Recently, I saw the cutest idea on Design Mom – pom pom bookmarks! It’s a simple idea, but so darn adorable… so I had to try it out. I always have this longing for crafting with practicality and bookmarks are always useful in my book – LOL!
I started making a few pom poms from a bunch of yarn I had lying around (it was actually a huge mess because my Westie pup, Vash, got into it!) I quickly realized that the more yarn you use the puffier and tighter your pom poms will ends up. Not to mention you have to trim them nicely to get a symmetrical shape in the end.
Then with some other basic materials I decided to upgrade the whole idea. I’ve never liked “string” type bookmarks, not enough foundation for me. I decided to add a solid paper portion that slips into the book instead. With a bit of glue and cardstock I made myself a sturdy base with the pom pom hanging at the top.
I think of it as a 2.0 version of the pom pom bookmark. I also decided to collage over the cardstock with old bookpaper and ink the edges with copper paint. I suppose it doesn’t exactly match with the blue… a bit eclectic!
The point is that the idea can be taken further depending on how you like your bookmarks – thinner material or thicker? Different decorations? How about using leather instead of yarn for the pom pom? What else can you add instead of a pom pom? Hmm. For now, I’m pretty content with my lovely little up-cycled yarn pom pom bookmark 2.0. Craft happiness for the week! Enjoy!
Paloma Faith is an English singer-songwriter and she hit the commercial scene around 2009… but she had been around for much longer singing soul and jazz classics and dabbling in a band while attending college. Although there are music snobs out there that like the indie folks more… I do appreciate the commercial pop music scene, because I would have never heard many artists otherwise.
I really like her song Upside Down – a catchy tune in cabaret old timey style. I sort of like how the song is about being different and encountering different struggles in life, but there’s nothing wrong with doing it your way and staying true to yourself. I ended up drawing a girl upside down with a silly grin… LOL.
Watch the video above and sing along with the lyrics below…
Angels watching over me with smiles upon their face
Cause I have made it through this far in an unforgiving place
It feels sometimes this hill’s too steep for a girl like me to climb
But I must knock those thoughts right down I’ll do it in my own time
I don’t care (care care)
I’m half way there (nowhere)
On a road that leads me to straight to who knows where
I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)
Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)
Watchin people scurry by rushing to and fro
Oh this world is such a crazy place it’s all about the go go go
Sometimes life can taste so sweet When you slow it down
You start to see the world a little differently When you turn it upside down
I don’t care (care care)
I’m half way there (nowhere)
And I’m just soaking up the magic in the air
I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)
Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)
(Whoa Whoa Whoa)
You gotta slow it down
(Yeah Yeah Yeah)
But then you pick it up
(Whoa Yeah Whoa)
C’mon and try a little topsy-turvy back-to-front the right way round
Take it slow slow slow (You gotta pick it up)
Yeah Yeah Yeah (See you slow it down)
Hey Yo Yo Yo (Tell me something something)
I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)
Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)
I tell you what (I tell you what)
What I have found (What I have found)
That I’m no fool (That I’m no fool)
I’m just upside down (Just upside down)
Ain’t got no cares (Ain’t got no cares)
I aint got no rules (Aint got no rules)
I think I like (I think I like)
Living upside down (Living upside down)
You can check out her collection of music and a listen via
Following my previous posts about my bookbinding tools/materials, preparing my journal cover and folding paper for your journal – this week I would like to finish things up! It’s time to stitch up my handmade journal and put it to use. The first thing to decide is how I will sew everything together. That will determine how I should punch the holes in my paper and journal cover.
I decided to just do some simple longstitch binding, but with a continuous string… a bit out of laziness perhaps! Instead of sewing each individual signature and knotting it up, I would just continue weaving in and out all signatures and then backwards, so there’s only one knot in the end. With that decided, I punched holes in all my signatures of papers with an awl and ruler. You can also create a guide for your holes with thick cardstock and use it as a template to punch all your holes. That can help to ensure that the holes are all exactly in the same spot per signature. However, I just measure and eyeball it…
Once all my paper signatures have been punched, I do the same for my cover. However, instead of punching for each hole and each signature of the journal, I’ve decided to just slit my journal cover. It’s less time consuming and I actually like the rustic look of it in the end.
With all my materials ready to go, I thread my needle and start sewing the paper signatures to the journal cover. I’m using a rusty orange colored string that is fairly thick, so I have to make sure and tighten properly as I weave in and out while sewing.
Although it might seem complicated to understand… you can actually make up your own sewing patterns and create different looks in the bindings of your journals. Try drawing out a diagram and using your pen as the needle to see what would work out. It’s a great way to discover your own method of stitching up your books!
For my journal, it was really important that I kept everything tightened up properly because there are slits in the binding and my thread is so thick and stretchy. BTW, there’s no need to use a curved needle for this project, I just grabbed whatever was handy. In this case it would have been better to use a straight needle! Sometimes when I use really thick string, I might need to use pliers to help push and string the needle through everything…. just depends how skillful you are with your fingers and hands, I suppose!
As I mentioned earlier, doing the longstitch with one long piece of string will result in these criss cross parts on the edge of the binding. I sort of think they are cool, but if you don’t like that you’d better plan up a different stitching pattern for your journal. There are so many different binding methods and patterns possible – the sky is the limit!
Another detail I added to my journal was some velcro closure. I simple glued the velcro bits to my cover, leaving room for a bit of bulk as I might add bits and pieces to my journal papers. Although some find the velcro noise annoying, I like how practical it is! You can also try using a buckle, buttons or ribbon/string wraparound closure as well. It’s all up to your imagination.
With just a little effort, I’ve made myself a lovely leather journal for doodling and experimenting in… how cool is that, huh?
You can see that it looks a bit imperfect and the string is quite thick creating a sort of staggered effect in the binding. I really like the rustic feel of it – I think it matches the coloring of my journal and raw edges of the leather. Just my preference! The cool thing about having a soft leather cover is that the journal opens up flat and it’s very comfortable to write and draw. Of course, I had to pop in a doodle on the first page to welcome my crisp and clean new journal. No surprise that it’s my default girl drawing!
Have you made your own journal before? Hope you will be inspired to make yourself a handy little creative idea keeper – share your thoughts below!
Following my previous posts about my bookbinding tools/materials and preparing my journal cover, this week I want to share some information regarding choosing and preparing the paper that will go in your handmade journals. It’s it certainly a personal choice, regarding what type of paper or papers you choose to include in your journal. After all, if you’re making something custom, why not experiment? You can include found papers, printer paper, thicker cardstock, watercolor paper and a variety of other artist papers on the market.
PAPER FOR YOUR JOURNAL
Know that you will need to cut your paper to size, so that when folded in half they make up the size of your journal. A couple of sheets folded and stacked together make a signature and you would usually include several signatures, depending how many pages you want in the final journal. What is important to consider is the thickness of your paper as that will more or less decide how many sheets go in each signature. If you are using regular printer paper, you want to go for at least 6 or even 8 sheets in a signature. That will ensure that the signature is sturdy and can hold up to however you stitch the signatures into your journal cover. If you only had a sheet or two of thin paper, your thread would surely rip through!
On the other hand, if you are using a very thick cardstock, you want to use less sheets per signature. In fact, as you stack them together, you’ll notice that the open edges look a bit diagonal. I don’t mind the inconsistencies, but many folks prefer to stack up their signatures and then trim off the excess so that they have an even edge. It’s up to you!
THE GRAIN OF PAPER
Once you have decided on your paper and cut them to size, you’ll have to fold them in half and stack up your signatures. When it comes to folding paper, there is technically a right way to do it! Paper has a grain to it and you’ll be able to tell especially with thicker papers when you start folding. When your fold paper parallel to the direction of the grain, it will fold nice and crisply. If you fold perpendicular to the grain, you might notice more resistance and a crackly, ragged edged fold. This is because the fibers of the paper are giving you resistance.
However, if you are using regular printer paper, you might not be able to tell much of difference at all. Paper with less fiber and less thickness simply doesn’t resist as much. I usually only run into a problem with really thick 300 or 400 lb painting paper. Normally, I don’t even check for the grain of the paper! Being in the more practical and economical boat, I usually buy white cardstock printer paper in A4 size and just fold in half to make my journals. However, I do use a bone folder to smooth over edges… makes it easy on my fingers. If you don’t have a bone folder, use a spoon! It’s totally works!
CHECK YOUR JOURNAL
Once you have your paper decided upon, cut them size and folded them into signatures you are ready for the actual construction of your journal. Before moving on it’s really important to put your journal together and take a look to make sure everything checks out. Do you have enough signatures to fill up the journal as you envisioned? Do you need to take away a signature or add more?
If your journal cover wraps around, you’ll definitely have to check to make sure enough room is allowed… you don’t know how many times I’ve simply forgotten about the spine taking up space and thought that my journal could have been much thicker! Here’s a look at my mock-up journal, not yet sewn… but looks good to me so far. Join me next week for the final step of putting it all together!
Why kind of papers do you prefer to put in your handmade journals? I know that junk papers are especially popular for those who will cover up the pages with paint and ink… get creative! Feel free to share in the comments below…
It’s probably no surprise that Lenka is a huge success – you’ve probably heard her songs and seen her videos on MTV and such. I was immediately drawn to her voice and cutesy pop style, but especially her point of view. I think it was in large part because of the time in my life when I first discovered her famous song, The Show.
I felt like the song said exactly what I wanted to say, being a bit lost at the time and wondering what my life meaning and purpose should be. There are times when we all feel a bit like that, just caught in the middle and it’s all so overwhelming. Perhaps they are really just universal feelings that we can all relate to at some point in our lives. My little default girl drawing is my interpretation of listening to this song. Just me and you know what? It’s totally okay.
You can enjoy the cute video above and sing along with the lyrics below…
I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why
Slow it down, make it stop or else my heart is going to pop
‘Cause it’s too much, yeah it’s a lot to be something I’m not
I’m a fool out of love ’cause I just can’t get enough
I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why
I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show
The sun is hot in the sky just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the signs and synchronize in time
It’s a joke nobody knows, they’ve got a ticket to the show
Yeah, I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why
I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show
I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don’t know where to go, can’t do it alone
I’ve tried and I don’t know why
I’m just a little girl lost in the moment
I’m so scared but I don’t show it
I can’t figure it out, it’s bringing me down
I know I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show, just enjoy the show
I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show
I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show
To follow my previous post about bookbinding cover materials, this week I would like to share the beginnings of my process in creating a brand new journal. I’m very often inspired by the leather that is available here in Tuscany, Italy. When I come across a beautiful material, I naturally want to make it a part of my next sketchbook. For this journal, I have been inspired by a piece of double-sided leather…
It’s a medium weight black leather with a copper metallic layer on the other side. Beautiful! I decided to use the metallic color on the outside and black on the inside. First step is to decide on the size of my journal and how I will bind it, in order to cut the cover material to size. I most often use regular-sized paper folded in half, A4 in my case and since the piece of leather is pretty small in size, I really can’t go larger. Then I have to decide how many pages of paper will be included, so I know how much cover material is needed for the spine. I decided to go with a wraparound cover using the longstitch binding to use as much of the leather as possible… so calculating the size and using a piece of paper as a guide, I went ahead and cut my leather to size.
When not using another material to line the inside of my cover, I often just fold over the raw edges of the leather to double the weight. I actually like keeping my journals soft and malleable. Also, the double-sided feature of this leather brings some of the color inside which is a nice effect.
Using just regular PVA glue, I secure the folded portion of the leather and let it dry under a heavy weight. It works great for me and never had any trouble of it peeling apart.
With a final check, I can see that my cover is all ready! Next week I will share my process of preparing the signatures of paper and sewing the journal together…
Is there a cover material you’d like to try using? Please feel free to create your own sketchbook along with me and share your comments below! Enjoy!
I first heard Jess Penner in a few youtube videos and I liked the song, so decided to investigate further. And I’m so glad that I discovered more of her music, because I totally fell in love with her sweet and happy style. It’s definitely feel good music and I seem to gravitate towards one song called, Sweeter. It just makes me happy.
No matter how gloomy the day might be, a bit of happy music definitely brightens my day a bit. I suppose that my emotions are easily swayed by the sounds around me!
Listen to the music above and read along below…
I will never forget the way you rescued me from summer heat With eyes as cool as the sea yeah I would drown all day if youʼd stay with me Oh wouldnʼt it better if we we decide to stick together Give me something sweeter oh oh oh, something to show, show that you love me I want something sweeter you see, something to show, show that you love me Time is not on our side no she donʼt wait for anyone the stars or the moon and you You shine like the sun you will kiss me before this day is done Isnʼt it much better when we we decide to stick together Give me something sweeter oh oh oh something to show, show that you love me I want something sweeter you see, something to show, show that you love me All your kissing Iʼve been missing hold me closely they canʼt stop us now Now no no no no no no oh no no now
Now no no no no no now no no no Give me something sweeter I donʼt know something to show, show that you love me I want something sweeter you see, something to show, show that you love me Give me something sweeter I donʼt know something to show, show that you love me I want something sweeter you see, something to show, show that you love me
You can listen to clips of her happy, day brightening music via
I know that it may seem like too much to sign up for another social media community. But I think ignoring all the innovations of today puts you at a disadvantage, especially as a creative who wants to share and get their work out.
I think the key is to experiment and figure out which community works for you. You might abandon those that just aren’t a good fit… but stick with those that work to your advantage. So I’m going to try out Instagram since it’s visual based and seems like a perfect way to share my drawings. I’m tortagialla on Instagram, so follow me for visual journey of my cute, whimsical doodles. Enjoy!
I’ve blogged about my bookbinding tools and materials, but thought it would be helpful to start a series of posts that goes through my thought process of creating a brand new handmade journal from scratch. Inspiration can certainly come from many different sources. Sometimes an embellishment might seem really cool to add to a journal cover and that’s where it all begins. Or perhaps a new binding stitch discovered tempts me to try it out. Or even coming across some special drawing paper that I want to test.
But most often I’m inspired by cover materials… what will my journal look like outside at first glance? What will protect my precious journal entries from the elements? What look, feel, style will set the theme for the whole journal? Since we see the covers of our journals pretty much every single time we use them, I would say it’s a pretty important aspect. It’s also just fun to experiment with all kinds of different materials.
Let me say that you can literally use any material for your journal. Yes, any material, I said. Even when something seems flimsy or difficult to work with, remember that you can always mount it on another base material and protect it with a layer of varnish or gloss. Get creative! I’ve used cardboard, scrapbook papers, packaging materials, cloth, felt, handmade papers, wallpaper, paper-mache, fused plastic bags… the list goes on. Do you have a funky material used story to share?
Of course, by far the most popular material for me to use is leather. This is simply because I have access to beautiful leathers (thank you hubby). However, I also sometimes back it onto cardboard or hardboard to give it more structure. Other times I also line the inside with felt or fabric to give it a lining. Here are some points to go through when considering a material for your journal cover…
Does the material have the desired structure/weight/flexibility?
Will you need to back it with a supporting material?
Are you able to cut it to size and work with it to construct your cover?
Will you need a lining material for the inside?
How will the material stand up to the elements? Water? Fire? Tossed around in your purse?
Will you need to consider protecting the material with varnish, medium, transparent cover material?
Hope that my tips will help you to find lovely cover materials for your own handmade journal. BTW, iHanna recently blogged about deciding on cover papers for her handmade journals as well. There are certainly so many possibilities, it might seem like too much choice. But the freedom to use what you want and use what you have, makes bookbinding fun and approachable for all. When you make your own journal that’s the first step of your creative self-expression… so try it out!
Are there other materials you have used for journal covers? Please share below your tips and suggestions.
Have you seen the latest issue of Good to Know zine by Pikaland? It’s a little zine made up of real responses by artists on business, art and life. Each issue tackles a question and you get a peek into what artists really think. I also share my thoughts on fear in the latest issue and excited to dive in as I receive my copy in the mail today. I think it’s very enlightening for all creative folks to hear each other opinions. Check out all the Pikaland books!
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Is there a cover material you’d like to try using? Please feel free to create your own sketchbook along with me and share your comments below! Enjoy!
