Long concertina book with printed pages

When you have too many words for me to write without spending a fortune, one way to accommodate them is to print some onto pages that can be stitched in place.

Vicki came to me with the idea of producing a concertina book with a "This Is Your Life" style commentary for her Mum's 60th birthday. 

"This Is Your Life" was a favourite tv show in our house when I was younger. I've just looked it up... I never knew it started out as a way of honouring & helping servicemen returning home after war!

Having set out to write a 'few' words for me to add to a small book, Vicki got a bit carried away… to the tune of nearly 900 words! That would have taken a lo-oo-oo-ong time & taken up loads of space, not to mention blowing the budget before we got to the 2nd or 3rd paragraph!

She wrote such a great story, I couldn't just say "sorry, no chance" could I?!

Even when I suggested using printed text, I wasn't really sure how… but she agreed anyway.

I wanted to keep it pretty much along similar lines to the card she like originally, with Khadi Cotton Rag Bougainvillea petal paper… it is so gorgeous. As usual, ideas grew & Vicki asked for some blank pages to stick photographs in.

I decided to print extra pages onto plain white cotton rag paper & stitch them into the folds of the concertina… it took a bit of fiddling around with text & layout, but it was soon obvious that the book needed to be longer than normal…. double the length, about 41 inches / 104 cm…. as I only wanted a single sheet of text per fold. Photographs could be glued onto the petal paper, or even on the reverse, depending how many she wanted to use.

 

It folded down into a book about 3/4 inch / 2 cm deep. I kept the same folded cover as the cards, but gave it a spine… I was really pleased with how this 60th birthday "card" worked out & Vicki was happy too!

The moment he opens his card...

… captured on camera!

Thank you Lindsay & Jason for sharing x

This isn't something I normally see…. I did once see a girl receiving a concertina card & a few other little goodies I had written. She & her friends were quite amazed & so appreciative. They were unaware that I was watching or even that I had made them…. it was pure coincidence that I was in the same place at the same time. I sort of felt that I shouldn't be watching, like I was eavesdropping a conversation, but I couldn't stop looking either! It was quite a strange experience, but very satisfying to witness the reaction. It's really lovely to see this moment too,

The Collective Noun for Concertina Cards?

Would that be a "fold of concertina's"? I'm still on a wedding theme, and wondering if a group of concertina or accordion cards might be called a fold… what do you think, any other suggestions?

This Bride began with Thank you's for her Bridesmaids, and then came back with special messages written for all her closest family members.

We made the family ones smaller…. 3 inches square when folded, 

to fit into favour boxes with other little goodies...

 all wrapped in gorgeous sanwaa tissue, with tags.

Not forgetting a card for the Groom, of course. 

I know she dropped hints, quite blatant ones, but he never asked me to write one for her

so I hope this groom found something equally romantic for his bride!

A mega accordion book- 5 feet long!

What a love story this turned out to be! A lovely lady called Lisa asked about an extra special love letter to include a marriage proposal. We decided on a concertina book with a couple of envelopes for keepsakes such as a show ticket & a pressed flower from milestone dates. Well…. the idea sort of grew… and grew.

We decided on colours early on; natural tones, charcoal & sand… layers of watercolour… more water… more colour… some acrylic...

I asked her to think about special events along the way… 

dates, places, songs etc… little things that tell their story...

She told me their tale of synchronicity & bliss, of cold feet & separation; yet always on each others mind…. until they finally re-united...

Just as their story has many strands, I wove snippets of songs alongside tender memories...

 layering their tale in a book of love… 

Extra pages stitched in, for her to write a personal letter in her own hand...

A proposal hidden at the very end...

books within books, pages to unfold...

quotes about love & words they have spoken…

 space for a ring to hide?

An Arty Card for a Teenager...

… that sleeps at every opportunity!

 "I don't take naps…. I take horizontal life pauses"

I've had these backgrounds painted for a while, so when my sister made a request for this brilliant quotation, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. All I had to do was pick a colour!

Then my niece decided that they'd make perfect 'Thank you' cards for her teachers…. of course she only let me know the day before she needed them. Kids eh! 

She was right though…. they're a perfect non-conventional extra special card

that can say anything that you want them to.

I love the freedom of making gestural marks reminiscent of writing but without the need for words.

 I even used up my last piece of fuchsia coloured paper for her [you owe me H!] It's such a shame…. I'll have to order some more paper now *smile*. It was a touch bright to go with the raspberry ribbon, but sanwaa tissue over the top toned it down just enough. 

I have a new addiction….

When times are tough….

Sometimes when you know a friend is struggling, there's not a lot you can say,

but a hug always helps…. and if you can't be there in person, a card is the next best thing...

sending a hug to help you through. you know i'm never far away

& always with you in my thoughts.

Something handwritten to lift their spirits… to let them know that you are on their side, 

however far away you might be…

You're in my thoughts… anything that hurts your heart hurts mine too. I'm here when you want me, whether to laugh or cry, especially to remember times gone by.

The tiny cornflowers in this handmade cotton rag paper are so delicate… and there aren't that many either, so the effect is quite subtle, not too 'flowery' at all.

Healing wishes…

sending love & healing thoughts to help you through while things are tough.

Holding your hand every step of the way.

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, 

and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.

Emily Dickinson

Thinking of You…

there are no right or proper things to do, but I hope you feel the love & strength 

I'm sending from me to you.

my friend

Thank you for being that friend who knew the song in my heart 

& sang it back to me when I had forgotten the words.

Concertina Cards are available at 

Inky Whispers

and can say whatever you like!

Personalised Mothers Day Cards

Some of you may have noticed the link to "Inky Whispers"… 

I have found that creating a collection of cards in one place has led to more sales. It is much easier to see what is available & people seem happier asking for personalised messages, which I'm more than happy to write.

Mothering Sunday in the UK, is the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 days running up to Easter), that's March 30th this year. It evolved from honouring the Virgin Mary into a day to honour all mothers. It became customary for employers to encourage servants & apprentices living away from home to visit & honour their mothers.

There's only a week to go, but a personalised message can be sent at any time…. every day is a day to tell your Mum that she's special in my book! 

Thoughtful new fathers might like the idea of an extra special card for the mother of their baby. Any mum with a young baby would appreciate someone thinking of her… it doesn't need to be much, and certainly needn't cost a fortune… little gestures go a long way…. 

These concertina cards, or accordion books, are folded treasures full of sentiment, and can be written to say any message you choose…. they are for special people…. when your thoughts are genuine & heartfelt… they say that you care…

A baby from Heaven...

Nevaeh is 'Heaven' spelled backwards, so for a baby girl that seems to be Heaven-sent, it could be a perfect name. This couple chose to alter the first e to an a.... more suited to a North Eastern accent perhaps? I don't know, but apparently a few people do this. The name Nevaeh has become popular over the last 10-15 years. 

"Babies are little bits of stardust sprinkled from heaven"

New Baby card on Khadi cotton rag paper with bougainvillea petals

I heard the tale that it became particularly popular after the Twin Towers... perhaps so for some people, but the initial surge of popularity came after a rock star with a daughter called Navaeh featured on MTV's Cribs! What astonished me though, was the amount of hostility that some people direct towards it.... what is all that about, eh?! (Take a look at Behind The Name if you want to see what I mean)

An accordion folded book aka a concertina card, 

with a wrap around cover tied with an organza ribbon

They make a lovely unique card, and if I'm making one, I might aswell make another... 

several more actually....

A selection of concertina books are available
in the shop > here

Concertina books make great keepsakes & over the years I've made them for so many occasions.... wedding invitations, secret love notes, thankyou cards.... cards for birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, weddings, christenings.... sympathy.... new job, retirement.... the list goes on....