I’m giving away a copy of Playing with Books! Find out how to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.
Can I just say how stoked I am about the fact that so many wonderful paper craft and letterpress books are being published lately? When Playing with Books by Jason Thompson of Rag & Bone Bindery came out earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to check it out. Luckily, I had the chance to have an in-person look through the book at the National Stationery Show this past May, and I was instantly smitten. Jason & company were kind enough to send me a copy to review, and we’ll be giving away a copy, too! Keep reading for details about how to enter the giveaway.
I know that there are some who are against repurposing old books for crafts, and if we were talking about repurposing a Gutenberg Bible or something of that nature, I’d be right there with them. But there are so many old books languishing on bookshelves and in thrift stores everywhere that I think it’s a great thing to take them and breathe new life into them by using them as a medium for creative expression. In other words, I’m completely pro-book crafts!
Playing with books is an in-depth collection of book art and craft projects by Jason Thompson and several other paper artists, and I love that the book also contains a curated collection of inspirational and jaw droppingly fantastic pieces by paper artists like Su Blackwell, Jill Sylvia, Robert The, and Nicola Dale.
The book features a wide range of projects, which include everything from the lovely kusudama table number embellishment shown above (these would be wonderful for place settings at everything from weddings to dinner parties, too) to little paper houses, a butterfly mobile, a really cool business card holder (I saw this in person – it rocks), a “book” bag, several ornament crafts, and a woven paper basket.
You can also find a section at the front of the book with suggestions for materials and supplies, techniques, and sources for finding books to use in your projects. Very helpful, especially for those who are new to crafting with books.
Playing with Books is a very well-rounded collection of projects and inspiration for those who are ready to start using books and book pages as a medium, and it’s also a great resource for those who just like looking a pretty things made with books.
So, do you want to win a copy? I know you do! Here’s how:
From now through midnight eastern on Tuesday, September 28, you can enter to win a copy of Playing with Books (one entry per person) by commenting on this post and letting me know what paper craft or crafts you’ve made so far this year, a paper craft or crafts that you plan to make in the coming months, or a paper craft that you’ve seen and really dig. Just one of the above is all I need, but you can share as much as you’d like. The craft doesn’t have to incorporate books in some way, but it would be neat if it does. I can’t wait to hear what you all are up to and what paper crafts you like!
The winner will be announced on Wednesday, September 29.
images from Jason Thompson/Quarry Books
