I like to make my own sketchbooks to use for the watercolor paintings and drawings I do when I'm traveling. I like to fill my sketchbooks with Arches watercolor 140 lb. watercolor cold press paper because I get the best results painting on this paper. I also like to throw in some Raffine mixed media paper and maybe a little of some other paper I find around the house. I like having it all sewn and bound in book form to keep the paper from falling out. I harvest the cover from an old book and use it for the covers and spine.

I am not a very patient or experienced book binder. I try to follow the directions in Alisa Golden's book on making books. This morning I took a deep breath and tackled the book binding for 2 books I am taking to France to paint in. At first my attitude was good as I poked holes in my eatercolor paper but as the process got more complicated, my dogs, who were the only ones at home with me may have learned some new words I don't usually utter in front of my husband and child.

The books got done and they are definitely not perfect but they'll be okay.

Do you have a favorite sketchbook for traveling? I'd like to hear about it.