Booklet Journal using Brown Paper
It matters not how strait the gate
how charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
William Earnest Henley
After going XL on brown paper I decided to go extra small (XS) with another experiment! What I did was tear the big painted sheet down to smaller pieces. Fold the paper four times across and then rip the folds using a ruler. You will have four strips of paper that you then fold again and tear once in the middle;
You will create papers for a booklet journal easy and fast this way. No measuring needed, it’s not that kind of book as Mary Ann Moss says. But if you are curious my papers are approximately 20×14 centimeter (7.8×5.5″). That paper is then folded in half once to create the book pages – for a wee booklet journal!
I only used four of the pages to make a single signature booklet. I sewed the pages together using green embroidery floss. From the one big painted brown paper I got more material than I used in this book, but maybe I’ll do another of these books later.
Front and back pages with collage and some writing. Skapa is Swedish for Create. I’ve written in Swedish on the inside pages, just random thoughts to fill the pages. It’s an experiment book, a first try. Making small books are super easy – and super fun! Almost instant gratification.
And they are fast to fill up with favorite images, doodles, words and thoughts. I’ve only got the last spread left to fill.
These are the spreads, enjoy!
Quote from the poem and movie with the same name Invictus.
A blue and purple owl, and thoughts of the night.
A small print of the Owl Collage I made and sold recently, plus deco tape and more random thought on what I like, like painting with acrylics.
DIY thought: That what is important to you, you should make sure you do today! Q: What is important to you? Answer in your own journal, XL, XS or normal sized. Just think about it, will ya?!
Affirmations on my mind, thoughts I need to be reminded of; to remind myself of again and again and again.
Tiny words telling the story of how this book came to be born.
The last spread, waiting for black ink scribbles.
I’ve been wanting to make a Brown paper Journal for ages, and now I’ve made a wee one. Once I saw Judy Wise’s tutorial on used grocery bags for her Crumbled paper Journal. Even better than plain brown paper is crumbled up brown paper, because when you paint it you can see the creases as a soft pattern. That will be a next journal project.
In the meantime I’m still stepping up the scale, painting XL. What are you doing?
XSXSXS
XOXOXO
these are amazing! i am re-arranging my house -turning my livingroom into an art/sewing/yoga play room. going through my art + sewing supplies now and moving them over. just came into my bedroom with my laptop to get away for the chaos for a bit and here’s this wonderful new post from you! now i want to get back in there and get my new room set up so i can make some mini journals!
Andrea, haha, I’m so sorry for messing up your planning and creative space organizing (are you taking over the whole house?). Though this is a tiny project, you’ll have both time and space to do it.. . hehe. ;-)
This is so wonderful, Hanna. I love the look of the jurnal, the size that you played with but most of all the questions that you asked yourself inside the little treasure. You always inspire me.
I have been a little quiet in the creation area the last few weeks. I am starting to get “itchy”, you know, I need a paint brush in my hand very soon !
Hopefully this week will have some time for ME !
Happy creating, Inspiring One !
Beautiful, Hanna! Did you paint both sides of the paper??
I love all ways of making books/journals…love yours, lots of ideas here…just finished my cloth photo book and blogged it for Monday.
Fun to see you at my blog today! Thanks for the visit!
Hanna – I love this little journal. The colours you have used are gorgeous – very spring-like! I have done so much fabric/textile work lately, I forgot how much fun it can be to journal and paint. I am now getting the urge to paint again! I like the look of Michelle’s latest Crusade too!! :)
Thanks for kind commenting!
Susan, yes, I painted both sides before starting to make the book but added the collage images later on, see previous post about painting XL. :-)
I like making journals with recycled brown paper then decoupaging leaves on.
Hej Hanna
Jag tycker s? mycket om dina tankar o funderingar, denna “bruna bok” ?r toppen.
Tack f?r att du delar med dig.
Thanx for sharing
Den blev ju hur bra som helst! Nu blev jag rackarns inspirerad att g?ra en s?n sj?lv!
Its a beautiful book. You’ve inspired me – thank you – I feel the urgent need to create!
Kat :-)
Oh I love this little journal, all the color and images and words are inspiring. Oh i have a sudden urge to play once more. Thanks,
A triumph, Hanna!
wow – i did a very similar project/post back in january! love the idea to paint the paper before you put it all together.. i put it all together and then painted it.
original post: http://mypeacetree.blogspot.com/2010/01/outside-box.html
flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypeacetree/sets/72157623309219668/
ahh, beautiful hanna! The creativity just oozes out of you!
These are beautiful.
You are just amazing.
I love following you.
This is gorgeous! And I have a huge roll of brown paper for pattern making at home…My upcoming three day weekend might just involve a lot of paint. Thanks for sharing this! :)
“Out of the night that covers me
Black as the pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.”
Funnily enough, every single art journal I’ve ever made contains Invictus in some form. It’s memorized by now.
Beautiful work, as always!
Great job Hanna! Your booklet is beeee-YOU-tiful. I also did the Crusade. It was my first one, (I still need to formulate my post) — but I had such a good time! Big is fun fun fun… happy creations from tj in germany
Thanks for sharing…it’s fabulous how you are exploring the sizes and that is a lot of journaling :) Very vibrant and lovely…woohoo!
Thanks for all the nice twitter RT’s and comments on this post! :-)
Corvus, it is a beautiful poem. Very strong. Did you see the movie? It was Nelson Mandela’s favorite poem when he was in jail according to the movie.
TJ, of to check out your page in the crusades!
Such a cute little journal and so colorful. (I should fast upgrade myself and start using more colors :-) )
Oh i love love love this Hanna…..i want to make one! Hooray!!!!!!! another project.
Thanks so much for the wonderful tutorials….you’re the best!
Love, Violette xox
p.s. i ordered your zine and can’t wait to get it! xo
hanna – thanks for following up from the XL post to show us what you did with XS. very handsome, very clever. LOVE it!!
Your pages are absolutely gorgeous. Thanks so much for all you share. I have recently been reading the Where Women Create Inspiration book where you are featured in your studio. It was a great article and I really admire all that you create.
This was great, I have used the brown paper for covers but not for the interiors. I must try that as well. It was a treat to look at your pages.
Love your happy bright colors!
Thanks for this idea Hanna ! I love it !
You’ re an amazingly creative person !!
(btw: I posted a link to you from my entry in my blog too :) ♥
This is amazing and so beautiful !! I love all the bright colors, I am so much a colorgirl too ;-) Love how you filled the book too ! I am waiting for my order of very cheap brown paper LOL Once it is here I first will go for the XXL size, but after that a booklet like this is very tempting ! Thanks for sharing xx
This are terrific booklets! They look great. Also, they’d be a good way of re-using paper.
Somehow I found this post and I’m so glad I tripped over it! I can’t wait to try my own little brown bag journal. You always make everything look like so much fun! Love your style, your colors and the way you present your projects on line. Thanks so much for always being so inspiring :-)