Building a Recycled House (Book) can be wonderful

 If life is made up of moments, then a journal is designed to capture moments and keep them in a special place.  I wanted to create a special journal for just that purpose and I have been learning how to do basic bookbinding with this in mind.  This is my house accordion fold journal note book.

To make it, I used around 85% recycled materials.  I used box board and some papers from Reverse Garbage.  Some of the other card and paper I got from unwanted old stationery at local offices.  I got hold of some artist canvas offcuts from a painter and swapped some felt offcuts.  I even recycled the elastic packaging from shoes to secure the book.

To make the book, I first created the panorama for the house skyline that forms the pages.  Each house is a little different to match real streets and each has a little bit of a different character.

I uses a mix of plain and lined sections on each page so you could draw or write or stamp to capture thoughts.

I made the covers from box board which I covered in fabric that I had first appliqued with little houses.

I am really pleased with the result.  It doesn't have a front or back, just two covers.  You can add thoughts to it randomly and it opens flat which is wonderful for left handers like me.