Making a Journey Journal tutorial.

I think the key to having fun with any crafty project, is organization. Having all of your supplies at the ready. It can be quite frustrating to start a project and realize you are "out" of something in the middle of it or interrupt your flow of creativity to go and find it. That being said, here is my attempt at writing a tutorial on Making Journey Journals.

Supplies needed for your project:

• Iron
• Ironing Board
• Composition Notebooks
• Fabric
• Scrapbooking paper
• Embellishments (stickers, foamies, flowers, buttons, etc)
• Tacky Glue (Aleene's tacky glue)
• Scissors and /or Rotary Blade
• 2 pieces of wax paper
• Yardstick for measuring
• Black Sharpie for marking fabric
• Pencil for marking paper
• "Old" credit card/plastic card for spreading glue
• Moist paper towel/cloth for wiping sticky fingers

Gather all of your supplies to a work/craft space that you are comfortable using. I prefer my kitchen table for this project, because it allows me to spread out.

 

Next, you want to make sure your fabric is ironed as flat as you can get it. Creases are not fun to try and get out once you have glued it to the cover.

 

Once your fabric has been ironed, you can begin marking your measurements with the yardstick and black sharpie on the wrong side of fabric, then cutting along those lines with the scissors or rotary blade. The cover measurements are: 16 3/4" x 11".

Once your fabric has been measured and cut, you want to position the composition notebook evenly on the fabric, so that when fabric is folded over, it has an even amount on all sides.

 

 

You will then mark and cut the folds for the notebook spine. This really isn't "measured" with a ruler or yardstick, you are just going to "eyeball" it or use the book as a guide. This allows the book to be opened and will give it a clean finished look.

Apply glue, fold them up and glue them in place.

 

 

Apply a line of glue from one folded spine end to the other, then place your notebook spine to this line of glue. Hold it in place for a few minutes to allow the glue to "set".

 



You are now ready to glue the major portion of fabric to the cover. Place a piece of wax paper between the cover and pages and back cover and pages, so that you don't glue the pages together on the inside of the book. Now swirl your glue around on the front cover (doesn't have to be an excessive amount, but enough to evenly coat the cover).

Using that old credit card, spread your glue to evenly coat the cover. I always do the edges first to help with "not" glueing those inside pages together.

 

 

 

Fold your fabric over and glue in place, taking care that there are no wrinkles or creases.

 

 

You will follow these steps for the back cover as well. Once they are glued, cut the corners at an angle.

 

 

 

Open the front cover of the notebook and lets get ready to glue all of those edges! I always have a moist paper towel or cloth nearby to wipe my fingers, because they do get sticky!

 



 



Apply glue to the corners and fold over, hold for a few seconds to allow glue to set.

Next apply glue to remaining edges (one at a time), using that old credit card to evenly coat the glue. Fold fabric up and glue in place.

Follow these same steps for the back cover, keeping the wax paper between the cover's and pages. You are now ready to measure, cut and apply your inside front and inside back covers.

Measure and cut two pieces of scrapbook paper 9 1/2" x 7".

We are almost there!! You will now glue the paper to the inside front and inside back covers to hide the fabric edges and give your journal a finished look.

Apply a line of glue around the inside edges of your front cover, again using that old credit card to evenly coat the glue and avoid a "wrinkled" look.

 

Carefully apply your paper evenly centered on the glue, it doesn't have to be perfect, but once it is stuck to the glue it isn't fun to "unglue" that paper! :)

Keep the wax paper between the covers and inside pages until the glue has dried. You are now ready to embellish the front cover! Make sure your journal is positioned correctly, front and right side up. It is quite frustrating to realize you have decorated the back of your book!! You can use whatever you like to embellish the front, stickers, foamies, buttons, flowers, ribbons, etc. Be creative!!! You can even embellish the inside front cover and pages if you so wish.

TA DA!! :) You have just completed your first Journey Journal! Make one for yourself, make as gifts, or make and donate to a great cause <3 Hats from the Heart/My Journey Journals <3! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I didn't confuse you too much with my directions. Please feel free to email me any questions you may have at either of the email addresses on the Contact Info page, or just leave your questions in a comment below (just be sure to leave your name so I know who I am answering). Use your awesome imagination and be creative, but above all HAVE FUN!!!

Until my next blog update (soon I promise), may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within.....<3