I acquired the fabulous remains of an old leather document case a while back. It was one of those moments where I turned a corner in the store, and there it was, beckoning me from the recesses of a shelf.  There isn't much of it, so I've been hording it, but finally made my first journal with it.  It's deep, dark brown, but wonderfully worn, so it has loads of reddish scuff marks. Just listed in my Etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/274429568/rustic-leather-journal-one-of-a-kind?ref=shop_home_active_1

A Mystery Solved

I love to read a good mystery, curled up in a deep armchair with a box of restorative bon-bons nearby, and recently I managed to solve a small mystery myself. Nothing involving a murder, which is perhaps a good thing.

The other day I was leafing idly through one of my books on bookbinding, when I noticed a small, blurry, black-and-white photograph of a coptic stitched book (yes, this is a bookbinding mystery, Dear Reader :). 

On the cover of the book were some cross-stitchings that seemed to be part of the binding. And unfortunately, even though it was a very instructive book on bookbinding, in this case there was no explanation of how one would do that sort of stitching. Where is Sherlock Holmes when you need him? 

I became determined to solve the Mystery of the Cross-Stitch Coptic Binding, so I got out my needles and a couple of recently pressed book covers, and commenced my investigations.  And at last I think I've done it! Turns out it was a variation on a multiple-needle coptic stitch pattern I've been using for years for my books with wooden covers.  I just had to do a little criss-crossing with the needles, and voila! Here is the result:

I used reclaimed, walnut brown leather from a vintage bomber jacket for the covers, and stitched it together with sky blue Irish linen thread.

 On the inside covers are ephemera stickers with Italian and French handwriting:

I named this journal / sketch book "Blue Skies". It's currently residing on the shelves of my Etsy store.

Baseball Journal

While waiting for my book covers to dry in the press (see previous post), I finished my second baseball-themed journal / notebook. This one is called "Pop Fly":

Its covers are made from a well-worn, vintage Carlton Fisk catcher's mitt, and a bit of reclaimed bison leather. On the first page is a reproduction of an 1888 baseball card with a photo of Monte Ward of the New York Giants.  I loved this little photo! In it, Monte Ward is clearly in a photography studio, manfully reenacting a slide into home base. 

This journal is residing on the shelves of my Etsy store.

(Sold)

Anticipation

Here is my lovely old book press, in its temporary home in the living room:

I've been waiting with great anticipation for the contents to finish being pressed. Inside are the covers for two new journal/guest book/delirious products of the imagination, which I started working on yesterday. More on that to come anon, but I'm thinking at the moment that they (and some other books I'm thinking about) will have to do with my favorite cities: Paris, New York, and Venice.  

That little black blob in the background on the right is my faithful bookbinding dog, Gretta, who does no actual bookbinding herself, but is a very devoted companion and keeps me company while I work. She is at present hoping for a dog biscuit.

Moons and Moons

Around the time of the recent full moon, I got busy making some journals that have a moon theme. I named my shop Moon and Hare partly in honor of my great-grandfather, Quintilious V. Moon, who was a most excellent journal-keeper, and I like to have some moon themed journals in my shop as a nod to him. And also, just generally because I love looking at the moon, especially on full-moon nights.

This one is a reproduction of a 19th-century etching of a "man in the moon", surrounded by a verdigris filigree metal charm. I've always loved this etching, it has such a benevolent gaze. Surely, that's how the man in the moon would gaze upon us, if he were really up there, no?

Paper Moon

(Sold)

My second man in the moon journal also has a face inside a verdigris metal charm.  This one made me smile a bit while I was making it.  The face in the moon is a 19th century photograph of a young man who, from what I could make out from the writing on the back of the photo, was a young missionary who had set out to conquer London. Oh, the doors that must have been slammed in this fellow's face, and yet, he had the gaze of someone who would not be easily deterred. You, my man, I thought, shall be a man in the moon! A man in the moon should be one not easily deterred -- after all, it must be awfully cold up there.

Man in the Moon

Dreamers, Part One and Two

Did some browsing around the local antique stores a few days ago, and came away with some excellent antique cabinet photographs, and some other, smaller ones as well.

  I made two new journals with the cabinet photographs, plus some bison leather for the spines. Back when I was living in British Columbia, Canada, I found out about a bookbinder who lived in a tiny town deep in the woods, tracked him down and got the bison leather from him. That's the second bookbinder I've discovered living out in the woods. What is is about bookbinders and primordial forests? 

Dreamer No. 1

Dreamer No. 2 (Sold)

New City, New Studio

After living a somewhat gypsy-like life for the past while, I'm finally all settled in a beautiful old neighborhood. My new studio is light and airy, and I have all my lovely book making things about me again, including my stash of antique linen thread.

And some of the trunks I store my bits and bobs in.

The all-important inspiration corner.

And even more thread for sewing books.

It feels so good to be settled again. Even better, I now live near the quaint old Hyde Park area of Boise, which has many antique shops full of lovely old fabrics and things which are giving me some interesting ideas....but more on that, later, dear reader.