Annnnnnnnd, we're off!
30 projects in 365 days? That sounds manageable. (I've got four queued and ready to roll.)
I mentioned that phase one of this project is all about using up existing supplies. This is part of my idea that sometimes creativity comes when you GET IN A BOX. Setting parameters and working with what you have can make you even more inspired. The example I like to use is the Project Runway one: the challenges when the designers had to "make it work" with car parts always had much more interesting results than when they could use any fabric at Mood.
I have had a case bound grid journal from Paper Source in my cupboard for years and knew it would have to be Project 1.
Hilariously, I have already attempted to do a tutorial of this process (and I've already given a handbound book away!) but every five years you get to recycle blog content so we're good. Plus, I've gotten moderately better at taking photos of myself doing projects in five years. Though if I do anything right in the next five years it will be hiring an assistant to help me take photos.
I didn't have any great patterned paper on hand for the cover of the book so I decided to really go for it and stamp my own with a hand-carved stamp I made a few years ago. I already had white bookcloth and kraft paper on hand so it was a no-brainer to use white paint.
I love the look that results from a hand-carved stamp. The imperfections really make it. (I you want to carve your own, this is a great kit, I love this brayer and I have had great results with this printing ink – though any craft paint works.)
The hardest part of this project is (sadly) sourcing the book kits. You need a text block and precut book board which isn't easy to find. Paper Source has these square ones in limited quantities. Blick has these smaller ones at a great price if you want to make a bunch (teacher gifts anyone?). I am sure there are more, but these are the only brands I have tried. Other than that, you'll want:
- PVA glue
- a glue brush
- pencil
- ruler
- book cloth
- bone folder
- scissors
STEP 1 : cut your book cloth down so it's a few inches taller than your book and about 4-5 inches wide. Fold it in half the long (hot-dog) way. You now know where the center of your spine will be. Place your ruler on the fold and measure out about the width of your text block on each side.
For this book, my text block is 10/16 inches thick. I went 9/16 out on either side of the 6 (see those marks on the ruler?) We measure out this far to be sure our book will open and close properly. Mark these spots with a pencil in two places of the book cloth.
STEP 2 : apply glue to the bookcloth starting at the pencil marks and pulling out all the way to the edge of the bookcloth. Line your bookboard up with the marks and push down to adhere.
STEP 3 : do the same on the other side, being careful to line the top of the two bookboard pieces up.
STEP 4 : apply glue to the top of the bookcloth and pull it tightly over the bookboard.
STEP 5 : use your bone folder to smooth out any wrinkles of the booktape on the back and front sizes. (At this point you can add a bit more bookcloth to the back center – see final photo in step 12 below – but it's not necessary.)
STEP 6 : congrats! You have just combined two pieces of bookboard (your covers!) with a spine!
STEP 7 : we are now going to cover the book with paper. The amount of paper you'll need will vary based on the size of your book. You will want 2 pieces (one for the front and one for the back) and you should shoot for a few inches taller and wider than what your final book will be. Apply glue to the backside of the paper, taking care to pull the brush off the edge (on to scrap paper). We need that whole edge covered with glue.
STEP 8 : turn the paper over and line up the glued edge against the spine so it covers the bookcloth edge but leaves about an inch of cloth showing. Use your bone folder to smooth things out.
STEP 9 : turn the book back over and use scissors, to cut wide U shapes out of the two corners, making sure to leave about 1/8 inch of space between the paper and the bookboard corner.
STEP 10 : apply glue and fold down the top and bottom sides of the paper.
STEP 11 : use your bone folder to tuck in the extra little bit corner – this will give the book a polished look.
STEP 12 : apply glue and fold over that final side. Pull tight and smooth out with the bone folder.
Repeat steps 7-12 for the other side. Congrats! Your cover is complete!
The final step is to drop in the text block. The text block is a "pre-glued set of pages" and it slips right into your covers. Stick yours in and be sure that it fits. To hold it in place, we need to cover the whole front and back pages with PVA glue. This part always makes me nervous.
What I like to do is get it lined up in the cover exactly how I like it. Then I carefully set it on the table and open the front cover. Slip a piece of scratch paper under the front piece of the text block and apply glue to the whole thing, pulling the brush over the edge of the page and on to the scrap paper. Without moving the text block, close the book and firmly press down the cover. Remove the scrap paper.
Then flip the book over and do the same to secure the last page of the text block to the back cover.
Tuck fresh scratch paper (without glue on it) behind the covers to protect the pages and stick it under a heavy book for a few hours. The extra scratch paper will absorb any extra moisture. This glue is no joke and your book will hold beautifully.
Hooray! A REAL BOOK. I've learned a lot of DIY tricks over the past decade but book binding is top ten for sure. When I make stuff, I am trying to make stuff that I would actually want to buy. This is one of those projects for sure and a perfect kick off to MAKE&GIVE30.
And now! The giveaway. Since this is a journal… leave a comment telling me something that you'd write down in it. Grocery lists? Dreams? Things your kids say? Funny Leslie Knope quotes? I'll draw a random winner by the end the week. Giveaway open to anyone, anywhere.
GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Random.org chose #278 as the winning comment which is Sara (Kanapi). Sara, please email me at elise.blahaATgmail.com and I'll send out your book. Thank you!
enJOY it 
432 responses to “PROJECT 1/30 : a handbound journal”
I would write down my thoughts on being a first time mom. Getting my thoughts on paper would help me, I think.
LikeLike
Definitely to do lists. Love how simple it looks.
LikeLike
I’m getting married at the end of October and I’m using your “to us, the young love birds, who will someday be wise old owls” as a theme (not sure if you remember but I emailed you a while ago asking if I could! :)) so I’d use it as a journal to document exciting memories that lead up to the wedding, and then as a special place to document special “newlywed” memories.
LikeLike
I am a total notebook junky 😀 Can never have enough of them. I use them to journal, collect random notes like shopping lists, plan, organise and track things. Recently I’ve totally gotten into the bullet journal. Maybe this might be my next one? 🙂
LikeLike
I love book binding. It’s very easy to sew your own signatures as well, just a bit more time consuming. I didn’t actually know you could buy pre-sewn/glued blocks. I had an art teacher growing up that forced us to make our own sketch books, and I really thankful for it. If I’ve got paper, thread, beeswax, glue and cardboard I’ve got a sketch book.
LikeLike
I love it Elise! I’m a huge journal junkie! I’ve been trying to find a new journal for my 2015 goals (write now they’re just mishmashed on scrap paper or in my daily planner). This would be perfect!
xoxo
Terrific first project to share ❤
LikeLike
I would use it for business ideas + notes, as I’m starting my own business this year!
LikeLike
I love the printed cover on this! I am a art journaler and love abook with colored or patterned paper to start. I have a fear of the blank white page!
LikeLike
Maybe the best tutorial you’ve ever done! I would use the grid paper for designing. Cards, invites, my blog, etc. The grids are so versatile.
LikeLike
I’m loving this. Can grownups have autograph books? Because that would be a swell one. 😉 probably it would become one of my prayer journal/quote holder/external thought processing device 🙂
LikeLike
Lovely! I would tuck it away in my purse and record a quote a day from my family. So fun!
LikeLike
I would write all about our new baby arriving in April. Everything he is doing so I can document in his baby book and project life.
LikeLike
So cool! This is one of those projects where I’d love to win it because while it’s a cool project it’s not one that gets me excited to make it–just to use it 🙂 Looking forward to seeing what other projects you have in store. I think I’d jot some daily notes and goals/checklist items.
LikeLike
This is amazing! I need a craft store closer to home to pursue all the ideas you fill my head with. I would use the journal to record my children’s day. I find myself asking what we did and what was so funny that he said very often and my oldest asks as well. It would be nice to hand that to him in 10+ years with an awesome back story of where it came from.
LikeLike
I would write down one thing I am thankful for every day. I used to do this, but life kind of got in the way. This would be perfect ofr starting again. Such a fun book!
LikeLike
I would write all of the lists! I use them so much to keep everything on track (one for the week, one for the month, house projects, gifts to buy, etc.) Great project!
LikeLike
I would use it as a place to consolidate jewelry designs that have yet to make it to real life! Beautiful book and something I’ve always wanted to try!
LikeLike
Love how you explain the details of making this book, I’ve never tried this before! Would use it for writing down my millions of to-do’s!
LikeLike
Everyday, I write in a journal. What I did, how I felt, places I visited, people I met and a lot of details about my 2 kids. I always need a new journal!
LikeLike
I would use it as my journal. I’m almost out of space in my current one. Thanks very much for a chance to win. Awesome book, turned out great, and I love that pattern. Michelle t
LikeLike
Great book! I work in the environmental field and this would be perfect to carry along to meetings and jot down ideas on projects and work related to-do lists!
LikeLike
I would write down everything that makes me smile, whether big or small. So when I’ve filled it, I have a book full of happy memories. Then I could use it as a pick me up whenever I need it 🙂
Have a great day! xx
LikeLike
I’d write down lists- the mundane stuff: grocery lists, school homework lists, packing lists, to do lists but also the fun stuff: books i’ve read so far this year, movies we’ve watched, places I’ve visited
I’m big on lists.
LikeLike
Since I am a pillow maker, I would use this awesome little book for pillow design sketches. The grids would keep everything in perfect scale. A great book and kick off to your project! 🙂
LikeLike
making loads and loads of long lists 😉
LikeLike
I’d totally log my daughter’s daily gems. This morning’s for example: “Mom, I’m not two! Just don’t tell me I’m two! Please don’t say I’m two!” Yes, she’s two.
LikeLike
I’d write down all the random little bits of advice that pop out of my mouth in the course of parenting my teenagers … sometimes they are things my own mom used to say, sometimes they are actually funny and crack my teenagers up, sometimes I think wow that’s a really good point I should write that down, and sometimes I hear my kids repeating what I’ve said when they’re trying to support or boost their friends, and sometimes what I have to say shouldn’t be written down at all 🙂
LikeLike
This is beautiful! I would use this as a journal to track my thoughts and quotes and memories to go into my PL album on a weekly basis. Since I don’t scrap week to week but rather in chunks of time so I have to take notes to help me remember the “small stuff” but meaningful stuff of life! 🙂
LikeLike
Gratitude journal/sketch book!
Thank you! It’s beautiful!
LikeLike
i’m a little bit obsessed with journals.
would love to use this one to jot down thoughts, books read, and plans for the future. 🙂
so cute!
LikeLike
I’m in the I-can’t-have-enough-journals camp. Would definitely use it for grocery lists, meal plans, to do-lists and fir scribbling down random things my kids say so that I can put it into their journals when I get to them.
LikeLike
First time commenter – a note book like this seems to be the perfect time for that!
I would call myself a stationary addict and just love love love paper. Apart from my diary (cruelly neglected most of the time) I usually keep a notebook for – well, everything and anything really: to-do-lists (love those), quotes I read and find interesting. Thoughts for work, ideas for school, projects I want to do, things I don’t want to forget, phone numbers.. It has been a great way to keep track of things and at the end I get notbooks filled with interesting and less interesting things but in any case a good overview of what has been happening in my life, what I’ve accomplished…
Greetings from Germany
LikeLike
When I saw this I thought “Man, remember when Elise used to make handbound books all the time?” and then “Man, remember when Elise making books all the time inspired me to make books, too?” Yep.
I’m trying to get a freelance writing venture off the ground, and this seems like a good fit for documenting all my entrepreneurial plannings.
LikeLike
I would use it to keep address of people I write to all over the world. I write postcards, letters, and notes every chance I get, almost every day, and I would like to keep all my address, as well as, a list of dates when mailed to whom. It would make a lovely mail journal.
LikeLike
I always have a notebook on hand to write down random lists, ideas, a big word with a question mark, or something funny/inspiring that I don’t want to forget. This lovely would be perfect for it.
LikeLike
Beautiful!
I’d use it for garden notes. I need to keep better track of when I plant things and how they do each year – you always think you’ll remember, then you can’t remember when you planted those damn tomato seedlings.
(The grid paper would work well for garden sketches too!)
LikeLike
I would write down all the funny things my son says, and try to put a picture in there once in while, too. I would also use the grids as a coloring book, I love making patterns out of grids! Thank you for the tutorial and the chance to win!
LikeLike
so beautiful, elise!
lately I’ve been trying to keep track of what I cook for dinner so I remember what I liked (and, maybe more importantly, what I didn’t like) when I need inspiration. a pretty journal with my own handwritten notes would be a much nicer record than a cluttered pinterest board.
LikeLike
Been using a bullet journal the past few years as my personal planner. This would make a great bullet journal! Pleanty of space to make little boxes to check off:)
LikeLike
My favorite things to write down are meal plan ideas, smoothie recipes, bullet points describing my day, favorite things my boyfriend says, and other memories that I think would be fun to look back on in 10-15 years. 🙂
LikeLike
I’m just starting to play around with hand lettering and am looking for a journal with grid paper – this is so perfect 🙂 I’m considering a moleskine, but would L-O-V-E to work in a handmade. Thanks for the giveaway!
LikeLike
Great idea! I’ve been wanting to make a journal for myself but I barely have time these days since my second little one arrived just 2 weeks ago! A baby girl! I’d use it to write down all the things I’m forgetting and all the ideas I have floating in my head to create once I’m up and able! I’d create oodles of doodles and lists of all the supplies I’m missing and sketches for new baby girl projects! Thanks for the inspiration!
LikeLike
Love this! I would dedicate the book to biz planning. I’m in grad school and a life coaching training and I would use the book to record my business plans and dreams for my coaching business. I love that the grid pages would help keep me organized and detail focused 🙂
LikeLike
It is super cute :)! Love it.. I would use it for reveries and bucket list(s).
LikeLike
Lovely! I’d certainly put it to use with journal entries, goals and of course… lists 🙂
LikeLike
totally leslie knope and tom haverford and april ludgate and ron swanson and donna meagle jokes. gahhh so sad that is ending tonight 😦
BUT at least i will have a place to store the memories if i win the journal! 🙂
LikeLike
oh man. I remember the olden days of Paper Source when they actually had a really big selection of binding materials, beautiful book cloth and book blocks. Kinda bummed that it got replaced with a bunch of tchotchkes.
lately I’ve revived my old high school habit of writing terrible poetry, so that’s what I would put in a handbound book… for no one to see ever. 🙂
LikeLike
All. The. Lists!!!!!!!
LikeLike
Blog post ideas!
LikeLike
Thanks for the giveaway! I would write about my one little word for this year, Explore!!
LikeLike