We were very fortunate to be able to take a class about paper making and book making at the MN Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis this week and last week. The first week, we made pulp paper and learned a technique called pulp painting where we added more pulp onto the wet paper to create our own designs. It was interesting and we were all excited to see the dried paper this week. Last week also included a tour of the building, which is in the Mill District (very near the Mill City Museum). We learned about juxtaposition – the combination of old and new elements in the building design. It was informational and visually interesting. We also got to see the basement, where they keep hundreds and hundreds of drawer of old fashioned movable type. You could see in the building where the tunnels used to go down to the river, too.
This week, we took our handmade paper and created book covers for a post-bound journal. The process is basically simple, but a little more complicated in a larger group. We were are all pleased with the results and will be deciding what to use our books for. I am using mine for a gratitude journal, prompted by an online class I am taking. Hopefully these books will become very special keepsakes.
