Two Finishes

Finish No. 1 - some of you may remember the Smile Journal cover from last year (shared in THIS POST).

Since then I've made no less than three sets of paper signatures for the inside, doubting my decision each time resulting in the condition known as "stalled" (all too common to both quilters and paper artists).

Last week I made up my mind to "get it done" and empty that project box - so I did.

I used white sulphite paper with colorful signature wrappers, light pink waxed thread, and the five-hole pamphlet stitch. 

This is the interior front cover and first page.

And this is the back interior cover and final page.

I'm going to use this journal for my "In the Mailbox" project instead of the Rolodex (previously mentioned HERE) -  especially given the substrate for this cover is a small USPS Priority Mail box.

Finish No. 2 -- earlier this year I signed up for the Scrappy Journal Challenge with Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs.

I made the cover, embellished it, and created my three signatures (photos below).  But I stalled when it came to the fancy chevron binding stitch. 

Like the Smile Journal, I decided this Luckyday journal (named inspired by the vintage button card hand stitched to the front cover) had waited long enough and that I did NOT have to use the prescribed binding stitch.

I used the five-hole pamphlet stitch with a darker pink waxed thread and I love the results.

Inside front cover with a patterned vellum first page.

An interior view (younger son created the black and white sheet a long time ago - I rescued it from one of his now-discarded sketch journals). 

Another inside peek - gotta love the eclectic mix of papers.

Young Man did the artwork on the right page back when he was in the Toddler Two preschool class (tracing around plastic cookie cutters).  I'm happy to have found a forever home for that precious sheet of paper.

Old handwriting, marbled copy paper, a page from one of my grandmother's vintage craft books, along with sheet music, random emails from unknown people found inside thrifted books, grid/graph paper, kindergarten 3-line learning to print paper, and so many others make up the signatures.

Inside back cover.

This particular journal may never be filled - the papers alone make me happy when I flip through it and the tall skinny shape is not as appealing to me for working in.

I've added both journals to the bookshelf in my sewing studio - and, if you look on the lower shelf in this photo, my completed doodle-a-day journal is on the far left.  

* * *

Macnas is now fully pin basted and ready for some FMQ action this week.  

Quiltdivajulie

-----------------------------------------------

"Make stuff.  Keep making stuff.  It will feed your creative spirit. Just.  Keep.  Making."

Deb Taylor