Paper Bag and Tag Journal

Materials

various wooden beads
about 2 yards black cord
5-3/4" x 6" tan confetti card stock
2 large die cut tags (approx. 6" x 10")
6 paper lunch bags (approx. 5" x 11")
ruler
stylus
metallic paints
paintbrushes
rubber stamps
scissors
small glassine envelope
alphabet stickers/stamps
cancelled postage stamps
small scrap of sandpaper
black ink pad
glue stick
double-stick tape
1/4" hole punch

1. The tags are turned sideways and used as covers. They will no doubt have a hole at the top, but when turned sideways, this should be on the right side edge of the cover and will serve as a place to pull cords through for securing the book. If necessary, cut off any extending portion of the tag so the hole is no more than 1/2 inch or so from the edge (figure A). Do this on both the front and back cover tags.

2. Paint the tag covers as desired and decorate the front cover. Ours were painted with a metallic copper paint and accented with brush strokes of metallic pewter (figure B). The decoration consisted of a collage containing several pieces of torn card stock, a small piece of torn sandpaper on which had been stamped the word JOURNAL, and a number of cancelled stamps (figure C).

3. Now is a good time to punch the holes that will later be used for the cording to hold the book together. Punch a 1/4-inch hole 3/8 inches up from the bottom (now the left side) of the tag and midway between each of the side (now the top and bottom) edges. It should be opposite the pre-punched hole on the other edge (right side) of the cover. Do this on both the front and back covers (figure D).

4. Flatten the paper lunch sacks and then cut across each bag 7-1/4 inches down from the top edge (figure E). Cut through all layers. Save the bottoms to craft on in some other project or recycle them. Glue the cut edges together at the bottom of each sack (figure F).

5. Decide on a theme and rubber stamp and/or sticker each paper sack "page" (figure G). We used a travel theme and designated one bag to hold pre-addressed labels. The outside of the bag was for listing the names of folks to whom cards were sent. Another bag was stamped to hold THOUGHTS, another was for POSTCARDS. This also held a small glassine envelope on the front for stamps. There was a bag for RECEIPTS and another just for EPHEMERA. Note: Remember that like the tags, the bags will be placed sideways with the bottoms on the left side of the book. Keep this in mind when decorating.

6. Accordion fold the length of the 5-1/2" x 11" piece of confetti card stock at 1/2-inch intervals so that you have five places to insert the paper lunch sack "pages" (figure H).

7. Using double-stick tape, adhere one side of the accordion-folded spine to the inside of the back cover (figure I).

8. Using double-stick tape, adhere each page in one of the accordion folds. It is easier to start at the back and work forward (figure J).

9. When all of the pages are attached, use double-stick tape to attach the front cover to the accordion-folded spine (figure K).

10. Cut two 10-inch lengths of black cording. Using a lark’s knot, attach one cord to each hole that you punched on the left sides of the covers (in step 3).

11. Slip all four strands of cording through one wooden bead and push it all the way to the cover. Knot to hold secure against the book cover (figure L). Slip two strands through several beads and knot to secure. Slip the other two strands through more beads and knot to secure. The strands with several beads are for embellishment only (figure M).

12. Cut two 30-inch lengths of black cording. Use a lark’s head knot to attach a strand to each of the two holes in the covers. Slip all four strands through one large bead. It should fit snugly. At the end of the strands, tie all four together in a knot. Slide the bead up to the knot to open the journal and down to the cover to close it.