Making handmade journals has become a special hobby of mine. It all started with with the hardbound journal and kind of evolved with the micro version of journal cuteness. In this post I will show you how to make a matchbox journal and I promise you haven’t seen the end of “Journal Mania” yet 😉

Supply –

• Cardstock (either patterned or plain you get to choose your favorite, as you make it yourself).
• Trimmer
• Bone folder
• Ribbon
• Crop-a-dile
• ruler + pencil (for measuring)
• Handmade paper (you can use whatever type of paper you like for the inserts).

Instructions –

1. Trim the cardstock to a 5^“ by 12^“ strip and score at 5^“, 5½^“, 10½^“, 11^“, then fold all the score lines. Use a bone folder to make crisp folds (you can also use the bone folder to create the score lines if you haven’t got a stylus).
   
2. Cut 20 pieces of handmade paper, measured: 4¾^“ by 4¾^“.
   
3. Now we have some measuring to do – lazy people style … Collect all the inserts together and position on top of the small 1^“ flap. Make sure all the “layers” are aligned and centered and put the ruler on top. Now mark 2 points which are equally separated from each side.
   (I am sure the picture will do the “measuring method” much justice than all the mumble jumble of words)
   
4. For marking the punch marks inside, just use the marks on the flap as a guide.
   
5. Punch all the marked points with the Crop-A-Dile. As you can see, you can easily punch through all the inserts at once.
   
6. Thread a ribbon from the flap, through the inserts, into the back cover and back.
   
7. The matchbooks journal is actually done, but I have an extra tip => after tying up a nice knot in the ribbon, apply nail varnish to the tips of the ribbon to prevent fraying.
   

Enjoy your journal:

Front –


Inside –

What do you think about the matchbox journal? Did you find the instructions comprehensible? Please leave a comment to this post!!!

New Feature –

I have started a Creativity Prompt Flickr Group
to which you can submit your creativity-prompt inspired projects and you can also initiate a conversation on any relevant subject (including some Q&A or suggestions). You are all welcome to join.

Giveaway –

Do not miss your chance to win a free copy of my new e-book. Leave a comment with some feedback on this blog here to preserve your place at the giveaway.

Tags: journal, Tutorial