Book 359 - Recycled Children's Book Journal/Blank Book - Lemony Snicket-Coptic Binding

Have you read any of the Lemony Snicket books? They are a bit bizarre but really fun. And the covers are neat! So, of course, I had to recycled one into a journal/blank book.

This is Book the Second, The Reptile Room. This follows my usual construction procedure with these upcycled hard cover books. The covers were slit and bound, the pages folded and punched, some of the signature fold edges bound with colorful paper tape. This was bound with a single-needle coptic binding using maroon waxed cotton thread.

I included a couple of the original illustrations form the book into the pages. The book's spine became a bookmark.

I'll always be on the lookout for more Lemony Snicket books in good enough condition to recycle/upcycle into fun journals.

Book 357 - Western Pulp Fiction - Classic Images Reversible Notebook/Journal

This reversible notebook/journal uses some classic imagery from 1950s pulp western fiction.

I have long loved pulp fiction imagery. It's just so immediate. It pulls you right into the moment of action, like good writing should. So I love using this imagery in my books.

For this 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" notebook/journal, I used two images and I reversed the one on the "back" so that the journal essentially has two fronts. You can use it either way. After printing the double image on heavyweight matte photo paper, I sprayed it with an acrylic surface spray to protect the finish. I needed a slightly rounded spine fold to accommodate the thickness of the two signatures, so I scored the inside center of the cover three times, about 3/16th of an inch apart on each score. Then when I folded it without boning it down hard on the creases, it was a bit rounded

I folded two signatures of 70 lb cream paper and stitched them both through a single set of sewing stations in the spine with a five-hole pamphlet stitch using a heavy waxed linen cord that feels almost like leather. I left the ends of the cord long enough at the center hole that I could wrap it around the book and tie it shut.

Nice notebook for a man, I think.

Book 341-342 - Six Pack Series - Inning Two - Recycled Beer Packaging Books - Coptic Bindings

Inning 2 in our game of recycled six-pack container books. Today's inning features two blank journals bound with the single-needle coptic stitch binding.

The Alaskan Amber journal was actually the first beer six-pack book I made. I loved the ship graphic (an ice cutter, I assume) and the bright red background. I cut the largest part of the six-pack, the front and back panels, trimmed them and then backed them with some gold metallic textured cardstock with a nice weight. That makes the cardboard stiff enough to bind well.

The Budweisser six-pack is a lot more familiar to most people. Bud is one of our best sellers (and this one is a slight cheat since it's from a 12-pack, not a six). I lined the trimmed cardboard with more of the heavy metallic-finish card stock, in silver.

The pages for both books are a camel-colored text weight paper folded into signatures. I bound the Alaskan Amber book with red waxed cotton thread. For the Bud journal, I used doubled thread, one strand of red and one of black.

Nifty little journals. And two more down.

Book 340 - Colored & Textured Amate Paper Guest Book - Blank Book - Japanese Stab Binding

I always love using amate paper, the bark paper made in Mexico. It can be picky, because it often cracks if you crease it, but I love the look and feel of it.

The piece I used for the cover of this guest book-journal was textured/sculpted into a design while the bark was still wet. Then, when it dried to form, it was painted with natural pigments. I bought this paper in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico last year.

For the back of the book, I used another piece of amate paper in a light color.

The guest book's pages are 80 lb cream-colored paper with a slight fleck. The top and bottom edges of the pages are hand torn for a more natural look.

The binding is a Japanese stab binding done with two colors of waxed cotton thread. At the top, I left the threads hanging and tied on two cylindrical carved bone buttons. I think they are the perfect complement to the paper.

I will always be looking for ways to use this luscious bark paper. It takes me back to Mexico and gives anything I make with it a rich, rustic, earthy feel.

Book 333 - Recycled Bubble Mailer Journal w/ Duct Tape - Japanese Stab Binding

Where e'er my eye falleth, there I see books! Today, we got a DVD in the mail, a promotional film for a tourist attraction here in Arizona. Tonight, while setting the table, I noticed the bubble mailer it came in was sitting there. Hmmm, nice size. Already folded over. Padded. BOOK!

I cut the envelope open and started taping the cut edges with leopard print duct tape. I was going to leave part of the white envelope showing but changed my mind because that leopard print was just too cool. So I covered the whole thing inside and out. It did add a nice rigidity to the book while still keeping the nice cushiony feel to it form the bubble wrap inside. I cut a pile of light beige paper to fit and clamped the block inside the book cover. Punched holes through the whole thing and bound it with black waxed linen thread in a typical Japanese stab binding stitch.

I knew I had a sort of African-y looking bone bead somewhere, so I left longish threads at the top edge. It took a while to find the bead, but finally I tied it on and called this one done.

Book 332 - "The Ghost of Windy Hill" - Recycled Hardcover Book Journal-Coptic Binding

I love the look of this recycled children's book journal. As soon as I saw the book in the thrift shop, I grabbed it. The Ghost of Windy Hill was written in 1968 by Clyde Robert Bulla.

Making it was the usual drill: Cut off the spine, fold the cut edges back and tape them, this time with green patterned washi tape to pick up the green of the type on the cover. Bone the tape down very well inside and out. Fold the signatures; in this book there are eight.

I wanted to include some of the illustrations from the original book, lovely black-and-white ink wash illustrations by Don Bolognese. I tipped one in at the front of each signature, using more of the washi tape to hold them in and wrapping the tape around the folded edge of the signature to create the color pattern on the exposed spine.

I stitched the book with a single-needle coptic binding in light green waxed cotton thread.

I took the narrow spine I'd cut off the book, folded the cut edges over and taped the back to create a book mark for the journal. Nice.

Book 323- Burgundy Leather Journal/Blank Book w/ Long-Stitch Binding

The leather for this leather journal/blank book is simply yummy. It's soft but not too thin. It has some natural wrinkling that gives it great character, and it had a nice natural raw edge from the hide I wanted to keep.

I cut the leather so the raw edge would be at the front edge of the wrap-around. The 112 pages are hand-torn 70 lb paper in a creamy off-white with a subtle fleck through it--very nice.

After reinforcing the spine with an extra strip of the leather, I punched the holes for sewing stations and bound the pages with a long-stitch binding using lavender waxed linen thread. I used an x-stitch pattern for a nice effect.

To close the book, I added a thong of the burgundy leather long enough to wrap twice around the book and loop through in front. I tied a triangular piece of jasper stone at the end as an accent.

Nice journal.

Book 321 - Gingko Leaf Guest Book or Journal - Stick Binding w/ Bamboo

I love gingko leaves and I love this paper. As soon as I saw it in my sister's paper cabinet, I knew I wanted to use it. It was a natural to pair with the piece of bamboo stick that was originally part of a placemat I took apart.

I covered two pieces of Davey bookbinders' board with a base paper, then a piece of the gingko paper in brown. For the front cover, I added another piece of gingko paper in black, layered on a light piece of smaller print gingko paper and finally added a cut out of a single gingko leaf. I love the final effect.

For the binding, I drilled two holes in the covers to match the holes that already existed in the bamboo stick. With beige twine, I stitched the covers to the bamboo stick.

I think this is one of the prettier books I've done recently.

Book 307 - Christmas Guest Book- Recycled Placemat - Side Binding with Ribbon

Posting a little late for Christmas, but I did make this before Christmas. I just didn't have a working computer to post it. This side-bound guest book is made from a recycled placemat (or rather half a placemat) I found in Pier I on sale. It's some weird felted fiber, but I really don't have a clue as to what.

I cut the placemat in two lengthwise, cutting carefully around the flower shapes. Then I glued that onto a piece of heavy green card stock for a backing. Then I carefully cut the card stock backing to the shape of the flowered placemat. I cut plain white text paper to size, added a couple pieces of dark green paper for end papers, then punched two holes for the ribbon. I threaded the red ribbon through the covers and the pages and tied it in a knot, then a bow.

I added another pair of ribbons at the fore edge to tie the book shut.

Pretty simple really. This was one of those times I saw the placemat in the store and grabbed it, knowing exactly what I was going to do with it when I got it home. I usually have to live with these things for awhile, then stare at them awhile longer, before they tell me what they want to be. With this one i just knew immediately.

Book 304 - Sculpted Mexican Amate Paper Guest Book/Journal with Single-Needle Coptic Stitch

This is more-or-less a repeat of a book I did when I was in Mexico, but I love this sculpted amate paper so much I decided to do another one.

Because of the cut-outs in the amate, I glued it onto a shimmery orange backing. For the back, I used a piece of Davey bookbinders board covered with dark maroon lokta paper and backed with more of the shimmery orange paper.

I used more of the orange paper, cut into strips, to cover the folded edge of the signatures where they would show at the spine. The pages are white text paper with hand-torn edges. Finally, I added sheets of brown amate paper at the front and back of the book block as fly leaves and punched the stitching stations.

The book is bound with a single-needle coptic stitch with a dark purplish-brown waxed linen thread. The book measures about 8"x 8" and would make a lovely guest book on an entry table. Also, a journal or sketch book.

I do love this book.

Book 303 - Parcheesi - Recycled Game Board Guest Book/Journal - Japanese Stab Binding - Herrringbone Stitch

I love doing these recycled game board journals or guest books. The graphics on them are often so cool. For this one, I used a classic Parcheesi board--a game I loved playing when I was a kid. There was also this way cool graphic of some Turkish sheik-looking guy on the box. I wanted to use him, so I copied him and glued him onto the board.

I cut the board so that the board fold would form the hinge in the front cover. I bound all the cut edges with washi tape. The pages are camel-colored text paper cut to size. After drilling the holes through the covers and block, I bound it in a japanese stab binding using black waxed cotton thread in a herringbone stitch. Since the cover had those natural black stripes, I just followed the pattern. I like the way it came out.

Books 282-284 - Black Forest Trio, or "What There is a Fruit Snacks Box" - 3 Blank Books

There is just so much cool design on packaging these days. I can't resist it.

I found these Black Forest Fruit Snacks on sale at the supermarket the other day (which are delicious, BTW) and realized we could sell the small packets sell individually for a decent profit. It was a good idea because they sell well. I've already had to buy more. And look what I got from the first box.

Book 282 is an oval book with a ring binding. I cut the logo from both sides of the box and backed it with raspberry colored textured pearlescent card stock for strength. I then cut about 50 oval pages from a variety of papers--white text, purple text, blue speckled card stock, white translucent vellum, pale blue cloud print, and purple granite scrapbooking paper.  I punched holes in the two covers and in all the pages, stacked them up and bound them with a double ring I made from 20 gauge copper wire.

This is obviously a dead simple little book to make but it was actually very time intensive because of the unusual shape. I had to hand-cut all 50 oval pages. But it was OK. I called up the Dancing With the Stars finals on the computer and watched while I cut. (Way to go, J.R.! I was rooting for you!)

I will make lots more of these simple little books, because I know they will sell quickly. But I'll make them in shapes I can cut in piles, with straight lines, or ones I can punch out quickly with a paper punch. Fast, we like fast!

Book 283 was made from the sides of the box. The covers were lined with a nice silver-blue metallic textured card stock. I folded and trimmed nine signatures and then wrapped the fold edge of each one with colored japanese washi tape in three different colors. I stitched the book with a single-needle coptic stitch with black waxed linen thread.

Perfect size for a purse or pocket.

Book 284 - This one came out kind of cool because I was able to cut off all the type on the cover. It simply looks like a little blank journal with a fruit design cover. It doesn't look like recycled packaging.  These fruit designs were also from the box front and back. I used the same silver-blue card stock to line the covers. Ten signatures were bound with a single-needle coptic stitch with red Irish linen thread, but it is slightly different this time. Using a trick from Shereen LaPlantz, I carried my thread down TWO signatures instead of one before wrapping it around the stitch to form the chain. This gives the chain stitching on the spine a little more substance.

The squared off shape makes for bigger pages and more room to write, but this is still a good purse size. I'd carry this notebook around with me.

And that's what there is in a box of fruit snacks... if you're a bookmaker.