Too much has happened in the last day!
My blog is LOVE IS HANDMADE from today, oficially.
I BOUND MY FIRST ART JOURNAL!!
It was a culmination of several things. I’ve been wanting to work in a larger format. I’ve been wanting an art journal that opens out flat and isn’t spiral bound. I’ve been wanting to bind my own journal. So all that came together at 12:22am last night when I was at my art table thinking I’m gong to make my own journal.
No tutorial. No book binding knowledge. I didn’t want to give myself time to think because then I would need to look online for a nice tutorial, get lost in the beautiful books other people have made, admire, then I would need a night to mull over all that beauty. Then the next morning would be to busy to bind a book.
So in the silence that is 12 am in Kathmandu, I began.
I used:
Several sheets of my favourite bulky artist’s paper in A3. Folded them into half. Made 3 stacks of folded papers.
A needle.
Embroidery thread.
Card paper for the cover in black and red inside
That’s it.
No awl. No book board. No paper press. No cardboard. Nothing that I didn’t want to bother with.
AND I LOVE IT!!
I’m so happy with it, I’ve forgotten that it was a pain (literally!) to push the needle through each signature, and that it was hot and I was frustrated with it before I fully began!! Lol.
I folded sgnatured. Poked holes at one inch gaps with my needle along the middlethreaded the needle. started at the bottom and worked the stitching through to the top, then the next row. added fiber. done. Lol.
Here’s what it looks like:
Its A4 in size (the paper opens up to A3). It no longer looks like this. And I already began journalling in it! 
I love it so much I can’t stop! I had to really convince myself to come online and post!
Plenty more on my Flickr. Yes, I really went at it
“Love is Handmade” is the best blog name EVER
because it truly suits your blog. Fantastic.
There really is no stopping you – you wanted a journal without spirals and you did it yourself. Good for you., girl
Love your blog. Your art journal pages are amazing. I love the purples.
J:
).
and thanks for visiting 
thank you
I’ve been using Love is Handmade as a brand name o sorts. For everything I make, send, etc. (you’ll see when you get your mail
CGL!
thank you
Wow, you are something else. I think I’m pretty darn crafty if I glue something into my store bought journal!
Hi!
Love the Love is Handmade : )
great book…started and finished!
I just saw your comment mentioning you tagged me..
our computer was “in the shop”…well, it’s o.k. now…
but I have surely missed being able to visit you and other friends : (…
now I would love to see more…not to mention, flikr…
I will have to slowly catch-up…
Journalism!! : )
and I want to do the tag, too…: )
glad you are happy busy : )
Jen
frida:
lol. glueing something into a store bought journal IS crafty!!
jen:
good to see you back!! Been wondering about you!
Thanks for your nice comments on my blog! Altering a board book has been really fun … the hardest part was pulling off the original pages. They were stuck on like crazy, so it was a bit of work to pull all of it off. Next time I think I’ll try the sanding method … messier but I think easier LOL! But I do love working on the thick, sturdy pages.
Love your blog … your new journal is wonderful. And I’ve got to try the eraser stamps … your alphabet is fabulous!
“love is handmade”
is so resonant of you -
cookie cutter perfection:)
(hugs)
jennifer,
thank you.
you’re most welcome: your board book is fabulous!!
maddie, I like the name too
Your creativity is bursting out of the seams! Thanks for reminding me to stop thinking that everything has to be perfect, archival etc….
keep on inspiring.
M
Wow! You are so inspiring! Your handmade journals are beautiful and are urging me to go out looking for beautiful papers – thanks!
margaret:
thank you
wanting everything to be the way they’re “supposed” to be is something I have to make an effort to be conscious of, and defy.
Denise:
make your own kind of beautiful papers. 
thank you, Denise.
And you dodn’t need beautiful papers! just get wtercolour paper. and paints. and play.
B E A U T I F U L journal & pages. Right on!
thank you, mary ann
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