Smells like leather

What a fun time I had last Saturday.  Traveled to Louisville to attend a bookbinding workshop where we made a leather journal.  The class was taught by a very talented book artist who uses upcycled material, Melissa Oesch of ReImagined .  These are some of her samples she brought. Each one is unique and beautiful. 

This is the book I made (below).  My one regret is that I picked flimsy leather for my cover.  We had a choice, as Melissa went around the room letting us be the one to pick. So I have no one to blame but myself. I liked the look of this leather, but in retrospect, wish I had used a heavier leather.  After I got home, I stiffened the cover a little by attaching a scrap piece I had cut from my original cover.  I turned it over to the more suede side, and started sewing it in place, first on the right side of the scrap.  I was just about through with that and ready to start sewing the left side of the scrap and thought - eyelets!  So I used eyelets on the edge of the flap.  I will add a button or bead to the leather tie that wraps around the book.

I did treat myself to one of Melissa's journals, and I'm so glad I did.  I picked this one (on the left) because I liked the more tall narrow size.  Reminds me of the Midori travel journal a little.  That's also how I realized I like the thicker leather.  This journal just feel better to hold.  It has beautiful deckled paper inside too.

 

I've been experimenting off and on in the tall journal, testing pens, inks, watercolors, and paints.

This paper holds up surprisingly well.  The only bleed through was when I used a lot of water.  The Distress ink pad bled completely through the page when I added water.

Overall, fun class, fun day with friends, good lunch.  It all went too fast.