How YOU can make YOUR OWN Traveler’s Notebook

Here’s how you can make your own traveler’s notebook. I am so excited to share this project with you!  It’s been a couple of years since I make some of these.  And they are so easy, and turn out so pretty!

They are great for art journaling, planning, memory keeping… whatever you want to use them for.  If I make several, maybe I can motivate myself to start an art journal.  The sky is the limit!

In today’s post and video, we will be making the cover for your travelers notebook.  Here are the supplies that you will need for this project.

Supplies:

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• Pretty Pattern Paper
• 
  A Laminator
  
• 
  A Laminating Pouch
  
• 
  Elastic Cord
  

• 
  A Paper Trimmer or Scissors
  
• 
  A Craft Pick or Awl
  
• 
  A Corner Rounder
  

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Video Tutorial:

First you pick the cover.

1. Pick out some pattern paper that will become your Travelers Notebook cover…. Or design your own. You have lots of options.  You could use digital pattern paper printed on cardstock, or your own artwork.  You could even use coloring pages ( I have about a dozen adult coloring books that I need to color.)
2. Next, cut to size.  I chose to make my cover to fit the signatures that I plan on creating for it.  The signatures will be 5 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches… or half a sheet of letter size paper!  So the cover needs to be large enough to fit 4 of these notebooks.
3. Score the paper at the midpoint, and at 1/2 inch to each side of the midpoint.  My score lines are at 3 3/4, 4 1/4 and 4 3/4.

4. Fold at the score lines… this makes it much easier to bend at the binding after laminating.

Next we move on to laminating.

1. Laminate.  I do recommend rounding the corners first, but it’s not necessary.  I also recommend using a 3 mil laminate instead of the 5 mil that I used.  Because we are folding or bending at the score lines, the thicker laminate sheet could pull away from the paper at the score lines.
2. Trim the excess laminate away, being careful NOT to get too close to the edge.  There is usually a small pocket of air along the edge that you don’t want to cut into.  It could cause it to pull away from the paper.
3. Next, round the corners.

Now get it ready for elastic.

1. Score on the same score lines as before.  This wont be at the same measurements because we should have an extra 8th of an inch or so from the laminate.
2. Bend or fold on the score lines.
3. Add some holes for running the elastic.  You’ll need 3 holes at the top, 3 at the bottom and one in the center.  The ones at the top and bottom should be inset about a quarter inch from the edge.  See the diagram below.

Time to run the elastic.

1. Next, we need to run the elastic that will hold the signatures and other goodies in your traveler’s notebook. You will want to leave it a little loose to make it easier to insert your notebooks.
   1. Thread the cord starting from the bottom outside center and thread it in.
   2. From the inside top out.
   3. From the outside top Left in.
   4. From the inside bottom left out.
   5. From the outside bottom right in.
   6. From the inside top right out.
   7. From the outside top center in.
   8. Cut the opposite (attached to spool) end of the elastic cord to a little past the centerline… both ends need enough length to tie at inside center.
   9. Sew that end through the outside center bottom in. (around the elastic running between the right and left.
   10. Tie the ends together at the center the point.
2. Measure cord around the closed TN.
3. Run the middle of the cord through the center hole in the center scoreline.
4. Close TN and test tautness of cord.
5. Finally, adjust if too loose/tight. Tie on inside.

Now you are ready to add your notebooks…. after we create them!

That will be for the 2nd post and video in this Traveler’s Notebook Series!

Thanks for dropping by and crafting with me today!  Crafting with friends is always so much fun and I can’t wait to get together with you again soon.

In the meantime, I’d like to invite you to join me and some other crafty people in my “Crafting with Debbie” Facebook group.  It’s going to be so much fun!

I’ll be giving my members sneak peeks and early offerings of lots of crafty goodness.  And I’ll be hosting live crafting events (still in the planning stage right now) that you can participate in.  We’d love to have you join us!

Check out the rest of the series here:

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* By the way, this post may contain affiliate links. That means that, if you purchase something through the link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for supporting my YouTube channel and blog..

Deb Jenkins

Cardmaker & Crafter extraordinaire!

This Florida girl loves sharing handmade kindness!

@DebbieJCrafts

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