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.  

Aloha Letterpress Handmade Books

I made these books with my own handmade paper. The first with the sky blue and white pages, began with deciding what type of paper I wanted to make. I decided to beat cotton fabric from an old t-shirt in my Hollander and then beat some kozo for the cloudy overlay. The story is of the Hawaiian warrior, Maui, trying to capture the sun. The second book tells a metaphorical tale of my swimming with the waves, trying to find the words to express myself. The book was made with a blend of beaten cotton and straw fibers. I then binded it with an accordion fold. I love to make books with my handmade paper, and hope to find more time to do so. There's just not enough time to do all that I want to.