what do you do with 31+ gel prints?

the same thing i always do with any group of related things: make them into a little book. or in this case, a BIG book. coffee table size, in fact, because most of my prints are 8x10" and i didn't want to have to trim them.

i started with a de-commissioned library book i got at a booksale for $1. i carefully removed about a third of the pages, to make room for my prints. i saved the "extra" pages though, because the paper is lovely and thick with just a tiny bit of gloss. in other words, PERFECT for gel printing... so quite a few of the discarded pages wound up getting added back in as prints!

usually when i alter a book with a smooth cover, i just collage right on top of it, but for some reason i suddenly thought of those slip-on book covers we made out of grocery sacks for all of our textbooks at the beginning of each school year. so i taped together a few extra large atlas index pages, folded it into the cover shape, then collaged prints on top of that base. i used mostly prints made on thin graph paper or deli paper, for maximum flexibility. i diecut the letters and handcut the numerals for the title #31daysofgelprinting from a nice thick cardstock print. in the end, i only put the numerals on the front cover, but i adorned the title page with the entire hashtag.

most of my prints are just getting attached to an existing page with a tape runner.

 
but there are a few days where i either have a bunch of pages i want to include, OR where i want to reserve the possibility of removing the print later. so in those cases, i've made pockets by gluing the lower edge of one page to the one behind it, then folding down the front. either way, i've just been "labeling" the day number, plus the name of the prompt with a pen. occasionally i'll also make a note of anything special i did, if i think i might want to remember it later.

and i think that's it. i'm hoping to catch up posting the rest of my prints with a big round up over the weekend, meanwhile, i've been updating my instagram account most days, if you'd like to see them all together! ♥