Crafty!

As I shared recently, I volunteer down at Backstreet Arts, a free art studio for everyone. Last week I decided to set aside my Writers Group mavenship and join in the hands-on art all around me, specifically, make a leather cover for my WASTE BOOK.

My WASTE BOOK brand of choice these days is Field Notes Brand, but if you carry them in your back pocket, they can wear out fairly quickly. FNB sells a cover, but a) they're expensive; and b) why not make my own?  (Back in January, I gave you another option to protect your WASTE BOOK.)

Carl, our resident leathercraft instructor, got me started.  Measure/mark/cut — if I were a real craft blogger I'd have photos of each step and each tool.  As it is, you just have to imagine my delight in having all the proper tools handed to me when I needed them.

Simple rectangle.  The ends will fold over to form flaps, and I'll stitch them down.  The step I really wish I had photos for involved a punch that had three puncher thingies: you punched three holes to start with, then moved it over so that one of the little puncher thingies was in the third hole and punch again.  Presto — evenly spaced holes all around.

No photos of the sewing part, alas.  I got so caught up in it that I just didn't stop.

I finished the sewing at home, one sunny afternoon out in the labyrinth, and then it was time for the finishing touch: drag out my metal stamps and personalize it.

I'm very clever in using tape or rubber bands to provide a straight line for my stamping, but I cannot figure out a way to keep the little metal stamps upright. 

Front cover: WASTE BOOK

Inside cover: My email address

Et voilà: a leather-bound WASTE BOOK.