CRAFT: Leather Look Journal

 

We make these at least once a year with the midlle school age group.

Materials needed for each crafter:

• A piece of cardstock
• One piece of construction paper
• Four-to-six sheets of photocopy/printer paper
• A roll of masking tape, any width
• White glue or a glue stick
• Black or brown tempera paint
• Paintbrush
• Stapler or corrugated cardboard, push pin, embroidery needle, black or brown embroidery floss
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Cover the sheet of cardstock with pieces of masking tape torn into different sizes. Keep the pieces small. Overlap some of the pieces of tape and angle some in different directions. If a piece of tape wrinkles, rub the wrinkle as flat as you can with your thumbnail.
2. Fold pieces of the tape around the edges to give the ends of the paper some strength. Don’t worry if this looks messy, you’ll glue construction paper on the inside cover later.
3. When the piece of cardstock is completely covered with tape, brush on brown or black tempera paint. Spread paint thin so that the texture of the tape is visible. Let the paint dry completely before handling. Remember to also paint the tape that is on the inside of the cover.
4. With the ruler and pencil, measure the construction paper so you have one piece of paper 7 ½” x 10”.Center the construction paper onto the inside cover and glue in place. Let the glue dry.
5. Fold the tape-covered cardstock in half, this is your cover. Fold four to six pieces of letter size paper in half.
6. To staple the journal together: Set the paper within the journal cover. If you have a swing-arm stapler, open the stapler. Open your journal so it is flat on a hard surface that won’t be damaged by staples. Place three staples along the fold binding the pages and the cover together.
7. Set the journal beneath a stack of heavy books for 30-to-60 minutes so the book doesn’t flap open.