Handmade Journals with Handmade Paper

My hand sewn journal on the top features a Coptic binding that has a braided stitching that joins the signatures of the book with the book covers.

The bottom photo shows a journal that I used while on a trip to Japan. I like to add items to the stubs of the page sections. This one has a real Gingko leaf that lined the streets in Osaka.

A journal can be used in many different ways:
• travel • gardening • sketches
• dreams • recipes • memories

Handmade Journals with Handmade Paper Covers

Hand bound Coptic sewn journal with sturdy Davey boards covered with my handmade papers.

Finally found some time to bind some books. This book is sewn with a Coptic binding that features braided stitching along the spine side of the book. I used some of handmade papers to cover the archival Davey boards. The golden paper is made of Japanese Gampi that was cooked for about 3 hours and then beaten into fine fibers in my Hollander. Then I dyed the gampi fibers in a dye from Lotus leaves. The other paper is made from beaten hemp and then layered with some bamboo fibers.

I love to use these books for travel journals, sketches and musings. The sections of the book has stubs that allow me to add bits of ephemera or memorabilia.  

Lovely Thank You Letterpress Cards Names and Hearts

Finished cards after printing first with blind debossed letterpress type and then a second printing with beautiful red hearts. Blind debossing combined with an inked image or by itself makes a marvelous impression with a wonderful tactile and visual sensation! 

Letterpress Printing Names and Hearts Aloha Letterpress

A customized order that is wonderful for wedding thank you notes, Valentine's Day, or anytime of the year! 

A custom printing the other day with blind debossing of names and a beautiful red heart.

Step 1: Handset Dorchester metal type into the chase with wood furniture and locked into place.

Step 2: Placed the chase with metal type onto the larger press.

Step 3: Printed text with blind debossing, inkless impression.

Step 4: After fitting heart ornament into another chase, I inked the smaller printing press disc and rollers with deep red handmixed ink. After determining the exact registration for the heart between the names, I printed the deep red hearts.