentiment from a magazine and card stock were used on page 66, while the second half of the security envelope and dictionary page makes up page 67.


Page 68 uses a magazine image and a book page to make up her quirky outfit. The cup on page 69 was a stencil I made from the lid of a plastic cottage cheese container. I should have used the technique on a plain piece of paper, though.

Somehow I misplaced pages 70 and 71. although I know one of the images was a calla lily I stamped. I should never stamp things. My scanner revolted!!


Page 72 has magazine images and some colorful stitching. Page 73 uses some very dimensional scrapbook paper and overlaps an envelope to the next page to create a double pocket.


Page 74 uses wallpaper and the other half of the envelope from the previous page. Another security envelope and a cardstock with a grid pattern comprise page 75.


More colored address labels and a quote from an old book make up page 76. Page 77 uses Vitruvian man images from DaVinci left over after a swap.


I love these little flags I used on page 78. They open like hinges to reveal a writing surface both underneath and on the back of the flags. Page 79 has more of that vintage wallpaper and a label from one of the many spools of thread I used on this book.


Page 80 uses an image from a vintage book and a piece of sparkly paper from my stash. And that ends the TEAL journal. Now I just have to wait for my friend to receive it and see what she thinks about it.

And while I'm waiting for her response, I'll just say thanks to everyone for your kind remarks about Bleubeard. He is now out of the woods, and is running and hopping around like his normal self. Yes, I'm relieved, too!

If you want more information about bookbinding techniques or want to learn more about binding your own signatures, check out my blog pick of the day, The Art of the Book. I spent a lot of time finding a blog that talked about bookbinding where the author actually posted on a regular basis. I feel bad, because I'm sure that Diane in Ohio, the blog author would love to meet all of you (and me, too of course), but I'm tired, haven't been to bed in over a day, and really want you to decide if you want to visit this really lovely blog that features just about anything that involves paper arts, bookbinding, or books in general. I didn't have time to let Diane in Ohio know she's my pick of the day. Maybe I'll do that when Bleubeard and I wake from our nap.