Update on the journal

So here's a little update on my second journal project. I will eventually get back to the first one, but I want to go to Hobby Lobby and get some embellishments, and the nearest Hobby Lobby isn't open for business yet, I have to wait until next month for that, or I have to go to a store farther away, much farther away.

Okay so I started out by aging 25 sheets of printer paper. The reason I used printer paper instead of a higher quality paper is because when aging you generally use liquid, and the paper swells.  Also I didn't want to have a lot of money involved in a project I wasn't sure would turn out. I don't have pictures of the aging process, but it's so simple. You can use tea, coffee, or balsamic vinegar to get that aged look. I used all three. Some sheets got drenched, some were lightly coated using a paper towel dipped in which ever liquid I wanted to use. I dried mine in the oven at 300 for a few minutes. About 3 I think. I did flip them over half way so they would dry evenly. You can use a blow dryer or even hang them on a line. Fair warning though, if you do age them by getting them saturated the pages will not be flat unless you iron them, even then I can't guarantee they will be as flat as before. I also noted some shrinkage on some of the pages after drying in the oven.  While aging some of the pages I decided to let my kids each have one and they drew their own treasure maps.

 

I then took a few and went around the edge with a lighter. I advise you to do this over your sink or a metal pan, and have some water on hand because I might have set one on fire and had to put it out with water.

 

After I distressed all of the pages to my liking, I folded them in half  as best as I could considering the pages were a bit wonky from their baths.  I then used this video tutorial to make a text block.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGQ5P8QVHSg

 

This is what my text block looks like finished.  Here are some pictures of the inside. I threw in some odd pieces of paper, and a couple of envelopes as tuck spots for event tickets and things one would like to keep.

I love this last picture with the whole burned through, it is one of my favorites. I wanted this journal to look as if it were put together with found papers, but if I wanted to give it to someone or sell it I couldn't really use papers with addresses and phone numbers. Maybe next time I make one of these I will print some pages with some false headers and  use some script stamps to liven things up a bit. This is only my third journal, and only my second case bound one.  (BTW, yes, I know my desk is quite a mess. I need to take the time to clean it off. )
So this is my journal's text block. I'm still working on the cover. I only get a few minutes each day to work, so the process is slow. I still have to put the finish on the faux leather and let it dry then seal it.
If you have any questions please feel free to post them. I'll do my best to answer. If you have any ideas, suggestions or whatever, please post away. I welcome the feed back.