Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Sketchbook Tuesday - snow

Yes, it is still very cold here. And yes, we are still getting snow on top of the snow we already had. It feels as if the earth has somehow shifted so that we are nearly a polar region now, a frozen tundra, a barbed wire fence the only thing separating us from the north pole.

Saturday afternoon I sat on the couch and did this snowy sketch looking out the living room window at our neighbor's yard across the road. It was sketched with black cherry colored pencil and then washed with watercolor in a sketch journal I made using a recycled book.
I realized that I hadn't shared my latest book making project here. This is the cover. It is a book I picked up at a local thrift store. I liked the title and cover, plus it was a good size for me, about 5.5 x 8 inches. I glued a strip of marbled paper to the spine in order to cover the words there and to give it a little extra reinforcement as it was pretty worn. I also used an old piece of ribbon to make a book mark.
This is the inside front cover. Again, some marbled paper that I had left over from a project I did with Kiddo a couple of years ago. I collaged another piece of the ribbon and a quote that was in the front matter of the original book. And I wrote my name and contact information here, after I took the photo though.
I wanted to try out the idea of using my sketchbook as a planner as well so I used some graph paper I had on hand for a signature in the front and at the back. I pasted monthly small calendars on the front pages for planning notes and left the graph paper signature at the back for scribbling ideas. The rest of the book is filled with Canson Edition paper in a vanilla color. It is a multi-media paper and I am really liking it for sketch journaling paper.
This is the back inside cover, again with the marbled paper end pages and I fashioned a pocket to hold loose papers and business cards. Don't ask me how I figured out to make the pocket - I'm not even sure myself, but it works!

I am enjoying using this journal, not just for sketching but as an everything book. And after working on paper of my choosing it would be difficult to go back to a commercially made sketchbook. So if this one takes me through this winter I will need to be on the lookout for another book to recycle for a spring time journal. And I hope spring shows up very soon!

12 comments:

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Lovely pages and journal!

Shirley said...

Fabulous! You know how much I love recycled books. You did an amazing job - and got just what you wanted.

Gillian Mowbray said...

A pretty sketch and great sketch journal. I'm all for recycling books, especially if they were only destined for landfill. Some people get incredibly sniffy about 'defiling' a book, being blind to the sense and logic behind it.
Did you completely restitch the new paper or cut the old pages and 'tip' them in?

Jennifer Rose said...

your recycled book looks great :D

Krista Meister said...

Brrr.... I know what you mean about the cold, Ann. I think the cold snap is over the entire eastern part of the U.S.

Nice sketchbook. Thanks for sharing your process in making it. Things are always so much more treasured when handmade, aren't they? And from recycled materials too. Good deal.

Ellen Burkett said...

Very pretty painting. Too cold for me, but a very pretty painting. Great book, too. I keep saying I'll make one some day but I probably won't. Yours is very nice. And a perfect fit for you! Great job, Ann.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea to use the sketchbook both for sketches and as a journal! I bet it's addictive to make books!

nanke's stuff said...

It's a lovely little book, and the sketches are wonderful. Great use of color. nancy

Gillian Mowbray said...

Thanks for explaining about your book-making process, Ann. x

donna said...

I am so impressed with these recycled book journals! And I love that yours is multifunctional. Let us know how that works out for you.

As always a terrific and amazing painting. I've said it before, but I love sketchbook Tuesdays. Even on Thursday ;-)

Homeschooling6 said...

Hello, do you have sample pages of your homeschool planner?
Thanks!

Ann said...

Thanks all!

homeschooling6 - if you click on the picture of the planner it will take you to the listing on Lulu where there are several sample pages. Thanks for your interest:-)

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