... Homemade Journal ... 2016

[TMLee]

JOURNAL 278 The 4 Seasons - Haru (Spring)

 

A6 size

 

97th TR Journal

 

Front

 

Rear

 

With matching lilac bookband

 

 

 

Beautiful washi paper .

The leaves outline are in gold.

 

 

I decided to add accents on the spine, seeing that the washi paper was so nice.

selected a portion of washi to then cut into strips ...

 

 

 

 

Here , glued each strip (2.5mm?)  into position on each signature and onto each pair of sewing station.

It has to be narrow so it won't appear inside, between pages.

Yet it has to be wide enough to cover the signature completely on the exposed spine.

In addition, if its not narrow, it will add to the overall bulk (thickness) of each Signature , and consequently , the bulk of the whole bookblock.

But of course, handcrafting inaccuracies occur from time to time.

And if you find this in my creations in your hand, just consider it a limited edition !!!! 🤭

 

 

The outcome ...

 

Head

I used white cords to blend with the whites on the washi.

These are good quality cords from Italy.

You can tell by how tightly the strands are wound on each other to form the cord which is 0.8mm wide , flat profile.

 

 

Tail

 

 

Full spread

 

with matching lilac flyleaves in view

 

 

The emboss/deboss with accent continued here .

The paper is lightly textured.

As in all my journals bearing a spine accent, the washi dives under this accent.

This way, the lilac accent won't ever get frayed and peel off over time , which is sometimes what you see in book covers that are similarly covered with 2 different materials.

Its tedious but worth the effort , especially if you want the journal to keep.

The washi ends with the triangular tips seen here underneath , turning it into an emboss.

 

The matching lilac flyleaves

 

Rear pocket with built-in namecard slot and matching anti drop-out flap.

Here you see the colours kept to a minimum.

My photo assistant 'kooyah' ...

 

 

One main reason why my journals are all exposed stitched.

To open flat and stay flat open.

Of course, the extremely thin TR paper at 52g is also a major factor. 😊

 

 

 

Inktest page

 

and Colophon

 

Writing paper is :

TOMOE RIVER paper , 52g, Cream

7 Signatures, 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

 

 

 

Spring

 

 

[TMLee]

JOURNAL 279 - The 4 Seasons - Natsu (Summer)

 

A6 size

 

98th TR journal

 

This is the Summer variant of these series of washi paper

Beautiful !

 

Front

 

Rear

 

With book band deployed

 

Matching ribbon pagemarker , deep green.

I used beige coloured cords to match the shade of beige on the washi.

(Pictured with a PenBBs 456 Vermouth, pretty decent writer. I was impressed.)

 

Likewise , added accents on the spine itself ...

here you see the Head of the book

 

The tail

 

Selected patches to install on the spine ...

 

Cut them into narrow strips to glue onto each signature

 

The outcome

 

 

 

 

Full spread

 

Here the accent along the spine border is a Sap Green bookcloth from Spain.

Matching Dark Green ribbon pagemarker.

 

Here you see the matching flyleaves in Olive Drab. it is textured.

 

As always , the washi goes under this accent along the bookcloth spine border.

As explained above in the previous post, this protects the bookcloth from getting peeled away which is sometimes  a common sight in library books  being shelved and re-shelved frequently.

 

 

The leaves are outlined in gold.

There are also speckles , reflective , scattered on the washi too.

 

Olive Drab flyleaves

Inside front flyleaf

 

Rear pocket with built-in namecard slot and matching anti drop-out flap.

Translucent hinges to bring light into the otherwise dark interior of the pocket.

 

Inktest page

 

Colophon

 

Writing paper is

TOMOE RIVER paper , 52g, Cream

7 Signatures, 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

 

Opens flat , stays flat open.

 

 

 

Summer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

JOURNAL 280 - The 4 Seasons - Aki (Autumn)

 

A6 size

 

99th TR journal

 

this one seems to be the most visually stunning among the four ...

 

 

Front

 

Rear

 

 

With the band

 

I happened to have the right shade of Salmon bookbands ...

 

In this series , I planted further additional accents on the spine itself ...

using leftovers from careful cutouts.

 

 

The effect

 

 

I used a Buttermilk coloured cord to match the washi and to contrast with the accent along the spine.

Pictured with a PLATINUM President Coral Red.

 

The head

 

 

 

 

For this accent, I used scrapbooking paper.

Its heavy paper. Maybe 170-180g ? Printed doublesided. Acid free.

The colour matches the washi very well. Something like persimmon colour.

Its also textured. The colour in this pic is a bit off. Its tone is fresher, not so muted.

 

 

So here you see the scrapbooking paper installed as the accent along the spine.

The hue matches that on the washi very well.

The fresh tone makes it visually attractive.

 

Full spread

 

showing here the array of controlled matching hues ...

Found a matching ribbon , Coral in colour. I preferred a darker Coral or Salmon but alas they didn't have.

Amazing shop selling nothing but all kinds of ribbons.

Ribbons of every colour and shade imaginable ..... except what I needed ! 😢

 

 

A pic below showing the detail of how the spine accent merges with the washi.

For those of you attempting this, stiff paper (like scrapbooking paper here) is easier to work with compared to bookcloth. This is because the scrapbooking paper is stiffer and holds its form and shape whilst being wet with glue.

( bookcloth is alot thinner and more flimsy. It will warp when the glue is too wet - as in watery. )

Your glue mustn't be too watery cos it will warp your paper (or bookcloth) in no time.

When its warped, its size is deformed and you won't get a nice neat outcome -  the edges will expand out of shape.

Glueing technique is something you have to learn by experience. 

this is where the use of old glue comes into consideration. Old glue is fresh glue but drying out. Less watery when fresh. More sticky. This kind doesn't warp (deform) your material.

I glue my things pretty dry. ie not so wet glue , and thin (not copious) amount.

Glue stains are a headache when doing finishing work like this.  Especially when you work with bookcloth !

 

 

 

The flyleaves are scrapbooking paper

 

 

 

Its doublesided printed ...

Its reverse side is polka dotted...

 

The rear pocket

 

And here showing the reverse side (of the anti drop-out flap) polka-dotted

 

The inktestpage

 

The Colophon

 

 

Writing paper is

TOMOE RIVER paper , 52g, Cream

7 Signatures , 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn

 

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

JOURNAL 281 - The 4 Seasons - Fuyu (Winter)

 

A6 size

 

100th TR journal

 

The 4th in this series of washi

 

 

 

 

Front

 

Rear

 

 

With Buttermilk bands

 

 

Decided to add accents on the spine using the leftover cutouts

 

 

Cut into narrow strips and glued onto each Signature on the spine.

 

 

I used white cords to match the washi.

 

 

Matching ribbon pagemarker , Mint colour

 

The tail end ...

 

 

Full spread

 

With the matching flyleaves

This is also scrapbooking paper , Mint colour. Doublesided printed.

(Pictured with a WingSung 699 Clear with Silver trim, a replica of the PILOT Custom 823)

 

The accent along the spine border

Same scrapboking paper continued here ...

 

 

The flyleaves

Front

Scrapbooking paper , heavy paper , textured.

 

Reverse side is printed with polka-dots

 

Rear pocket with namecard slot, anti drop-out flap, translucent hinges

 

reverse side showing the polka-dots

 

inktestpage

 

 

Colophon

 

Writing paper is

TOMOE RIVER paper , 52g, Cream

7 Signatures, 10 Folios each

Total 280 writing pages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter

 

 

 

 

 

[mhguda]

A feast for sore eyes, indeed.

[TMLee]

14 hours ago, mhguda said:

A feast for sore eyes, indeed.

 

😁

[TMLee]

THE 4 SEASONS QUARTET ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mhguda]

thank you.

[TMLee]

JOURNAL 267 "BOKHARA RED Bookcloth"

 

This journal is stitched with paper cannibalized from KOKUYO Campus Century Edition notebook A5 size.

 

You can find that review of that notebook here ...

 

This is A6 size...

 

Its covered in bookcloth from Shepherds Bookbindery in London.

A very nice deep red called Bokhara Red.

 

 

 

 

Backside

 

 

Mango threads and matching ribbon

 

 

 

 

The tail of the bookblock suffers from unaligned signatures...

The head is aligned however ...

 

 

 

The signatures are aligned at the head

 

Full spread

 

 

with the flyleaves in view

 

Matching flyleaves

 

The edge of the papers are patterened in the original notebook.

So here, after folding, it gets messed up...

View of head

 

 

View of long side

 

 

view of bottom

since its the original spine that is not printed, so here its unpatterened

 

 

Tested with ink and watercolours

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally no bleedthru at all ...

 

Colophon ...

 

7 Signatures

4 folios each

total 112 writing pages

writing paper is

KOKUYO Campus Century Edition CYO-BO paper 100g, 5mm grid (light grey)

excellent paper

😊

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

TM Lee those journals are true works of art!

[TMLee]

On 8/23/2021 at 2:00 AM, Anne-Sophie said:

TM Lee those journals are true works of art!

 

Thank you

 😊

[Anne-Sophie]

FPN members in search of the ultimate notebook won't have far to go to find it.  

[TMLee]

 

 

 I have (finally) removed all my photos out of PhotoBucket and closed my account. ☹️

 

so you wont be able to see any pics at all even if you clicked on those PBucket links .

(the links were all broken anyway, and maybe I shld ask for a $refund )

 

it would be great if I can somehow re-attach those pics in those earlier posts .

(I think the Moderator has to do some magic with the software controls )

Its around the first 8 pages of this thread.

Quite a lot of work even though its 8 pages, but I think its do-able. 🤞

Slowly repair the thread to make it intact.

 

I wish I can do the same for the original thread, of over 100 pages?  but I think it way too gargantuan  an effort. 

Too daunting just thinking about it.  😔

That thread is a more interesting log of this journey.

 

This was Journal #1 in that original thread .... !

 

 

 

 

 

😊

[mhguda]

Such a long way you've come since then...😉

[TMLee]

On 11/22/2021 at 8:35 PM, mhguda said:

Such a long way you've come since then...😉

 

Yes , and thanks to so many of you here for journeying alongside … 😊

 

 

[TMLee]

 The set of 7 journals stitched with KOKUYO CAMPUS CYO_BO paper cannibalized from their

KOKUYO 100TH RECORD BOOK - CENTURY EDITION .

 

 

All in A6 size

 

 

 

 

 

😊

 

 

[TMLee]

Just now, TMLee said:

 The set of 7 journals stitched with KOKUYO CAMPUS CYO_BO paper cannibalized from their

KOKUYO 100TH RECORD BOOK - CENTURY EDITION .

 

 

All in A6 size

 

 

 

 

 

😊

 

 

 

 

1)   JOURNAL 147W JET BLACK BOOKCLOTH

 

 

 

 

2)  JOURNAL 173F - MIDNIGHT BLUE BOOKCLOTH

 

 

 

 

3) JOURNAL 266 - LONDON BOOKCLOTH - DARK RED

 

 

4) JOURNAL 268 - LONDON BOOKCLOTH - PIMLICO WEDGWOOD 

 

 

 

 

 

5) JOURNAL 282 -  MINT PSYCHEDELIC

 

 

 

6) JOURNAL 283 - JAPAN BOOKCLOTH - GREY BLUE

 

 

 

7) JOURNAL 284 - JAPAN BOOKCLOTH - LINEN BLUE

 

😊

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

This is JOURNAL 268 - LONDON BOOCLOTH - PIMLICO WEDGEWOOD

 

 

Rust Orange cords

 

 

Its a very soothing blue hue ...

 

 

 

 

Writing paper is cannibalized from

KOKUYO 100TH RECORD BOOK - CENTURY EDITION , 100g, 5mm grid.

7 Signatures, 4 Folios each.

Total 112 writing pages

 

 

 

 

Head of journal

 

 

Tail of journal ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

This is JOURNAL 282 - MINT PSYCHEDELIC

 

A6 size

 

 

 

Mint threads

 

 

Gold flyleaves and matching mint ribbon pagemarker

 

 

 

Its embossed ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Signatures , 4 Folios each ,

total 112 writing pages

paper is KOKUYO 100TH RECORD BOOK - CENTURY EDITION , 100g, 5mm grid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mhguda]

Hey TM, good to see you're still at it, and pretty prolific. I find the Mint psychedelic especially nice...