New Journals, New Online Journal Class

Here are some new journals I completed recently. This one is for my friend, Lyn. She liked the one I made for her son and wanted me to make a similar one for her. It’s a leather travel journal with my handmade painted pockets inside. She loved it so much that she made a video out of her photos!

This is an adaptation from I class I took at Southwest School of Art a few years back. Originally, we used a cover of special handmade paper that I knew I would not be able to duplicate. So, I’m experimenting using 140 lb. watercolor paper as well as canvas. This is the paper cover, painted with acrylics, and folded back to double and strengthen the cover. It’s basically a sewn on tapes type.

Here is the same type, only with a canvas cover. I haven’t sewn the “X” stitches that attach it to the cover yet.

Hiding out from the continuous and oppressive 100 degrees plus temperatures outside, this weekend I began gathering materials for Full Tilt Boogie. This is the newest online class from Mary Ann Moss. Even though I’ve taken several online and in-person bookbinding classes, Mary Ann’s is by far the most helpful and downright FUN! She goes to great lengths to demonstrate the binding techniques, both in the print and video versions. The first journal structure is something I’m familiar with but she has a new idea that really adds to the structural integrity of the book. And, there’s her spirit of adventure and experimentation! For a bookbinder, the fact that the materials are not necessarily archival and acid-free explorations has me gleefully digging through my studio for papers I’d never thought I'd use, in all sizes and types. And, heaven knows I need to use up my paper supply—from old greeting cards I couldn't part with to commercial scrapbook papers from last year, from the guts of old books to my own paintings on watercolor paper. It’s very freeing process and I’ve only started the first week!