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*easy* Personalise/Re-craft a Wirebound Journal!

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*easy* Personalise/Re-craft a Wirebound Journal!
Swap Coordinator:bethrealistic (contact)
Swap categories: Paper Goods  Random Items  Miscellaneous 
Number of people in swap:7
Location:Other
Type:None
Last day to signup/drop:February 22, 2008
Date items must be sent by:March 5, 2008
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

EDIT: One more day to sign up! Deadline February 22.

This swap is an easy one - you simply look at your partner's interests on their Swap-Bot profile, then take apart and re-craft a bought journal by adding random page inserts and a new cover, personalised to their likes.

WHO? You send 1 re-crafted journal to 1 person, and recieve 1 journal. 4.0 rating or higher, I also reserve the right to ban you if you have any no-sends in the past two months, sorry. Newbies very welcome, but message me first. This swap is international.

WHAT? Your task is to personalise a journal with random pages that you think your partner will like, and finish it with a handmade front cover. The random pages can be magazine cut-outs, handmade paper, pages from a phone book or street directory, recipes, pages from an old book... you name it. Be creative, but they must reflect your partner's interests! I usually do two or three blank (unlined) pages for every random page. The journal size I recommend is A5 (around 6x8). Note: this does not work as well with spiral bound journals. I recommend the wirebound type.

HOW? You can either buy a wirebound journal (with unlined pages) and take it apart then add pages and reassemble it, OR you can cut out your own blank pages then assemble them with the random pages and get all the pages bound at Kinko's etc.

For example, in 10 steps: 1. purchase an A5 wirebound journal/sketchbook 2. gently open the binding and remove all the pages and cover 3. using one page as a template, cut out your random pages 4. use the template page to mark where to punch the holes 5. punch holes down one side 6. assemble the pages in the order 2 or 3 plain / 1 random etc. (remember you don't need to include all the original blank pages, as the random pages will take up a lot of room!) 7. create a beautiful but sturdy front cover (maybe a collage or drawing?) 8. loop all the pages on to the wire, starting from the back, but do not include the back cover yet! 9. after looping on the front cover, THEN loop on the back cover 10. close the wire binding

OVERVIEW: - A5 size journal - wirebound NOT spiral bound - 2 or 3 blank/unlined pages, in between every 1 random/cut-out/personalised page - handmade, sturdy cover - DO NOT write in the journal, it is for your partner's use!

This type of journal is sometimes known as a "visual diary". This is an example of the type I'm referring to: http://www.eckersleys.com.au/product.aspx?product=345

Personalising these journals for my friends is a hobby of mine, and I'm sure some people will have a little trouble getting started, so please feel free to ask if you don't understand anything here. =)

Discussion

alifromourpatch 02/12/2008 #

I like the idea of this swap but instead of pulling a book/journal apart and switching pages, is it possible to glue in the random pages......??

bethrealistic 02/12/2008 #

Yes, definitely possible as I used to do this myself, but I prefer to actually bind the pages in, as then they can be double sided! It's ultimately up to you how you want to do it. =)

alifromourpatch 02/12/2008 #

another question!!!

I'm in Australia too ~ where do you buy unlined books to alter then?? All of the ones I see seem to be lined..

bethrealistic 02/12/2008 #

Questions are good!

I usually get them from Officeworks (they stock Windsor & Newton), or art supply stores (e.g. Eckersley's). You can also get them at Kmart, but theirs have fluoro covers. They're usually called visual diaries or sketch books.

bethrealistic 02/12/2008 #

Edit: Eckersley's stock Jasart and Canson. Here's a link to the Canson type: http://www.eckersleys.com.au/product.aspx?product=345

alifromourpatch 02/12/2008 #

thanks for that ~ I'll see what journals I can source here where I live before I sign up!

dalem 02/20/2008 #

I am interested in trying this out... sounds like fun :). I have signed up but i am a newb. I am pming you :). I hope international is ok, as i am a Canadian.

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