Thanks to Drew Steinbrecher’s free online class I have a growing collection of sketch books made from children’s board books. In the past I started sketch books, but didn’t keep up with them. If you ever started a daily exercise program on January 1, found it became weekly by January 20, and maybe every three weeks by February 5, you know the process.
Drew uses his gel prints, gluing them directly on the book pages, but almost any material, paint, or drawing tool can be used as long as you gesso the pages first. Why board books? Because they’re thick cardboard the pages don’t buckle and warp with glue, and they are cheap second hand finds. Library book sales, online auctions, and yard sales are potential sources of inexpensive used ones.
I won’t linger on the technical details as Drew covers them thoroughly, but so far I’ve finished two books and am almost done with a third. My leaf gel prints filled up one book by themselves.
I start a fresh page or add to an existing one whenever I get stuck on my current quilting struggle, and find creating something in 30 minutes or less with paper and a glue stick boosts my mood. Then I’m able to return to the slog in a better frame of mind.
I’m linking to Off The Wall Fridays.
The Snarky Quilter 
Wow! I love this idea! Your artwork is lovely!
Thanks much.
Oh, these are wonderful and such a neat way to use memory bit from your travels. I agree with your last paragraph.
Thanks. I find I need carrots to keep me going through a project that’s tedious.
I do love altering books! I have not worked in a children’s book for some strange reason. Now I really regret sending a bunch of children’s books to the thrift store last week!
While I’m using board books, I’ve seen people do gel prints on pages of paper books. You could also stencil or stamp on the pages. I just wouldn’t use really wet media as the pages would probably warp.