The Big Book of Wonders and Delights. Part I

When I was younger (MUCH younger) I used to have a recurring dream about wandering into a beautiful old library filled from floor to ceiling with row after row of books. There was light coming in from long Gothic windows, and the shelves seemed to go on forever. These weren't just any books. These were books full of secrets and wonders, magic stories and beautiful illuminations. I could pull any book down and it was filled with exquisite artwork, mysterious maps, stories of adventure and intrigue. Nothing was specific, I just knew that all of this was there for me whenever I wanted to come in and browse. A book nerd's heaven.
Wealthy Victorians could create these libraries for themselves. They were usually considered a man's domain. Women, silly things, were too busy embroidering samplers and having friends for tea. (Pardon me while I stifle a yawn). In modern times if you are fabulously wealthy you too can have a library like that. Here is George Lucas' library on his secret planet above California, Skywalker Ranch:

In the Doctor Who series there was an episode called "Silence in the Library", in which the library was an entire planet that contained all of the knowledge in the universe. If it had all been put on a Kindle it wouldn't have looked quite so large, or fascinating:

So.....I have been obsessed with making little books of my own, as you have noticed in my past two blogs. It may be my reaction to the slow death of real-life, tactile books (and yes, I do have a Kindle) and the real life, wonderful little book stores I love to discover on trips. I am about to move on to another topic in my blogging but first I decided to attempt one more book, a book full of colour and imagery and poetry and dreams, with hidden surprises between the pages. And hidden surprises under the pages too. It will take me awhile to finish so this is just a preview. I give you The Magic Book Cover.
I started with an empty box of microwave popcorn packets:

Stay with me. It gets better. I found this wonderful DIY technique online and will give credit where it is due next time.
After opening the box out flat I covered both sides with Gesso. Gesso is a fabulous substances. It turns every surface into an art canvas ready for paint. Do not try on your pet.

After this I added a soft, pleasing coat of aqua paint.

Then I did a little hocus pocus with stenciling, bubble wrap, and spattering paint.

Next, I grabbed some brown wrapping paper and crumpled it over and over until it softened into a chamois-like brown substance.

The excitement builds. I then glued the back of the box to the brown paper, let it dry, cut around it and folded it over to create the cover of my big book of wonders and delights.

 The brown paper was then covered with various mixes of brown, black, and gold paint until I liked the way it looked. Brushing on a final light coat of gold metallic paint gave it a wonderful, old book patina. I loved this part so much I almost wanted to hug the book cover.

 And finally I turned to the inside covers and did some more hocus pocus with stenciling and paint so that the brown paper blended in with the painted surface. Not bad considering that ugly box I started with.

Now to fill it with wonderful pages of art. In other words all the extra crap and abandoned projects lying around my studio. But I need about a week to get that done so I shall return shortly with paint stained fingers.