my first hand-bound book work

hand-bound journal that i made 9 years ago

"ship's log" that i made for my husband 9 years ago. cover paper and inside pages are all handmade, except for the end papers

i embossed my husband's initials in the paper that i made for the cover of his "ship's log"

about 9 years ago, a dear friend taught me to make hand-bound journals. i've included a photo of the one that i made for myself using the cover techniques that she showed me.  here is her website: www.jenasquires.com--she is a very talented graphic designer and jewelry artist. i also made a "ship's log" for my husband before we were married--he owns a small boat, as you might guess. i used a different binding technique for that because i made all of the paper by hand.

inspired by travel in italy

luna moth thoughts; miniature hand bound journal; .75 x .50 x .125 in; kimberly nogueira 2011

threshold  journal; hand bound miniature leather travel journal; .75 x .63 x .37 in; kimberly nogueira  2011

threshold  journal--open; hand bound miniature leather travel journal; .75 x .63 x .37 in; kimberly nogueira  2011

luna moth thoughts; miniature hand bound journal; .75 x .50 x .125 in; kimberly nogueira 2011

several years ago i travelled to italy with my family--i took many photos, ate lots of yummy food, walked and walked and walked and treated myself to little trinkets in each town. the paper shops in rome are so wonderful, and so expensive! i am drawn to tiny things obsessively so what i emerged from the little shop with happened to be the least costly items and the tiniest--two little handmade books.  i recently revisited these wee tomes, still encased in the shop's adorable bag, because of a mixed media project that i am working on--a tiny ship's log (or travel journal, not sure which yet) is what i need to make.

my threshold journal and the little italian souvenir journal that inspired it

my luna moth thoughts journal and the tiny italian hand bound book that inspired it

about 8 years ago an artist friend of mine helped me learn to make hand-bound books, specifically journals, and that's what everyone on my holiday list received that year as a gift.  i still have one, and it really is beautiful. i went back and did some reading and researching and made some simple very tiny books to warm up.  i've included some photographs of them above for you to see...