I've just finished up this big journal - I have pictures of the journal in process:

Here I am deciding how I would like the binding design to look -

figuring out the number and size of the brown leather straps -

Lots of straps . . .

This pic is a little out of order - but I wanted to show the paper pre-binding - after I figure out the binding and make my template - I hand punch all of the holes in the signatures.

I finished the front cover -

each section underneath the leather straps have been carefully carved out to adhere the leather to the cover (to make the binding more secure) and then I will hand stitch some stitches onto the leather straps.

Here's a pic of the back of the journal - where I have carved out a small section of the board underneath the straps.

After the straps were secured on the covers - I hand stitched the straps onto both the front and back covers.

The very top and bottom straps have been riveted to the covers.

Close-up shot!