a stitched notebook

I first learned of Kelly through Nicole of Garden Mama, when she established The Wellness Tree. At that time, our family made an ornament for Kelly's wellness tree.


I was extremely sad to read Nicole's announcement that Kelly had lost her battle with cancer.
I never knew Kelly or her family, but cancer has touched the lives of many people close to me, of all ages. I thought of all of them as I read about Kelly's death. And I thought most of her son, Ari, who will never fully and independently know his mom. His loss made my heart ache most especially.

So when Nicole called on the blogging community to make a little something for Ari and/or Kelly's husband, Matt, I felt compelled to make something for Ari.

I made a crayon caddy for Ari using fallen eucalyptus, just I have done in the past. I quite liked this particular piece of wood. I filled it with eco-friendly fat grip crayons.

And I thought he needed a little notebook to color in, so I made one. The cover picture is from a translated Japanese children's book I have had sitting on my sewing table. The book was falling apart and so it has been waiting for the right projects. I saw this print and something touched me. I like to think Kelly would have liked it.



To make your own stitched notebook:

• Cover material - Any of the following: map, thin cardboard, construction paper, heavy wrapping paper, card stock, project paper, recycled paper bag, or other heavy weight paper. Art work makes for a special cover, as well, and is an additional way to preserve some of that children's creativity!
  
• Filler material - plain or lined paper. I used 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper.
• Any decoration you want to attach - I used the page of a falling-apart book. You could use map pieces, photos, calendar images, art work, stamps, stickers, or other paper material.
• Thread. Color of your choice.
• Sewing machine.
  

1. Cut your cover paper to the size you want, slightly bigger than your filler paper.
2. Fold your filler paper in half, down the middle of the long edge. You will use this fold as your guide for stitching.
3. Line your filler paper up on the cover and stitch together on the line. Shown above is stitching on what will be the inside of the book. Back stitch at the top and bottom. Alternatively, you can assemble your book, close it as you would a book, and stitch about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in from the spine, on the outside, as shown on the map-covered books below.
   
4. Fold your front cover back and stitch on your decorative pieces. (Obviously, steps 3 and 4 can be switched! You can sew the decorative pieces onto the cover before sewing the book together.)
5. Keep in mind that paper doesn't stitch like fabric!