This hybrid journal-album is a personal favourite which I was inspired to make after my daughter requested one. She decided to make a record of outings, exhibitions and events that inspired her and have a bit of fun writing something about them, sometimes with drawing or painted decoration, or bits of saved paper ephemera, or photos printed out from her phone onto ordinary paper, while the memory of the experience was still with her.      

The book is approx. two thirds normal pages, but spread throughout the book, there are occasional ‘compensation guard’ pages – ie places where there is a spacer between the pages so you can stick things in there without the book losing its shape. You can draw, write, paint and stick things in. It’s bigger than A5 and quite substantial (19 x 28 cm) and has nice Hahnemuhle coloured endpages and a pocket in the back. The covers are lined fabrics so they will withstand some regular handling. The pages are acid-free ivory cartridge. The book is hand sewn and bound on woven tapes which makes it very robust. 

I have been privileged to see some marvellous scrapbook-journaling by people who have bought my albums in the past, and I am convinced that this practice helps us to give an enduring value to experiences we might otherwise forget.

Cover fabric is by contemporary American designer,  Kaffe Fassett. (C)