The One with the 1000th Post Giveaway!

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the millennial post on this here blog. For this special once-in-a-lifetime occasion I'm giving away 10 PaigeBooks! Each book is unique and beautiful and handmade from scratch by yours truly. It would mean the world to me if all ya'll (whether I know you or not, I promise I don't bite :) would take a gander, pick a favorite, and let me know which one your heart desires in a comment on this post for a chance to win!

Just a wee bit about the books as a whole: They're all coptic bindings so you can see the thread and how they're sewn together on the spine. It's my favorite style of binding, no glue is involved, it looks neat, the books lay flat so you can easily write or make art in them, and the cover possibilities are endless because if you can drill holes through it, it can be used as a cover. Most of the pages are made with printer paper and/or scrapbooking papers. Inside each book I've typed my signature with my new handy dandy vintage typewriter. Usually it's on the last page, but sometimes I messed up the orientation so it could be anywhere. It's like Where's Waldo. Sort of. Maybe. Kind of. Anyways.

Sigh. I've really become attached to these things. I might just rig it so I win every book for myself :) But just in case I change my mind, here they all are:

1) Aqua Painted Wood

Size: 5.5 x 5.25 x 1.25"

Unique features: I painted these covers with a mixed wash of blue, green, and white guache (gauche is a mix between watercolor and acrylic paint). I tied a "handmade with love" charm to the sewing on the spine. Definitely the perfect finishing touch. The pages are made from printer paper, but each signature (aka block of pages) is wrapped with a beautiful sheet of marble paper. (PS - Thanks Blake for cutting down my wooden boards and I'm pretty sure I got these stunning marble papers from Sari - thanks a mil!)

2) Backsplash Tile

Size: 3.5 x 3.5 x 2"

Unique features: The covers are made from backsplash tile. I glued them onto pieces of binder's board wrapped with white printer paper and drilled holes between the gaps so the book could be sewn together. The pages are made from an assortment of aqua and blue patterned papers and cardstock. Since this is a smaller book, actually the smallest of the bunch, it can fit in your purse and be used to write notes or random thoughts, lists, etc.

3) Fabric

Size: 5.25 x 7.25 x 1.5"

Unique features: I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics when I first had the idea to make 10 books to give away for my 1000th post in search of my favorite fabric to make a book out of. This is what I found! I love the colors, the patterns, the whole sha-bang. I wish it was a patterned paper so I could scrapbook with it! The book is bound with two different colors of baker's twine (the latest and greatest "thing" in the arts and craft industry!) The top half of the book is sewn with red baker's twine and the other half is sewn with blue baker's twine. A fun and quirky touch if I do say so myself!

4) Hymns

Size: 6 x 9.25 x 1.25"

Unique features: It's funny, this was the book I was looking least forward to making, I mean, it's a HYMNS book, not really all that cool right? But then I had the idea to string crystals onto the binding and once I finished, I decided this might actually be my favorite book. I'm all about the bling baby! The pages are all white, they're not actually copy paper, it's something thicker and nicer. Perfect for composing hymns (hardy har), songs, poems, journal entries, sketching, drawing, etc.

5) License Plate

Size: 6 x 6 x 1"

Unique features: It's made out of an old license plate! N6TYS is my malm's ham radio call sign. Mine is AC7ZV, fyi. But anyway, I've seen CD storage cases made out of license plates so I thought, why not make a book out of one? Luckily when I was home back in April my dad had a couple old license plates taking up space so he drilled some holes in them for me, sanded down the edges, and presto! A cool book! The pages are made from yellow notebook pads. And the lines are vertical instead of horizontal... but like I said the books lay completely flat so you could just turn it and write on them horizontally!

6) Plexiglas

Size: 5.5 x 6 x 1"

Unique features: The pages are made from Sassafras scrapbook papers and they all have funky decorative edges - super fun to turn and look through! On the cover, you'll notice I drilled holes through the Plexiglas corresponding to the centers of the flowers printed on the first page. Then I topped the holes with pearls. The book is bound together with orange baker's twine.

7) Painted Roses

Size: 5.25 x 7.25 x 1.75"

Unique features: The covers are made from wood, probably my favorite medium to make covers out of. The pages are made from the retired Botanique line by American Crafts. It's botanical and glittery and beautiful. The backsides of all the patterned papers are solid so you can write on them and it'll easily be visible. To give the book some extra pizazz I painted one of the roses found on one of the patterned papers on the cover. Gives it a nice little something extra and personal don't ya think?!

8) Rounded Edge

Size: 5 x 7 x 1.25"

Unique features: This book might just be my numero uno favorite. Or the HYMNS book. I can't make up my mind. But this book is the one I was most excited to make. I've never made a rounded book before! It was definitely a process cutting and trimming the covers and papers! The covers are extra thick because I glued two pieces of binder's board together before wrapping them with robin's egg blue binder's cloth (which I bought from The Paper Source - I LOVE that they have bookbinding materials!). The book is bound with yellow/grey baker's twine - so funky and modern! The pages are made from white copy paper. And you'll notice, for a fun twist, one signature is wrapped with yellow cardstock. Artsy fartsy! I do love a pop of color. And it ties in with the yellow on the baker's twine. Since the pages are blank, this can virtually be used as you would use any other blank book.

9) Tiles

Size: 5.75 x 5.75 x 2.75"

Unique features: Besides being made from tiles, the other unique feature about this book is it's THICK! The pages are made from brown/vintage-y patterned papers and cardstock. I see this as a mixed media/collage book. And it weighs like 10 pounds. I might be exaggerating a bit. Thanks Dald for not giving up drilling through tiles - if it weren't for you I wouldn't have half my book covers!

10) Wood with Knob

Size: 5.5 x 7.5 x 1.75"

Unique features: Last but certainly not least - this book is also made from wood and the pages are a mix between white copy paper and The Classics patterned papers from American Crafts - probably my favorite line from American Crafts at the moment. For a unique decorative element I drilled a hole through the cover and set a little metal knob through. Now it's super fun to open and close this book!

To enter to win one of these PaigeBooks, leave a comment on this post by 7am Pacific Time on Tuesday June 28th 2011 letting me know which book is your favorite. Easy as pie! I'll post the 10 randomly selected winners first thing on Tuesday June 28th! Gooood luck!