You can use just about any method to cover your journal but I choose collage because it is easy, fun, reflects my personality, and...well...I have lots of copies of journal pages and photographs at my disposal.
First step: Gather your stuff that you've been collecting and keeping in your "color copies of journal pages and photographs, torn up magazines, old books, bits of canceled stamps and old tea bag cover thingys" drawer.
You say....you don't have one? Gosh, I have to ask...what's wrong with you?
Ok...after you get that whole thing cleared up...it is time to cut and tear some paper and glue it to you book; front and back.
Work the entire cover of the book building your collage in layers, background....then foreground.
Smooth down your glued collaged pieces as you work, keeping a wet paper towel near by to keep the glue off your hands.
Be thinking about things like color, variety of size and shapes of collage material, and subjects that you with to bring focus to.
Cover the entire blank piece of book board, stopping at the book cloth, and wrapping excess paper (which you should always have) around the sides of the board and onto the inside cover.
Time to add some details.
Gather your stamps, ink pads, crayons, purchased decorative papers, and one storage envelope, and meet me back here.
Then, I always make a utility envelope to glue on top of the decorative paper on the inside cover.
This is for keeping all my torn doodads I find here and there, as well as ticket stubs, and things that people give me that I plan to put in my journal at some point.
Now to add the adhesive to your cover and you are almost done!
Therm O Web's self adhesive laminate is great for this but is sometimes hard to find. I like this adhesive because it is Acid Free, very durable (I carry my books everywhere) comes in a roll - although small- and is available in a matte finish.
It takes practice...start with something small and you will hate me a lot less. Once this stuff is down...it's down.
Once you have the hang of it though...it looks very nice. (A few bubbles won't kill anyone...c'mon)
If you'd like, you can glue a ribbon with some of heavy duty book glues, where the book cloth meets the laminate covered collage.
You're done. You now have a beautiful large journal to use for a variety of art and writing projects. Now, get creative!
