It’s March and it’s National Craft Month and I want to share with you one of the many crafts I enjoy creating. To create your own journal is so much fun. What’s so fun about it, is that you are using elements and papers that make you happy. There is a vast amount of different kinds of beautiful papers to choose from to make this journal. Just allow your creative juices to flow and make it your own.
Create Your Own Journal~Supplies:
Tombow Aqua Mono Liquid Glue
Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Scissors
Decorative Paper
Burlap (optional)
Decorative Metal Elements (optional)
Leather (large enough for the spine)
Elastic
Ribbon
Foam Board
Binder Clip
Xacto Knife
Drill
needle and thread
Create Your Own Journal~Pictorial Instructions:
Cut two 5×7 pieces of the foam board
Apply the Tombow Aqua Mono Liquid Glue over the entire foam board, using the board tip.
Place paper on foam boards (both pieces)one for front and the other for the back of the journal. Using a brayer roll the paper to make it adhere smoothly and to roll out the bubbles.
After smoothing the paper to the foam board, turn it over and cut each corner of the paper to wrap the paper around the board neatly. Using the Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive.
After wrapping the paper around the two squares, cut 2 pieces of burlap 1 1/2 by 9 inches, use the Tombow Dual Brush Pen, I used #879 to age the burlap. Use the Tombow Mono Aqua Liquid Glue to both ends of the burlap to keep it from fraying. Sew on your decorative element to the strip of burlap for the front cover. Glue and wrap the burlap around both front and back of the journal covers.
Use the binder clips to hold down the burlap until dried. Next glue and apply the paper to both insides of the covers, using the brayer to smooth the paper. Let dry.
Create Your Own Journal~Preparing the Paper (Making the Text Block):
Cut the paper 6 1/2 by 9 inches and fold in half, the paper size you will need for the 5 x 7 cover. I don’t want to take your time with instructions on creating your text blocks. Check out the videos on Youtube about creating text blocks, you will find some great tutorials.
Take your text blocks and sandwich between your front and back journal cover. Clamp the journal down with binder clips. Drill 4 holes through the journal near the spine of the book. Make sure you put wood under the journal before using the drill. Sew it all together.
Using the Tombow Aqua Liquid Glue, glue the 7 x 2-inch leather piece to the spine of the journal.
I hope you enjoyed this craft. Come on over to CynthiaBanessa.com for more crafts. Also, you can follow me at Facebook, Instagram and Google+. I would love to see you over there! Make sure you check out all the awesome products at Tombow USA.