Make your own journal!

[indybev]

I'm heady with power here! I've always used Canson 8x8 albums for my art journals in a style I've had to order on line. On a recent trip to Archiver's I found a package of 4 bookboards in my favorite oatmeal color and 8x8 size. I picked up a couple of packages of 12 z 12 cardstock (they didn't have it in 8x8) in matching color. When I cut the 8x8 pages, I was left with a huge stack of postcard-sized cardstock, and a number of skinnies as a bonus. I took the book boards and the pages to Staples and for a pittance ($3.95) they punched and ring-bound my journals. They look exactly like the Canson journals, with nice, substantial pages crying to be "colorfied". Total cost? $13.00 for 2 journals, postcards and skinnies!

[kygirl]

What a great idea, Bev. I'd love to see a picture of your finished product, if you have time.

[indybev]

The photo I'm using for it's cover is an entry for next Mixed Media Monday's challenge, Donna. After I've posted the photo there, I'll post a picture of the journal here. Thanks for asking!

[Yorkshire Lass]

Hey Bev would you ever consider doing a journal class? I would join!

[Artist in Residence]

Bev, I'm a journal fanatic and I love the krafty paper ones-- maybe this is what you're referring to when you mention the oatmeal color? Anyway, thanks for the excellent tip! I'm going to check these out online.

Have fun with your projects! :]

Juli

[indybev]

I just posted a photo of the journal I made, deceptively simple to do. Of course, filler pages could be your choice. I like a medium weight that doesn't buckle. It might be interesting to do all pages and covers and keeping them in a folder until finished, and then having them spiral bound. Now there's an interesting idea...... Somewhere here I also posted a photo of a journal I made using a wallpaper-sample-covered cereal box for a cover. Lots of possibilities.

See it here. (http://www.digitalartquirks.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=6957&limit=recent)

[indybev]

I've posted some photos of a Piano Hinge Journal I made in art group Saturday. (Bear in mind this was my first effort!) I thought it might interest some of you. These are relatively simple to make and require very few supplies. Here's a URL with instructions:
http://www.making-mini-scrapbooks.com/pianohingebook.html

My book is smaller than this example, and so I only made 4 notches. See mine here (http://www.digitalartquirks.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=7025&cat=500&ppuser=314). (You can have any number of notches, but you have to have an even number so you have an uneven number of tabs.) Most of the people in my group used lunch bags (yes, lunch bags) for their pages. For some reason I decided to use cardstock (because I wanted sturdier pages), but weaving the skewers through stiff cardstock was a chore!!

One of our members is attending Journalfest, led by Teesha & Tracy Moore in Port Townsend, Washington this week, and she's sure to bring back more ideas.

[kygirl]

Bev, do you know if there's a way to finish the book so that the skewers aren't left sticking out? I can just picture one of us poking our eyes out with the sharp end.

[mizamigo]

Thanks for the link, Bev, what a great resource for us. Donna, I'm sure you could cut off most of the ends of the skewers so they don't hurt anyone.

[indybev]

Donna & Victoria: The sharp ends of the skewers are trimmed at the end! (I used wire snips). Never fear. It's an absolutely safe project. If not, I'm sure I'm clumsy enough to have found a way to skewer myself!!!

[Yorkshire Lass]

Bev I love what you are doing here. Give me a day or two to get back into the swing and then I shall be bombarding you with lots of questions.