Handmade Books for Everyday Adventures: 20 Bookbinding Projects for Explorers, Travelers, and Nature Lovers

The handmade books presented here are meant to spark outings and offer creative ways for you to explore your personal style and interests: Make treasure hunts even more special with a personalized Treasure Hunt Collection Bag and Notebook. Take notes at the beach with a Waterproof Book made with Tyvek pages. Make a canvas-covered Camping Songbook to take with you to the campsite. In this collection of twenty Japanese bookbinding projects, traditional techniques meet contemporary style, from easy-to-fold accordion books to the intricate Japanese stab-stitch bindings.

Book artist Erin Zamrzla makes bookbinding easy and unintimidating. Her clear step-by-step instructions make even the more complicated stitches easy to re-create. Information on the basics of bookbinding--including terminology, tools, and techniques--is included, and many projects encourage the creative use of ordinary and recycled materials.

The projects are:

Everyday Outings

- Grocery List Pad
- Lunch Box Notes
- Necklace Book
- Cross-Stitch Cover
- Write Your Own Story Journal

Outdoor Play

- Treasure Hunt Collection Bag and Notebook
- Little League Score Book
- Waterproof Book
- Bicycle Book
- Texture Collector

Nature Excursions

- Observation Journal
- Leaf and Flower Press
- Fishing Log
- Stargazing Log
- Camping Songbook

Road Trips

- Tiny Tickets Memorabilia Book
- Photo Notes
- Notes from the Road Postcard Book
- Fold-Out Map Booklet
- Things to Check Out

Erin Zamrzla earned BFA and MFA degrees in graphic design from Fort Hays State University. Her creations have been featured in Ready Made magazine, and on Design*Sponge, www.coudal.com, www.boingboing.net, www.craftzine.com, www.makezine.com, and www.NOTCOT.org. She is currently designing, painting, and binding books from her home in Santa Monica, California. See more of her work at www.erinzam.com.