Make a Manila Envelope Art Journal

Manila Envelope Journal Tutorial

I received a journal similar to this as a blog prize during
our Paper Traders Blog Hop (from Donna Miller) this past Spring.

I just loved the idea of it as well as the creative possibilities of where

I could take it, so I thought I would make my own.

Supplies:

12”x9”(30.4mm x 22.6mm) Manila Envelope
Designer scrapbook paper - stiff
Water color or Bristol board paper
Hole punch reinforcements
Large needle or book binding awl
Quilting or waxed thread
Paints, stencils, stamps, ephemera

1. Fold envelope in half and crease well. Cut two pieces of matching 

or coordinating scrapbook paper into 11.75”x8.75”pieces (29.7mm x 22.1mm).

Slip inside of envelope. These will line the envelope to make it stronger

and provide a pretty pocket inside at the flap end. Glue the scrapbook

paper at the ends to seal it to the envelope. Fold envie in half and crease well.

2. Reinforce the hole with paper reinforcements or you
may use a metal hole reinforcement that you can find
at the fabric store. You can leave the metal brad on or take it
off depending on if you want your pocket to seal or not.
I took mine off and used the flap to thread a ribbon through
to close my journal.

3. Coat your manila envie with a light coat of gesso.

4. Paint, embellish, stamp, and stencil to your hearts content.

Don’t forget the insides of the covers, front and back. 

I used a ribbon to close my journal but you could place a 

large button there that you could wrap

twine around to close it as well. 

5. Cut 5 sheets of watercolor or Bristol board into 11” x 8.25”
(27.8mm x 20.9mm) sheets. Fold in half and stack them together. 

Sew the signature of pages into the crease of the
journal with strong quilters thread, waxed thread

 or if you have book binding thread, all the better.

Here are a few Youtube videos on book binding techniques
in case you are looking for a different binding look for your journal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGqmtuMAhGk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVkO6dyOBtg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnaD_n1Gd4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCoeJ_l70Hg

6. Optional: you can lightly decorate that first and last back sheet 

if you want, like I did. I wanted my journal to open up 

and look like book end papers. 

We’d love to see what you come up with if you try making one

of these manila envie journals. Leave us a link to your  blog post , 

if you create one for us to see, in the Linky tool below.

Better yet, join Paper Traders as we will be swapping these
in an upcoming swap. Click the purple yahoo button in the
right sidebar for more information.

Happy Creating!!
Cathy Calamas