Bookmaking at Children's Hospital Boston

I spent a wonderful morning last month at Children's Hospital in Boston. We started with a Child Life staff workshop and ended with one with children. I was so impressed with everything that is done to enhance the children's lives as they undergo treatment. I was contacted by Aaron Devine. He works with individual children and small groups on writing projects and loved the idea of adding bookmaking to his sessions and giving the kids a place for their words. Among those in our adult group were a a cartoonist who worked in a similar capacity and a young woman from The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Outreach Program. We used recycled materials and made accordions, hot dog booklets, stick and elastic books, step books, and what I call Diamond Fold Books that can be either stars or accordions. They all had great ideas for adapting them to content that would be particularly relevant to the kids at the hospital.

With the children, I wanted to do a project that didn't require a lot of step-by-step directions as they might be arriving at different times throughout the hour. We made wish scrolls from prescription containers which were so easy to get started—just tape a long piece of yarn to either side of the top of the container. Sometimes I cover the whole container with paper and then add collage papers but this time we glued the collage paper directly to the containers using glue stick. The most popular item from the collage box was sticky-back sparkling silver paper.

The last step was the scroll. Aaron was absolutely wonderful in gently suggesting ideas for wishes and drawing the kids along in his own process as he guided them in theirs. Most of my work has been with large groups which is a very different dynamic. I learned a lot from watching him.

Wish scroll projects for you to make

Wish Scroll for the New & GIveaway

I live by three calendars—the one where the seasons change on the solstices and equinoxes, the traditional Celtic calendar where the seasons begin at the midpoints between, and the school calendar. After sixteen years of being a student, four years of teaching swimming for the Boston School Department, twenty-plus years of teaching bookmaking, and twenty-three years of kids' education (two kids six years apart), the year starts in September.

This Wish Scroll (which is based on scrolls from Ethiopia and one of the sixteen projects in Handmade Books For A Healthy Planet) contains wishes for the new. The idea is that if the scroll is worn, the wish will come true. You can make a scroll for yourself or one for someone else.

I used to use film containers but they have become less available. Now I often use used prescription containers. If you collect them from others, I suggest you ask them to remove the label. For paper, I used used copy paper with writing on one side, folded in half the long way, and then glued together. Whatever paper you use, you'll cut it to be a little taller than the container.

I made the scroll before the case but in workshops, I make the case first. You'll also need tape, a piece of yarn about an arm-length long (36"/91.4 cm for those who like to measure), and a piece of paper to wrap around the case a little shorter than its height. I decorated mine before but you can also do it after the case is complete. For more decoration, I strung buttons (you can also use beads) onto a piece of crochet cotton and tied it to the yarn.

Make the case:

With a small piece of tape, attach one end of the yarn to the one side of the container at the top. Do the same on the opposite side.

Wrap another piece of tape all around the top to help secure it.

Put glue on the back side of the cover paper and attach it to the case.

Add Buttons or Beads:

This is an extra touch which is fun but not necessary. If I were doing this with a group of younger children, I wouldn't do it unless I had a lot of extra adults to help.

Thread buttons or beads onto a piece of thread. I used crochet cotton. For most buttons you need something thinner than yarn.

Tie the end of the thread around the yarn on one side of the case near the top.

Tie the other end of the thread to the other side. This is a little trickier because you need to keep the beads on the thread and have the thread an appropriate length when you tie it.

And Finally:

Roll up the scroll and put it in the case.

You can find ideas for a Wish Scroll here.

GIVEAWAY!

A signed copy of Handmade Books For A Healthy Planet to a randomly drawn commenter. Please make sure your email address is in the comment so I can contact you. You can write out the word at to avoid spammers. The Giveaway will close on Saturday, 9.3,11, at midnight.

Wish Scroll at the Book Nook

There is something satisfying about planning ahead although it happens most often with expectations from outside myself. I spent an enjoyable hour making a sample and planning the logistics for a Wish Scroll workshop which will be part of the Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 3, at the Book Nook at River's Edge in Ipswich, MA. We'll be making a Wish Scroll for the holidays and I'll be signing Handmade Books For A Healthy Planet which would make a great gift for teachers, parents, and grandparents. Actually for anyone who loves books. The Book Nook, part of the River's Edge Gift Shop, is a cozy and charming and has a good selection of titles. Hope to see you there!

Wish Scrolls at Wenham Museum

I spent a Saturday morning at Family Day at the Wenham Museum making wish scrolls, one of the projects in Handmade Books For a Healthy Planet. When I first made wish scrolls, based on traditional scrolls in containers from Ethiopia, I used film containers. They are becoming harder to find so I used prescription containers instead. We used brown paper grocery bags for the scrolls and to decorate the outside. I love how there is always a new adaptation and something new to learn. I had buttons and beads to add and someone came up with a way of stringing and attaching them that I hadn't thought of. We all learn from each other. I especially liked that the scrolls were made by some adults alone as well as by children. Bookmaking is for everyone.

I Am Thankful Scroll

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is a time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. This month's project is a new version of the Wish Scroll which makes a great "I am thankful" scroll for Thanksgiving.

There are three containers and scrolls in the photo. The container on the left is made from a cap from soy sauce covered with wrapping paper and curling ribbon saved from a package. The one in the middle is made from a film container covered with paper from a catalog and old videotape. The one on the right is made from the top of an Avery glue stick covered with brown grocery bag and yarn. All the scrolls were cut from brown grocery bag.

One of the things I am thankful for is my work. It keeps me curious and engaged and gives me the comfort and satisfaction of making things with my hands and sharing with others.This scroll was inspired by the new version that will be in Handmade Books for a Healthy Planet (coming in April if all goes according to plan). The directions on the website and the accompanying pdf have also been changed.

Directions

Earth Day Wish Scroll

http://www.makingbooks.com/wishscroll.shtml

I am thrilled with how well my shift to recycled materials is going. In the past few weeks, I have worked with children from kindergarten to second grade. Starting with brown grocery bags and cereal boxes, we made a variety of books. It seemed even more fun than bookmaking with precut materials. What I love most is that the children can easily continue their enthusiasm by making books at home. In this spirit of environmental awareness, this month's project is for Earth Day. Wish Scrolls are based on scrolls made in Ethiopia as talismans.

My example uses a plastic film canister (I am thinking about a replacement for when everyone's camera is digital), old buttons instead of the beads, and brown paper bag for the scroll. I did use new crochet cotton but you could save old ribbon or string. I used a bookbinder's awl to make the holes so they are not that large but an ice pick or a regular awl would make a larger hole and give you more options for the thread. If you're doing the project with a large group, most places that develop film will give you canisters that they save for recycling.

Links

All About Earth Day
Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconson in 1970. This site has some history, profiles of Nelson, Rachel Carson, and others, and a Teacher's Lounge with classroom actvities and a pdf of great quotes about conservation, wilderness, and nature.
http://earthday.wilderness.org/history/

Recycling Revolution
A friendly site created to encourage recycling and give basic facts and strategies to make it easy.
http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-basics.html

Images and Information about Ethiopian scrolls
http://www.freelancefarm.com/ordinaryaura/archives/000093.html

http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/medmuseum/galleryexhibits/artthatheals/01overview.html

Students of Tom Trusky at Boise State University in Idaho made protective scrolls based on ones from Ethiopia.
http://english.boisestate.edu/ethiopian/index.html