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ID: Tall in the Saddle
Journal (closed): approx 4-1/8"w x 10.25"h x 2.25" thk.
I used book board for the covers. On the front book board cover I wrote in my words "siting tall in the saddle" (siting with one T) using 3D fabric paint. When dry I then started gluing my leather down, a small portion at a time, working the leather into and over the 3 D elements. I mixed up some Dorland's wax (from Quietfire Design) and some dark umber acrylic paint and worked it into the corners of the letters, wiping away the excess.
On the inside of the covers I used a beautiful metallic marbled Thai paper in beiges, salmon & blues (see pic below)
This book has 11 signatures of 5 pages each, plus the envelope. This time I made my own envelopes alternating a Magna Carta "Parchment" paper in a brownish tone and a subdued floral in beiges/green/salmon (it matches the glass beads I used).
For the covers of each signature I used Stonehenge (natural), then IBM "Parchment" (aged parchment). I used 4 different colors of Canson Mi-Tientes (green, brown, muted red & gray) alternating the colors in each signature, Southworth Curiculum Vitae paper 100% cotton (ivory) & Cardstock (medium brown) then the envelope.
I used a dark brown DMC embroidery floss to sew the signatures in a running stitch and adding my beads in a variety of wood, metal and glass.
I tied bundles of 5 different yarns to each of the 11 embroidery tails.
I added four brass triangle corners and a toggle clasp (all from Quietfire Design). The front portion of the toggle is held on with wire and worked into the inside of the cover (I made a small grove and glued the wire down with Golden's extra heavy gel medium) then covered it with the cover paper. The back portion I used a long neck eyelet, hammered the jute knot flat and glued it also into a groove and covered with the cover paper.
View of pages and envelopes
(left) Cover (middle) Inside cover and cover for first signature (right) Spine
I don't know if this is apparent or not, but for the word "Saddle" I did it in the shape of a concave form to mimic a saddle seat and the other words in a tall form to mimic a person sitting tall and proud in the saddle.