Crafty Manolo

Looking for the perfect wedding gift for very special friends? A special album for your own wedding, vacation, or baby snaps? Just a gorgeous handmade bound book to fondle when  nobody’s looking?

Three Trees Bindery may be just the people whose Etsy shop you want to check out.

The covers of this custom photo album are made of wood painted black. The binding is done in natural color waxed linen thread for maximum contrast. Two carved windows in the front cover hold black and white feathers protected by sheets of clear mica. The hand torn pages are heavy acid-free paper to preserve your memories safely. A silver plate on the front cover is stamped with the names of the happy couple and their wedding date.

Then again, the plate is also available in copper or brass or may be left off entirely, reducing the price by $30.00. The covers can be painted another color, if you so desire, and the binding thread is also available in more colors. The book can even be made larger or smaller than the proposed 6×8 144 page size in the example, though that will also – obviously – change the price.

As shown, it’s $275.00. I know I’ve spent that on less interesting wedding gifts.

To learn more about the philosophy and techniques Three Trees Bindery follows, check out where they’re featured currently on the Etsy blog.

As much as we love to craft on our own, there’s nothing like a good technique class to help broaden horizons, pick up new skills, and correct bad habits. Heck, just the chance to be in a roomful of people who enjoy using their hands to create things can be a breath of fresh air!

But sometimes you don’t know where to look to find a class. That’s why I sat down and found some courses where you can learn new techniques and hone old skills.

First up is the illustration above. It’s a quilt. The title is Big Sur in May, and it was created by quilt artist Judith Baker Montano. It’s pretty spiffy, isn’t it? In point of fact, I think it’s pretty breathtaking. Well, as it turns out, Ms. Montano is holding a workshop in quilting land and seascapes in May through the Madeline Island School of the Arts in Wisconson. The class is four days long and costs $620.00. See here for details on the class and how to sign up.

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If you’ve been thinking of taking up book binding, now might be a good time to head over to Amazon to get a great deal on a brand new book that will give you everything you need to know.

Making Handmade Books: 100+ Bindings Structures & Forms by Alisa Golden will teach you the basics and a lot more. Scrolls, Jacob’s ladders, case bindings and more are explained. In addition to the projects explained, there are photographs of over books created by over 40 established book binders.

The list price for this treasure trove is just $19.95, which is a good deal. However, the fact that it doesn’t come out until January 4, 2011 lets you in on an even better deal. Pre-order it from Amazon and you can get it for just $11.05.

A fantastic deal on instructions in a new (or continuing) craft sounds to me like a great way to get 2011 off to an amazing start.