Okay... drum roll please...I made a new journal. :-) I used techniques I learned at the Visual Journal Collective with Roz, Teesha Moore's techniques and some tips from Lynn Fisher....
And.. voila! Here it is!
I covered it with cool scrapbooking papers, old wallpaper and scraps I had. The Lineco Neutral pH Adhesive is the greatest glue since ModPodge. I LOVE IT. I sewed each signature into the spine with embroidery floss (all different colors) and that went great.
I really like how it lays completely flat and will have thick enough paper to take watercolor, Copic markers and anything else I decide to throw at it.
Naturally I am now thinking of my next one, a tiny bit smaller, and 3 times the paper! This one measures 11.5 x 15. The inside paper is Winsor Newton Watercolor paper, Hot Press 140 lb. 22"x30"
That's a very pretty journal. It does seem large. I made one (not quite as nice as yours) and realized I don't want to make it the size I did as I'd like for it to fit in my scanner so I can scan in a spread so my next one will be sized to fit the scanner!
Go ahead and crow a little. I love the things I make over the things I buy (but I like them too). Why would you want to make a book you didn't think was worth looking at?
Posted by: Timaree | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Brilliant journal! And thanks for the links as well!!!
Posted by: Mixed Media Martyr | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 04:04 PM
This is lovely! I am such a junkie-journalholic! :-)
Posted by: Shay | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 06:56 PM
Wonderful!! Soooo jealous, can I come over and learn how to make one???
Posted by: Kim O | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 06:56 PM
Beautiful job. You can make me a journal any day you like. Do enjoy each and every page because it has a touch of your soul on it.
Posted by: Sally | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 11:59 PM
It is so fabulous!
Posted by: kymmie | Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 02:04 AM
Hi there, the first thing I did like this was to take a watercolor pad and cut the pages into 1/4s. I bound along a single edge by machine sewing on strips of hand-dyed quilt batting and then hand sewing the edge of the batting together with embroidery thread. The covers of the books were large water colors that I had done long ago that weren't so nice but made really nice front and back covers. Catherine (BlissfullyArtJournal member)
Posted by: Catherine Waltz | Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 02:35 AM
Thank you all! That is so nice! IT is so much fun to SHARE!
Posted by: Jennifer Maroney | Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 08:02 AM
This looks brilliant! What did you use as a base for the covers, the watercolor paper as well? I can't wait to see what you fill this with. Good job!
Posted by: Laura K | Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 09:11 AM