Three fun to make upcycled journals: Third is denim notebook

Denim notebook


I love denim, all colors, and I have many, with new fashion every year, some happen to stay in closet with no use, so I decided to repurpose an old one to make few upcycling projects from, I started with a notebook, as it seems I am in a book binding mood.

Supplies:
A pair of denim pants.
Waxed thread for binding
A tool to punch holes and a long needle
Scissors
Desired paper
Cardboard
Hot glue gun

I cut out the pants legs, I'll use a part of each leg in a notebook, so a denim notebook only needs a part of a jeans leg.

lying the piece of cardboard sandwiched between two layers of wrong side denim, used the hot glue gun to fold the edges and stick in place.

Now I have a denim folder, time to bind paper to it.

 I used A4 photo copy paper, folded it into half, and divided it into 5 signatures of 8 sheets.
Used simple stitch binding and stacked the signature into place.
You can also use any kind of binding stitches or a simple square knot to bind a one big signature into place, get your threaded needle from inside to outside a one inch close to top, then back from outside to inside a one inch close to the bottom, make a square knot, and voila , a simple bound notebook.

Some embellishments, a crochet bookmark and I had a nice gift for my sister-in-law.

Three fun to make upcycled journals : first is Fauxdori notebook

Fauxdori notebook
Best craft project for art journal and book binding lovers.

I have heard and watched videos on youtube about Midori travelers notebook, and  fell in love with fauxdori tutorials there. You can find a lot of tutorials of how easily you can make it at  home,but I want to share with you how I use it and decorate it and also that you don't have to buy expensive supplies to make it.
This is my homemade version .

This is really an invention, to have a simple durable cover to be filled and refilled several times with any kind of paper or notebook you like but in the same size, you can use plain paper, photocopy paper, watercolor paper,  etc....

Of course I don't mind much to buy supplies to make my crafts but I always care to reuse whatever I have, upcycling things leave me very satisfied I did something beautiful from unused stuff.
An old black clutch lying there in my closet with a broken lock would do, and I have tons of ready to be used paper, from old notebooks, and other projects.
Hairband elastics
A lot of paper clips, decorations and charms. and that's it.

The first notebook is the only bound one, the other two are only loose paper stacked under the elastic in half.

I put 3 notebooks in it, two of plain paper are for writing or simple sketching, maybe a diary, the second one of graph paper for to do lists, monthly and weekly views, mainly time organizer.the third one of heavier plain paper, I think it will be a new art journal.

I made some file inserts, two pen loops and a lot of pockets and made sure I include all my on the go supplies "flags, colored pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, sticky notes, clips and bookmarks" so I could only pick it from my desk and throw it in my bag and I have a 3 in 1 organizer, diary and an art journal anywhere I go.

I only started the set up of my new fauxdori and I so love it, try it , I am sure you will love it too, yes ?
Tomorrow I'll share the second journal :)
Please share the fun and leave a comment if you like it.