... Homemade Journal ... 2016

[TMLee]

It does look better than I expected. Go for it!

 

ETA: in fact, it looks a little like a treasure chest... think of all the good stuff that will be inside, hidden from view until you open the page...

 

Thanks....

[TMLee]

Love this blue & pattern.

There's a blue white pen from Japan that in my wildest imagination would pair with this beautifully.

(mentioned since pairing a pen is your practice)

 

After pondering the spine additions, they break up the startling white space. If you'd enjoy an added challenge, placing these strips to replicate the floral shape. Center strip is black white dot, next white dots in blue field, & blue exterior edges.

 

Your amphibian friend offers another idea for future nature theme, frog button on ribbon.

 

None of which you need use, but your creativity energizes ours.

 

PS, when I opened this page 8 others were enjoying your posts too, so carry on - (smile)

 

Thanks,

yes this blue sakura washi is very goodlooking.

and what is that pen from JPN that is blue and white ?

I am interested to know

 

Ah ...

I see...

this is a further 'iteration'. Interesting idea ! ie, forming a pattern on the spine itself using strips of washi ...

lots of permutations !!!!!

 

I am now thinking, even drawing or rubber stamping some patterns ...

This is indeed interesting, but its a crazy amount of work, not to mention - planning and designing ...

 

For example, if you recall, I purchased a small wooden stamp of a dragonfly motif.

Imagine doing some dragonfly stampings on a sheet of paper and cutting it into strips to be then mounted on the individual spines...

 

Frog buttons?

or

do you mean oriental kind of frog clasp buttons ?

 

That's another interesting suggestion.

 

Years ago I thot of adding some leather strip or patch where the ribbon punches thru the Signature.

Didn't develop that idea.

Maybe its time to revive that ...

Then again, it may become an annoying appendage there ...

[TMLee]

 

 

Yeah,

I struggle with the same thoughts ...

 

Maybe there's too many interruptions ?

 

How about a long unbroken variant , leaving only the head and tail blank ?

That might be a stronger impact visually ...

 

 

I think I shall try making a matching pair ...

one with head and tail covered and stations too ,

and

the other with a long covering, leaving only the head and tail blank ...

Will try this on that Kiri embossed flowers with red spine ...

I think it will be a nice pair ..

 

[mhguda]

I like the color combo very much. And at first I thought you had already sewn it and the threads were hidden... which brings up the idea of camouflaging them, and I think that would also work, though you might not like it much... but think about it. White threads where the spine is not covered, red where you have the washi paper on it. Would that be even possible? Each sewing station is part of a pair, right? So you'd have to shorten the red strips on the bottom book... but otherwise it looks like it could be done with the current setup. OTOH the contrasting color would work, too. I'm curious how it will turn out...

[TMLee]

I like the color combo very much. And at first I thought you had already sewn it and the threads were hidden... which brings up the idea of camouflaging them, and I think that would also work, though you might not like it much... but think about it. White threads where the spine is not covered, red where you have the washi paper on it. Would that be even possible? Each sewing station is part of a pair, right? So you'd have to shorten the red strips on the bottom book... but otherwise it looks like it could be done with the current setup. OTOH the contrasting color would work, too. I'm curious how it will turn out...

 

Haha ...

yah, the red is very striking, more like a Vermillion ... so its visual impact is somewhat overpowering

 

Covering the stitches?

hmmm, not possible, the stitches have too much bulk to achieve a neat wrapping over.

BUT ...

you gave me another idea ... (somewhat like what 'pen2paper' suggested too ...)

how about cutting one piece of paper that is then glued across all Signatures?

The appeal of such an idea is that you can have a motif in its entirety , pasted on the spine.

It will need some experimenting ... and some practical crafting obstacles to overcome ..

I would want my stitches to run over that covering... how to do this ?

 

 

The length of the long strip ..

Well I thought about it, if I left the first and last pair of stations uncovered, the long strip of red will appear too short - proportionally.

That was why I took the decision to go across half a pair of stations.

 

I am quite satisfied with the visual proportion right now , but yes, you are right, it has brought along a fresh challenge - in terms of patterning.

The first and last station doesn't carry the rhythm of the pattern of stitches along the entire spine.

 

One way is to have the first and last station in red, and the rest in white.

 

In other words, I will use a combo of white and red stitches but only at the first and last pair of stations.

 

Like so ....

(This was done way back in 2010 in my old superlong threadpost... )

The large journal at the bottom has alternating coloured cords.

I think I can use this technique , in other words , red cords only at first and last station.

The rest in white.

Finished with a red ribbon pagemarker.

Yeah, that should do it.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2062%20Capetown/Journal%2062B%20A5%20Capetown/DSCF6420.jpg

[mhguda]

Interesting possibility, I'd love to see how that comes out...

And yes, covering part of all the signatures in the spine together would give the opportunity of a nice pattern, but how about doing something of a pattern with the strips? Although it would make for a ton of work more, not sure if that's worth it?

[TMLee]

Interesting possibility, I'd love to see how that comes out...

And yes, covering part of all the signatures in the spine together would give the opportunity of a nice pattern, but how about doing something of a pattern with the strips? Although it would make for a ton of work more, not sure if that's worth it?

 

Bummer ...

It didnt work out. - that alternating coloured cords.

It looked anaemic ...

I stripped it out and restitched with the same white cords instead ...

Edited December 28, 2018 by TMLee

[TMLee]

This is a tribute to STCC - Sea Turtle Conservation of Curacao ...

 

and their Facebook page here ...

 

Do support them in any way you can .

 

The amount of plastic debris is endangering marine wildlife of all kinds ...

Just look at their videos posted ..

At alarming levels ...

And these beautiful sea turtles are being directly threatened ...

 

I only came to know about this organisation recently.

And it coincided with one of my commissions.

I saw this nice scrapbooking paper and decided to buy it just before I came to know about STCC.

 

 

Visually, it was a nice looking graphic and coupled with this new acquaintance of STCC, I proceeded to make a journal ...

 

 

 

Midnight Blue bookcloth ...

Its a nice stately deep blue ...

 

 

JOURNAL 258 "TURTLE TIME"

 

A5 size

 

Front

 

Rear

 

 

Matching Midnight Blue bookbands ...

 

 

 

Along with the same series of marine theme , they had this seaweed kind of motif ...

I decided to buy them cos they had that orange which was a common hue...

and would be most fitting to become the flyleaves ...

Graphic 45 is one of my fave scrapbooking brandname.

Their designs have that kind of a crisp and bold graphic designs which I like.

Their papers are also thicker , its at least 160g , my guess ..

 

so to match this flyleaves,

I used rust orange cords ...

 

 

And orange ribbon pagemarker ...

 

 

 

As you can see, the bookblock comprises 2 kinds of writing paper...

 

 

 

 

Full spread

 

with the flyleaves in view ..

so you see the orange hue in all elements ..

the main cover graphic , the stitches, the ribbon, the flyleaves ..

 

 

I made an improvement of the back pocket,

here you see that the in-built pocket is perfectly aligned with the rear flyleaf.

The graphics line up.

 

 

The tolerance is very tight (the scrapbook paper is exactly 12" only , ie 304.8mm , so you have to use the paper carefully to achieve this alignment. Its tight but its possible, the rear flyleaf is cut slightly differently from the rear pocket)

Here you see quite a narrow strip for the foldover...

 

I also decided to use the remnants to make the hinges ..

 

 

 

 

Well, its visually co-ordinated, but functionally, a lot less light into the pocket compared to my usual tracing vellum hinges ...

 

The anti drop-out flap is also exactly aligned ...

Seen here tucked under the bands.

 

 

 

 

Colophon

 

Writing paper is a combo of

NATURALIS Absolute White 135g, Matte (4 Signatures)

NATURALIS Vanilla White 135g , Smooth (3 Signatures)

Total 7 Signatures, 4 Folios each

140 writing pages

 

 

 

 

This is quite a nice journal becos of the co-ordinated colours ...

 

 

 

[TMLee]

Completed ...

 

This is JOURNAL 260 "KIRI Flowers - Red Karakami"

 

Front

 

Rear

 

 

Rice white stitches

Decided to cover more of the spine, cover the stations in pairs...

 

 

 

 

 

This scheme has washi added onto the Signature spines ..

 

 

The thing about this washi - once glued onto the spines, its impossible to remove.

Tried doing that surgically with a supersharp blade but it really stuck very well cos of the fibres on the wrong side of the paper.

 

 

 

 

 

Full spread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red flyleaves

 

 

Inktestpage

 

 

Colophon

 

Writing paper is

NATURALIS Vanilla White , 135g, Smooth

7 Signatures, 4 Folios each

Total 112 writing pages

 

 

 

 

Beautiful paper ...

The KIRI flowers are embossed ...

 

 

 

 

[mhguda]

Really very nice TM.

[TMLee]

Really very nice TM.

 

Thanks

[TMLee]

This is the other variant ..

 

JOURNAL 260A " KIRI Flowers - Red Karakami "

 

A5 size

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rice white stitches.

matching Longer washi-on-the-spine decoration

 

Both head & tail are left uncovered ...

 

 

The head.

Matching red ribbon pagemarker ...

 

 

More of the spine covered, giving an illusion of a stronger tie between the 2 covers

 

 

Full spread

so this variant , seems to suggest that the head and tail can be covered in a different material or colour ...

opens some possibilities here ...

 

 

 

 

Red Flyleaves

 

 

 

Colophon

 

Writing paper is

NATURALIS , Vanilla White , 135g, Smooth

7 Signatures, 4 Folios each,

Total 112 writing pages

 

 

 

Comparing the 2 spine coverings ...

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by TMLee

[TMLee]

The duo ...

 

260 and 260A KIRI Flowers - Red Karakami ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ceramicmj]

Newbie question...Is this the thread where we should share our journal making efforts?

 

I finally got a few photos of my first ones. They are not in any way comparable with TMLee's, other than being inspired by his 355 Mini series. :-)

[TMLee]

Newbie question...Is this the thread where we should share our journal making efforts?

 

I finally got a few photos of my first ones. They are not in any way comparable with TMLee's, other than being inspired by his 355 Mini series. :-)

 

 

Excited to hear that you have made some attempts ....

and am waiting to see your handiwork ...

 

I am no moderator, so dear Mod, pls excuse me (and correct me) if I am incorrect ...

 

To answer your question ...

This is a threadpost. With a particular topic.

 

You can start another thread of yours although the subject matter may be similar ,

there will definitely be some differences , simply becos you would do things differently from me.

 

There are also several others here who have started their separate threads (on this similar subject) and they are also 'charting' their own journey of sorts...

The beauty is that all these threads are not exactly the same although they share the same general subject matter of bookbinding.

The differences benefit the entire community here cos some people may be looking for specific information.

 

This is the same reason why I started a separate thread for "The 355 Mini" as well as "How to make your own Cahiers" .

Same subject matter of DIY projects but clearly different in terms of content and purpose.

This way its easier for the community to search and look up on things related.

You are one such example cos you found the 355 mini through searching DAISO paper reviews.

 

You should post under "Pen and Paper Paraphernalia" , like what I and others have done here.

It is the place that gathers all topics like mine and yours.

 

Do start your thread,

I am guessing that you are going to take a journey of sorts in this endeavour of yours ...

This is a nice community and I think we all look forward to join you ....

Have fun ...

[ceramicmj]

Thank you for the guidance (and your kind patience!). I'm looking forward to sharing - I've started reading up on how to do photos - I guess once I hit Bronze+ it'll be easier (and also to decide the best way to share them). Hopefully this weekend, stay tuned!

[TMLee]

Thank you for the guidance (and your kind patience!). I'm looking forward to sharing - I've started reading up on how to do photos - I guess once I hit Bronze+ it'll be easier (and also to decide the best way to share them). Hopefully this weekend, stay tuned!

Great !

Remember to resize your pics before posting them.

(Size down your pics in terms of bytesize.)

😊

[TMLee]

Found this fabric print ...

 

its cotton duck ...

heavier weave...

tends to fray easily when cut.

 

so I used Heat n Bond - Ultra hold

 

 

Ironing on the adhesive ...

 

 

This tracing paper is kind of thickish ...

 

 

 

Trimmed away all the excess edges

bummer ... have to use a flat base iron - one with no steam holes etc

The HeatnBond is so effective that holes don't get melted down nicely to adhere flat onto the tracing paper

 

 

the right side up ..

quite a cute print.

how many animals can you spot ?

 

 

cut and mounted onto large A5 coverboards.

This DIY bookcloth is thickish due to the fabric density. ...

quite a challenge to do the foldovers...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TSherbs]

TMLee, your notebooks continue to be beautiful.

[TMLee]

TMLee, your notebooks continue to be beautiful.

 

Thank you TSherbs for your encouragement ...