Get Out of the House - Nat's TN Inserts

Hi everyone - hope you are all well 😊

For my first Aunty Vera Scrap and Craft project for July I decided to try and create my own traveller's notebook style inserts.  The theme for July is "Get Out of the House" and it would be great to have a planner system ready to document things such as moments, expenses, and to have some fun in while I am out and about.  These have been inspired by Dyan Reaveley and the Dylusions Dyalog range of inserts, one of which is pictured below.  I have never attempted to make something like this before and found it handy to have this insert booklet as inspiration.
For the covers I will be using the bright and somewhat hilarious Photo Play "Living the Quarantine Life" paper collection.

My first step was to cut the covers down to size (8 and 2/8" in height x 8 and 3/8 across) then score and fold at the halfway mark.

I then raided my stash of papers around the house that I am sure we all have around and don't use! These included an old art diary (one of about five!) my daughter had left here when she moved out, a grid paper pad, an old school lined writing book, and a bullet journal I have had for a few years and only completed one page in . Rather than having these all hanging around doing nothing, I decided to up-cycle them into something I would use. 

I set about cutting twelve pages of each and folding them in half.  The bullet journal pages were not big enough to achieve the required size therefore I opted to use 24 pages, and then created a hinge to join two pages together and cut down to size.  This is demonstrated in my process video below.

Next I sewed each group of pages (signatures) into their respective covers.  I chose to use a five-hole pamphlet stitch for this which is also demonstrated clearly in my process video.  I used binder clips to hold the pages and cover together while I used an awl to poke five holes down the length of the middle of the signature.

  I then used tatting thread and a needle to sew the pages into the cover.

I repeated this process three more times and voila! My TN (traveller's notebook) style inserts are ready for embellishment.

Now to have some fun 😃 I grabbed my 'Spiced Marmalade' distress oxide ink to distress the edges of the Photo Play ephemera pack and paper cutouts then began gluing these onto the front of my four covers.

I had a ball embellishing these, such a fun kit to lighten the darkness of what we all have been living through in past months.  One of the cut outs from the papers was used to create labels for each insert. Created for myself is an expense insert to take out with me and keep track of my spending (that's a bit dangerous!!!), a bullet journal insert to create lists of information, a writing insert to write notes of daily happenings, and last of all - an art journal insert to have a bit of fun in.

I love how these have turned out, the papers and ephemera are so much fun and it was great to be able to re-use my neglected papers to create something handy!
Take care all and have fun!
Love Nat xxx

Process video here detailing how I made the inserts:

Aunty Vera Scrap and Craft products on sale and being used for the month of July are:

•   Photo Play "Living the Quarantine Life" paper collection including: Covidiot, Plaid19, Covid 19, Stay Safe, This Happened.
•   Photo Play "Living the Quarantine Life" Ephemera Die Cuts
•   Photo Play "Living the Quarantine Life" Stamps
•   Ranger - Distress Oxide "Spiced Marmalade"
•   Bo Bunny - Clear Stickers "Life in Color"
•   Pigma Micron black 05 pen 
•   Ranger Dylusions - Dyalog Insert Book - Ruled
•   Dyalog Dylusions - Dyalog Pocket Inserts