The Ultimate Artists' Sketchbook!

Just wanted to share my latest journals -

Wow - this one was a killer!

This piece of leather was from a vintage briefcase we found at the market. The front pouch is original - it was the front part of the briefcase. I created the journal around this piece of leather.

Longstitch binding - hand sewn with mustard linen thread.

I wanted the closure straps to also secure the front pouch - to keep it closed - so I salvaged these leather straps off another briefcase to use as the closure. (Stitched and riveted to the back of the journal) Restitched both straps with the mustard linen thread - and stitched four small leather pieces to the cover - so that the straps could slide through.

Perfect front pocket to keep all of your supplies!

The first and last signature pages have vintage french

map pages from "Atlas Classique" 1964.

Vintage Travel Journal:

This leather is from a purse - I have older pictures on the blog of the start of this binding... the small rectangular hole once had metal hardware - after I deconstructed the purse and took out the hardware - I loved the look of this cut-out and wanted to work it into the binding. I created the second hole to mimic the original hole - so that the pages could peek through the spine.

Variation of the Long Stitch Binding -

sewn onto leather straps (from the original purse)

with cream colored linen thread.

I created this closure from extra pieces of the same leather -

and hand stitched around the leather strap.

All of the interior signatures have vintage french map pages - 16 map pages total.

Hand stitching around the leather closure strap with cream colored linen thread.