Putting a New Cover on a Thrift Store Journal

I practiced a little journal up-cycling while creating something for my friend Ian. The original journal was plain, pink covers with the word “Journal” stamped in gold type on the front cover. The pages were lined which was a plus, and it had never been used. I gave it a new cover and fancy new endpapers and sewed on some headbands for a little touch of class. The final touch will be a cover decoration featuring a fire-breathing dragon, a step I haven’t gotten to yet!

This journal needs a new look!

The inside of the journal pre-makeover

First you cut the endpapers

here’s the text block released from one side of the cover

I hand-stitched new endbands

the new endpaper

pasting down the covers with PVA

one cover fully pasted down – the white paper is from the old endpages

Finished book with endpapers

finished book – I added a matching bookmark over the endbands