New Year's Journal

I didn't really plan to make another journal right now with so many irons in the fire but this is what happens when I follow my muse. I just had to work with paper; and I love making my own journals. Here is how it happened.

My friend Kay (no website) came over for a play day and I suggested we make Jackie paper together. (See my blog entries of November 10-11 to read about the technique for making patterned paper that Jackie Crist originated.) My Jackie paper is morphing though as I am adding white paint and my own fillips to her basic technique. That's how it usually goes. We each add to the basic recipe until it reflects our own taste.

I made a lot of paper as I want to include pieces in packets when I teach. I think it is such beautiful paper. I make it on a type of white tracing paper which makes it very fragile but also very beautiful. I love the ripples that come in the tissue paper as it gets wet.

Then the next day I tear paper for the signatures in my book. I am using thick printmakers paper for the most part so only 3 signatures this time. My next book wont use such thick paper but I like to use what is on hand.

I choose a likely sheet of paper that I've just made and use a window mat to choose the exact area that I will use for my cover. I cut that out and glue it to the 8x10" canvas board, folding the margins over the edges.

This is the backs of the canvas boards. Since I'm going to attach the thin paper to the inner side also I glue a white sheet of paper on the big red labels first.

Here I am tearing out the paper for the insides of the book covers. Only I decide I like this sheet even more than the sheet I'd chosen for the front so I decide to reverse both covers. Now they'll have sort of borders but that's okay with me.

I spend about a half day painting this tiny strip of canvas for the spine. I keep comparing it to the cover, then tweaking it, comparing it, tweaking some more, sanding it, stamping it, . . . you get the picture. Lost in the ozone where I love to be lost. Finally I make a decision and glue the spine and then sew the book together.

These are the tissue, resin and copper wire danglies I tie on the strings. With a typewriter key for good measure. I made the danglies in a class with Susan Lenart Kazmer at Artfest 2007.

Voila! My next journal just waiting for me and for the promise of 2008. If you want to make a journal like this I suggest Teesha's directions as they are easy to follow. Happy-happy!