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”
This is so awesome! I would use this as a mobile ‘ things I want to remember’ notebook, for my daughter Emily. She is 14 months now and the days are going by oh. so. fast. So many times I day, I marvel and think ‘I never want to forget these days’ – I have been quietly thinking I need to be more proactive in documenting these everyday memories. xx
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I’d write poems, songs, and practice my hand-lettering skills!
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I would put EVERYTHING in the journal…lists, dreams, letters, personal thoughts. I think if I won this one I would also use it specifically to take notes on A Beautiful Mess’s Blog Life ecourse I’m taking!
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My new quilting patterns! Just started to quilt this year!
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a creative brain dump journal. crossing my fingers.
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My roommates and I play A LOT of cards and I loved a notebook we could use to keep scores 😉 Hearts, Euchre, Rummy ect! 😉 Awesome present idea!
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What a great project! I’d use it to write down family history and advice/gems I receive from my grandparents. I’ve been typing those into my phone in “notes”, but I need something in a book to keep everything visible. Thanks for the inspiration!
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In the last few years, I’ve gotten really behind on watching movies I’ve been wanting to see. From cheesy romcoms to Oscar-nominated dramas, I have so much to catch up on. It’s silly, but I would love a place to log the movies and what I thought of them!
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One of the habits I want to create this year, as I turn 30 next month, is to write something every single day…something, anything, get my thoughts and ideas onto paper…before they are lost. I would love to use this for that purpose! 🙂 Your work is beautiful as always.
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I would use it to keep lists and happy moments that I want to remember. I’m in a really exciting, changing phase of life and I keep feeling like I should be recording it a little more..
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This is so pretty! I would write down my thoughts during pregnancy to remember this time 🙂 xo
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I’m a list maker.It would be for lists.
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It’s beautiful, Elise! I would use it as a knitting journal. Since I am not a monogamous knitter, it would be the place I keep notes on the MANY projects I have on the needles at one time. Thanks for the opportunity.
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It would be my purse journal. I constantly carry around a notepad for writing down anything that comes to me on the go. Thoughts, lists, drawings, etc.
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I would write about my most favourite things. Adventures and photos. Reality and dreams. It is nice to see and have an item that inspired someone else, was completely from their own brain and they created it. That is in itself is so inspiring!
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I’m a huge fan of homemade journals and this one tick all the boxes, including the squared pages. I would use it as my weekly art journal, somewhere to jot down family happenings and coloured doodles. Thanks for your creativity Elise, you are contagious. xxx
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What a beautiful book 🙂
I would write my lists of things to do – boring but that’s what I use notebook/ journals for.
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I love lists and have many on the go…..always love a new notebook to hold my many lists and ideas!
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I would write down the funny things my kids say.
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I would use it as a prayer journal!
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I would actually use it as a sketchbook!
(Also, just a suggestion, you should move your comment box above your comments, so that especially on posts like this where there are tons of comments, you don’t have to scroll forever to find the box.)
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I love it! I’m even more excited for this year of makeandgive30 after this first one! The grids are perfect for my quilt planning. I’d keep my notes and ideas for future projects in it.
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I would document stories generated from Ali’s classes, with photos to support the story. Thanks for the chance to enter.
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I need a new prayer/Bible study journal, so that’s what I’d use it for. Very cool!
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I love it, Elise. Since my middle school years, I have developed a daily journaling “habit.” Now, I am a sophomore in college. I would journal about today’s adventures and tomorrow’s dreams.
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Good to see the photos from all angles with the bookbinding – makes it easier to find out how it works!
We moved late summer to a new rented place and it has a little garden so I’d be using the notebook to a. keep track of plants/put down lists of seeds to buy etc. and b. for keeping a note of our cute birdie visitors!
Thank you!
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Love the blog and your Make 30 idea! I would use this book for to do lists and grocery lists and generally writing my thoughts! Thanks! Can’t wait to see what your next project is.
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how lovely! in january i did a massive purge on my paper stock by doing some simple notebooks! but i guess you can never have enough notebooks, right? i could use this lovely one for… my upcoming trip to california! or to jot down my 5 month little one development and cuteness!
thanks a lot!
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So cool! My one little word this year is “smile” so I’d jot down things each day that made me smile.
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lists on lists on lists!!
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I just started journaling about my devotion time / reflection on Bible verses and I love it. It would be awesome to have a new and pretty journal to keep my notes in. Thanks so much for the giveaway! 🙂
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Darling! I’d use it for daily to-do lists.
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I need to start a gardening journal so I’d probably use it for that. 🙂
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i would write my goal lists of how i am going to catch up on getting all of our pictures into albums and all of our important cards/letters into organized boxes. seeing the pic reminds me of making books with you at manzanita at the retreat last year!
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Lists and lists! Love the book, and thanks for the chance to own it!
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I use journals every day so they are extremely practical. I think this would be my next homeschool notebook, I’m almost out of the one im using now!
Sarah m
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I’d write about what I’m thankful for every morning as part of my Miracle Morning I’ve started trying out this week.
Yay Elise! I love the book. So excited for Make&Give!
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I’m getting back into creative writing and have set myself a challenge to start writing something – a line, a paragraph or a short story – at least once a week, so a beautiful book to write in would be lovely!
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I am looking for a fun way to document my daughter’s silly sayings when she starts talking full time (she’s 16 months now). I love seeing your Ellerie updates so what better way to document than in a book made by Ellerie’s mom with love 🙂 Thanks so much for the chance. Can’t wait for more info on your planner – go get it done girl!
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To-do lists are always my go to in a new journal. To-do lists and dreams galore, because what else would I put on fresh paper than fresh ideas?
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just random thoughts because i have lots of those.
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Anything and everything. I have a hard time making a journal for only one thing.
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oh I love the grid lines, I’d write down my family budget each fortnight, very nice
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I love your yearly top moments blog posts!! I would love to start finding a way to capture the great moments that happen in life so I can look back over them. I don’t blog or scrapbook so writing the moments down as a reflection soon after they happen would be a great use for a beautiful handmade journal. Thanks Elise!!
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This would be a great ‘car journal.’ We like to keep a journal in the car to write down fun memories from road trips, big and small. Then when the road gets long we can go back through and laugh about memories from old trips and add new ones. Like, “Remeber that time we rolled the windows down and belted out Auld Lang Syne when we were stir-crazy driving across Kansas.”
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Thanks for the giveaway 😊
I would use it for writing down notes, ideas, my bucket list… All sorts of things.
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I listened to the podcast the other day about what to do if you have too many ideas. I have 2 kids and zero time but loads of ideas. I am trying to figure out which one to pursue with vigor so I would do as you suggest and write each idea on a page and spend 10mins writing each idea and see which one sticks! Exciting!
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I would write my lists in it. What a cool project. Thanks!
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I’d write lists! All sorts of lists 🙂
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Creative ideas to implement in my lesson plans. I am a teacher 🙂
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