Fun Paper Journal

Create a fun paper journal with these step by step instructions.

What you need

One package of decorative printer paper (8 1/2 x 11 inch letter size, A4 will work fine but the measurements will be slightly different), including the cardboard insert, from your favorite dollar store or other source.
Glue stick or double sided tape
Approximately 24 inches of narrow ribbon (2 12-inch pieces).
6-inch square scrap of solid color paper.
One brad.
Several small scraps of colored paper to match you decorative paper.
Hole punch (three hole, or one hole).
Circle cutter or scissors and a small round objects to trace.
9-inch piece of wide scrap ribbon.
Tacky glue (or similar).
Paper trimmer or a ruler and craft knife
Something you can punch small holes with like a large needle or an awl. I used a Fiskars eyelet punch, but anything that will make a small hole will work.

Instructions

1. Unwrap your package of paper and separate the paper from the cardboard. Keep the card board because that will be our base for the cover.

2. Using a paper trimmer cut the cardboard in half so that you have two pieces measuring 8 1/2″ by 5 1/2″.

3. Repeat with the paper, cutting only as many sheets at once as you can do neatly.

4. Punch holes on the edge of the paper that will be the spine of the book. If you are using a three hole punch, use the two top holes and the same spot each time on the punches ruler to make sure all of your holes are punched the same. On mine I used the 2 inch mark near the center. Leave 4 of the half sheets unpunched for the cover.

5. Working on one side of each cardboard half sheet at a time, cover the cardboard with adhesive. I used some old double sided tape that I wanted to use up, but a glue stick will also work well.

6. Rub all over the paper to make sure it is well adhered to the cardboard. Repeat on both sides of each cardboard cover piece. Punch holes in the cover pieces to line up with the insert pages.

7. Cut the 24 inches of narrow ribbon into two twelve inch pieces.

8. Place the inside pages between the covered cardboard covers and line up the holes. Thread one 12 inch piece of ribbon through each hole.

9. Using a pencil as a spacer, tie each ribbon in a bow. A small dot of glue on each knot, allowed to dry, will keep it from untying.

10. Slide out the pencil. The extra space in the loops will allow the journal to lay open flat. The journal itself is now done and we are ready to decorate it.

11. From a scrap of cardstock or colored paper, cut a 6-inch square. Score with a bone folder, empty pen, or dull craft knife and a ruler from corner to corner along both diagonals.

12. Measuring out 1-inch from the center formed by the crossed score lines, mark four dots on the score lines.

13. Cut along the score lines, stopping at the dots.

14. Punch a small hole in the center and one in every other triangle corner. Note: I made a mistake and accidentally skipped two corners, as you can see in the picture. To correct it, I punched a hole in each corner letting the extra holes be decorative.

15. Using a circle cutter, or by tracing a coin and cutting with scissors, cut out a 1-inch diameter circle from patterned scrap paper. Punch a small hole in the center of the circle.

16. Fold in every other corner of the square. Thread the colored brad through the hole in the circle, the holes in the corners now folded to the center, and the hole in the center of the square. Bend the tongs of the brad to secure in place on the back of your new pinwheel.

17. Cut more circles in varying sizes from scrap paper. Two of each color.

18. With a regular hole punch, punch 5 circles from each color of scrap paper.

19. Cut two 4-inch squares of paper in light colors. In a doodle type font, write the title of your journal with black pen and add some circle designs. Color them in with markers in colors that match your scrap papers.

20. Cut your wide ribbon to the correct length.

21. Layout all of the pieces to confirm that you like the placement. Using thin layers of the tacky glue, adhere all of the elements in place starting with the bottom layers. Let dry.

22. Enjoy your new journal!