Journal Tote Tutorial

Published by Linda Israel on

Sharing a Journal Tote Tutorial as I’m going on vacation and I wanted a small tote to hold a journal and a few tools and supplies. Using a fat quarter of fabric, scraps, ribbon and my sewing machine I created a tote. This took me about 45 minutes to create.

Today is my birthday and I made this tote to take with me on a cruise.

Journal Tote Tutorial

Journal Tote Tutorial Video

Supplies Used for the Journal Tote Tutorial

For this Journal Tote Tutorial I didn’t use a pattern. Since I have years of sewing experience of making all kinds of things I decided I would just start laying things out and see how it comes together. If you are new to sewing, you might pick up a pattern so that you can follow the steps.

I started with a fat quarter (this is a quarter of a yard of fabric but the cut it so that you get a larger piece than just a strip of fabric selvage to selvage) and a scrap of canvas. The fabric was wrapped around my journal and my bag of tools to see if I had enough.

Once I determined the size based on what I wanted to put into the tote I began sewing things together. First I sewed a hem on the top edge of the pocket for the inside. Then pinned the pocket to the inside of the bag, the lining.

A one inch wide strip of fabric was used for the handle, but I wanted it to have a little more body and to pull the black from the embroidered piece from the front I used ribbon. Sewing the ribbon on top of the fabric made it have more body and gave a pretty accent.

The handles were then sewn onto the outside piece of the bag. Using a ruler to space how far apart and how high up from the bottom of the tote helped.

Sew the tote together by putting the outside and inside pieces of fabric face to face. Sew a quarter inch seam around the outside edge, leaving a four inch gap on what will become the flap. Clip the corners and then turn the bag right side out.

Pin the decoration to the flap area and make sure to pin the opening when the bag was turned closed. Sew the decoration down on the flap and sew the top edge to the bag.

Fold the bag, lining up where the handles go and sew right sides together down the both sides. Sewing the bag together like this helps with the raw edges and isn’t very complicated.

With the bag still inside out, lay the bag flat and then cut a one inch square out of the lower two corners. This new hole will be sewn and will make our bag have a gusset to hold all our goodies. Pinch the new hole so that the cut lines meet and sew.

Turn the bag right side out and admire what you created! It is so easy to create and you can be as simple or as fancy as you want. Use scraps around the house to create your own unique Journal Tote using this Journal Tote Tutorial.

Journal Tote Tutorial Journal Tote Tutorial

Now I’m off on vacation. See you when I return!

Interested in any of the projects Linda has created? Please feel free to contact her through her website. Here is her shop, a lot of items featured and more added weekly.

Keep updated on her posts by following the blog by creating an account.  Follow Linda on her Facebook Page or on Instagram for updates that may not be shared on the blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today to see the Journal Tote Tutorial.

Categories: How to...I made artJunk JournalSewing
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1 Comment

JJ · August 17, 2021 at 8:58 pm

Happy Birthday!! Have a blast on your cruise! The tote is lovely.

Comments are closed.

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Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial
How to...

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial using book pages, stamps and more I’ll show how to create a faux seed packet and an altered paperclip. Use up those left over bits of paper to create a fun seed packet, this design can also be used as a coin envelope.

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial Video

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QpYDwB74_o?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=750&h=422]

Supplies Used.
I’ve been planting seeds, getting ready for the spring planting season and was inspired to create a faux seed packet. Looking through my stash I found scraps that I felt would work for this project. Book pages and gel prints are great for this project. Even if the gel print wasn’t perfect, it can add a pop of color and pattern to the seed packet.

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Don’t worry if the paper you have doesn’t have a crisp pattern, most of it will be covered with other bits. So use up those not so favorite pieces and make something beautiful.

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Once you get started making these, soon you will be lost in creating and have several to use in journals.

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

To get started with this Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial, select a book page and then score it and cut it down. The front of the seed packet measures about 3.25 wide by 4.25 once it has the sides and tops folded to the inside. 

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Cut another book page or gel print or any other paper to measure about 3.25 inches wide by about  5.75 to 6 inches tall, this will become the back of the faux seed packet.

Score from the bottom at 4.5 inches leaving the top portion to be the fold over part of the envelope.  In the tutorial I trimmed the top down to 1 inch and then covered the inside of the envelope flap with another piece of paper.

Since I used a book paged that I painted with yellow acrylic paint I decided to stamp over the paint with the Henna Rose Stamp using Archival Ink Jet Black. Stamping over the book page helps obscure the text and adds a unique pattern to the paper.

Going back to the front plain book page using Mustard Seed Distress Oxide  ink add color to the paper. Then add different shades of yellow Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists to deepen the color. Using the Henna Rose Stamp again add on top of the color for more pattern.

Fold in the tabs on the front of the seed packet and then adhere using Aleene’s Tacky glue, or your adhesive of choice.

Apply Distress Ink Walnut Stain around the edges both inside and out of the seed packet.

Decorate the front of the seed packet with the Chamomile Stamp set, colored with watercolor pencil on a piece of ivory scrap of paper.

For the back of the seed packet select a piece of coffee dyed paper and stamp the Hand Drawn Notebook paper, then fussy cut around the image.

Adhere the notebook paper on the back and layer the Little Daisy water colored flower in the corner.

For the altered paperclip use a piece of cardstock scrap and cover it with scraps left over from creating the seed packet.  Round the corners with the corner chomper. Add a snippet of lace, the Stamped Leaves and bloom to decorate the front of the paperclip.

For the inside create a simple journal card that has coffee dyed paper on the back and stamped in the corner with the Henna Rose Stamp.

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Look through your stash and see what you can use and create  a few to use in journals or to give as gifts.

 

Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial

Make sure to check out the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. Of course, you are welcome to join the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. The group is growing daily and we are a friendly group willing to help each other and encourage each other.

Interested in any of the projects Linda has created? Please feel free to contact her through her website. Here is her shop, a lot of items featured and more added weekly.
Keep updated on her posts by following the blog by creating an account.  Follow Linda on her Facebook Page or on Instagram for updates that may not be shared on the blog.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today to see the Faux Seed Packet and Altered Paperclip Tutorial.

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages
How to...

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

In this Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages I’ll share how to use book pages and make pretty background papers. Grab a few book pages, some stamps and watercolor paints and play along with me.

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages Video. Will be a Primer video on YouTube, Monday February 5th at 3:45 pm central standard time.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyapCYdbQW0?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=750&h=422]

Supplies Used
To begin, select a book page as your base. Using an old gift card (plastic card) swipe white or ivory acrylic craft paint over the entire page. I like to leave a little bit of the text visible, but if your page isn’t very pretty or you don’t like the text, just keep applying paint until it is covered the way you like. Dry the page, either by letting it air dry or use a heat tool.

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

Select a few stamps that you want to use and create masks. I like to use text weight paper and stamp with Rangers Archival Ink, Jet Black. Flip the paper over and apply Zig Two Way glue. Don’t get to precise applying the glue, you just want some swipes here and there so that it will stick, but not stay stuck on your project. Hint if you get too much glue and it is way too sticky, try pressing the paper to clothing, usually the fuzz on your clothes will attach to the glue and then it won’t be as sticky. Allow the Zig Two Way Glue to air dry, I usually just lay my paper with the glue up for a few minutes while I get ready to do the next step on my project. Fussy cut the images very close to the outside line, in fact if you go just inside that like it will be better. Don’t want the halo affect around your images, so cut close.

In my project I decided to have dragonflies, flowers and leaves. I stamped the dragonflies first as I wanted those to be “on top” of the page.  Once all the dragonflies are stamped, cover with masks. Next stamp the sketched daisy. When needed go ahead and mask the daisies so that you can over lap them. Mask all of the daisies then stamp the leaves. I like to make sure that the stem of the leaves is hidden behind the flowers. Rotate your page or your stamp to get each image where you want them.

Remove all the masks. I store mine on a transparency film (think over head projector film). Sheet protectors or even laminated sheets could also work for storing the masks. I like to keep them as it usually takes a lot of work to create these and I know I’ll use them again later on in my crafting.

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

If you used my stamps you are allowed to scan the paper you just made and then print and color over and over. You may sell the printed colored paper, but not the digital image. I like to print several and play around with different colors. If you are using an inkjet printer, seal your paper with workable fixative. Then the ink won’t bleed. Or even better if you have a laser printer use that for your prints.

Now here comes the fun part. Grab the watercolor paints and add color to the dragonflies, flowers and leaves. I even added color to the background. I do recommend that you allow each layer of paint to dry, or use a heat tool and manually dry the layers.

Add highlights of the metallic watercolors to give the page a beautiful shimmer. And when you are done, again, if you used my stamps, you can scan the image and print it over and over for your projects. You may sell the newcreated project using the paper, but not the digital images.

Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

Have fun using the Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds in your projects. Please tag me on social media if you use this technique, I would love to see how your page(s) turn out!

Make sure to check out the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. Of course, you are welcome to join the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. The group is growing daily and we are a friendly group willing to help each other and encourage each other.

Interested in any of the projects Linda has created? Please feel free to contact her through her website. Here is her shop, a lot of items featured and more added weekly.
Keep updated on her posts by following the blog by creating an account.  Follow Linda on her Facebook Page or on Instagram for updates that may not be shared on the blog.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today to see the Tutorial Creating Stamped Watercolor Backgrounds with Book Pages

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial
How to...

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial

Super easy Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial. If you have ever wanted a way to attach a pen to a journal, but be able to make it removable, then this tutorial will help you achieve this goal!

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial Video

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_wb9YOHgrY?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=750&h=422]

Supplies Used

This one is super easy. I started by cutting a couple pieces of cardstock into two by 1.5 inch pieces. Then I placed a length of elastic down on one side and glued it to the cardstock. Wrap the elastic once around a pen and make a sandwich with the other piece of cardstock. Cut the elastic, glue to cardstock and place a piece of paper over it to hold in place.

Sew across the elastic to help secure it in place. If you don’t have a sewing machine, then make sure to use a lot of glue to keep it in place.

Using scraps of paper adhere to a piece of book page to create a collage of strips. Sew on the join lines between the strips. Then cut the pieces down to be just slightly larger than the cardstock, which were 2 x 1.5 inches. Sew around the outside edge of these pieces to complete the sewing look.

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial

Fold a 4.5 inch x 1 inch  piece of book page in half. Slide a paper clip over the folded end. For best results fold up the ends of the paper over the paperclip. This will help secure it to the cardstock and will help this slide over the book pages.

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial

Adhere the cardstock with the elastic on the paperclip. Keep the closed end of the paperclip at the same side as the elastic. Next adhere the decorative papers over the cardstock.

Add embellishments to each side as desired. I like using images from Calico Collage and stamped words.

Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial

See how easy this Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial  was? Once you make one it is so easy to do a bunch! I picked up a few pens at Dollar Tree, but any pen will work.

Make sure to check out the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. Of course, you are welcome to join the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. The group is growing daily and we are a friendly group willing to help each other and encourage each other.

Interested in any of the projects Linda has created? Please feel free to contact her through her website. Here is her shop, a lot of items featured and more added weekly.
Keep updated on her posts by following the blog by creating an account.  Follow Linda on her Facebook Page or on Instagram for updates that may not be shared on the blog.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today to see the Altered Paperclip Pen Holder Tutorial.

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