I have made a lot of books over the last year. Some as commissions, some for a larger body of work, and of course the annual planner that my friends and students enjoy with me. I forget that it’s unusual and recently took it to a job interview. It became an immediate icebreaker.

This is the 2018 planner below:

I rarely make a beautiful book just for my own use as a journal, however. I don’t know  why. As in love as I am with all things books, I struggle with the process of journaling in a “beautiful” book. It’s hard to roll with the process as easily when I’m considering form,   content, writing, etc. Generally, when I write, I’m composing, so I do it on the computer and consider it writing instead of journaling. . .even though it’s really both.

Books as journals and books as art form, however, are two different practices entirely. And journaling in a book instead of on a laptop is yet another major shift in process.

Shifts are good. I needed one.

I decided to create a new journal for myself for a retreat this summer. Away from technology and immersed in natural environments, it seemed like the right time to engage in journaling as a practice. No other retreats I’ve attended encouraged journaling until this one.

Here it is:

This is it.

I really, really love it.  And I had to get over that so that I could actually start writing in it and using it.

To make it, I started with some rusted scraps, the cardboard from some pads of paper, some linen scraps, and some thread from the eco-printing stash.

The paper on the inside of the covers is leftover Christmas wrapping paper that I upcycled for this. I love re-using paper for projects.

It’s coptic stitched with brown waxed linen. The papers inside are a mixture of eco-prints of weeds from Tom’s yard, watercolor paper, black drawing paper, and recycled paper bags.

I’m absolutely in LOVE with the covers. . .

Using it has been SO much fun!!!

I have done some journal writing, note-taking, quote copying, mandala making, sutra copying, etc. It’s got a definite Zen aesthetic, but the practices I’ve been learning of late are from a Tibetan Vajrayana background. . .which is a TOTALLY different aesthetic.

And a totally different practice, as well.

As soon as I can get my phone to communicate with my laptop to update photos, I’ll upload some pics from the inside as well.