The Bag Making Bible Photo Shoot

Hello Folks!  How are you all keeping?  In good health and happy spirit I hope.

Yes for those who don't yet know my book is to be called The Bag Making Bible and it's now in Amazon in the UK & US (so it must be real then). I can't tell you how weird it is to see my name in a shop in which I've spent way too much money....

Oh I and thought I should mention that Amy Butler is writing a foreword in my book. I know?!

I tell you what, I'm a sooper good mood.  Not only is it gorgeously sunny, I have finally finished writing my book. Yeah, I finally finished!!! I sent the last bits and pieces of writing in yesterday.  All that remains is one final (and thorough) check-over the book before it goes to print this April. What a journey it's been. Thank you to you for keeping me company during the process and putting up with me being (at times) a wretched moany pants.  I have kinda have gone on about it sometimes...

Everyone who has worked on the book has been brilliant in pulling it all togther. Lots of stuff goes on behind the craft book creating scenes; the craft author just writes and designs. Without a talented and caring team to put the author's material together in a clear, presentable, and LUSH package it just aint gonna happen. And the results?  I can report the book looks stunning.  I think even a person with a more objective eye than mine would still agree :)

I'm positive I will at some point write more books.  They are very hard work, but at the same time very magical.  I love teaching anyone who will listen.  For a person like me who's a tad shy and who loves the process more than the product; teaching through the medium of books is great. But no book writing for a year though.  We have to move house and we want to have a baba - eeeek!

To everyone who has got in touch and said Hi; I'm doing great, thanks so much for asking XX  (I really am touched that you asked, you know?  I mean really, how lucky does that make me?)  I'll be back to blogging more regularly.  There is so much I want to share with you.  It's all been kinda building up.

I thought you might to see some pics of Salcombe, Devon where I went to stay for 5 days to do the book photography.  Almost all of the step by step shots were taken in a bright studio (with the freshest and cleanest light I have ever seen inside a building). The studio is called Bangwallop and they are nicest most helpful bunch you could hope for to take gorgeous pictures for you.  Unfortunately I'm not able to post those pics here.

  Soo pretty! This was the view from my guest house.  The studio was a 10 min stroll away (very close the 3  pointy roofs in the middle of the pic, at the bottom).

I walked pass this every morning.  It's enough to put you in good mood on the way to work!

Salcombe is a very pretty and tiny town by the sea.  Very quiet in winter and packed to the rafters in the summer.  Every lunchtime I would sit on a park bench and munch on my sarnies looking at this view - bliss!

There are pretty pastel coloured houses everywhere.  The only way in and out of Salcombe is up this mad steep hill - and yeah, my guest house was up the mad steep hill.  Great for walking off my supper though!

Cute and chocolate box pretty.  Great shops too, but I didn't indulge...

This is the front of the Bangwallop Studio where most of the shots were taken.  It's got a cool gallery where you can buy prints and pictures and it has a few studios where the in-house photo action takes place.  Inside there's a little cafe area where Little Jack makes THE best cappuccino.  Hiya Debbie, Little Jack, Jack, & Lorna!

Inside the shop part of the studio.  Sat behind those drool-worthy huge screen Macs are (right to left) Jack - my photographer and Little Jack the studio's go-to guy.

Some of my sewing mess tools and equipment (Marilyn is probably thinking; 'Why the hell can't Lisa just tidy up as she goes along?')  That's not the half of it, there was loads of my stuff strewn all over the studio.  In the end Jack took well over 2500 shots and you can't do that by keeping things nice and tidy!

Tools of my trade (and loo roll for keeping coffee away from fabric!)

See that pile of papers in the middle?  That was what Jack and I were working from for the photography.  The sheets are called '1st pages'. 1st pages are your text and images laid out as they will more or less appear in the finished book.  As you can just about see there are a few grey boxes where the photos are going to be placed. At the 1st page stage my editor and I have to check over all of the text to ensure we are happy with the way the text and pictures are laid out.  The corrections and additions then go to the design team at the publishers.  Later I will receive what is called the 2nd pages and the 2nd pages will have everything all laid out and included.  The 2nd pages are where my editor and I get one final chance to make sure that my writing makes sense that all is present and correct before the book goes to the printer in mid April.  Ohhhhh!

See that uber sexy camera there?   It's probably worth more than my house!  And to think Jack left me alone in the studio with it more than once!  Hehe!

Here's Jack in full concentration mode. I really have to hand it to the guy.  It was dead easy to explain to him what part of the bag was important to shoot.  Actually, getting the right shoot can take a good bit of thought, but you'd tell him once and he'd get on with it.  Plus he was easily as fussy as me (if not more)  about getting the right shot.  In the end I swear he could write a bag making book himself!  Don't even think about it Jack - I know where you work...

Yes I know the place looks untidy, but wait until you see the finished results, you won't believe your eyes (in a good way of course!)

My trusty Janome 6600p which I used all though the writing of the book. I've probably driven her up the wall these last 6 months, but she stuck with me the whole time.  I love her! 

See that blue and white gingham tea towel at the bottom of the picture?  Between you and me it has a very naughty word embroidered on it (only click here to see what if you are not offended by swear words...)

Yes Mum that really is me!  If you ever get an opportunity to prance around in a studio with a pro photographer - DO IT!!  It's such a gas and much cheaper than placcy surgery.   Here is one of the many author shots that Jack took after we finished the craft photography. I dunno which my publisher will use.  We'll have to see.

Oh!  It is sooo good to be back, I really missed you all!  XX

PS:  Thanks heaps to Jen (who is the lovely lady from D&C who approached me to get this book shenanigans started - so double thanks) for my award :)