Like A Modern Man - Gina' Matchbox Journal

Hello Crafty Friends!

Oh my goodness! I always love Gina's journals and booklets and I have to say this is one of my faves to date.... SO cute!!!!

I've amassed a nice collection of matchboxes during the winter and have been waiting for an excuse to use them. I thought my little idea of a matchbox journal would be lovely.

To start with I have taken out the drawer from the matchbox and kept that aside for some other project. I also found another box that I thought would be a good thickness to slide into the matchbox.

I covered the matchbox with Couture Creations Gentleman's Emporium 08B. I then used some flatback pearls that I had in my stash and stuck them on the edges. I had this little wooden flourish frame which I coloured green and used to frame one of the men from the Gentleman's Emporium 11A paper. I stuck that in the centre.

To make the journal, I cut the box down to 4.5" x 2.55" and covered it with Gentleman's Emporium 02B paper. I cut the paper about 1/2 inch larger on each side and stuck the outside first. I then cut a bit off the corners and two tiny triangles near the spine at the folds to make folding the paper easier. Next fold your paper over and stick it on.

I cut another piece of the same paper at about 4.4" x 2.5" and stuck it on the inside. I then divided it into 4 sections and made three holes for each signature as I am going to sew them in with a three hole pamphlet stitch

I used some parchment paper from my stash, cut them down to 2.45" x 3.5" and folded them in half to make the pages. I cut 7 pieces for each signature.

For the cover of each signature, I've used the Gentleman's Emporium 03 paper. Here are my 4 signatures which I have sewn into the journal.

Here are some pages that I stamped using the Tim Holtz theories stamps using antique linen and tea dye distress inks.

For the cover of the journal I cut the stop watch from the Gentleman's Emporium 10B paper, raised it on chipboard and stuck it in the centre. I then cut the "Be Humble" flag from the Gentleman's Emporium 12A paper, coloured it with my Old Paper distress crayon and stuck the Be on the top right and the Humble on the bottom right of the cover. I haven't stuck the "Humble" straight down. I've raised the centre a bit like a flag.

I've decorated some of the pages in the journal. Will quickly show you some pictures with a brief description. You can also watch the video flipthrough here.

I created a pocket with the Gentleman's Emporium 08B paper and fussy cut the pen from one of the papers which I stuck on to make a side tuck. I stamped one of the quotes from the Tim Holtz theories stamps onto an off-cut and put it in the pocket.

Here's a side pocket I made and a tag I die cut using the Gentleman's Emporium 02A paper.

I made a corner tuck and inserted one of the the cut-aparts from the Gentleman's Emporium 11A paper in it.

Another pocket I made. This time I used my edge punch on the top and used another tag die to cut out little tags for the pocket.

 A little frame

Another side tuck. The tag was die-cut from the Gentleman's Emporium 01 paper.

Another shape I've die cut and used as a side tuck. The clock is cut out from the Gentleman's Emporium 12A paper.

I stuck this little border on the page.

I fussy cut these spades from the paper and stuck one on each corner.

A pocket with 2 little mini tags.

A belly band with a die cut tag.

A pocket watch, I fussy cut from the Gentleman's Emporium 01A paper and I have glued the bottom and the right edge so that it is also a tuck spot.

A top pocket with a quote from the Tim Holtz theories stamp set on an off-cut and on the other page I have stuck a piece of the bottom strip from the Gentleman's Emporium 08B paper.

I die cut the gentleman on the bicycle with the Sizzix Stacked Baroque die, the smallest one, and glued the top and bottom to make it a tuck spot.

And that's the end of my mini journal in a matchbox. For those who are still hesitant to make a journal, this is a good way to start.

See you again next week. Till then stay awesome.
Gina xx