Or maybe it should be called pleather instead of the plastic stuff by that name that’s used for shoes, purses, and jackets. Of course, what I’m making isn’t as durable, but since it will be a book cover and not vegan outerwear, it doesn’t matter. No, I’m not disparaging any vegans’ lifestyle, but what else would be a good name for a faux leather made from paper? Leather paper, paper leather? Oxymorons, both.

The faux leather starts out as a brown paper grocery sack or a length of brown wrapping paper which is crumpled, and wet and inked, and colored, crumpled more, and sprayed with more water, and crumpled again, and rubbed with hair conditioner or glycerine, and maybe covered with Mod Podge or gel medium, and then it’s flexible. Supposedly it feels leathery. I don’t know yet because it’s still drying.

Once it’s dry, I’ll make a cover for a travelers type notebook. I know most people these days use their phones or electronic gizmos to keep notes, but I like to write things down. The act of writing helps me remember better. I have many notebooks filked with lists and notes. Whenever I started a new job, the duties and procedures that would eventually become thick procedure manuals, were stored in my notebooks.

There are doodles and phone numbers, directions to places, and instructions on operating equipment, and row and stitch counts for things I knit or crochet. When I sewed a lot, I would make a copy of the pattern package back and pin it into my notebook so I would have the yardage requirements when I went for fabric, notions, and thread. I would tape a fabric swatch in so I could find a matching zipper, thread, or seam binding.

I still write out lists of things I need or should do, even though I have apps for places I shop and a notes app on my phone. There are lists in the apps, but I’m mostly old school. Half the time, my phone will be at home while I’m out. But at least one notebook will be in my purse.

Tomorrow, I’ll post a photo of the faux leather and the cover I’ll make with it.