Friday, December 31, 2010

Third of Tropical Edition





I saw a quilt with the same fabric and it looked awesome, so I had to have a journal of the same. I used grey waxed thread for binding and off-white card stock for the first page of the signatures. Surprisingly I got this done before the New Year!!

Monday, December 27, 2010

I heart Shrinky Dinks!!


Look at this awesome family banner I made from Shrinky Dinks today! I was so shocked at how much it actually shrunk! It was so fun it had me brainstorming for hours at the possibilities. I hung the banner on my fridge with some cool mini-clothespin magnets. I forgot how much butt this stuff kicks. :D

Friday, December 17, 2010

Second of Tropical Edition



I inadvertently made a journal using BSU colors. I really liked the bright orange in this exotic print, and even got some orange waxed thread to use, too. I think I should take this down to the humanitarian bowl and see how much a bronco fan would pay for it. Auction it off in the parking lot. Maybe even see if I could start selling them in the Bronco shop on campus. :)

Monday, December 13, 2010

First of Tropical edition


The first in a trio I've titled the Tropical edition. The fabric I used for each of them is so exotic looking I basically had no choice. Anyway, I used a turquoise blue waxed thread to sew this journal, and tan card stock for the first page of every signature. Really fun to make!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Bookbinding Marathon




All finished in the same day! Whew! A personal record for me. I think I can relax until after Thanksgiving now.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Frog and Pear mini notebooks


Made as gifts for my kids' teachers.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Puppy with a scarf journal


I just finished this custom order for a girl who loves dogs. I have a phobia of dogs actually, because I was chased off a small cliff as a kid by a Doberman, which resulted in a broken elbow. Anyway...I am slowly overcoming the fear and am 90% ready to get a dog for my kids. I think this little dude is the coolest!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Funktastic Journal



Very fun to look at and hold, sorta hard to describe. I liked this fabric and wanted to make a book out of it, but I'm not sure what it reminds me of...if you have any ideas let me know. I've been eating too much sugar today, so maybe after the effects wear off I'll be more smarterer. yeah...

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Herb Journal


For a gardener, perhaps. I used textured dark blue cardstock for the end pages that look really cool on the spine with flecks of red here and there. It took forever to make because I was also watching Netflix episodes of Chuck while stitching it together. This journal is way fun to hold. Really mellow fabric and understated grooviness.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Flaming guitar journal


I used sparkling red felt for the flames on this guitar, unfortunately they kinda got hidden behind the strings. Custom made for a girl guitarist. :)

Friday, October 29, 2010

Autumn Journal


Made for Kiri, my sis, who requested a fall journal. Hope she likes it! :)

Monday, October 25, 2010

Blue journal and Bee journal



Two journals I recently commissioned. Really fun to make.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Business cards woo-hoo!


A fabric shop, The Country Quilter, has invited me to advertise my books there!! I took some samples in to show the owner and she ordered one on the spot! She liked that all the fabric I use is from her shop. So I made up some Mini-cards at Moo.com. I used the Melissa Crowley, Naturally, design on one side (in the picture you can see one of seven designs) and then my info. on the other. I also made a mini journal as an example to put up there, too(it's 2x2 1/2 in.). I hope I can get some sales. One of the customers that was shopping that day ordered one, too. Needless to say, it was a major ego boost. Thanks Karen!!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Henna Journal




The design on this fabric totally reminded me of those supercool Henna tattoos. I liked the mix of colors a lot, too. I hand stitched in nine signatures of paper with multi-colored card stock for the first page. I finally used my brown waxed thread to bind. Fun to make and fun to touch!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Flower garden Journal




I lovelovelove this imported Japanese fabric and am really happy with how this journal turned out. I love grey, too, and finally got to use grey card stock and eyelets. I hand stitched a watering can felt patch for the front.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Cinema journal




For the movie lover in your life. I used a lot of black and white for this one. The signatures all have black card stock as the first page and then snow white heavy drawing paper for the rest. I hand stitched a vintage projector of felt for the front. This was really fun to make.

Friday, September 17, 2010

The photographers journal



This is a custom order for someone that loves photography. I tried to imagine the colors that photography bring to mind. The red stands for the darkroom and then black and white for film. I hand stitched a mini camera patch for the front. I hope she likes it!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Brick and lime





Another handbound book that I finished today. The bonsai tree patch was added at the last minute. I really don't know if it works or not...

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Lamby lamb



Hand-stitched, super soft, and cute!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Ahhh, summer



So, I've been doing an awful lot of playing with the kids and not so much book binding this month. Yes, we made a "balloon land" wading pool, which was basically 100 water balloons (filled by yours truly, thank you very much) floating in a wading pool, which was fun to walk through, and then you get to smash them later. But I did manage to sew three books in the last little while, which I will be writing more about after the patches are made. Anyway, summer is winding down and I will get back to the proverbial grindstone sooner or later. Tchau!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Walnut Vinyl Journal (Vegan)




I attempted another long stitch journal. This time I hand sewed some blue felt to a piece of vinyl to make it a bit thicker. It turned out super soft and fun to hold. I added six signatures of 70# blank paper inside. A vintage button holds it together. :D

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Summer bouquet


Classic mini notebook style, flowers of felt and random embroidery. Fun to make!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Kitty mascot


Aranzi Aronzo pattern from The Cute Book. Made as a gift...

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Spring blossoms journal





I just love pink and green together (peach and green, too, for that matter). It was great to use green in a journal, period. I used a light green fabric for the end pages and a forest green card stock for the first page of all seven signatures. I used a different stitch on the binding that I thought turned out pretty cool, although the paper looks a lot shabbier than it should where I was stitching. I hope to use this stitch again with better paper. I got this fabric in Montana...it will always remind me of my sisters and how alike yet strikingly different we all are. :)

Friday, June 4, 2010

Jellyfish fields mini notebook



Here's my version of jellyfish fields made of felt and embroidery. I'm not sure it's possible in this medium...they just look sorta wrong, not as wispy and fragile that I was going for. Anyway, it was fun to make. :)

Monday, May 31, 2010

Montana



My sisters and I went to Montana for Memorial day weekend. It was a blast! Look how beautiful it is there! I had so much fun...

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Japanese Bonsai mini notebook



I copied the bonsai I've been nurturing for eight years onto a patch. I love that little tree. This patch is made of felt and has embroidered leaves. Mini notebook made of stiffened felt with black fabric end pages. I am somewhat obsessed with Japanese culture lately. I would move there if I could...