a small "just in case" sketchbook

For the past three days Texas had "tax-free days" for back-to-school shopping. Since I had a money coupon and a 30% off at Kohl's, I bought these sandals from Naturalizer . . . only $13.40! Very comfortable. So I drew them before church with my large sketchbook and bag.

I took the large sketchbook to show the kids at church my recent dinosaur sketches, but I drew this in a tiny purse-sized sketchbook. The cover was from a used Moleskine-like book that a daughter-in-law gave me. I gutted it and refilled with small scraps of various watercolor and Bristol papers. The papers didn't quite fit heighth-wise and the gluing job wasn't very neatly lined up, but I like having a smaller "just in case" sketchbook in my bag. Especially since my new regular sketchbook is larger than the bag.

a new hand bound leather-wrapped journal

This art journal was bound last year using Kilimanjaro paper from Cheap Joe's and a scrap of leather from an upholstery shop --- they let me have the leather scrap free! It's soft and pliable, wrapping around the text block. This time, I sewed the paper signatures directly to the leather, one at a time, using hand-dyed silk threads. Which means the middle two-page spreads of each signature will have colorful silk thread running down the middle, but I like how the colored threads look on the outside spine.

beginning a new hand-bound journal

With my previous post, my journal was filled and I have begun a new one. For this one, I cut sample sheets of Bockingford tinted papers in half, then bound them into an antique book cover. The end sheets are made from a sheet of Saunders Waterford --- I often skip using separate paper for end papers, choosing to use watercolor paper here as well since it is usually drawn on.

Inside the front cover, I glued the front illustration from the original book. The old book block was bug-chewed and crumbling but I wanted to save this bit. As usual, a palette on the first page: this one, a pocket palette made from a business card case filled with earthy, granulating paints. I will fill in personal contact info after posting this, in case the book is lost.

Tip 'o the page to you!

 

Ever have a journal with paper you just really didn't like or got bored with?

I bound too much Arches Text into this one and discovered I really don't much like it.  I had a whole signature to plow through...so I tipped in two more pages of paper I DO like here and there.  Frankfort ROCKS...