The Story of You & Me - An Art Project using bookmaking to do at home.
A project about recording the stories and voices of those you love, before they are gone. Do it at home via my online workshop
This project is called The Story of You & Me and combines the craft of book-making with recording stories. I’d love to share this workshop with you to do at home, with your parents or loved ones.
Workshop available below 👇🏼
DROP A COMMENT IF YOU’D LIKE THE VIDEO TUTORIALS PASSWORD
How the idea came about
In 2018 I was thinking about my parents dying. I was in my thirties and my mum: sixties, my dad: late seventies. I don’t know why I was suddenly fixated on this idea but it stuck with me.
Although I know my dad would consider himself an introvert, once he gets going with a story from his past he truly comes alive and his essence is right at the front of his being.
I thought about all the stories - particularly from his boyhood - that would be lost if he were to get dementia, or to die.
How the project evolved before and during the Pandemic
Weirdly, I decided to adapt the project to be self-led by making it a physical toolkit and online video workshop that anyone in the UK could buy and do at home - BEFORE the pandemic struck.
This was a massive exercise and stretch in being more visible online and ‘marketing’ something - it even involved being interviewed on BBC London. My heart was in my actual mouth, but I was really proud of myself after I did it…
Take part with the online workshop
This is a live art craft project tuning into relationships, connection and wellbeing.
Tutorial videos to make the book plus written instructions below 👇🏼
THE WORKSHOP
You can now take part and publish the story of a loved one (or your own!) in a totally online version of the workshop I’ve translated onto Substack. You’ll find video links below plus all the text from my instruction book.
You can make a book for yourself to fill with your voice, your story - whatever you want to record. It could be a cookbook to pass on to your children, a book of lists of things that make you happy, a book with photos of the first year of a life…it’s totally upto you. You can also do this with others to record their stories.
I’ve personally used this workshop as an excuse to record some of my parents stories and memorable things they’ve done, experienced and noticed. I have physical books and I also recorded them reading them aloud.
How to begin
You don't have to make your book all in one go, but when you choose to spend time on it, try these things:
🙏🏼 a space to work in that is quiet and calm, turn your phone onto silent and put in another room
🙏🏼 close all other tabs on your browser, make a cup of tea and take a deep breath
Once we get to the making stages, use this book in tandem with the videos I’ve made pausing as you follow along, step by step.
Materials you’ll need
I have a few full toolkits left - drop me a message if you’d like one posting to you in the UK, free of charge until I run out 💜
Bone folder (can also wing this with a credit card/plastic ruler)
Awl
Bookbinding needle
Bookbinding waxed linen/ cord
Bulldog clips
Scissors/scalpel & blade set (I like Morton handle no.3 and 10A blades)
Cutting mat
Card - 400gsm advised
Paper 140+gsm
Decorative/meaningful paper or fabric for the book cover (bigger than A4, stronger than normal paper). Try Paperchase or other craft/art shops. Certain wrapping paper can work if it’s strong enough.
PVA glue & brush
Pritt stick
Optional
• Washi tape
• Watercolours
• Letter stencils
Here's what the project entails and the order I'd recommend.
1. THINK ABOUT THE BOOK CONTENT (Anywhere from 30 mins+)
Thinking, talking and writing
Think about what your book is going to be, what the idea is, who it's about and who it's for. You might know this already, or you might need some inspiration. Prompts and provocations below 👇🏼
2. MAKE YOUR BOOK COVER (5-15mins depending on speed)
It make feel counter-intuitive to make the cover first, but it’s good to make and leave weighted overnight.
3. PREPARE THE PAGES (this is an optional step, but anywhere between 10mins and 3 hours)
Of course you can write straight onto your book pages, or you can make it a bit more interesting by decorating your pages or making some backgrounds. I’ve made several videos to help with this.
Do as many of these as you want, or use your own favourite paper-snazzing techniques.
4. GET THE WORDS ONTO THE PAGE (15mins -3 hours depending on length and density)
Watch the video for tips and tricks to get your words into the book. This includes both handwriting and printing. Comment below if you’d like a free Word or Indesign template if you’d prefer to print all your pages ready to fold and stitch into your book.
5. ASSEMBLE YOUR BOOK (10 mins)
Once all your pages are ready we can ‘bind’ your book and stitch it all together. You might want to do this step BEFORE filling it, that’s ok too.
6. FINISHING TOUCHES (5-15 mins)
Add a book title and author name if you like.
DRAFTING & WRITING YOUR BOOK
Use spare paper, a notebook or computer to write a draft version of your story IF you like. You can handwrite or print words to tell your story inside the pages of your book. Get creative by printing, cutting and sticking bits into the book. This is what we did in the live workshops.
Try different places to write and think;
A cafe, at a desk in your house, lounging on the sofa, a bench in a park.
Try with music, silence, classical music with no words, or sounds of nature.
Find what works for you and allow yourself the time to write and think.
If you’re making a book with a parent or another family member, use these setting ideas to ‘formalise’ the interview process and get talking. Having the ‘excuse’ of this project works wonders as a connection prompt.
CONTENT PROMPTS & PROVOCATIONS
DETAIL
Call/email/text people that were involved in your story to sharpen up what happened, add any details you might have missed.
Think about descriptive words and detail to convey the atmosphere, mood and meaning.
VISUALS
You could add these to your book: Photos, Ticket stubs, Receipts, Postcards, Fabric, Stamps, Wallpaper, Magazine cut outs, Newspaper clippings.
FORM
What form will the words be in?
Fragments? Stream of consiousness?
Paragraphs?
Lists? Poetry? One sentence per page?
One word per page?
PROVOCATION PROMPTS & IDEAS FOR YOUR BOOK
Anything you wish you’d said to someone before they died?
How did you meet your partner and know they were for you?
Where are your roots and why?
The one that got away.
The first time or place you lived away from home.
History of the town you live in.
Regrets.
Favourite made-up traditions and rituals to live on in your family.
Birthday and wedding memories.
A secret that needs to be told.
Most important and valued friendships in your life.
Hard but important life lessons.
Jobs and careers you’ve collected along the way.
Surprises.
Sibling memories.
Advice for your younger self, and younger generations of your family.
Best/worse traits inherited from your parents.
Dreams for the future.
What will you make? Who will this be about? Which stories will you immortalise?
I can’t wait to hear how you got on. Drop me a comment below if you made a book, any pictures would also go down a treat.
Also here if you got stuck along the way at all, drop any questions into the comments below (including getting the password for the videos).
