Catching Up with Latest Sketches

I've fallen behind again posting what I've done.  A lot going on between starting the new project mentioned in post prior to this one and a family member in the hospital that's struggling.

This is the monthly sketch I chose to put in my Fabric Journal/Planner for May.  I worked this when our sketch group went out last Saturday and a young man (about 8 or 9 years old) sat next to me watching what I was doing.  His mom was interviewing us about keeping sketch journals and our sketch outings that we plan.

This next one is worked in the Fabriano Venezia sketchbook.  It's one of the flowers growing where we went on Saturday.

Also from Saturday's outing, I worked a quick sketch using the Ipad.

This too is a sketch on the Ipad of my Mom in the hospital.  What a way to spend Mother's Day :-(

Mom was checking her message from me that I sent via Facebook Messenger sending hugs from all of us for Mother's Day.  My brother took the picture this is from to share with me that she was reading what I sent her.

Additional Journals Made

This makes three hand sewn hard bound journals I've made.  Each were done a little differently as I try various methods to see which suited me best.

The first as shown in previous post was using scrapbook paper for end pages and purchased book cloth.

The second here was trying scrapbook card stock paper (little thicker than paper but not a real stiff card stock).  I found when I folded this it wanted to crack a bit at the fold.  Was easier to glue but at the same time wasn't as easy to smooth out wrinkles when glued down.  With this journal and the third, I made my own book cloth taking cotton fabric, iron on adhesive, and tissue paper.

The third journal I decided to go without the end pages.  I think for future books I'll either use the thinner scrapbook paper stock or none at all.  This was easier to put together (text block into book casing) either because I didn't mess with end papers or because it's getting easier with each one I make :-)

After I finished these, I made three spiral journals using the same 140lb cold press watercolor paper.  Two were made with soft vinyl covers and the other was made using mat board.

Even though I would have liked to have covered these with fabric, I wasn't sure how my binding machine would handle cutting through glued on fabric.

So here are the journals I have been working on the last several days.  I made a total of six accordion fold journals with 14 usable pages and three twice the number of pages (shown here).

With the size spirals used (9/16"), I was able to fit 19 pages in the hard cover - 38 front and back and 21 pages - 42 pages front and back (covers were thinner allowing two additional pages).  Hand sewn journals were made with 20 pages - 40 pages front and back.

Accordion Fold Journals

I've been working on various handmade journals..........one type being the accordion fold or what I think some refer to as meandering journals.

After watching Cathy Johnson's No Sew Journal video on youtube, I wanted to make my own.  (Thank you, Kate!!! :-))

Many people make these out of whole sheets of watercolor paper or even half sheets.  I have a ton of quarter sheets I used to make mine.  They make cute little journals with either 14 single pages or six 2-page spreads plus two single pages or one panoramic 2-page spread page.

A few I have glued together two folded quarter sheets giving me 28 single pages or twelve 2-page spreads plus four single pages or two panoramic 2-page spread pages.  (better understood or pictured if watching Kate's video).

Third picture shows the two book presses Terry made for me.

From top left to right; center left to right; bottom left to right:

Scrapbook paper, folded accordion paper, spritzer bottle, Elmers Glue All

Mat board cut just a smidgen larger than accordion folded paper, utility knife, pencil, dish for glue plus sponge applicator (or brush can be used)

T-square ruler, bone folder, scissors.

Left - mat board glued to scrapbook paper (3/4" border around mat board for folding over)

Center - paper cut at angles at corners leaving about a 1/8" paper where corners of mat board are (for tucking in when folding)

Right - Completed after glue brushed on and folded over.....working long edges first and then short edges (tip from another video viewed on youtube).

Placed covers in book press as they completely dried.  Mat board will warp slightly with wet glue so I put them in the book press to make sure they laid completely flat for gluing onto the accordion folded paper.

This shows the two book presses Terry made me plus the finished accordion fold journals closed and opened.

Close-up of finished journals.

In the upcoming days, I'll be sharing my experience making hand-sewn hard covered journal books.  :-)