Like I mentioned in my last post, this weekend I was busy bookbinding. Cutting paper, gluing, selecting paper, sewing, you name it. I had my tunes going on and I was having a wonderful time. I got 11 books done and have a few others in various states of progress.
A while back I mentioned making a book with library pockets. I have made one of those before but I wanted to use my walnut ink stained pockets for this but in the end decided they didn’t look as good with the paper. Besides I figure the way the book is now, anyone can still make it more their own but stamping on it, collaging it, or just dabbing some ink from an ink pad on it. Here’s the finished result:
I’m calling this my keepsake book as the pockets are perfect for storing away ticket stubs, little photos, gift cards, and all sorts of ephemera. I do have some paper which I think will work perfectly for those ink stained pocket books so I’ll be making that one soon.
And, in case you are wondering what happens when things don’t go according to plan… Well, that happens too. Sometimes I cut a board not quite straight, or I miscalculate how much decorative paper I’ll need. Usually though it’s the gluing that gets me. My husband laughs when I tell him I had a “bad glue day” but I swear they exist.
Take a look at this keepsake book on a bad glue day:
A lot of times I can salvage a book but not this one. Just as I was gluing down the last pocket, I don’t know what happened but it didn’t quite align on the board. I tried pulling it off (as you can see here) but that didn’t help anyway because I had glued all the pockets and one pulled another and so on. Ah well, I did learn how to work around this the next time so at least there is that.
Next up for my bookbinding adventure I want to use some gorgeous Japanese Chiyogami paper Christine sent me for my birthday. I already have a book structure in mind so let’s see how that goes.
Ooh, the book with the desserts and all looks very lovely! You’re so talented, Iliana!
And I’m sorry for the other book because it looks equally pretty too! I can see that will make a great birthday gift!
I can’t wait to view your next projects with the Japanese Chiyogami paper! 🙂
Beautiful! What a fun hobby.
You are so talented! I love the pink one, but have browsed your shop and they are all lovely!
Your finished book is gorgeous! Too bad about the keepsake book but on the bright side you learned something that will help next time.
Ooh–it’s beautiful! And thanks for reminding us that it’s not as easy as it looks. 😉
Love the idea of library pockets! So sorry to see one of your wonderful journals meet such an awful demise. That chiyogami paper is gorgeous!
I love the picture of the “bad glue” day! We all have those…don’t we…at least as a scrapbooker I do.
Love what you do! Very nice.
Can you still use the paper on the poor book on another book?
Wow! The pocket books look really handy. I’m tempted.
Melody – Thank you girl! I love that cupcake paper too. It’s so fun 🙂 I still have more of the other paper too though so I’m determined to recreate it! haha…
Lenore – Thank you! It’s so fun to do bookbinding. It’s amazing to see what you can make really 🙂
Sandy – Thanks a bunch! I love making books. You should see all the paper I have – it’s my other addiction! haha…
Stefanie – That’s what counts right? At least I learned something in the process and hopefully the next one will work out!
Tiffany – Bookbinding is definitely time consuming and can be quite hard. Don’t even get me started on leather books. Oh my goodness. But the finished project makes it all worthwhile!
jenclair – I know, poor little book right? Oh well. I can’t wait to work with the chiyogami paper too. I’m almost scared to start working with it though as it’s so pretty 🙂
serena (savvy verse & wit) – Ha,ha.. so true! I don’t scrapbook anymore but I still drool over the scrapbooking magazines & the stores. I love to use “scrapbooking” stuff in my books!
Isabel – Thanks girl. Unfortunately, that is really a ruined book so I couldn’t salvage any of it. I guess I could do some kind of grunge book maybe? hmm, Maybe I’ll go dig it out of the trash just in case 😉
Tara – Exactly! Lots of little things you can store in there and basically you can make it into a mini scrapbook!
That’s lovely! Are you going to seel them? I love the pockets. I know all about making mistakes and having to rip them out and sometime you can mend them and sometimes Not! The problem with paper arts is wanting all the pretty papers for myself!
Wow, you really have a talent for this! I love that you show how things go wrong, that’s what I like about writing, when things go wrong I hit delete and nobody ever has to know it was there!!
I love the composition of the heart and cupcake notebook. So cute…I’m a big fan of pink. I like pink button shirt and pink polos. 🙂
I love your little notebooks, Iliana. Most recently I used one of the ones I bought to record patterns for drawing Zentangles.
The Chinese paper is beautiful. Is that $9 for one sheet?
Danielle – Thank you and yes I plan to add those to my shop. We’ll see how they do 🙂 I totally know what you mean about pretty papers. I have so many and some I wonder why I’m hanging on to for so long?! ha.
Claire – Thank you girl. I definitely don’t mind sharing the “oops”. Plus, I love to show that even the books that might look simple aren’t necessarily so!
Matthew – I love pink too! My dream is to have a pink bike one day but that’s for another blog post – ha.
booklogged – thank you! And, I’d love to see the Zentangles. You should post a picture so we can see! The paper is expensive isn’t it? One of my favorite paper stores in dallas has some japanese paper for $22 a sheet! Talk about feeling the pressure to get those projects right! haha…
Girlfriend…you are too funny. I love your disaster shot.
However, I love your new Keepsake Style a lot. I will have to order one soon. Keep an eye out. Thanks for sharing.
Wisteria
Wisteria – Gotta keep it real you know 🙂 I’m glad you like the little book. It’s fun to make those well when the glue cooperates – haha…
🙂 it is ok to have a bad day … you got to learn something 🙂 🙂
but i m sure it would be really frustrating 🙂
the book is lovely.. the pink one! i wonder how u do it.. u really do a very good work!
Hopefully your bad glue days are few and far between. I enjoy your journals so much. I’ve gotten so many compliments on the one I’m using as my reading journal right now. 🙂
I love the pocket book! Pretty and useful 😀
I love the idea of a keepsake book!