Paper Cast Journals

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015

I love journals! Any shape, any size, any kind! I love creating them, using them and especially giving them as gifts. Two dear friends have birthdays this month and I wanted to create something extra special for them but was really short on time. I had two blank journals that I purchased several months back and knew with a few minutes of “creative time” they would be perfect for the birthday gifts.

Note: I had previously made the castings so the project took less than 15 minutes each to complete.

Supplies:

• Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
• Blender, strainer, cello sponges and soft paper towels
• Sunny window, microwave or heat gun
• Scraps of white and Ivory/cream/tan paper (think junk mail etc.)
• Hands mold (I used a matrix board as a mold)
• ColorBox^TM  Stylus™ handle and tips
• Water based inkpads in black/gray and rusty red
• One each 4 ¾ x 6 ¾” black and brown leather look blank journals
• 8” each black and rusty red ribbon
• Beacon QuickGrip™ Adhesive

Instructions:

1. Follow the directions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create white slurry. 
2. Cast one or more of the hands mold. Dry the casting.
3. Add tan scrap to the slurry and create one or more of the hand castings.
4. Dry the casting. (I always make extra castings to have on hand for future projects.)
5. Use the Stylus handle and tip to lightly color the white hands casting with black/gray ink.
6. Lightly color the tan casting with the rusty red ink.
7. Clean & dry the tips.
8. Open the journals and attach the ribbon to the inside of the spines with adhesive.
9. Attach the hand casting to the front of the journal covers with QuickGrip™ adhesive.