Handmade Journal

Today is the start of the March Art Journal Challenge at http://artjournaling.ning.com/ Yesterday, I realized I didn’t have a journal to work in. So what to do? I looked around at Micheal’s for a journal  with watercolor paper but they only carry journals with sketch paper. I like to scrub my pages and I’m always afraid that the sketch paper will tear.

I really didn’t want to drive to Davis to the Borders bookstore to buy a moleskin so next best thing?  Buy a pad of watercolor paper and make one. The last journal I made had only one signature and I wanted to make one with enough pages for 30 days of journaling so I needed 15 pages or between 3 and 5 signatures. I opted for 5 five signatures of 3 pages each.

My book cover was made from illustration board and painted Pink with Brown polka dots.  But I made a newbie mistake when creating the holes for the stitching. One, I was in a hurry and I didn’t let it dry thoroughly. and two, I used a awl instead of a Japanese screw punch to make the holes in the cover. So as I was punching the holes, the edge split. I think the eyelets will keep it in place. If not, oh well, lesson learned. But I like the way it looks.

Another thing I would do differently is use thicker thread.  I used quilting thread so I think it will hold up but I would look nicer with thicker thread.

I found this really wonderful illustration of the Coptic stitch on Youtube. I recommend it highly.

 

Here it is! By the way, the brown dots are scrapbook paper glued on the pink cover.

I love it. Can’t wait to start using it.