Ephemera Notebook Tutorial

Hi crafters! Making my own notebooks, sketchbooks and journals is one of my favorite things and here I made one using small pieces of ephemera. You can also use the technique for cardmaking or art journaling.

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I really like Tim Holtz various ephemera packs and the small labels in the Snippets Ephemera looks so happy and colorful. I was thinking of way to incorporate them in a project where they would get center stage and thought it would be fun to use them to cover an entire background.

Start by cutting two covers. I used Sizzix Little Sizzles Matboard which would great for journal covers, but you can also use chipboard. My covers are about 4x6 in.

I used pieces from Tim's Collage Tiles and Snippets Ephemera. Pick labels, ink the edges and arrange them on the background.

Glue the pieces down with Distress Matte Medium, letting some of them overlap. Add a second layer of matte medium over the labels. I used a piece of Tim's Backdrops Vol. 2 papers for the back cover. Inked the edges and again cover with matte medium. The medium protects the covers from wear and tear.

Rub a little Distress Crayon here and there.

As embellishments, I used some idea-ology pieces: Game Spinners, a Sprocket Gear and a Timepiece. Distress the Distress Paint. Rub most of the paint off before it has dried completely. 

These pieces are so interesting and I like the mix of colors, shapes and typefaces. Round the corners of the cover.

Layer the ephemera pieces and attach with a Long Fastener. 

Fill the journal with your favorite papers. I used sketching paper for this one. But you can also use watercolor paper, patterned paper or any other paper that you like. Using your favorite papers is one of the best things with making your own journals/notebooks/sketchbooks. I punched holes with my Crop-a-Dile and bound with Tim Holtz Mini Book Rings. 

Thank you so much for stopping by here today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

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