Book 336 - Leather Journal with Turquoise - Long Stitch Binding

Time for another pretty leather journal. This is a really nice piece of leather, like a good quality purse would be made out of. It's a pale beige with a smooth finish, enhanced, I think, by a couple of natural markings in the leather.

For the pages, I used a rich, heavy cream-colored paper with a very subtle multi-colored fleck in it. The paper has just a slight tooth that makes it nice both for writing and drawing. A leaf-print paper in tones of green and gray makes the end papers.

The eight signatures are bound to the cover with light green waxed thread in a long stitch binding. I staggered the holes to give the binding an attractive pattern, and added beads. The top and bottom rows of stitches have small turquoise glass beads. In the center of the spine is a large turquoise nugget. It makes for a fairly dramatic spine.

This is really a luscious journal I'd be pleased to write in myself.

Book 286 - "Duke" - Leather Wrapped Accordion Book for John Wayne

Finally, something just a little different. This leather-wrapped accordion book is a homage to John Wayne, "The Duke." Actually, I'm not all that great a fan of John Wayne, but I had some quotations from him that were just too good not to use. Quotes like:


Life is hard. It's harder if you're stupid.
Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.
Nobody ever saw a cowboy on the psychiatrist's couch.
And, of course....
A man's got to do what a man's got to do.

I matched up photos of Wayne to go with the individual quotes and laid them out in my graphics program. I printed them on nice heavy satin finish photo paper, cut out each page and backed each one with copper-colored textured card stock. The result was a series of nice heavy, stiff pages. I cut an irregular strip of really nice soft brown leather, spread it on the floor and laid the pages out. After marking the positions, I glued the pages to the leather, folded it up in an accordion fold and wrapped the extra leather around the whole book. I cut a long strip of the leather to wrap several times around the book and hold it together.

Even though I'm not that crazy about "The Duke" himself, I do like this book. I see more like it in the future.

Book 278 - Hair on Cowhide Journal - Long Stitch Binding

Here's one of my great stand-by books - a long-stitch bound leather journal. And not just leather, but hair-on leather. This is from a full cowhide I bought and cut up, in a wonderful brindle color.

I probably shouldn't tell you (though if you've been following me awhile, you've surely dropped to this already) but these leather journals/blank books are my fall back position. When I just can't seem to be very creative, don't have a single idea what to make, am too tired to think much, am sick, distracted or just plain being lazy, I can always make a leather journal and fulfill my commitment to make a book that day. I've made so many of these that they are almost automatic. The only real creativity is in picking the leather, the thread and the end papers.

For this journal, I picked a soft-focus camo design end paper. I wanted to make it more masculine, since so many of my books appeal more to women. The long-stitch binding is sewn with black waxed Irish linen thread. The pages are 70 lb Neenah Sundance paper in ivory with a felt finish. Very nice paper.

Book 193 - A Nifty Little Leather Journal with Brand... and a Coyote!

This whole leather mini-journal came into my mind when I saw the carved bone howling coyote in a bead store. Well, hey, I live in Arizona. Coyotes "R" Us. I saw a pair of them just a couple days ago as I was tootling down the Chloride Road. So naturally, this one called to me.

I knew he was going onto a leather journal. But the brand (or scar) in a circle that just happens to look like the moon rising huge behind him was just a happy accident. Really!

Whenever I am pawing through leather scrap bins, I always keep an eye cocked for scraps with ranch brands or scars. I think they give the leather so much more character. I'm not sure what the rough circle scar on this piece was, but I like it.

This little mini-journal has ten signatures of 7 sheets each for a total of 140 pages (280 both sides). It is sewn with a longstitch binding with natural hemp cord. I find I am drawn to these "fat" journals much more than the skinnier ones. (Probably because I always have too much to say... as you might have noticed).

OK, I'm done. Enjoy this book!

Book 182 - A Navy Leather Mini Journal - Fat Journal

Time for one of my standby leather journals. I had this lovely piece of dark blue leather, but it was quite small. So... a mini-journal. The book measures 3"x3 1'2" x 1" at the spine. This little book has great depth and feels substantial for all its small size. The hand-torn pages are 70 lb. cream Neenah velvet finish paper. It's one I love the feel of and it has a nice weight. Eight signatures, six sheets each, 96 pages (192 both sides).

The exposed binding is the longstitch done with waxed linen thread in a dark plum/brown. I crossed the threads on pairs of signatures for added interest.

Really a sweet little mini-journal.

Book 103 - A Bamboo Trimmed Leather Mini-Journal

You know the old line about how to make God laugh? Make plans. That was my day. I woke up with a drippy, stinky cold and sore throat. Went out anyway and it turned into a day of missed cues, missed friends, foggy thinking and exhaustion. Bottom line? I didn't make it to the open-air market again. Came home and went to bed.

Which is all by way of explaining that my creativity is in the negative column today. Not a single original idea, inspiration, bit of whimsy. Nada. BUT... I came prepared for just such an eventuality. At the last minute, while packing for my trip, I threw in a few pre-cut pieces of leather, just for days like this. So today is another nice little handbound leather mini journal. The other day at the "Mega" I did find a bamboo bead placemat like I hadn't seen before. So now I have a bag full of bamboo beads in a few sizes. I used a longish 3-hole bead on the spine and a shorter 2-hole bead for the closure. I was hoping I could just slide the front wrap-around flap under the bead, but I couldn't get enough pressure to hold it shut, so I added a small strip of Velcro under the bead closure to hold it.

The hand-torn pages are a bright white medium weight paper with vertical ridges. There are 6 signatures with 14 pages each. The liner is a light tan paper.

A nice little book... and I didn't have to think to much about it. Now I'm going back to bed.