Well the weather outside is frightful so it's been good staying inside and working in the studio weather. We got about a foot of snow yesterday and there's more on the way for this weekend so I am planning a lot of studio time over the next several days.
Remember the journal shells I showed you in the last post? Well I started working on the insides and I finished two of them this morning. I thought I'd post photos of these as I finish them rather than waiting until I was all done with all twelve of them. Once I've completed them all I'll do a drawing to give one (maybe more?) away. This first one has a travel theme:
The inside signatures are a nice weight parchment paper wrapped in a very cool paper called Minogami Kobo paper. It almost feels like a fabric.
There are three signatures and the center spread of each signature has a different collage of images on it:
and some of the pages have some fun images printed on them:
And of course I added some pockets:
and the pockets are filled with tags for journaling or notes.
This next journal has a cooking theme. I bought the fabric that I used for this one from Wendy Richardson when I was in Houston at the Quilt Festival. 
The inside of this one has signatures made from a nice quality drawing paper combined with some parchment paper.
There are some cooking themed postcards in this one along with some recipe cards for writing on. I also added some printed images to some of the signatures in this journal too.
and no journal is complete without extra pockets to put things in:
I had a lot of fun putting these two journals together.
In other news - Today was the second day for the drawing for the free issue to Fibre&Stitch for subscribers toVirginia Spiegel's "Art, Nature, Creativity, Life." Congratulations to Sandra Myer who won the free issue!
Your new journals are so great!!
Posted by: Waltraud | December 16, 2007 at 04:46 PM
I love the map journal, it put together so nicely. Great job on these.
Posted by: Kate | December 15, 2007 at 03:15 PM
Both journals are really great. I especially like the travel journal. The inside pages are fantastic.
Posted by: Micki | December 15, 2007 at 11:17 AM
Sue - you are really perfecting your little books. Every one so unique and different and "special." Love this little world traveler journal -- what a treasure!
Posted by: cathie | December 15, 2007 at 08:34 AM
that map one is perfect - oh, you've given me a marvellous idea for a folio of the notes & photos & maps & souvenirs & sketches from my first trip OS! I've been lugging it all around in a big box for 14 years, afraid to throw any of it away in case it turns out to be perfect for something ...
Posted by: sion | December 15, 2007 at 04:26 AM
So creative, Sue!
Posted by: Leigh | December 14, 2007 at 08:54 PM
These are really, really cool! Can't wait to see what you do next.
Posted by: Mary Anne | December 14, 2007 at 07:12 PM
How nice they are. Sandy
Posted by: SAndy | December 14, 2007 at 06:37 PM
Lovely Sue, especially the travel one. I recently bought an old map book at a jumble sale - the guy selling it was all excited that I was buying it - I didn't really have the heart to tell him I planned to cut it up and use it in art...
Posted by: Kate | December 14, 2007 at 06:34 PM
This map journal cover is the best yet. I LOVE it!!!!!!!
Gonna have to have one for my next big trip. Please post a tutorial.
Posted by: Judy | December 14, 2007 at 06:30 PM
Oh Sue!! Where do you get all your ideas from?? The cooking journal is marvellous....No snow in Oslo, but minus 13C this morning......
Lise
Posted by: Lise | December 14, 2007 at 04:22 PM
Hi Sue, my favourite is the one with the travel theme! Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jacqueline | December 14, 2007 at 03:37 PM
i love them both but my fav out of your to lovely works has to be the cooking themed one it just so cool
Posted by: sammyjo | December 14, 2007 at 02:17 PM
I absolutely adore these (I'm also a huge map fan). Your delight in making them really shows through! They're wonderful.
Posted by: lisa thiessen | December 14, 2007 at 01:23 PM
Wow - these look great. Did you follow a pattern? I love the idea with the pockets. Thanks for letting us see them as you go along.
Posted by: Sarah Jayne | December 14, 2007 at 12:28 PM
Oh gosh, I love that recipe one. But now look what you've done....you've given me two more sources to investigate. More papers and more fabrics. You just have to stop that!
My lists are getting longer and longer.
FYI - I spent a couple hours this morning making more ornaments! for my non-existent tree.....seesh
These are made from Bee Paper - you know, that honeycomb stuff. That wasn't even on my to-do list for this century.
Posted by: Sequana | December 14, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Wow, these are awesome Sue. It definitely shows that you are enjoying making these and I think these are some of the best you've made.
Posted by: Terri | December 14, 2007 at 11:39 AM
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ZThese make me want to travel and/or cook ! You just get better and better !
Posted by: Marie | December 14, 2007 at 11:31 AM