A Book a Day? What's Up With That?


Hi, and welcome to this year-long project. So what's this all about and how did it happen, you might ask. In mid 2007, artist Noah Scalin decided to make a skull out of anything he could find, every day for a year. It stretched him in ways he never imagined, as an artist, a writer and a person. His experience turned into a blog that went viral, and then a book.

Others have picked up on the idea: 365 Hearts, 365 Masks, 365 Bears drawn on a cellphone, 365 paper napkin mustaches.
I wanted to play, too, and I chose books. I love books, I know a bit about making books (thanks to my talented book-maker sister, Marilyn Worrix), and they're broad enough in definition to give me a lot of creative leeway.

The whole point is not really the books. The idea is to stretch myself in many ways as an artist and a person, to set up a discipline, stick with it and see what that teaches me.

I hope you'll join with me and follow along on the journey chronicled here, and let me know what you think.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Book 171 - An Elegant Smooth Leather Journal with Turquoise

This is a really elegant journal covered in smooth beige leather, another medieval limp binding. The exposed long stitch binding on the spine is threaded with small round turquoise beads. They really look nice.

The leather is split cowhide so smooth it has a slight sheen. The inside is suede. I've used a patterned turquoise paper for an end paper. The pages are very heavy ivory colored art paper, 48 pages (96 counting both sides). It's a good size, 8" x 5 3/4".

This is a beautiful journal I'm proud of.




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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 16, 2011 at 4:20 AM

    I am not surprised that you are proud of this - it is beautiful!

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  2. AnnieJuly 16, 2011 at 6:56 AM

    It's a beauty indeed! Now I wonder - do you journal? Do you fill all the books that you make? ;-D

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  3. DonnaJuly 16, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Annie - The big question. I'm afraid keeping a journal--especially an art journal--is one of those things I "keep meaning to do." I did morning pages for a while while I was going through "The Artist's Way" but fell out of the habit. I should start again.

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  4. RitaJuly 16, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    This is beautiful!! You should be proud! :):)

    I used to do the Morning Pages, too! This year I started back to conventional diary-type journaling again. Haven't done that since my early 20s when a boyfriend got ahold of my small suitcase full of the spiral notebooks I had used for years--and made a bonfire out of them.

    But instead of spiral notebooks I started out using an actual leather refillable journal this time. I have several journals that I bought but never used. Have always loved paper, ink, pens, journals...yup!...hopelessly in love with them. Probably why I love your blog. So much fun to see what you have created next! ;)

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  5. AnonymousJuly 17, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    Thank you for your blog! It's so inspiring! I have never made a book before, but this week I completed my first! A very custom sketchbook with templates for my art. It's something I could never buy and the process of making it was so dear to my heart! You are an inspiration and I truly thank you!

    A link if interested:
    http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/Majjikkatt/Customs/Books/

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  6. bookwraps by suz.comJuly 18, 2011 at 9:02 PM

    love your blog!
    this journal is awesome!

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  7. DonnaJuly 18, 2011 at 11:10 PM

    Hi SuZ, thanks for the kind words. I'm enjoying the ride!

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