This evening’s bookbinding experiment involved a technique I learned about from Four Keys Book Arts on YouTube. I see myself trying this again in the future… but maybe not with upcycled custom wall calendar pages.
Experiments in Bookbinding
Upcycling the Cuteness
Returning to my bookbinding hobby after a couple years’ hiatus. I was inspired by the packaging for a blind box figurine I picked up recently, which I thought would make SUCH a cute notebook.
And here we are!
- Cover: cardboard packaging + cardstock purchased from a thrift store
- Endpapers: scrapbooking paper purchased at a garage sale
- Text block: reclaimed copy paper destined for the landfill
- Bookcloth spine: made from my sewing scraps
I’ve discovered that having the right tools, working slowly and methodically, and being patient are the keys to getting a passable result with a minimum of frustration.
(Not just in bookbinding, but in Life.)
Salon Selfie, July 2025
It never ceases to amaze me how much happier I look in my After photo versus Before.
Dirty Laundry
This is what I found when I came to fetch the next load of laundry to wash. Luckily, he wasn’t a bit bothered when I transferred him ever-so-gently from his bed of dirty laundry to a much more snuggly pile of fresh, warm, clean laundry.
Curbside Pickup
My hot take on Walmart curbside pickup: for small items, I’d much rather just go inside and wait in line at a service counter.