Even though this was one of the first tiny Traveler’s Notebooks that I made, I never wrote a post about it. So now’s the time, since some people are looking for easy, simply way’s to make a cover for their tiny art journals.
This was made from a piece of an inexpensive, plastic placemat. You can find these at dollar stores, walmart, and some grocery stores. They are in the kitchen section. The price ranges from $1 to $5 and each place mat can make several covers, depending on the size you select.
I started by deciding what size inserts I was going to use, then I created a paper template for the cover. I used that template to test, by wrapping it around the stack of inserts to make sure it was the right size. Then I cut out the cover using a paper cutter.
I could have run the pattern either vertically or horizontally for this placemat. You want to double check yours, to make sure it will look good, cut in the direction you are planning.
I marked the holes on my template, and punched them out. Then I used that to mark where the holes would go on the actual cover and punched them out.
I used tiny eyelets in the holes. They aren’t necessary, the cover will work fine without them. But I really like the way they look, giving the cover a more “finished” appearance.
With three holes, I can create four “bands” on the inside. The elastic holding the cover closed is a separate piece.
This placemat happened to have a pattern on both sides. I buy this type at one of the local grocery stores. They cost about $4, but I think they are worth it because of the quality.
This paper is cut to A8 size, and you can see how it fits inside, next to the hand-made inserts.
I used Gridzzly to print the paper for the inside of the inserts. I love this website because it allows me to print a great variety of grids, and to adjust the spacing and the darkness of the ink!
After looking at these pictures, I realized that I never rounded the corners on this cover! I think I’ll do that now, and I’ll post a picture in the Tiny Traveler's Notebooks group on Facebook!
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