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October saw me working on a special project for a fly fishing syndicate whose beat is a beautiful Dorset chalk stream called the River Allen.

My brief was to make a journal small enough to fit into fishing vests and tackle boxes, so members could easily log their catches, fly patterns, water, date, conditions etc, either on the riverbank or once home.

I decided on A7 size - it fits into the palm of your hand but there's enough room to write down important details. The Longstitch with Linkstitch style means the book will lie flat in your hand or on a hard surface, so there will be no fighting with the binding in an effort to write right up to the edges. 

The journal had to be easily and quickly accessible even with cold fingers - so I opted for a quick-close fixing comprising a leather strap stiffened with stitching, and a Sam Browne stud. The added benefit of this is it doubles as a pen or pencil holder. 

What makes this fishing journal particularly special is the title page. Designed for the project by Stone Design, it's an illustration of a fishing line and fly, with the beat and syndicate's names. Stone Design presented several great concepts and together we settled on this one for it's elegance and simplicity. 

Here in the UK we have 90% of the world's chalk streams and much work is put into protecting and enhancing their health. So as well as enjoying their fly fishing, the syndicate works hard to maintain the health of the water and riverbank, clearing invasive non-native plant species and protecting the the banks from erosion. The Allen is particularly special as it has the strongest population in Dorset of the native but rare white clawed crayfish. 

It was a joy to work with Stone Design on this project, and I hope the syndicate and the River Allen go from strength to strength. 

Susan 

P.S As always - if you'd like to commission a similar project, do get in touch! 

If you love hand bound, chances are you like handmade goods in general and making things yourself. Have you checked out Homemade With Love magazine? Their Christmas edition is full of great ideas of things to make and do for the holiday season, including how-to projects for those inclined and handmade gift ideas for those with a little too much on their plate to start making their own.

I'm chuffed to see my Monochrome Mini Journals featured as a stocking filler idea, alongside other gorgeous Christmas gift ideas from a variety of my fellow independent designer-makers. 

Check out more Monochrome gift options, prices at £10, £39 and £99 for all budgets.

My thanks to the team at Homemade With Love magazine, especially the Editor, Anna Simmonds who is also the talent behind the Crafting Fingers blog. It's her first issue of Homemade With Love and I think she's made a grand job of it. Congratulations and season's greetings for a very happy Christmas! 

Susan

(Image copyright Homemade With Love magazine)

Did you catch my autumn newsletter? You can read it and subscribe to future issues here.

The Dorset countryside is full of those beautiful russet, brown and gold tones that I love. The studio dogs are running about in the wind, getting spooked and distinctly mischievous by all the falling leaves, and on the weekends I'm picking sloes and making gin. Here are some new books fit for the season:

Oak & Terracotta Journal / Sketchbook £70 ready to ship

Just the right size to slip into a bag, this journal would be a great companion for those who like to tramp through the countryside making sketches, plans and keeping a journal. Section dividers in muted tones of orange, camel, stone and brown carry the colourway throughout the book.

Chocolate & Tan Journal / Sketchbook £70 ready to ship

This A6 book retains the goatskin's natural raw edge for an extra dose of individuality. The pages are divided into 8 sections by camel and brown lightly textured paper - good for noting and sketching lots of different projects.  

Berry Mini Journals £10 each ready to ship

I've been turning the sloe gin bottles for 3 weeks now and they've reached this exact colour!

And now Hallowe'en is nearly upon us, here's a new Monochrome Journal with natural raw edge that looks distinctly spooky to me:

Monochrome Journal / Sketchbook £99 ready to ship

In sleek and glossy black goatskin with white accents, a classic combination that never goes out of style. 

And a pair of Mini Journals that would be great to add to party bags:

Hallowe'en Mini Journals £10 each ready to ship.

In Orange and Black - it had to be done! - these are bound in the same gorgeous glossy goatskin as my larger books and make a great addition to party bags or place settings at the dining table. A great little gift that won't break the bank. 

As always, if you see something you'd like but would like it a little more to your taste - a different thread colour, a personalised frontspage - then please get in touch with me: info@boundbyhand.co.uk.

Here's a collection of Sapphire jewels perfect for September birthdays and back-to-uni gifts.

Mini Journals £10

Memory Book £119 Blue & Orange

Leather Journal £70 Blue & Yellow

The Mini Journal and Leather Journal are ready to ship worldwide, the Memory Book is made to order with my Bespoke Service - you choose your size and format, thread colour and frontspage text. Email Susan if you'd like to discuss your requirements: info@boundbyhand.co.uk.

I make my work as simple and striking as possible and a recent commission for a bride in black leather with white accents couldn't have embodied that spirit more. That commission inspired more work in monochrome, exploring new binding styles including the Accordion and Double Gatefold, as well as theLongstitch with Linkstitch style you're familiar with.

Journal / Sketchbook: White & Black £39 ships worldwide

Journal / Sketchbook: Monochrome £99 with natural raw edge. Ships worldwide. 

Miniature paperback sketchbooks currently exhibiting in 'By The Book' at Hawthorn Contemporary Craft Gallery. POA please email info@boundbyhand.co.uk

Accordion binding:

Double Gatefold binding:

The red / pink colour clash trend continues to be smoking hot for clothes and accessories. Fashionistas in the know - Emma Watson, she who can do no sartorial wrong - have been rocking the trend and here's my take on it:

Journal / Sketchbook: Red & Pink £99 ships worldwide

Mini Journals: Red/Pink £10 each ships worldwide

Linen Threads: Country Red, Baby Pink, Hot Pink

If you'd love your own on-trend Wedding Guest Book, Memory Book, Journal or Sketchbook please get in touch to discuss your ideas: info@boundbyhand.co.uk or call 07748 759 371

Or shop more red right now!

Susan

Whether you'd a number of Christmas gifts for your clients, or items for your brand's launch party goody bag, Mini Journals are the ideal choice, as featured in Country Living magazine, Hello! online and the Sunday Telegraph. 

If you need them in a hurry I can supply Mini Journals in a variety of colours from my stock. View examples here. 

If you've got a longer lead time, here's what I can do for you:

1. Blind debossing with your brand's logo - my trusted tool manufacturer will make a metal tool to your artwork.

2. Colour combinations in your brand's colours - take a look at the 22 colours (plus white) from the range of goatskin I use for all my work - the look, feel and even smell of this leather is superlative.

3. Bespoke printed pages to your artwork.

Please email me, Susan Green, to discuss your requirements and request a quote: info@boundbyhand.co.uk. Please include your required quantity, deadline and delivery location - I ship worldwide.

Technical specifications:

Book height x width: 76 x 56 mm

Flat page height x width: 74 x 105 mm

Flat page size with 3mm bleed height x width: 80 x 111 mm

Print artwork specifications: high-resolution CMYK with bleed and trim marks

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BOUND will be showing at By The Book: an exhibition of Book Art and Illustration - a variety of work by 16 artists and makers working with, and inspired by, books and illustration. Please join us for the Private View on 1 August 6-8 pm.

It's a great opportunity to view and buy art on a bookish theme, and we'll be showing our leather journals and sketchbooks, and introducing a new range of paperback notebooks and sketchbooks in unusual binding styles.

The exhibition is at Hawthorn Contemporary Craft Gallery in Blandford Forum, Dorset and runs from 2 August - 12 October 2013. 

Scrapbooks never looked so fine! I call mine Memory Books and they're great for family albums, wedding planning and recording your adventures - fill it with photos, mementoes, writing and sketching for analogue storage and display of your wonderful life.

I make your Memory Books to order so from the get-go you can customise yours exactly how you like it. So whether you love monochrome, bright citrus or muted tones, you'll have your perfect book. Ask me to print bespoke text on the frontspage: your family name, the year, an inspiring quotation... whatever you like. 

Bound with extra space in the spine to allow for your inclusions, these books lie flat on a desk and will never fall apart, thanks to their archival materials and binding style - that's the Longstitch with Linkstitch, in use since Medieval times. They have 128 pages of heavyweight quality cartridge paper which will take all dry medium artwork and glue. 

Your options are:

Size: Extra Large A4 (12 x 8.5 inches); Large A5 (6 x 8.5") or Medium A6 (4.5 x 6")

Format: landscape or portrait

Leather: 52 colours

Stitching: 22 colours 

Bespoke frontspage text.

Prices are £199 for Extra Large, £119 for Large and £90 for Medium plus postage by secure service, which is £9 UK, £15 EU, £19 non-EU. I ship worldwide with an impeccable track record and if you'd like to know the costs in your currency, just ask. To order, just email me to discuss your requirements: info@boundbyhand.co.uk 

Susan

We're pleased to announce our first stockist is Walford Mill Crafts in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. 

Walford Mill is a centre for excellence for high quality craft, runs an exciting series of exhibitions throughout the year and has a superb shop always fully stocked with a huge diversity of items from 150 British designer-makers, which is where you'll find BOUND's leather Journals, Wedding Guest Books and Miniatures.

Walford Mill also runs an excellent education programme for all ages including textiles, silversmithing, printmaking, leatherwork and writing.

Their current exhibition, Don't Look Back / I Told You So, is a thought-provking examination by silversmith Chien-Wei Chang of the way in which artists influence and reflect national identity through their work.

Walford Mill Crafts is open daily with free admission: www.walfordmillcrafts.co.uk