BOOK 365!!!! A FULL YEAR OF BOOKS!

I did it! This is book 365 in my year-long book-a-day challenge.

OK, I will admit right here that it took me just slightly longer than 365 days. I am 6 days over my exact year. But I am trying to be easy on myself here. I am celebrating anyway. I hope you will celebrate with me.

This final book is a leather journal for my friend Michael (because he called dibs), who I've known for over 40 years. The base leather for the book is a putty-colored cowhide. Around that, I have wrapped another piece of leather that I think is ostrich. I can't be sure because I pulled it unmarked from the scrap bin at the leather store. I saw it an pounced. It's a rich deep purple.

The pages are Neenah Sundance 70 lb paper in crushed cream, a lovely paper for writing or sketching with pencil, pen, ink, markers.

The journal is bound with a long stitch binding (also called a Medieval limp binding) with medium brown waxed cotton thread. It makes an interesting stitch pattern on the spine. The unusual closure is made from a found object I picked up at a flea market. I think it might be some type of faucet handle. A thong of the purple leather ties through it and around the journal to keep it closed.

This is a rich, elegant journal and I hope Michael lives it.

Book 358 - Vinyl Record Journal - "Cabaret" with Liza Minelli - Coptic Binding

I loved "Cabaret" and thought Liza Minelli was simply magic in it. I love the music, too. So I was delighted to find a vinyl album of the show in a thrift shop. It was perfect for one of my vinyl record journals.

I cut the record to size with a band saw and smoothed the edges on a belt sander. I also sanded the fore edge corners of the covers into curves. Then I cut two pieces of the cardboard record jacket for the back cover. On the back is a picture of Liza on top of the word "Cabaret" in red lights. The inside back lining is a black and white picture of her.

For the pages, I used a cream-colored paper with lint flecks, folded into eight signatures. I tipped in bright orange end papers to repeat the orange color from the record label. I also rounded the fore edge corners of the pages to mirror the corves of the covers.

I drilled the stitching holes in the covers and poked holes in the sigs with an awl. The book is bound with a single-needle coptic stitch, also called a chain stitch binding.

This is a great journal, clever and very well made, if I say it who shouldn't.

Book 354 - Six Pack Series - Season Finale! - Stab Bound Journal/Blank Book

The finale in the proud line of 6-pack beer journals -- at least for now. I thought I was done with these until the delivery man came this week with another new brand--and I fell in love with the Pyramid Hefeweizen package.

This is a simple Japanese stab bound book. They're easy to make, fairly quick, not materials intensive. This one could be the guest book at a beer tasting party.

The front and back covers are lined with silver metallic card stock--nice and heavy--and the pages are peach-colored text-weight paper. For the side binding, I used narrow navy blue ribbon and sewed it with a criss-cross pattern.

OK, no more beer books for yet awhile.

Book 250 - "Wake Up!" - Energy Drink Recycled Packaging Journal - Long Stitch Slot Binding

Perhaps this little recycled packaging book was inspired by the other night when I was obviously asleep while I was posting my book of the day. So much asleep that I forgot to post the photos. Let's hope I can stay awake tonight long enough to add the photos to this post.

We've carried Red Bull and Monster energy drinks in our store for awhile, but several people have asked us for these little 5-hour energy boost drinks. So when we found we could buy them by the case at a reasonable price, we went for it.

The colors and graphics on the box were bright and sunny and... "wake-up-y," so I figured they'd make a good book.

I cut one side off the box and lined it with black cardstock for extra strength. I scored where the folds for the spine would be then folded them over. I made 8 signatures of 5 sheets each for a total of 80 pages (160 both sides). After punching the holes for the sewing stations in the signatures, I cut corresponding slits in the spine.
Then I stitched the book together with a modified long stitch binding with black linen thread.

 I'm still not convinced about this binding.It is really difficult to keep the threads that show on the spine lined up neatly and keep the tension correct. And even when it's done well, I don't like the look of it as much as a regular long stitch binding sewn into individual holes.

But it's still fun to see what can be done by recycling cheap store packaging into nice books.

Book 238 - A Classic Black Leather Journal w/ Long Stitch Binding - Elegant

Today I've gone for classic simplicity and elegance. This blank book/journal is made of beautiful, smooth black leather with a nice weight to it. When I was deciding where to cut the leather, I saw that the natural edge was just off straight with a very gentle curve and when wrapped around the book made for a very nice front flap closure. I decided I didn't want to do anything to ruin the clean line and simplicity.

The book block is made up of six signatures of five folded sheets each for a total 60 pages (120 both sides). The paper is Arches Text Wove, a simply wonderful art paper that is both thick and soft. It has a wonderful tooth that makes it a joy to touch as well as write or draw on.

I bound the book with black waxed linen thread in a simple but elegant design. The black on black gives it a finished look. To keep the book closed, I put a 1" square of Velcro on the flap. I used the self-adhesive kind, and the bond seemed quite strong, but just to be sure, I added a bit of epoxy adhesive at the edges. These are not coming off any time soon.

I just love the cleanness of this book. It's a great journal size, or would also make a great diary or travel journal. This book has class!

Book 235 - Black Leather Mini-Journal with an Asian Touch - Long Stitch Binding

This little black leather mini-journal marks a departure from my recent obsession with making books out of wallpaper samples (if you love them, don't worry, I have a few more in the works. If you hate them, sorry 'bout that.)

This is just a classic little leather journal with a long stitch binding -- also known as a Medieval limp binding because the leather is, well, limp. This black leather is not terribly thin but it is very soft (i.e. limp). It has a nice pebbled texture on the front - softly sueded inside. The Asian touch comes in the use of red leather as an accent in the thong tie, red waxed linen thread for the binding and the Chinese coin as a closure.

This little book measures 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" by not quite 1" thick. It has six signatures and a total of 60 pages (120 both sides) of really nice, thick hand-torn Arches Text Wove paper It makes for a nice fat book. This great art paper will take pen, ink, marker, pencil, charcoal and light water media, so this would be a great pocket sketchbook or art journal.

Book 229-Cased-in Codex Blank Book/Journal in Black Satin Bookcloth

I wanted to make another nice cased-in codex book since I have access to all my sister's presses and other equipment, not to mention her incredible stash of gorgeous papers and bookcloth.

The front and back covers of this blank journal are cut from Davey board (bookbinders board). I used a beautiful black slub satin-finish bookcloth and then an amazing paper for the spine and end papers. The full beauty of the paper doesn't really shine in the photos. The interlocking circle pattern is in metallic gold. The pages are folded from a mottled beige text weight paper, sewn over tapes, then cut into a nice clean block on the hydraulic cutter. I then put it in the gluing press. The spine was coated with glue and a piece of mull was glued over the spine as well. That served as a hinge for gluing the book block in place. The headbands are very dark blue--almost black--with gold threads.

After it was completely together, it was wrapped in waxed paper and put into the book press for several hours to ensure it would close nice and flat.

I could have cut the book block just a bit bigger but it doesn't bother me too much. What looks like extra glue on the black bookcloth in the photos is not. It's just in the photo--probably from the flash.

All in all, this is a very clean, well-made book. I really like it. It would make a lovely journal, sketchbook or travel diary.

Book 227 - Cased-in Codex Book with Front Flap and Clasp Closure

I think this cased-in codex book may be my favorite book so far. It was certainly the most labor and time intensive. I've been working on it for a few days. (Ah, the luxury of having a big studio, lots of materials and no customers to wait on in the store!)

The book block is made up of nine signatures stitched over tapes. I then put the book in the gluing press and glued the spine, then stretched a piece of mull over it and glued that down well. When the block was completely dry, I trimmed it on the hydraulic paper cutter for a clean edge. Finally, I glued on some pretty red-and-gray headbands.

The cover is made of Davey board. The outer case wraps all the way around the book with a closure at the front right. It is covered with royal purple bookcloth. Under the front cover is another board covered with a floral bookcloth with an Asian feel. The spine is covered with dark purple mulberry paper with a decorative edging of the floral bookcloth. The cover went under weights, and when it was completely dry and perfectly flat, I cased the book block in with a gorgeous end paper of deep purple with copper and gold embossed gingko leaves.

Finally, I glued an Asian-style metal clasp to the front closure and made a tiny bead-topped wooden stick to hold it closed.

I do love this book and--credit where credit is due--the basic design is a direct rip-off from one my sister did recently, but with different papers and bookcloths. Thanks, Sis.

Book 190-Japanese Stab Bound Album/Sketchbook

Here's another Asian themed Japanese Stab Binding similar to the one from a few days ago. The pages are full-sized 8 1/2"x11" cardstocl so that this could work as a photo album, a sketchbook or a journal.

The covers are davey bookbinders board covered with a really pretty decorative paper in a raspberry color embossed with gold butterflies. The spine is covered with black bookcloth. The binding is done with variegated ribbon. It seemed just a tad plain so I added three Chinese coins as an accent.

I could make these books all day long. Simple, elegant and pretty.

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 164 - A Simple Stab-Bound Sketchbook

Here is another really simple book. This little sketchbook is not meant for serious work. It's for throwing in a bag with a pencil for quick sketching on the go.  The paper is thin, like tracing paper, and the covers are cardstock, not boards, so it is not meant to last a lifetime. It's an inexpensive, quick book.  Even Rachel should be willing to scribble and sketch in this one.

I always like doing the Japanese stab binding. It's easy and quick but it always looks good. And there are a lot of stitching variations possible with stab binding so you can play with it.