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.

Free tutorial how to make photo / business cards bookmarks

I like to give a small gift to people who purchase items from my etsy shop.  I came up with this idea to make a small photo / business cards bookmark.  I use some of my photographs, black card stock, business card and wrapping tape to make them.

You cut out the card stock to fit the photo and the business card.  Glue the photo down on one side and then glue the card on the back side.

I made this message and printed it out on my printer.  I cut it out and added to the photo side of the bookmark.

Then I covered each side with two overlapping pieces of  wrapping tape to seal it and cut off the extra tape.

Now they are ready to add to a purchase from my  etsy shop as a small bookmark gift.

Hope this little tutorial will inspire you to create something unique with your business cards.  Enjoy.

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.

Flip through video of my mixed media journal Off to the Races

View this flip through my mixed media journal that used Graphic 45 paper Off to the Races as the basis for this travel/ art journal.   Here is the link

It is my first video so please be kind.  I know I will get better at it.  If you can could you give me a like?  Thanks, enjoy

 

Here is the link

Free & easy tutorial for making a handmade Wine junk journal

I have made this wine journal for my dear sister Cathie for her birthday.  She and her husband love to wine taste and I thought that this handmade diary would be a perfect gift.

I covered a 5×7 paper notebook with maroon designer paper.  Before covering I had used clear heavy gel through a stencil to embellish the front cover and rubbed gold acrylic paint to highlight the design.  I also purchase some wine dimensional stickers from Michaels and glued them on to the cover.  Finally, I used some silver holographic duct tape that I got at the Dollar tree to cover the spine of the book.

Here is a close up of the journal with the elastic tie and a journal charm that I made to keep it together.I made the Wine tasting notes on my computer and resized the image down so that it would fit the pages in the journal.  Behind each tasting page is a page envelop to keep any information behind the form.

 I stamped and cut out some wine embellishment to put inside the notebook and added some journal stickers to dress up the pages.This wine journal is simple and not hard to make but it is a heartfelt handmade gift for a dear sister.

Free Tutorial how to make a mixed media junk journal with Graphic 45 Enchanted Forest

Enchanted Forest travel journal

I love making these recycled travel journals and thought I would write up a tutorial on how I made this one.  I started out with the paper;  Enchanted Forest by Graphic 45.  Then I got an old 2 ring book I found at an estate sale.

inside of binder

I used the pages in the binder to measure and cut the paper for the journal.  Most of the paper was white card stock, some of the pages were from the EF ( enchanted forest) paper.

I cut out the princess from the paper and a backing paper for the cover image.

Covered the cover with black card stock and used golden heavy gel gloss and a stencil to texture the cover.

I then painted the dried texture with 4 colors of Lumiere paint and brushed it with a cloth to mute and blend the colors.  

I glued down the background and used foam dots to raise the princess image up on the cover.  I added Swarovski crystals to the image.

crystals on the side of the photo

Decided to add extra bling on the side of the cover.

Then I went through the pages; distressing the sides and adding handmade pockets and tags.  I cut out some of the images from the Graphic 45 paper to make embellishments.

This is a tip out page that I added for more room to put photos into the journal

And I made a small book to tuck into a pocket to put my private thoughts.

Here is the journal finished and ready to sell in my Etsy store.

Hope this helps you create a journal of your own from a recycled book.  Please leave any comments or questions below.  Thanks for dropping by.

Free tutorial on making mixed media art & travel journals

I seem to be on a roll the last couple of weeks making several mixed media art journals.  I just love journals.  I keep one in my purse to write down creative ideas that come to me while shopping or walking.  I also keep one for each year ( though I should say I keep a couple for each year as I fill them up) .  Here is the one for 2017   It is getting filled with my thoughts and experiments quickly.  But that is good because then I get to make another one.

I make and sell mini art and travel journals in my Etsy shop .  I do not charge much for them because I just want them to go to someone who will enjoy my art.  Here are some that I have listed right now;   Then I make a large mixed media art journal that is very complicated and takes about 3 weeks to complete.  Here is my currant one called Steampunk Woman;   This started out as an old 1930s book that I rescued the covers ( the inside pages are being used for other projects),  I cut out the pages and painted the covers white.  Then I used clear gel and stencils to make the textured background.  I painted it with metallic teal paint and edged with gold paint.  I used Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante paper for the cover and the inside pages. I painted the woman on the cover with crackle paint and added the metal gears and a name plate.  

 

There are 3 large book rings with fiber hangings.  There is a key and a cherish token hanging from the front.  There are 33 double sided pages inside.  Most have been made into envelops and tags to attach photos or write journal insights.  Here are some photos of it;

  I even made a small book of secrets that fits in a pocket for those private thoughts.The back cover is plain except for the mixed media collage that I made on the front cover.The beauty of this journal is that you can use the book rings to open and add your own pages or to rearrange anything.  I love this type of premade journal when I travel because all I have to do is tape or paste items into it as I go.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this post.  Drop by my Etsy store to see more. http://www.etsy.com/shop/LDphotography     Stay creative everyday!

Free Art journal Tutorial; quick journal page using Neocolor water soluble Pastels

Sometimes I want to make a colorful art journal page quickly. I also prepare my travel journals ahead of time using this technique so that they are ready to use on the road.  I also sometimes take the smaller set of pastels in my travel kit.

I use these Neocolor water soluble pastels.  I thought some of you might want to try this fast technique.

I bought these online from an art outlet.  They are not inexpensive but they last a long time.

First I glue 3 pages of my journal together to make a substrate that can handle the water you will be adding.  I normally use only 3 complimentary colors for a page.  Here I start with a sky blue on each corner. then a yellow , followed by a gold in the middle.You use the pastels like a crayon. The next step is where you have to be careful.  You want to start to blend using a moist (not too much water) paint brush., just blending the colors together.  If you use too much water with these pastels it dilutes them and makes your paper wrinkle a lot.

Dry this page now.  I like to add a frame to the page which I do after the page is dry using two colors of brown ( one dark on the outside, one lighter on the inside)

Dry the frame.  Here is the finished page that took about 15 mins.   Finished , dry and ready for me to write my day’s adventures down.

Here is a page in my journal that I did with lots more preparation.  I glued pages, used 3 coats of white gesso ( they need to dry between coats) and finally when completely dry, applied spray paints.  This took a day since you need the gesso to completely dry.  Now I will admit I like the effect better but sometimes I do not have the time to do it.   Thanks for looking at this tutorial;  I hope you enjoyed it and can use it in your creative work.  If you have any comments please leave them below.  You can find my mixed media journals and journal kits in my etsy shop .  If you want to see my photographs and our travel adventures dog and house sitting in England, look here.

Free tutorial Altered book art journal

  Here is the process; I start with an old book that I thin out every 3rd page. Then I glue 3 pages of the book together to make a strong base for the art work. I use white gesso to paint every page and let them dry. Finally comes the fun part. I paint each page with metallic  (lumiere paints)and glitter paints making a book with a rainbow of colors.I added a hand made pocket with a tag here.

Then I put pieces of my art work, Graphic 45 paper, envelops, tags, stamps, clips and other items on the inside pages of the altered book. This is one of my handmade tags.

The cover is made by cutting an oval and placing the photo in the inside cover.  The back  cover is also  texturized  ( with glue and tissue paper) , gesso, stained and painted. The gears, the clock and the key are added with gesso.  I touched up with distress inks and gold foil swirls. There are 8 Swarovski AB crystals. I have added a ribbon closure to keep all your art work safely inside. The Image of the Moon Goddess is one of my original metallic photo composites.

Hope you enjoy the photos and the altered book.   I make about one of these a month and sell them when they are done in my Etsy store; https://www.etsy.com/shop/LDphotography

This book was sold right away.

 

If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will answer them.  Happy creating!