"Soft Cover Flow Journal"

 Hi Friends, 

August already and the year is flying.........................
I am always looking for my next project :) 

 I have wanted to sew a journal cover and use it for a journal, but have been a bit hesitant.....A don't have a big stash of fabric now, as I made quite a few quilts years ago. A lovely lady was selling some Sari Silk remnants and it is absolutely beautiful. I decided to dive in.  

I found Rachel's (Roxy Creations) video she did very helpful and gave me a base to start.........
I wanted a longer but not so wide journal this time. I thought I might make it into a FLOW type journal which is something you have, to put heaps of paper ephemera etc in and have on your desk, ready to go instead of hunting for stuff.

This is a video by Natasha @ Treasure Books to show you what I mean by a flow Journal :)

I am sure, like me, you have lots of lovely goodies In your stash that you don't use. This is how I am going to use them up :) 

I cut a file folder to 12 high x 7.5 wide. I adhered some book pages to it just in case I missed a spot....... I used the pieces of sari silk to randomly cover the file folder to what I like. I added a bit of glue to the backs just to hold them while I sew them down.

I used some red cotton to sew zig-zag around the edges to secure it to the file folder and to hold some of it down. I also used glue where the rhinestones were. A few pieces I hand-stitched to make sure I didn't blunt or break the needle in my machine.

To hold all the "stuff" I put into the journal, I added eyelets at the centre of the top and bottom and just threaded some lilac seam binding twice through the holes, to make room for two lots. 

To keep it closed when not in use I added some pretty lace time that I have, around it. I may sew a few buttons and charms on it.....

For the inside covers of the folder, I decided to collage some coffee/tea dyed papers over it and make two pockets to add lots of goodies.  You can put things like postcards, tags, note paper, envelopes etc in them.

I gathered up two lots of different papers etc that I had in my stash. These are called signatures. I used these map calendar pages on each of them for a cover. I may add a tab to each of these and then I know where each signature starts.

You can see above, I have stuffed it full of goodies from my stash in this journal to use and have it kept together with some lace to match in with the colours. 

As a Junk Journaler, I have collected different music sheets and book pages,  lovely calendars and most of the things I find for my journals I come across in thrift shops.  I love postcards, old letter writing sets etc, that I can use also.  I only buy one magazine and when I have finished reading it, I go through and purge all the pretty pages and bits and pieces that I can use. 

Thank you for stopping by and having a look at my newest project.  I am very happy with it and I am off to add a few more things to my "Junk Journal"

Stay safe
Hugz K xx