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Wedding Albums


If you’re like me, chances are you’ve been married for years but you still haven’t found a wedding album or printed the photos to preserve that special day.  I’m a bookbinder and it took me 4 years to finally tackle this project that everyone assumed I’d be so on top of, but alas, here it is.


Not surprisingly I chose to make my own book. The Coffee Table Style Portfolio makes a perfect wedding album.  From the outside it looks, as it’s name suggests, like a hardcover book that you’d have set out on your coffee table at home.  The book can be made to fit any number of pages. When used with the Hinged White Pages, as you can see in the photos, the pages lie completely flat.  This 110lb cover weight paper is sturdy enough for mounting photographs without leaving the book feeling cumbersome.  Photos can me mounted on one or both sides of the pages but you may want to ask your printer if it’s safe for the photos to be touching since when the book is closed they will be.  Also if you do decide to mount photos on both sides you will want to order spine spacers along with the pages.  These will help keep an even thickness to your book.

While we don’t mount photos here at the studio you can certainly do this yourself. The easiest method would be to apply double sided tape around the perimeter of each photo, however I recommend using an adhesive roll such as Gudy 870.  With this material you can cover the entire back side of the photo which will ensure that it has full contact with the page and won’t pop off

Here are the specs of my book in case you’re looking to order something similar.  It is an 11 x 14 Landscape Format Coffee Table Style Portfolio that is covered in “Flax Linen” and lined in “Tan”.  These are both standard stock colors so this book can be ordered online directly through the website.  I placed an inset on the cover into which I adhered a printed label with our names on it.  The book holds 20 Hinged White Pages and the photos are mounted onto the pages with the Goudy 870 which we do not sell but can be purchased at other online retailers.

As always swatches are free so if you’d like to start the process of creating your own wedding album please feel free to contact us and request some samples of the covering materials, just send an email  with the list of colors and your mailing address and we’ll send them right out.

 
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Gold and White: A popular and stylish palette

Gold foil stamping on our white fabrics is very popular this season.
Whether it’s the fresh and eye-catching shine of gold on bright white linen,
the glammed-up natural look of gold on the neutral coated ecru or the luxurious
shimmer of gold on shimmery metallic pearl, gold foil stamping on white makes a chic and sophisticated statement.  If you’d like to see fabric swatches of these or any other colors please send an email with a list along with your mailing address and we’ll send them right out to you.

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DIY Personalized Portfolios

Don’t have time to wait for a personalized portfolio, or just have the DIY spirit? We’ve put together a few ideas for adding your own personal style to our ready to ship RTG and custom portfolios

Tips:

1. Use a medium you are very familiar or comfortable with.

2. Remember that the fonts and designs you choose should reflect your style or appeal to your particular clientele.

3. Always, always do a test on a scrap piece of paper and then on a sample of the material that your portfolio is covered in.  We recommend ordering a test board in the same color and fabric as your portfolio, as we do not offer refunds on altered portfolios. You can purchase test panels here, they are available in all covering materials.

4. Below are just a few ideas. The possibilities are only limited to your imagination.

-Iron on Decals: Use design software to create a logo (we used Illustrator) then create a mirror image of your design and print it out on printable iron on transfer paper. Cut out your design as close to the edges as possible and align it where you want it placed on your portfolio. Following the instructions for the transfer paper, carefully iron it onto your portfolio cover.

-Stenciling: We spray painted through an abstract dot stencil to create a balanced asymmetrical pattern on our sample. Make sure to paint in a well-ventilated area.

-Paper Plaque: Card Stock Printout with a Color Coordinated Mat.  This is probably the simplest option we have here.  Just print out your logo onto a nice heavy stock paper, trim evenly around it and mount it onto a complimentary color card stock and trim to make even borders.  This can then be adhered to the portfolio with glue or a double sided adhesive.

-Canvas Patch: We used acrylic on canvas with raw edges for our patch. We created a paint splatter pattern to liven up our portfolio with a pop of color, but if you are good at rubber stamping or hand lettering, go for it! The beauty of the fabric plate is that you can customize your pattern or logo before gluing it on!

-Wooden Letters: For our book, we masked off a section of the foredge to roll on a lime green acrylic paint stripe before gluing on the letters, to create a bright, complimentary color scheme.

-Vinyl Lettering/Sticker Letters: Vinyl letters and sticker letters are good in a pinch, if you are wanting to personalize your RTG portfolio with your name, company name or project. The stickers and vinyl letters do tend to peel up after a bit, and while they don’t offer a permanent solution, are wonderful in that they can be repositioned, and you can change it as you wish. (We still recommend testing, as different brands may use different adhesives).

 

As a reminder we do not offer refunds on altered portfolios so please take extra care when personalizing your own portfolio.  


Have Fun!  and as always feel free to contact us if you have any questions

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Introducing Screen Printed Covers

We are pleased to announce that we are now offering screen printed cover options for our custom boxes and books. We love screen printing for the crisp lines and the virtually limitless array of custom colors we are now able to provide. Our first few orders have just come back, and we are absolutely delighted to share the results with you.
 
You can find more information on the website
 
If you have any questions regarding the process and the possibility of adding it to your portfolio, binder or box, please send an email to kristin@kdbooks.com
Black and White Screen Printed Portfolio
Screen Printed Binder
Screen Printed Coffee Table Portfolio
Screen Printed interior design ring binder
Screen Printed Clamshell Box
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Ready to Ship Portfolios

We are excited to introduce a new line of quality portfolios that are ready to go!  No custom orders, RTG, is for those in need now.  Quick and easy, orders are shipped within 1-2 business days and are available in our most popular color combinations and sizes.  They are handmade with the same superb craftsmanship that you have come to expect from our custom portfolios and boxes.  RTG offers an convenient solution for those in a time crunch.

For more information and to see our current inventory, please visit our website
 
 
 

 

 

 

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More from the Inkjet

I’m continuing to be pleased with the results of the inkjet printing process and wanted to share some photos of recent portfolios that I’ve made using this wonderful technique.
Inkjet printing is a versatile and cost effective way to personalize your portfolio.  You can find some more information on the website www.kdbooks.com.  If you have any questions regarding the process and the possibility of adding it your portfolio please email me at: kristin@kdbooks.com

coffee table style portfolio with inkjet printed flap
coffee table style portfolio with inkjet printing and embossing
exposed screw post portfolio with inkjet printed cover
hidden screw post portfolio with inkjet printed cover
custom box with inkjet printed flap
exposed screw post portfolio with inkjet printed cover 
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6 New Colors

6 new coated fabrics have just been added to the covering options for portfolios, presentation boxes and invitation folders.

There are now 43 options available in 3 types of covering materials; linen, metallic and coated.

These new coated fabrics are very easy to maintain as they can be gently wiped down with a lightly dampened cloth.  They are impregnated with a sizing that prevents the moisture from penetrating the material and reaching the core of the structure. The metallics also have this property which make them, along with the coated materials, ideal for portfolios that will see a lot of use or that are left out to be handled on a daily basis.  You can request swatches of these or any of the 43 fabrics by sending an email to kristin@kdbooks.com. The full color chart can been seen here at kdbooks.com

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Hinge Strips 101

Hinge strips are the perfect tool to add flexibility to the pages of your portfolio. Photo paper and other heavier pages do not bend or turn easily and have a tendency to flip back.  These hinges are made with a very thin, flexible fabric that allows the page to turn easily and lie flat.  On the left of each hinge is a strip of 100 lb paper, which adds stability and strength to the fabric where the holes are punched.  The following photographs provide step by step assistance to show you how to apply these custom made hinge strips.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo 2:  Peel the 1/4″ backing paper to expose the adhesive strip.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo 3:  Carefully place the photograph on top of the adhesive strip and align it with the edge of the adhesive.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo 4:  Apply pressure along strip to ensure full contact.
 
 
 
 
Photo 5:  With cover removed, place the hinged page over the screw posts.
 
 
Photo 6:  Place the cover on top of the stack of hinged pages and reinsert the screws.
 
The hinge strips can be purchased at kdbooks.com.  They are sized and hole punched to fit Kristin Dunn bookbinding & design portfolios.  They will not necessarily fit any other brand of portfolio. Hinge strips are available in black and white.  You can purchase hinge strips here on the website.
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Fabric Covered Invitation Folders and Panels

 

invitation panels with mounted invites

Mounting your printed invites to a fabric covered panel or folder can add texture, dimension and elegance to any invitation.
Recipients are sure to take your invite seriously when they find it in their mailbox. They’ll feel as if they’ve received a special package rather than just another piece of mail.

Prices vary based on size and quantity.  For more information please visit the invitation section of the website.

A9 fabric covered pocket folder with mounted invite and rsvp set

Panels and folders are available in 4 sizes that fit comfortably into A7, A9, #10 and square format 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ envelopes.  Printed pieces can be easily mounted to panels and folders by using double sided tape, glue sticks, spray adhesive or adhesive rolls like GUDY.

Grape panel with mounted invite designed by PeachMailbox

All invitation presentation structures can be covered in one of the 37 fabric colors available.  In addition, pocket folders are available and can be covered in a combination of up to 3 colors, one for the folder itself, one for the liner (back of the pocket) and one for the pocket.

Fabric swatches are encouraged and are available upon request. You can see the 37 colors here.

As with everything at kdbooks.com, folders and panels are all handmade in California and constructed with the highest attention to detail.

Custom sizes and colors are also available.  To discuss a custom project or to get answers to any of your questions please contact the studio

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The Portfolio for iPad is here

I am very excited to be adding this new portfolio design to my website.  Many artists and designers are finding that printed portfolios are no longer suitable for presenting their work.  Thankfully new technology and streamline tablet designs have now made it possible to  present this same work conveniently and efficiently in a digital format.

This drop spine flip top presentation box has a magnetic flap closure and can be custom made in one or two of the 37 colors available. As with all boxes and portfolios in the online store, the Portfolio for iPad can be personalized in a number of ways.  Foil stamping and embossing of a name or logo are 2 of those options.

There are also many style and sizes of pockets that can be added to the inside lid liner.  The Portfolio for iPad can viewed flat on a table or the cover can be inverted to create an easel.  For more information please contact kristin@kdbooks.com