15 May 2013

book layout design | a life history by bernice cheshire



picking the books up from the print shop is rewarding. seeing all those stacks of collated paper, ready to roll, is pretty rad. however, picking them up from the local bindery is my favorite. watching fifty volumes of a book (that i designed!) slide into boxes for me to take home is a pretty amazing feeling. this was a super top secret mission, but i had to snap a text pic to dan of our new arrival. when you create a book, waiting on its completion is like waiting for a baby to come. "it's here!!"

dan's sweet grandmother, bernice cheshire, recently wrote her own life history by hand (click the last image below, her old school process of cutting and pasting handwritten paragraphs is the best). her daughter, my mother-in-law, shanna has been a key role in making her mother's book come to life and shanna solicited my knowledge in book design. it was a big project to take on. doing work for a family member adds tremendous pressure, especially for a beloved grandmother! of course i jumped at the chance to help. i love grandma bernice so much and have very much adopted her as my own.

bernice is ninety-five and has so much vitality, strength and stamina! bernice remember details of our lives, works in her garden and hosts parties and fixes salads for potluck suppers. she still laughs at dan's jokes and loves my littles when we come visit. she is always smiling and chooses to see the sunny side of life. bernice is a heroine of mine. it was truly an honor to assist in creating this book for her. she is a wonderful writer and has written a lovely history.

months ago we were sitting at my kitchen table and she was hesitant about creating a book and distributing it. she wondered who might like to own a copy of her book!! (we had to convince her that taking it to the copy shop and spiral binding it was not the best route for her incredible story!) luckily she grasped the vision of creating a beautiful bound book to enhance her writing and highlight it with the photos that illustrate her life. she has been graciously excited about putting this project into my hands ever since. here's a peek at the finished book...

 

16 comments:

Miranda said...

Marta! This is magic! What a treasure for this family to have such a beautiful book. And how lucky for them to have someone as talented as you tie it all together!

Jen Holtkamp said...

that looks amazing! after all these years, i've never known bernice's last name until today :)

Deidra said...

She seems like a beautiful lady and I'd say the family is lucky to have someone like you to compile that rich history in such a fantastic way. What a treasure!

Allison said...

so beautiful!

Briel said...

This is so great! Looks like it turned out beautifully!

Ericandles said...

Marta, I love the look of the book. I have sent you a couple of messages asking about your book designs. I am working on a few books and need a designer. Have you gotten my messages?

Unknown said...

incredible! And what an absolute TREASURE.

Tanya said...

This is incredible. How blessed you all are to have each other, and what a treasure this is!

brooke said...

Bernice is a pretty special lady. I have heard you talk about her before on your blog. I remember that Tom's middle name is Facer and Dan's is Cheshire..funny how you remember that stuff!--so it is cool to see where those names came from. The book is beautiful. What a treasure!

Amanda said...

Oh my, words can't even describe how special or sweet this is!

Travelin'Oma said...

This book is as elegant as she is. Good work!

Elita@Busy Needle Quilting said...

That is a most beautiful tribute to a very cherished woman! Well done Marta!

gina bina said...

This is so beautiful and brings tears to my eyes!

apple slice said...

gorgeous! what an undertaking. congratulations on the finish!

Me said...

How beautiful! I know her family will cherish her lovingly written book for generation after generation. Such a priceless treasure!

Abby said...

What a treasure you were able to make come to life for your whole family. AND love the way you wrapped it up.

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