Substrate

One of the artists that I mentioned in my earlier post likes to use old books for her journals. The look of her dismantled books really stirred something in me.

I decided that I needed one and I have lots of old books to destroy! 
The search began for a chopper. I called several copy places in the area and they didn't like the sound of chopping through a whole, hardback book. A very helpful girl at one of the shops gave me the name of a local bookbinder.
I called and met with Thomas in his garage workshop to see if he could help me. He had the most amazing tools! He has worked as a bookbinder all his life. He is retired now and does small jobs with smaller tools in his home. It smelled amazing-like that portend of paper promises that greets you when you enter a library or a bookstore.

He took a knife and started slicing the bookbinding. I was very uncomfortable.....it felt so sacrilegious!

This is the cutter. Big time. It is a Guillotine paper cutter, which means the blade comes straight down and chops across the entire length at the same time. I imagine it was very sharp. It looked like it went through the pages with no resistance at all.  Like buttah.

 

So now I have a dismantled book of my very own to work with!!

I do believe that is a beautiful fairy teaching people of old how to make delicious, magical donuts. I will report back to you at a later date regarding the true story of donuts.