Book Binding Bash

I had the book binding bug over the holiday weekend. I even made books that aren't in these photos. Poking around the web I discovered quickly that there is little reason to buy pre-made journals. There are so many ways to make my own books. Buying the paper of my choice and binding it with or without covers is one way and I had already done that this book binding weekend so I was looking around the house for more stuff to use. Taking a store-bought spiral-bound sketchpad, I created two journals more to my liking. The original sketchpad was too big and was a vertical format. So I cut off the last 4 inches or so. This left me with one spiral-bound journal in a size I really like for my pen drawings and now in a horizontal format. It's the journal standing up in the back in the shot below, with the dragon on the front. But what to do with the left-over paper and cardboard? Make another book, duh! I folded the paper, separated it into signatures and stitched it up using a coptic stitch. It's the smallest journal you see in the photos.
But I still wanted more! I remembered a video I found of a woman making journals from manila folders. And I had a huge stack of manila folders just begging for attention (my workplace was recycling a bunch of them so I brought them home with the intent to get organized but I think making art journals is way more fun). I cut them to a size I like, separated them into signatures and stitched them together. I left the spines open. I could have taped them closed but I figured I'll tape the next batch. I've started filling these two manila folder journals already. I love them.
I still have a big stack of manila folders. Do you think Misu would help? She didn't lift a paw the whole time.
And how about those annoying subscription cards from the magazines? Well those can be an art journal too. Stay tuned!