Combining rusty metal and intriguing bits and bots with vintage style paper to create blank books is one of my favorite pastimes.
That’s why I loved making this steampunk art journal.
Held together with a rusty chain and featuring all sorts of bits and bobs, I made this steampunk journal using Eileen’ Hull’s Wrapped Journal Die and Stamperia papers.
To make this journal, begin by cutting a chipboard base from the Eileen Hull Wrapped Journal Die.
Determine how thick you want your journal to be and bend accordingly along the score lines. One thing that is extra cool about this die is that you can make different sizes of books.
Addhere micro magnets to create a closure and then cover the interior and exterior with decorative paper. Repunch the binding holes after you add interior paper and repeat after you add the exterior paper. This way you won’t have to try and figure out where the original holes were after it is all covered up.
Cut 3 1/4″ x 5″ pages of decorative cardstock to make your pages. Cut a 5″ x 451/2″ strip of black Tyvek and score it every 1/4 inch to create your binding. Fold along the scores and adhere a page to each fold. Cut off the excess Tyvek.
Align the bound pages inside the book and punch holes to match your cover’s holes. String cording through the holes to secure the pages. Don’t cut off the extra cording–you can tie embellishments onto this later.
Add decorative elements to the inside front and back covers.
Add metal gears, clock hands, charms and other bits and bots to the inside pages.
Layer different elements onto the back cover. In my case I cut out a skeleton and layered it upon some steampunk paper and added a metal crown that I had altered with alcohol ink. I then used placed it on the back cover with adhesive foam to give it extra dimension.
Use your computer and inkjet printer to create a title. Age it with distress inks and slide it into a metal book plate. Snip off the end of a small screw and glue it into one side of the book plate. On the other side attach an old rusty chain that you can wrap around the book when closed.
To finish your journal, Tie on additional embellishments onto the binding string.
Great Stuff
- Eileen Hull Wrapped Journal Die
- Chipboard
- Black Tyvek
- Stamperia paper
- Micro magnets
- Cording
- Adhesive
- Metal embellishments