Making Art from Maps, by Jill K Berry. Review.

Making Art from Maps

Inspiration, Techniques, and an International Gallery of Artists

Jill K Berry

Rockport 2016

Softcover £16-99 UK/$24-99 US/ $ 32-99 CAN

ISBN 978 1 631 59 1020

Star rating: ****

In the age of Google Maps and GPS, maps of the paper-y kind have super nostalgia value. Maps have always been evocative – conjuring up thoughts of exploration and adventure in distant lands, or fond memories of holidays past. Plus, maps are colourful things of beauty and precision. Author, papercrafter, and cartophile Jill K Berry has produced a delightful book which is both an appreciation of maps and a craft project book.

Same as with book art, some may cringe at the thought of altering maps. As the author points out – maps can be scanned in, or worn maps repurposed. OK then.

This book is a portmanteau title – creative contributions from craft artists around the globe (appropriately) – projects to craft, or to admire in the themed Gallery pages. 

Front of book, there’s a splendidly illustrated intro by the author, followed by a nifty section on Foundational Basics – cool papercraft techniques – rolling paper cones, plus various paper flower-making techniques (Twirled Roses, Kusudame Flower, Spiral Buds, Stacked Petals).

The book is then divided into the following sections: Decor; Books, Journals, and Boxes; Fashion, Collage and Illustration, Interiors and Lighting. The strongest section is the Books, Journals, and Boxes section –  I particularly like origami-style Pyramid Box, and the Book in a Box. The Fashion section is, as you would expect, playful. It is big on paper beads. Fun and fanciful hats, functional fans. In the Decor section, the Globe Swag Lamp, made from half of a cardboard globe is a winner. All of the crafts are do-able, even by papercraft newbies.

The back-of-book section has its rewards. The author asked the contributors to explain their love of maps – capsule appreciations from each. Nice touch. Also - a spread on Map Resources, including sources of digital maps and a reading list.

So – a celebration of maps and making, suitable for gifting. 

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this title.

Pillow Box Basket

Here's a puffy pillow basket that plumps up when you need it and folds flat when you don't - handy! Plus - you get storage in the individual pillow pockets as well as the central basket opening.

Here are your free design files:
PillowBoxBasket.pdf 
PillowBoxBasket.studio3 

 Pillow Box Basket

1 Print out the pattern template four times onto A4 160gsm photocopier card.

2 Score the fold lines. Take extra care on the curved pocket top. Use a fine-point embossing tool or a spent fine-point pen.

3 Cut the pieces out. If cutting out by hand, be sure to snip the pink line at box base.

4 Crease all the fold lines.

5 Pierce or punch a hole on each pocket front and the curved pocket back marquise. You can glue reinforcements behind the holes.

6 Glue the brad mats back to back. Attach a brad mat onto each pocket front and each pocket back marquise. Tie a piece of craft thread onto the marquise brad. 

7 Pierce or punch a hole in each pocket front top corner. Thread a piece of craft thread through the hole, knotting it behind. 

8 Assemble four individual pockets. The base of the box remains free on each piece. The flap at the base of the front is glued onto the pocket back. The flap at the side of the front is glued onto the pocket side.   

8 Glue the square bases one by one, so there are pockets at 12-, 3-, 6-, and 9- o'clock. 

9 Glue the square base onto the outside basket base.

10 To assemble basket, puff up each side, close the top flap. Tie adjacent sides together in a bow.

This basket makes a fun sewing accessory. It's a pretty way to gift buttons, beads, and reels of sewing cotton.   

Rubber Stamping, by Stephen Fowler. Review.

Rubber Stamping:

Get Creative with Stamps, Rollers and Other Printmaking Techniques

By Stephen Fowler

Laurence King/October 2016

Hardback £17.95

ISBN 978 1 78067 8658

Star rating: ****

The author of this wonderful new book, Stephen Fowler, is a professional printmaker. His art school training enables him to see beyond craft stamping – he approaches DIY stamping as a hands-on, endlessly resourceful creative experience. This book is a celebration of simple printmaking methods, seen with an artist’s eye.

I was predisposed to like this title due to its clever and inspirational foreword by papercutter extraordinaire Rob Ryan. What a super choice of a rubber stamping advocate. 

Since a rubber stamp is a DIY printing press in its simplest form, much is made of the medium’s cheeky potential. Make a stamp, make a statement . DIY rubber stamping is a craft that requires little investment - an eraser and a craft knife for cutting are the basic necessities, plus a stamp pad or other ink source for printing (and, of course, a surface to print on).  Illustrated step-by-steps are provided, along with techie tips. Methods are given for registering multi-coloured prints and for masking, a technique which enables you to build up sophisticated mult-layered compositions. There’s also a section on how to build up patterns with repeating images.

In addition to making and printing with rubber stamps, other materials, such as craft foam are dealt with. How to make rollers with pipe lagging? Check. Homemade ink pads. No problem.

There are also many fun thinking-out-of-the-box  project ideas, such as faux postage stamps, edible prints, and printing with bleach to make “ghost images”. 

Back of book , you’ll find an index, a handy reading list, and a mini-directory of specialist suppliers. 

Rubber Stamping fizzes with enthusiasm and provides the know-how and inspiration to get you started as a DIY stamper.

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this title.