Skip to main content

Making Books

I've seen a few crafty blogs (here and here) where they've made books lately. I decided to try my hand at it for three reasons:

1. I wanted to buy sketch books for the kids and me for Nature Journals and such, but it's Buy Nothing Challenge month.


2. I have the materials on hand. Plain printer paper, embroidery thread, etc.
3. It's a way to artfully use the kids' and my watercolor paintings (from way back in Waldorf preschool days...)

Kitty helped!The finished books. Aren't they lovely? Thanks to the kids' beautiful watercolors. They helped pick out their favorite watercolors for book covers and saw the process, but the sewing was kind of hard so I did that. I'm glad to have them see me "making do" and making it beautiful, too. One of my favorite sayings is this...

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Do without

A good old Yankee verse, I think. Probably got a lot of use in the Great Depression, and perhaps will come back in vogue in this current recession/depression we're having.

I guess "necessity is the mother of invention"! (Another good saying.)

Labels:

Comments

Stacie said…
Is is just computer paper, a paper cover, and sewn together with a regular needle? What kind of thread did you use?

I like the idea of making my own journals!
2:00 PM
denise said…
We love making all types of books from paper we already have - including those nature journals.

Yours turned out GREAT! Very Nice! :)
2:56 PM
Lisa Zahn said…
Yes, it's just printer paper, thread (I used embroidery thread 4-6 strands thick) and a regular largish needle. The covers are heavy-duty watercolor paper on four of the books. One painting was on thinner paper so I glued it to a manilla file folder cut down to size. I used Elmer's glue for this, just cutting the paper slightly bigger than the manilla folder and folding the watercolor "cover's" edges down to glue them on. This was a bit tricky to do. I'd go with thicker paper if possible--the watercolor paper that's almost like a piece of lightweight cardboard.

Each journal has about 5 or 6 pieces of folded paper in it, yielding 20 or so book pages.

Any other questions? The links I posted have better instructions!
6:25 PM
Jess said…
So creative! Those look awesome, good thing you have a few artist handy for such an occasion ;)
7:47 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lisa Zahn, Life Coach--Some Exciting News!

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to tell you I now have my very own domain and website dedicated to my new, thriving business as a co-active life coach. I recently completed training through the wonderful Coaches Training Institute and am working my way toward certification as a Certified Professional Co-active Coach (CPCC). I write regular blog posts and a weekly newsletter, which you can sign up for and receive via email , over at lisazahn.com now. I think you'll enjoy following along over there. And go check out my site--it's beautiful!
Post a Comment
Read more

The 7 Areas for Reduction

Today I want to write just a snippet on each of the 7 areas where we're reducing our consumption. See the Riot for Austerity page to learn more. 1. Electricity. No major sacrifices. We're still watching TV a little and I'm online way too much trying to keep up with this group (my latest obsession), but we're now turning both off at the power strip when they're not in use, instead of just at night when we go to bed. Also, many more appliances are getting unplugged when not in use. 2. Heating and Cooking Energy. We are using the a/c today due to temps in the 90s and very high humidity. That is my general rule for a/c use and always has been-it has to be over 90 degrees F. and humid. Tonight when the predicted cold front passes through we'll turn it off for at least the next week of predicted 80s. 3. Gasoline. I'm biking the 2.5 miles to work every time I work, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. George is biking the 3 miles to the health club for his aerobic w...
Post a Comment
Read more

America a Military Police State--Now Obvious to Minnesotans

From my friend Devin's blog, The Quince Urban Homestead . They and others in the Twin Cities are much more aware of what's going on down there than we are an hour north. News reports are incomplete and, of course, skewed to the "need for order" and fear tactics. Of course we don't want violence, but come on! Has it come to this? This could be my family! Or anyone's family, simply doing their thing...Read on...(emphases are mine) Some links first: Youtube Video Twin Cities Daily Planet news with photo Flickr photos Happenings at the RNC here in St.Paul Minnesota. POLICE SEIZE PERMIBUS At approximately 6:25 pm on August 30, 2008 Minneapolis Police, Minnesota State Troopers, Ramsey County Sheriffs, Saint Paul Police, and University of Minnesota Police pulled over the Earth Activist Training Permaculture Demonstration Bus (Permibus) by exit 237 on Interstate 94. Initially the police told the people on the bus to exit. When the people on the bus asked if they wer...
4 comments
Read more