Earlier this year I found myself really enjoying the bustle of last year’s holiday show schedule.  I loved the planning, the preparation, the craft and market shows – all of it.  So, at the start of 2014 I decided that I wanted to go big or go home with this small business stuff.  Time to get real.  Time to dig my feet in and see where I could go if I gave it my all.  Well, I’ve been working really hard on a few projects to make that happen, and now, well, I wait to see if everything will fall into place.  And if not, don’t fret, I’ve got backup plans.  And backup plans for the backup plans (perhaps this type of thing is why I started making my own journals in the first place?  In my opinion, brainstorms and dreams are well-deserving things for handmade journals!)  I cannot spill the beans just yet, but soon enough.

In the meantime, I’m going the share the evolution of my coptic stitched journals.  I figure it’s only fair since I cannot share my own journey right now.

This group of four is a good representation of my earlier explorations with the coptic binding.  I did things like folding washi paper on covers to create interesting effects with translucent layers, incorporating beading into the covers (who doesn’t love colourful shiny things?!).  And ending with the start of my latest experiments with the coptic binding: using my rather large collection of fancy papers on the covers with little mini-endpapers inside.

This group represents my latest experiments; the fancy papers as mentioned above, but with spine protectors, reclaimed leather and vintage buttons to keep it all together.  I love how beautiful and functional these are, and the tidiness of them.

Stay tuned!