... homemade journal ...

[TMLee]

Love the monogramming touch, and the color choice

 

Thanks

[TMLee]

Having a bit of fun ....

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20147%20Jet%20Black%20Bookcloth/Journal%20147K%20Jet%20Black%20Bookcloth%20-%20Slow%20Cheetahs/004.jpg

 

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20147%20Jet%20Black%20Bookcloth/Journal%20147K%20Jet%20Black%20Bookcloth%20-%20Slow%20Cheetahs/005.jpg

 

 

[pen2paper]

Love Gary Larson's humor!

Larson used to have a cartoon for the Run To The Farside fun run at The California Academy of Sciences,

The shirt I have has the Lemmings running to the sea - wearing innertubes.

[TMLee]

Love Gary Larson's humor!

Larson used to have a cartoon for the Run To The Farside fun run at The California Academy of Sciences,

The shirt I have has the Lemmings running to the sea - wearing innertubes.

Haha , yes ,

He's hilarious !

[TMLee]

Completed ....

 

Journal #122D GEMATEX - Dark Purple - Spice Islands

 

A5 size , crafted on commission ...

 

Front

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/002-3.jpg

 

Back

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/005-3.jpg

 

 

Bands deployed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/015-2.jpg

 

I used yellow stitches to match the yellow flyleaves

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/009-3.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/007-3.jpg

 

This time round, I folded the signatures in one fold, instead of folding each folio like I usually do.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/011-3.jpg

 

Full Spread ...

I decided to place the map on the rear cover instead of the front.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/012-3.jpg

 

Yellow Flyleaves , yellow stitches , yellow ribbon ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/014-2.jpg

 

There's also some yellow on the map...

and I think all these work together for the aesthetics ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/013-2.jpg

 

 

I reserved the front flyleaf for the monogram , which I made it into an emboss ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/017-2.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/018-2.jpg

 

The inktestpage

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/019-2.jpg

 

Colophon

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/020-1.jpg

 

I used the 'wrong' side of the leather .

I figured it looked better than its rights side which was tan in colour ...

The corners are flushed ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/023-1.jpg

 

 

This is a nice one ... and I like it ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2010%20JOURNALS/GEMATEX%20SERIES/Journal%20122%20GEMATEX%20Dark%20Purple/Journal%20122D%20GEMATEX%20-%20Dark%20Purple%20Spice%20Islands/005-3.jpg

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

I am curious,

For those of you who own my journals featuring TOMOE RIVER paper, how are the journals coming along?

I decided to use one myself, TR#05 ...

and I have to say the paper is quite something.

I used both sides , kinda distracting, but somehow after a while you get used to it.

 

What's your experience?

[dcpritch]

The paper is wonderful, as is the journal itself. I'm glad you undertook the challenge!

[timjthomas]

I haven't gotten to the section of the journal you made for me that has the TR paper yet. I really do like the Sugar Cane Bagasse though!

[timjthomas]

Not sure how I will like the TR paper though -- it takes sooooo long to dry

 

[TMLee]

Not sure how I will like the TR paper though -- it takes sooooo long to dry

 

 

Agree , that was my experience too.

 

I recently acquired a very very wet 14K vintage stub.

and it lays down very wet lines.

Yes it takes a bit of time for the ink to dry . I was using Pelikan Brilliant Brown.

 

But interestingly, that large quantity of ink , whilst it took time to dry , didnt feather.

It stayed there. eventually drying out AND producing some nice shading.

 

When I cant wait for it to dry , like when I need to flip the page, I will insert a blotter and continue.

 

On a positive note, I like the smoothness.

 

Coupled with a very wet stub, I think it was just bliss....

 

The paper does very well to receive inks that most other papers cant do as well.

For example , red inks , purples ...

I find these inks feather on most other papers.

But for the TR paper, it seems to handle them very very well.

 

What do others here experience?

[TMLee]

This is Journal 171 " Baby Boy" A5 size crafted on order...

 

Front

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/013.jpg

 

Rear

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/016.jpg

 

 

Bands deployed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/017.jpg

 

Full spread

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/021.jpg

 

I chose a blue theme , becos it was for a baby boy ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/023.jpg

 

 

Blue stitches

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/020.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/018.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/019.jpg

 

Matching blue flyleaves

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/025.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/026.jpg

 

Inktestpage

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/027.jpg

 

Colophon

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20171%20Baby%20Boy/028.jpg

 

 

7 Signatures 4 Folios each , total 112 writing pages

Writing paper is

NATURALIS Soft White, Smooth , 135gsm

 

 

[TSherbs]

very nice!

[TMLee]

I haven't gotten to the section of the journal you made for me that has the TR paper yet. I really do like the Sugar Cane Bagasse though!

Not sure how I will like the TR paper though -- it takes sooooo long to dry

 

You may want to check on how wet your nib is.

On my really wet nibs, the quantity of ink laid on the paper is a lot, so the ink takes a while to dry up.

Compare against a less wet nib, and you should see the ink dry up pretty quick.

I just observed this.

 

The reason you like the bagasse paper is cos it's uncoated, and the ink penetrates the paper without any delay , eg , the coating on TR paper.

Hence there's no 'pool' of ink waiting to dry up on the paper surface.

Edited June 7, 2013 by TMLee

[TMLee]

very nice!

Thank you....

[TMLee]

You may want to check on how wet your nib is.

On my really wet nibs, the quantity of ink laid on the paper is a lot, so the ink takes a while to dry up.

Compare against a less wet nib, and you should see the ink dry up pretty quick.

I just observed this.

 

The reason you like the bagasse paper is cos it's uncoated, and the ink penetrates the paper without any delay , eg , the coating on TR paper.

Hence there's no 'pool' of ink waiting to dry up on the paper surface.

 

I did a test using a very wet stub here ...

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/238274-stub-o-the-day/page-8?do=findComment&comment=2695593

[Earthdawn]

Beautiful work as always !!!

 

Love the contrast of the blue stitches on the last notebook.

[timjthomas]

You may want to check on how wet your nib is.

On my really wet nibs, the quantity of ink laid on the paper is a lot, so the ink takes a while to dry up.

Compare against a less wet nib, and you should see the ink dry up pretty quick.

I just observed this.

 

The reason you like the bagasse paper is cos it's uncoated, and the ink penetrates the paper without any delay , eg , the coating on TR paper.

Hence there's no 'pool' of ink waiting to dry up on the paper surface.

 

I've been writing on the TR paper in the practice journal you made for me and really do like the paper. I simply leave the page open for a minute or two before closing and don't have to worry about dry time

 

I may have to have you make me another journal with just TR paper!

[TMLee]

I've been writing on the TR paper in the practice journal you made for me and really do like the paper. I simply leave the page open for a minute or two before closing and don't have to worry about dry time

 

I may have to have you make me another journal with just TR paper!

Well, I just put up two journals for sale yesterday, one of which is a full TR paper journal in A6 size.

I have two more TR journals to add to the sale too.

But in A6 size.

You may be interested in the landscape format one.

 

Pics to follow soon.

Edited June 8, 2013 by TMLee

[TMLee]

Earlier on , I crafted this ...

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/098.jpg

 

Then i decided to undo all the stitches and replace with a thicker thread which I stubbornly want to use... 0.8mm flat thread - polyester.

 

This is Journal 152A "Maroon Waves " . My 10th TR journal

A6 size

 

Front

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/009.jpg

 

Band deployed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/012.jpg

 

I decided on white stitches ... seemed most suitable colour ...

I have decided to always use 6 sewing stations whenever crafting journals with TR paper. Less 'wobble'...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/014.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/015.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/013.jpg

 

I decided on orange flyleaves

and orange ribbon pagemarker ..

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/017.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/021.jpg

 

Rear pocket

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/022.jpg

 

Full spread

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/016.jpg

 

Inktestpage

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/018.jpg

 

Colophon

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/019.jpg

 

Writing paper is

TOMOE RIVER paper, 52g, Cream.

Supersmooth

7 Signatures , 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2011%20JOURNALS/Journal%20152%20Maroon%20Waves/Journal%20152A%20Maroon%20Waves/010.jpg

Edited June 10, 2013 by TMLee

[TMLee]

This is the Journal 170B L "Happy Dragonflies" finally completed ...

 

A6 size in landscaped format...

 

My 12th TR journal ...

 

Stitching a full TR paper bookblock in landscaped format brings with it additional challenges.

 

The stitches are located on the short side.

This means that any slight offset of the folios will be exaggerated on the long side.

Will explain further later...

 

For piercing, I tried a different technique.

 

As usual, I marked (with a pencil) on the spine.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/002-2.jpg

 

 

Then becos the paper is so transparent, I transfer this outermost sheet into the inside of the signature.

This way, I can see the shadows of the pencil markings on the inside when opening it out to a vee for piercing ...

 

Here you see one signature being set on the piercing cradle and pierced with a needle (not an awl) held in a handheld drill-bit vise.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/004-1.jpg

 

The reason why I work this way is becos my technique demands that my sewing stations are lined up perfectly on the spine.

Hence , more time spent just on piercing the stations dead accurately on the spine.

For those of you who are stitching with TR paper, you have to be extra careful when piercing cos there is a tendency for the folios to slide out of position when handled.

Its so smooth - the paper - that when it happens, you wont even notice it.Until AFTER piercing !!!

Thats when you see the stations misaligned with your other stations

 

Here you see the stations pierced as accurately as possible ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/006-1.jpg

 

 

I made a decision to continue with 3 pairs of stations, having learnt from experience that the bookblock kind of stays aligned better with more stations holding it in place.

Its troublesome, them stations so close to each other , often entangling ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/008.jpg

 

 

Initially I decided on blue stitches ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/007.jpg

 

But after doing the first signature , i had doubts ...

I decided to remove the threads and used white thread instead ...

I wanted to have white on the spine accent bookcloth - to match the white dragonflies...

 

 

Front

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/023.jpg

 

Rear

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/026.jpg

 

Band deployed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/037.jpg

 

 

White stitches

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/028.jpg

 

I am now able to stitch with 0.8mm thread with good results.

I am inclined to believe that the (undersized) size of the piercings is a contributing factor.

the tighter the fit of the thread to the station, the better the end result.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/029.jpg

 

Compared to my earlier TR journals, I have overcomed the problem of signatures sliding over each other ...

The spine view of the 7 signatures now look good.

Each standing shoulder to shoulder to each other and all aligned - none are behind each other.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/030.jpg

 

 

Full spread

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/032.jpg

 

 

I decided on a dash of colour - burgundy for the flyleaves

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/033.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/036.jpg

 

 

The rear pocket as usual ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/038.jpg

 

 

All my landscaped journals do not have ribbon pagemarkers.

Too long to incorporate - not practical.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/035.jpg

 

 

Inktestpage

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/042.jpg

 

 

Colophon

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/039.jpg

 

Here is the challenge of working with TR paper in landscaped format.

I notice that the single sheet of folio which gets transferred from outside to inside, has a problem aligning with the rest of the folios in that signature.

Here you see that sheet out of alignment.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/043.jpg

 

I suppose this is the price for handcrafting ...

 

I will have to rethink how to pierce dead accurately without shifting folios around.

 

I used a piercing template earlier on, but still encountered inaccuracy.

Something moved during that stage ...

 

Writing paper is :

TOMOE RIVER paper , 52g , Cream, supersmooth

7 Signatures, 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

I like this journal

- for its colour scheme and aesthetics (the olive drab bookcloth spine accent matches wonderfully with the green grass on the fabric print ) ; and

- the landscaped format , which is excellent for page after page of writing ....

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/2011/2013/2013%20Journals/Journal%20170%20Happy%20Dragonflies/Journal%20170B%20Happy%20Dragonflies/025.jpg

Edited June 11, 2013 by TMLee