A Day in Cups and Glasses Project to entertain you, with only a pen and paper! Document a day’s liquid consumption from tea-in-bed, to a postprandial snifter, in a tiny concertina book. An opportunity to highlight your collection of crockery and glassware, ceramics and crystal, by showcasing your favourite mug or sherry glass, and mentioning your tea bag or coffee of choice.

You’ll need:

• A strip of paper. If you want to colour-in your drawings, make it thick. I’ve used a 3cm high strip from the short edge of an A4 sheet, which is around an inch and a quarter off the bottom of a piece of US Letter size paper
• A fine line pen
• Colours (Optional)
• Needle and thread for a tie (Optional)

Step-by-step:

Make a list of everything you drink in a day. For artistic purposes I’ve combined a few possibilities together. Ha ha this ink is Earl Grey from Diamine – how appropriate?!

Fold strip of paper into eight, by sub-dividing in half, and half again…

Draw each cup or glass, one on each page. I’ve begun by outlining my morning pint of warm water with a slice of lemon… It’s just a quick impression, not a still-life study.

Here’s my completed day in cups and glasses, including no less than three Earl Grey teas.

Optional: On the reverse, missing out the first and last side (as they are your covers) write some details about beverage or vessel, why you like the drink, or who you were with when you drank each one, or anything else that you’d like to record.

Put in a pop of colour if that suits your style.

And add a title , date and place to the cover if you like.

Attach a short length of thread with a couple of stitches, if you want to secure the book with a wraparound tie.

Truly bound!

With thanks to Simple Things magazine for the inspiration! Their regular feature – ‘A Day in Cups of Tea’ – is one of my favourites.

We’d love to see what you create! Please tag @thetravellingbookbinder so we can enjoy your Day in Cups and Glasses Project (especially if you’ve used proper shading and proportions and everything…)

Now, anyone for a cuppa? I’ll put the kettle on…