Fun with Paper

So I am determined to diversify a bit for this summer faire and was inspired by some simple journals I saw. Thinking that it would be a great to have a little section of handmade cards and stationary I decided to give up my weekend to this task. I had a some frustrations (the how-to guide on the coptic stitch was a bit cryptic) but in the end I had some good results and had a good time.The journal making process is pretty simple it just about having the tools in hand and getting a rythym going. All you really need is compressed cardboard (or book board really cheap and pre-cut) nice decorative paper for the cover, embellishments (optional), linen thread (french linen embroidery thread can be found in most craft shops), and paper.

For my embellishments I found a rub-on transfer paper that i just love...you can print or stamp on it and then transfer to your project. It comes in 4 sheets of 8.5X11 for about $8-10 but depending on your designs you can make them stretch out (I used photoshop to compile as many images as possible on a page). It is a nice alternative to printing on paper, it's transparent in the white areas and it has a nice sheen that gives a silkscreen-like effect. For the covers I used handmade block-print or hand-painted paper from a local import store, although pricey I think it gives the journals a nice depth and feel. Then there is the most time-consuming part of the process, making the signatures (pages in the book). I used high-quality recycled paper and folded, then nested them in stacks of 10. After that it was just a matter of punching holes with an awl (I used a ceramic pin tool) and sewing it all together with the coptic stitch. The coptic stitch is a great stitch because it makes the pages lie flat no matter what page you turn to, which is great for writing in the margins with ease! Majority of the larger journals have 60 pages and the smaller journals have about 40 pages. So Fun! I recommend doing this if you have extra paper and some time on your hands!

Here is a close up of the coptic stitch it seemed to get much better by the end of the process. The bottom journal had the most signatures and shows off the chain stitch that the coptic stiching results in.

Happy Crafting!