When it comes to creating and craft I can get bored using one product and one technique. I am the type of person who likes to constantly learn new things, learn about new products and how to use them. I love the research side of things and then the practice side of things. I get bored easily otherwise. So I consider myself always evolving.
I've always been interested in bookbinding. A few years ago I made a small art journal out of watercolour paper with chipboard for the covers, using what is called a Coptic Stitch to bind it all. It was a rewarding process. It was my first attempt at bookbinding and I was so afraid it would fall apart that I kept checking the tension of the stitches. I didn't want a thing to come loose. Well, I can tell you that not one stitch was ever going to come loose lol, infact it was stitched with such tension it was too tight which didn't leave much way for room when using different mediums lol. But I still used it, and still have it and still cherish it. I always find it interesting and rewarding to see how I have progressed.
When I was away over New Years I went to the Mill Markets in Daylesford. I LOVE Daylesford Mill Markets. It always has the BEST vintage finds at reasonable prices. It is where I found a awesome antique hardcover, leather bound book I use as a art journal a year or so ago. I love the brown leather, it is just yummy, soft and full of character. So imagine my delight when on this visit I found another antique ledger, but infact it was just the cover of the ledger! Beautiful hard bound with a nice stiff spine, with the yummy brown leather cover all but stained but who cares it shows character. It shows that this book has lived!
And it is A3 size. I just knew straight away I had to have it. The only question was should I make it a Art Journal or a Portfolio. Well I decided on Art Journal. Now usually in bookbinding I am used to working with paper that you fold in half to create the pages. But that is a bit hard with A3 size. So I had to find a bookbinding technique for single pages. So I researched and found a technique. Then due to the way single page bookbinding works I had to buy 9 curved needles as every single page has
to be stitched separate lol. It was great fun!!
And although I tried my dam hardest my pages don't line up perfectly as I would have hoped. But I spose that is the beauty of hand made isn't it? So then I had to adhere the gorgeous watercolour bookbinding I had put together into this gorgeous antique leather bound ledger cover. And this is what I got.
I love how big this art journal is. I love that it is hand made and lays open flat for me to work in. This is definitely a bookbinding technique I will use again. Even though it is a much longer process it is definitely worth it.
Now it is time for me to go create something in this beauty.
