Drawing books are darned expensive

I have been reading a quilting book by Jean Wells.  It is called Intuitive Color and Design, Adventures in Art Quilting.  I really like it.  One of the first projects is to start an inspiration book.

The general idea is that you would use magazine photos and your own photographs as your guide to color choices.  It really has made me start looking at everyday things and seeing the colors and the amount of each color that nature uses for her designs.

The reason I am posting is that I tried to buy a sketchbook or an unlined notebook for my inspiration book.  I can't believe what they want for 60 pages of drawing paper these days. (Yes I am OLD! LOL)  After spending a frustrating afternoon online (I'm not THAT old)  I decided to order some medium weight drawing paper and make my own sketchbooks.

One ream of medium weight 9" x 12" sulphered drawing paper...9.00
one 24" x 36" tagboard...5.00
fabric with applique fusible ironed on to it...free from my stash
Binding at Fed Ex  12.00

Cut the tag board for front and back covers.  Fuse the fabric on the front cover and drive to Grand Forks to the Fed Ex for 10 minutes worth of binding.

My three sketchbooks.  Now all I have to do it fill them!

3 sketchbooks @ 125 pages each for just over 25.00 which is about what they wanted for ONE 100 page notebook.  And I have another 125 pages to use but I ran out of tagboard.

And I love them.

PS, If you don't try to get fancy (trust me to try to be different) and use the regular 8.5" x 11" paper and boards you can also get a clear protective cover over your notebook.  It is very little more.