Free tutorial; how to cover a journal with wallpaper samples

I have discovered that it is so easy and it looks so professional to cover an alter book journal or any journal with wallpaper samples. The kind that I am using in this tutorial is a thicker wallpaper that I sell in my etsy store. I thought that it would be helpful to share how I do these covers. I start with the book or the journal that I want to cover.

Here is all that I need to make this cover

Then I cut the wallpaper exactly to the size of the book, leaving a little on the sides in case of mistake.

I cover both sides and the spine with double stick tape

I carefully apply the wallpaper first to the front, then the spine and finally the back of the book

I cut the extra paper off with an exacto knife

Then add the accent photo or embellishments

There you go, it only takes less than a half an hour and the journal or book is covered and you can do whatever you desire to finish off your cover decoration.

I hope this helps. Here are some other journals that I have used this technique to cover.

Mermaid journal

Well, good luck with making your covers with this versatile and easy substrate. Happy creating.

My Mermaid altered book junk journal Sold

I have to admit, I love to create mermaid journals. There is something seductive about the idea of maidens of the sea swimming around just out of reach. They are beautiful and graceful mythical creatures that fill my imagination. So here is another altered book junk journal that I just listed in my etsy store. I just sold it.

Here are some photos of this lovely journal that I have filled with sparkling gemstones and lots of tucks and tags for you to fill in with memories.

page folds out to reveal a tuck spot and a tag

another fold out page

I hope you have enjoyed these photos of my mermaid junk journal. Perhaps they have given you some ideas about how to create your own. It is for sale in my Etsy store. Take care.

Medieval woman Book of hours prayer journal Sold out

I am still working on unpacking and organizing my new craft studio but I could not resist making a new journal. It is hard to not create and so here is my new Medieval woman Book of Hours, that can be used as a prayer journal. You can find it for sale in my etsy store;

As you can see I have used an old book and altered the covers and the inside. I love the colors of this cover. I choose royal purple and lavender because most of the Books of Hours used in the middle ages were owned by royalty . The beautiful lady in the gold colored frame has been decorated with Swarovski crystals to make her sparkle. The background is made with a stencil . modeling paste and diamond glitter. I added a copper dangle in the upper right hand corner that has 3 charms.

Normally, it takes about a week to make one of these mixed media journals but this one took longer because it is bigger and more elaborate than I usually make.The pages inside have been removed and the left over pages have been glued together to make a stronger substrate to add embellishments There are about 40 pages in the book with 32 tucks and tags. I have added some handmade envelops with paper inside for a personal note or prayer.

It is filled it with images from famous 14th century French Books of Hours and other medieval paintings. There are lots of blank pages for you to add your own embellishments. and photos. Swarovski crystals are scattered throughout the journal with gold glitter to highlight the images. Vellum cover pages, triple fold outs and double fold outs supplement the interactive aspect of this diary. 

A pull out tag on the top of the right page and a vellum overlay on the left page

This is a triple fold out with a vellum page on the left

Paper door opens up and there is a tuck spot on top

Several tucks in the left side of the page

Pull out tags from 3 sides of this set of pages

The vintage paper on the bottom of the left page is from a 120 year old German bible

As in all of my mixed media journals , this is one of a kind. A perfect gift for that discerning woman of faith.

I love Mermaid journals –Sold

I have been busy staying inside and staying cool and safe in this summer weather. What make me feel cooler is making a mermaid mixed media journal. Here are the photos. These mermaid journals sell fast and you can purchase this journal at my etsy store; https://www.etsy.com/shop/LDphotography

Have a cool day. This journal has been sold. Thank you

Victorian shabby chic journal photos –Sold

Since I have lots of time during this lockdown I found myself fussy cutting out little Victorian children from a vintage book of Victorian history.  That inspired me to make this shabby chic journal filled with Victorian children, lace, ribbons and crystals.   There are also some Graphic 45 Ladies’ Diary paper and tags inside.  Here are some photos from it.  It is for sale in my etsy store. Victorian journal

 

It was quite fun to make this journal and I hope you enjoyed looking at the photographs.  You can purchase it in my Etsy store; Victorian journal

Free tutorial; Lace and ribbon organization

Since I am home bound during this pandemic, it is a good time to organize some of my art studio’s supplies.  I got this nice idea and free down load from Kerryanne English at shabby art boutique.  (https://www.shabbyartboutique.com/2020/03/free-printables-shabby-chic-lace-ribbon-holders.html) .  I printed out the cards on card stock and glued another piece of card stock to them.  Then I cut them out. 

Then I got out all my bags of lace and ribbon pieces and wound them around the card and fashioned with a straight pen. 

I had a box that I found at Target that was empty on the shelf.  It had held 5 inch ornaments for Christmas.  They gave it to me.  I now have my lace and ribbon cards organized in it.

This is standing up by my desk and I can easily see what colors and what pieces of lace and ribbon I have available when I am making my journals.

Thank you Kerryanne.

Free Tutorial; Mixed media journal ; A place in Time

I love transforming a plain spiral notebook into a beautiful mixed media journal.  Here is  the blank spiral notebook that  I started with.     This is what the end product looked like. 

I created this by taking the book apart and gluing several pages together to make the pages strong enough for the art and embellishments that I put in the inside.  I was using Graphic 45 paper; Fairie Dust for some of the illustrations.  Most of the painted pages were created by using metallic paints.  I made the envelops, decorated paper clips  and tags. 

Handmade envelop and matching paper clip to mark your place

Tip out page with tag

Inside tip out page

Another tip out page

The covers were made by using several coats of white gesso, then using stencils and modeling paste to make the base of the covers.   When making this journal I also used embellishments that I made out of air dried clay, a wooden hummingbird and dragonfly, lace and a vellum picture frame.  I used Dylusions spray paints to paint everything and then added Swarovski crystals and metal dots.  I included 11 blank pages for writing in the  journal. I made a 3 strand jeweled dangle for the top corner of the cover.Then I punched holes and added two book rings to bind the journal together.  I like book rings for journals because you can open them up and add new pages or move the pages around.  I decorated the rings with yarn and fibers.  And that is the completed journal.It is on sale in my etsy store; https://www.etsy.com/listing/753986042/handmade-journal-junk-journaltravel?ref=shop_home_active_1    This journal is sold, thanks

If you have any questions or comments please leave them for me below.  Thanks for visiting my blog.

Mini composition journals for purse or backpack journals

I have recently had surgery and am spending more time at home recovering and so I am making these mini composition journals to sell in my etsy shop and craft fairs this summer.  It is a good way to take my mind into a creative place.etsy store

I am making them to fit into your purse or backpack for travel.  They are very inexpensive and would make a thoughtful gift tucked into a birthday card.

I am using some of my own photographs for covers and some of my Graphic 45 papers to make little pockets and tags so that there are tuck places to keep your memories. I am also making matching paper clip place holders for these journals.

 

These are all wonderful small gift items at a small price in my etsy store.  Come by and see the new ones that I will be making and selling this summer.  They are a best buy.  LDphotography etsy store

 

Graphic45 mini journals

I just love the graphics from the Graphic 45 paper collections.  Here are photos from 2 mini journals that I recently made from the Fairie Dust and Garden Goddess collections.  I think they are wonderful gifts for people to keep in their purses or backpacks to write down those thoughts or observations that you want to keep.  These journals are available in my .Etsy store

Fairie Dust journal

 

 

Garden Goddess journal

 

Thanks for looking at my work and remember that these journals are available in my .Etsy store

Graphic 45 Midnight Masquerade art or travel journal

I just finished making this stunning art or travel journal yesterday.  It took me about a week to make this journal from an old book.  First I thinned out the pages from the book and then I glued 4 pages together to make a thicker substrate for the gesso and then the metallic paints.  I made tip out pages, envelops and tags, a small secret book from the decorator paper.

The cover is a work of art.  I made the wings, clock and key from paper clay and painted them with metallic paints. I added raspberry rhinestones, Swarovski crystals and pearl buttons to the cover.  There is a metal clock on top of the clay clock.  I fussy cut a lady from the Graphic 45 paper and added lots of crystals to her dress.  I sealed everything with varnish and covered the spine of the book with purple decorator tape.  And I dusted the entire cover in diamond dust.

 

It is 7.5 x 5 inches and 3 inches thick.  It closes with white satin ribbons so you can expand it when you put your photos and journaling into it.  I feel like it is the best work I have done so far.

Thanks for looking.  If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below.

 

It is currently on sale in my Etsy store