Books....

This morning on the phone Angela asked me how my Birds Nest is (aka my Studio). I was telling her that I just got some business cards made advertising my handcrafted journals and also just got a box full of vintage books from Ebay to work on. I am so pumped and need to start a full scale production line in my studio. I have made a few little books since I moved in (one for me and a couple for gifts), but not enough to open an online shop or anything, which is my ultimate plan.

Here is a sneak peak at my journal that I made for this year. I am sort of taking what I have learned from a number of book making/binding classes and mixing it all together into one book.

I am lucky that I work somewhere that always has random paper and one offs laying around from old signage, etc. that I can use for my own books. This book also has some pages from a Maltese dictionary (which I made into a travel journal back in October) added to it. When I make books to sell or for other people, I will use more lined, ledger, original book pages and blank paper. I love the elastic band around the book as well, I am a "stuffer" so when I don't have to time to write, I will stuff little things in my book and then go back and write about them when I have more time.

Just have to add one thing, I love making these books so much. For me, from the time I purchase the book to sewing it all together is just so much fun. I guess it is because I love hunting in antique and used book stores for great old (and CHEAP) books. I also love journaling too; writing in a journal to me is like talking to a best friend who doesn't talk back or give an opinion, which is nice sometimes and so therapeutic. Everyone should take time to write.

Here is what my card looks like...