MARCH CHALLENGE IS HERE
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FAUX LEATHER tutorial and a junk journal.
Hello Crafters,
A big warm welcome to all of you. I have a tutorial to share with you today. If you love junk journals, then this is it…make your own personalized one ! Just follow a few steps here…
I am first starting off by telling you how to make a “FAUX LEATHER” cover for the journal. There are a lot of videos available on you-tube but this is the practical one, that came close to it. It’s simple and I urge you to try it.
I love it and went about making 6 of them in different colors.
Things you will need:
Kraft CS – 5.5 X 9.5 inches
Glycerin
Water spritzer
Embossing folder and your die cutting machine
Distress inks of your choice
Varnish or multi medium
Some patterns papers and old note book pages for the junk journal
Magnetic closures or ribbon
Embellishments of your choice
Note: I have coffee stained all the pages here for my journal.
That’s a simple list and so let’s start…
Mix glycerin to water in a spritzer. For 3/4th bottle of water, you can add a quarter glycerin. Shake well. Mist the CS well with water and rub gently so that the water is absorbed well. Repeat on the other side too. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times until water is soaked well. This will break the fibers and the glycerin gives a sheen and makes the CS really flexible.
Mix glycerin to water in a spritzer. For 3/4th bottle of water, you can add a quarter glycerin. Shake well. Mist the CS well with water and rub gently so that the water is absorbed well. Repeat on the other side too. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times until water is soaked well. This will break the fibers
Place the damp CS in an embossing folder and run thru your machine. Out comes a lovely squeezed out embossed CS.
Leave to dry or if you are as impatient as me, the heat gun will save you!
Once dry, it’s hard and flexible too just like leather. Toughie!
Now take DI of your choice, preferably colors from the same family. Start working on the colors light to dark.
Rub the inks on to the embossed side of the CS and see the magic happen! Work on it till you get the color that you desire. A little bit of Kraft seen is what makes it look like leather.
Next apply varnish or multi medium, rub with fingers for an even coat all around. Apply 2 costs making sure each coat is dry.
You can make a signature that fits this cover and I have used twine to stitch up the journal, leaving a bit of the twine handing on the outside to hang some beads and charms.
For the closure I have used magnets and embellished it with a resin button.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and try making your own journal soon. Would love to see it.
Until my next creative journey,
Happy Crafting and re cycling