Newest Leather Journal

As I mentioned before, I've been making more books for the gallery... though they won't be taking all my books, I want to make sure they have a nice selection. So today I finished a black and bronze leather journal, hand stitched by me with waxed Irish linen thread. Sorry that the photos didn't turn out so nice. I have to clean my lens, but I don't have anything to use right now that wouldn't possibly scratch the lens in the process.

The leather for this journal was from scraps I purchased from the garment district in LA, when I still lived there. The leather is very soft and supple, like something you'd wear. 


I plan on making more, but I need some materials. I was thinking of buying some old leather jackets to recycle. They usually have a nice feel to them... and that's one of the most important things about my leather journals. They need to feel good to touch and hold. So that there's an added dimension to their appeal.


I'll post any more that I make... I might be able to get a couple more out by this Friday, when I have to take my inventory in to the gallery. The thing is, my tendonitis starts to act up when I make more than one in a day. It's satisfying, though still frustrating, as the cats are all over me, trying to catch the threads as I work! Now, Beckham is nibbling at my legs... trying to get my attention. Time to go! Have a great, fabulous, miraculous day!

Red Kimono Journal

Guess what, friends and readers? My red kimono journal (from my Etsy shop) was featured in Charan's (Creative With Clay) Etsy blog! Check out her store, too... She's an amazing potter! She does a weekly color feature that you submit your Etsy items to, and she chooses eight each week, for that specific color. This week was "Maroon" and I wasn't sure my book would get in there, but it did! I'm really excited because a lot of people view that blog!

Check it out!

Here are some more photos of my new journal...

 I really need to learn how to take better product photos. I'm good with nature, but not so good with promotional photos. It's harder than it looks, as Vicki once pointed out to me. (I didn't really believe her at the time, because hey, the stuff isn't MOVING, so it can't be THAT hard... but it is hard!) Any pointers would be happily considered and appreciated!

Reasons for journaling

I used to be an avid journaler when I was younger... sometimes I would rather journal than go out with my boyfriend, or work on homework. I would carry my current journal with me to the beach, or the park, or camping, or at a sleep-over. It was like my friend, this little book. It was the friend I would tell my secrets to, and be silly with, without fearing any ridicule or judgment. Well, that is, until my mom read my personal journal and grounded me for life for "going all the way" with my high school boyfriend.... and then my jealous post-high school boyfriend read about the friends I'd made in college, and we argued and fought until I vowed never to put my personal thoughts into my journal anymore. It ceased, at that time, to be my retreat. And thus, I lost myself for a while. Has this ever happened to anyone else? It was almost like being unable to write things down caused me to lose touch with who I was at that time. My creativity stopped flowing. I got sick a lot more. Strange.

After a time, I started to journal again, but not in writing. I started working on art journals instead. Small projects that were only a page or two in size, and where I could be unabashedly creative or lame or silly or ugly or cool.... I found that I had gotten in touch with myself again after years of disconnect. And it was very interesting! I had changed and grown quite a bit... though I hadn't grown UP. (Thank goodness!) In making small pages of art that had no real purpose, I found a freedom that I had never known before! A release from my ego, I guess. I also enjoyed the feeling of completion that so seldom comes to a person like me: the ultimate non-finisher! The only time I ever finished anything was when I was creating it for someone else! What does that say about me? I don't care!

I really don't know where I'm going with this. I've gotten quite good at not finishing things. I just may leave it at that. For now. :-)