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This grimoire was a special custom order, and it challenged me in new and exciting ways. It was a delight to create and has given me more ideas to try with future books.

One especially big challenge was giving the pages a deckle edge. Usually, I only do this for books that are 5 by 8 inches because it allows me to rip wider sections of paper. Since this book was already 5.5 by 8.5 inches, I was ripping off strips of paper that were 1/8 inch and less! It was murder on my fingernails, but the final product is definitely worth it.

Once the pages were ready, I stitched the book using my golden-brown thread, as requested by the client. It gives a beautiful contrast against the glossy black leather. To finish off the cover and to keep it in place, I used a new tool of mine—a lace cutter—and cut a long strip of lace, then wove it onto the cover and tied it around, three times around the book, then three times around the lace. Three is a sacred number in some mythologies, so I thought it fitting.