Unique Handmade Books
Most people visualize a book as the standard set of text-laden pages  bound between two covers. But this traditional format is simply one of the  nearly infinite possibilities once an artist gets ahold of the concept, as Alisa  Golden ably demonstrates inUnique Handmade Books. Against the backdrop  of her own work as well as the contributions of 13 other book artists, Golden  explores various approaches to creating one-of-a-kind handmade "books."Dozens of project instructions teach you how to make assorted book forms,  including accordion-fold constructions, pocket pages, simple binding methods,  and more unusual forms such as tunnel books (layered boxed scenes resembling  dioramas) or Jacob's ladder books. You'll also learn less tangible skills such  as how to find ideas, play with design concepts, and make a collaborative book.  Since these creations are often more like mixed-media sculpture than volumes to  be read, the projects serve more as a general guide for exploring our own  creativity than making exact duplicates of Golden's offerings. Experienced  crafters, and even very adventurous beginners, will find a wealth of inspiration  here.--Amy Handy