On "Wallpaper Octopus": An Artist Book & Poem

In honor of National Poetry Month and as a follow-up to my last paper crafting post, this is another book style made from a tutorial given as part of the virtual Form & Function From Afar conference held by Book Paper Thread. 

After making my first triangle fold book, I immediately started thinking about all the interesting possibilities that this form would allow for and for some reason doing an octopus theme stuck with me. Going in somewhat of a Victorian Steampunk direction, I then moved on to thinking about how it'd be interesting to have a wallpaper print paper and have the octopus tentacles coming out of it.

Since this was along the lines of something else I've been brainstorming for a writing project and having had more of a yearning in the past year to illustrate some of the poems I've written, I ended up writing a poem to go with the book before I even started making it. 

Once the book portion was done, created using cardstock for the cover and scrapbook paper for the inside (including a copy of the original paper for the inside section since I cut my paper on the wrong grain and only had one piece), I created the octopus tentacles from a one sided textured paper, which worked out nicely for painting the suction cups on. Then I debated where the poem should go, but opted for writing it in a subtle brown colored pencil along the side of the pages and like how it took on a sooty appearance rather than being boldly noticeable. I also rewrote it on another slip of paper and tucked it in between the cover and the inside piece (the top and bottom of the cover are folded down about half an inch creating a "holder" it neatly slid into). There may also be the body of an octopus hiding in there, but as I'm not completely satisfied with it, that will be a picture for another day.

As I didn't have any joint pain this past weekend (something that's been keeping me from sewing or working on anything extensive), I threw myself into this and am rather pleased with how it turned out!

Wallpaper Octopus

 The paper has begun to tear
A ripple here, a crinkle there
A rustling in the wall at night
A cautious mouse, just out of sight?

  

Something moving in the wall
You can hear it in the hall
Something pulsing, then a push
Suckling crackle, then a swoosh!

In the parlor, near the chair!
Can you see it? Something--there!
Wiggly, waving tentacle
At the paper starts to pull...

I think this is the first piece of my poetry I've shared on here, so I hope you've enjoyed it! Happy start of National Poetry Month and may your walls be octopus free!

♥ ♥ ♥