How To: Make an easy fabric-covered hardbound journal

You share your innermost feelings with it on a daily basis. Why, then, settle for something drab, prefab and impersonal? With this handy how-to, you'll learn how make a custom fabric-covered hardbound journal.

You'll need the following supplies:

A craft knife
A cutting mat
Scissors
A brayer
A bone folder
Styrofoam (Have you bought any furniture lately?)
A grid ruler
A stapler
A glue stick
Double-sided tape
Fabric (A pillow cover'll do the trick.)
Heavy-weight, patterned cardstock
Copier paper

Measurements:

* Fabric – 12" by 5.5"
* Patterned cardstock & copier paper – 7 1/2" by 4 1/2"
* Chipboard: spine – 1/4" by 4 5/8" cover – 2 (3 7/8" by 4 5/8")

Instructions:

1. Adhere the chipboard pieces to the fabric with a glue-stick.

2. Start at the middle with the spine. Then attach the cover pieces – one on each side of the spine. Use a brayer to insure a strong bond.

3. Cut all 4 corners of the fabric in an angle. Leave a 1/8? gap between the fabric and the chipboard edges.

4. Adhere the fabric's flaps with a glue stick. Tuck in the corners, for a nice fold.

5. Fold the patterned paper (heavy weight) and copier paper stack in half. Crease well with the bone folder.

6. Straighten up the copier paper stack with a sharp craft knife. To avoid falling finger tips… don't press hard on your knife, but rather use repeated soft strokes.

7. Lay your signature (patterned paper + copier paper stack) on a soft mat (I'm using salvaged styrofoam) and staple together. Use your bone folder to flatten the lil' prongs.

8. Cover the signature with strong double sided tape. Some added glue stick doesn't hurt…

9. Carefully adhere the signature to your chipboard cover.

10. Voilà! Enjoy!