Introduction: DIY Vintage Hogwarts Journal

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About: The best and the worst.

A DIY Vintage Hogwarts Journal. I think, I have said enough. Just...

Never tickle a sleeping dragon.

Step 1: The Required

1. Cardboard paper (Brown)
2. Scrap paper and Scrap Cardboard paper
3. String
4. Hardback cover/ Chipboard paper/ Cardboard
5. Glue Stick
6. Glue Gun
7. Brown A4 pages
8. Paints (acrylic or poster)
9. Brown Shoe Polish/ Distress Ink
10. Dark Brown T-Shirt piece/ Leather piece
11. Permanent Markers
12. White A4 pages
13. Tea/ Coffee for dyeing
14. Needle and Thread
15. Access to a printer (You may draw)
16. A necklace pendant
17. Decorative stones

Step 2: The Skeleton

Take a scrap cardboard piece of any length (depends on how long you want your journal) and breadth around 6 cm. Roll it so that you get it curved. This will be the journal's spine. Then take some scrap paper, larger than the cardboard paper piece, and glue it to the inside of the curve (as shown in the images).

My spine's length was about 12.5 cm so I divided it into 4 parts each to be sectioned by a piece of string. So measure the string by placing it on the spine and cutting identical pieces. Accordingly, glue the pieces to the spine.

Next. I had an old "hard cover" of a book. I cut two rectangles out of it. The rectangles should be of the length of the spine and width of how wide you want your spine to be (My width was about 11 cm). Then glue your rectangles on the paper to the sides of the spine and cut away the excess paper.

To make the spine more strong, I took one more cardboard piece of the same measurements, rolled it and glued it to the inner spine.

Now, this is the basic structure of your journal.

Step 3: The Cover

Take some brown paper and glue it to the cover leaving a few centimeters outside the perimeter. Fold the paper inward as shown in the images.

To give your journal a vintage, rusty look we do not want such a healthy color. Grab your paints and brown cream shoe polish and streak your way on the covers. Continue doing so until you are satisfied with it. You can use the distress ink on the edges if you like.

Let's head on to the spine.

Step 4: The Spine

Take some brown T-shirt cloth slightly longer than the spine and with a width enough to fold it and glue on the cover. Refer to the images.

Make sure, after applying your glue, you pinch the strings so as to make them prominent. Fold the excess cloth to the back of the spine and glue it down.

I marked a line 1.5 cm from the spine and folded and glued the excess cloth on the sides in such a way that it did not cross that line. I lost the images of this step. Sorry.

Now, once again we don't want such a healthy coloured spine. Take your sharpies or other permanent markers and highlight the spine. I just used dark brown and black. First I did the major highlighting with the black marker and filled in the spaces with the brown marker. If you like you can use fabric or acrylic paints.

Let's deal with the inside now.

Step 5: The Inside

Once again, take some t-shirt piece; slightly larger than the spine. Fold and glue two opposite sides so that it has the length of the spine. Now glue the piece to the inner curve as shown in the image.

Taking the width of the folds from the outer cover, fold the sides and glue in such a way that they do not exceed the width of the folded part of the piece glued on the outer spine.

Next, I took brown cardboard paper and cut into two 12.4 cm by 10.6 cm rectangles. Then glued them on the cover, pushing them, as much as possible, under the folded cloth. Refer to the images.

Step 6: The Pages: Tea-dying

For the pages of the journal, I took 16 A4 pages and cut each in to three equal parts. This part took me down. The size of the pages proved to be too small for the journal; but you should make sure that they are an appropriate size for your journal.

Next, take a tray big enough for your pages, and fill it with tea. I used 4 cups of water and about 3 tbsp of tea. (Boiled it). You may use coffee if you like.

Submerge the pages in the tea and leave them in the tea for about 10 to 15 minutes. Batch by batch tea-dye them. Carefully take them out- they may tear up when they are wet- and place them on the tissues.

Since I didn't have time to wait for them to dry in the air, I used microwave to dry them followed by some ironing. When they dry, fold them into halves.

Let's head on to stitching.

Step 7: The Pages: Stitching

Now divide the pages into signatures. I had 47 pages, so I took 45 and made 9 signatures by placing one folded page into another and so on.

Then take each signature and mark 2 points such that the length is sectioned into three parts. Using a needle, make holes on the points marked.

Double thread the needle with a knot at the junction. I used regular stitching thread and it worked for me.

First take a signature and pass the needle through one of the holes from the outside and and bring out the needle from the other hole to the outside. Pass through the first hole again to the inside and make a knot. Pass your needle again from the same hole and pull lightly so that the knot pops to the outside.

Now keeping the needle there, add another signature and pass the needle through the hole adjacent to where your needle is to the inside and bring it to the outside from the other hole. Now pass your needle under the line across the first signature as shown in picture numbered 7. When the loop tightens, add another signature and pass your needle to the inside from the hole you are working adjacent to. And bring the needle outside from the other hole. Similarly pass your needle now through the stitch underneath and when the loop tightens add another signature. Work your way signature by signature; making a loop under the stitch below the signature you are working on when adding another signature.

Reaching the last signature, when you bring your needle to the outside don't make any loops just go through the other hole to the inside and make a knot. Pass your needle through the same hole and tighten so that the knot pops to the outside. Cut the thread close the knot.

I missed the picture of this step; hot glue the binding of the pages, spread it evenly and let it dry.

Step 8: The Attaching

Place your pages in the middle of the cover. Keeping it in place, glue the end pages to the cover. Refer to the images.

Next, I drew some pattern on the cover with a gold paint marker. This is totally optional.

Step 9: The Embellishment: Aged Text

On a piece of card, I printed out some random Harry Potter stuff. This is totally up to your liking; whatever you want on the cover. The Castle, Quidditch field, the Marauder's map or anything you please.

I cut out two strips, keeping space for the parts that I had to burn. Basically, I burnt bits and bits while putting them off almost immediately until I got the shape I wanted.

Then, once again, I made some tea and with just a paint brush I applied coats of tea on to it. After one coat, I dried it and then applied another one. Then I just removed the blackened bits on the card and moved on by coloring some pictures on the pieces.

I ended this step with some patches of brown cream polish and then sticking them to the front cover.

Step 10: The Embellishment: Hogwarts' Coat of Arms

I had an old silver necklace pendant which I used for this project. Anything similar would do. I printed out Hogwarts' Coat of Arms and colored it; using gold lining for the borders. I glued the logo on to the pendant and colored the background with regular sharpies. With brown marker, I outlined the logo on the pendant.

Next, using a glue gun, I made some dots on the perimeter of the pendant and used brown marker to color them. I detailed them with further little dots using a gold marker.

I spray painted the perimeter gold as I found the color had faded far too much.

Now together with some golden stones, I glued the pendant on the front cover.

Step 11: The Voila!

I am so happy with the result. It came out better than expected. The fun part was that I didn't have to buy anything for this project. Sift through your stuff; who knows what you might come up with?

Thank you for reading.

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