right on the button

i enjoy creating so many different things that it seems my greatest challenge these days is trying to find projects that combine all of my loves.......my love of paper, my love of fabric, my love of sewing, my love, my love.....

and sometimes i wonder if that's why i enjoy creating journals so much. i get to tear paper, slop some glue around, attach eyelets to the covers, and my most favorite part.....sew it all together....

and every once in a while i add a trinket or two.....

so usually when i'm done,

i feel like maybe i've hit my challenge

right on the button!

you can read more information about this journal here

life

we had a little bit of rain and a whole lot of cold over the weekend...perfect weather for putting together some new journals!  for this book, i took my cue from the "life" illustration (inset on the front cover), taken from a favorite piece of paper in my beloved stash.  the inside is filled with 70 lb. writing paper and decorative type-font-themed papers hug each signature.  you can see more photos of this journal here!

*hand bound *coptic stitched *linen bookcloth *waxed linen thread 

*70 lb. writing paper

imagine

i love pawing through my supplies, because i always find things...great things...that i'd forgotten that i had.  i bought this paper a few years ago, and of course hoarded it because i love it.  but in keeping with my "goals for 2009", it's time to reduce that ever-growing mountain of scrapbook paper by using it...and i have a long way to go!

p.s.  the paper used to make this book was designed by artist and calligrapher teri martin.  click on the image for a larger view.

black and white

here's another book with a quarter binding that i made using some black and white floral fabric, and black leather for the spine.  i had no book anxiety this time, mostly thanks to the wonderful feedback from my sweet blogger buddies tess and michelle...i SO appreciate your encouragement!  and tess, thanks for sharing your momma's wisdom...she's right when she says, "Any slight flaw makes the item unique, It's only a flaw if you allow it to be."  it's so true!!

so, i think that this book might make its way into Santa's bag this year (and that's all i'm going to say for now, i don't want to give away any secrets!).  i'm finally done with making gifts...now it's time to do some baking and wrapping...two of my favorite things!

circles on blue

one of the first journals i put in my etsy shop was made using fabric like this...except the background was yellow.  the construction is basically the same as my other journals, so i decided to do something a little different on the front.  well, actually, it was by necessity, because my wood buttons were a little too small, so i backed them with a flattened bottle cap and it worked out pretty well.  boy, i sure do love those "happy accidents"...and i sure do wish they happened more often!  :)

fireworks batik journal

sometimes i fall in love with a fabric, but that doesn't guarantee that it will look good on a journal (kinda like when i go shopping and that "to die for sweater" looks better on the hanger than it does on my body).   today i got lucky...i think that this batik fabric is the perfect fit for this journal!

rich in golds, greens and amethyst, this batik fabric reminds me of a dark sky filled with fireworks.  i sewed five signatures of hand-torn italian velata paper to the inside using a bright yellow waxed linen thread.  the two green buttons on the front are slightly mis-matched in color, which bothered the perfectionist in me at first...but then the pollyanna in me said "hey, be glad that you had two green buttons instead of only one!".  i just love pollyanna, don't you?!  :)

batik keyholes

the blue ovals on this fabric remind me of keyhole locks, so i thought it would be perfect for a journal cover...surely all of the thoughts, goals and dreams inside will be kept secure.  this fabric actually comes from my growing collection of batiks.  i really love the artistic imperfection and spontaneity that you find with batiks, and this blue and green color combination has long been a favorite of mine.  and with all of that, today i'm branching out a bit...i think it's time to mix it up a bit and learn some new techniques.  more on that tomorrow! (this book was constructed using the same techniques that can be found here)

bright days

here is another book that i made using some of my lettering artwork on the front cover.  my original aceo artwork has been printed on canvas and then stitched to the front cover fabric...and speaking of the fabric, it's probably not the normal "autumn" color combination, but sometimes you just have to go with what you like!  the chartreuse and fuchsia are still hanging in there from the summer,  and i think that bright days are ahead for anyone keeping their thoughts in this journal!

autumn inspirations

autumn is in the air everywhere...even in north florida!  i don't know how long it will be here, but we've had a nice "cool front" come through our neighborhood, low humidity and a nice ocean breeze.  so, autumn inspiration has crept into my studio, and i thought this fabric would make the perfect book to reflect that.  construction is the same as the other books that i've made recently.  today, i may change gears and get my calligraphy nibs out, mix up some gouache, and get lost in that wonderful sound of putting letterforms onto paper...i'll let you know how it goes.

girl on the go

this is a blank, hardcover journal that i made yesterday.  for this book, i used fabric that i bought at the quilt show this past weekend.  as with my other journals, the inside is filled with italian velata paper.  i sewed some black and white cloth tape to the front and it wraps around the spine onto the back cover.  to finish, there are two wooden buttons (made by me by gluing paper to wooden discs) hand-sewn to the front cover using waxed linen thread.  i love the black, white and hot pink combination, and while i don't usually use novelty-type fabrics, it's fun to deviate from the norm every once in a while!