7 February 2011

Notebook covers and journals

A couple of years ago, a workmate and friend of mine did me a nice favour. He was getting rid of a lot of old law books, and as he’d heard me mention that the sturdy book covers would be great for projects, he got me a whole bagful of covers as a surprise. When I saw the bag that he’d snuck into my room, I decided that I was going to make him something from those covers as a little thank you. I soon started on a notepad cover, but faced with some construction problems, the project remained a UFO. Recently, however, I learned that he will soon undergo complicated surgery, and I decided that the time had come for me to finish what I started. Fate helped me along with this, because I had just treated myself to the latest issue of International Quilt Fest: Quilt Scene, and there I discovered an article about [drum roll] fabric-covered notepads. This article gave me a fresh perspective on my own project, and I finally finished the cover. I snuck it into his room this morning. I hope he liked it. :)

I’ve also been busy with a couple of other projects. One of them is also for a friend, but still not ‘open to the public’, and the other one is a new journal. A while ago I asked you to stay tuned for more of my bookbinding adventures, and here’s the next instalment: Gwen Diehn’s Thirty-Minute Multiple-Pamphlet Journal (from The Decorated Journal). This was a lot of fun, even though I got myself into trouble by deciding that I was going to take a slightly alternative approach to making the cover. I did pull it through, though, and I’m very pleased with the result. I made this journal for a specific purpose. My partner Jarkko and I are going on a vacation to Thailand (!) soon, and my hope is that it won’t be too hot to journal there. I’m finding it difficult to get into the habit of journaling, so I’m hoping this trip might kick-start me. There has to be loads of things worth drawing or painting there, and I should hope my usual excuse (lack of time) won’t be a problem. I‘m very excited about our new adventure, and can hardly wait for it to begin. But, oh, there’s so much to be done before that!


Fodral och skissböcker

Under helgen som gick sysselsatte jag mig med tre små projekt. Det första projektet var ett fodral till ett anteckningsblock som jag började med redan för länge sedan, men som hade blivit liggande. Det var tänkt som ett litet tack till en arbetskamrat och vän som hade gjort mig en tjänst, och när jag nyligen fick höra att han ska bli opererad och sjukskriven en längre tid, bestämde jag mig för att tiden var mogen för att avsluta projektet. Jag smög in fodralet i hans rum idag. Jag hoppas att han gillade det.  :)

Mitt andra projekt är också till en vän, men det är inte ”offentligt” ännu. Det tredje projektet blev en fortsättning på mina äventyr med bokbindning. Det blev en skissbok som jag ska ta med mig när min Jarkko och jag åker på semester till Thailand (!) inom kort. Jag hoppas det inte är för hett för att teckna och måla där. Det ska bli spännande och jag ser verkligen fram emot det!

Notepad cover with the Finnish Coat of Arms
Fodral för anteckningsblock med Finlands vapen



My journal, with 300 g/m2 watercolour paper and vellum
Min skissbok, med 300 g/m2 akvarellpapper och vellum