ooo we love a bit of recycling we do!

this is the Kraft type paper that was in the middle of the xmas gift wrap, usually it is a cardboard tube, but this year it was this lovely paper. I ended up with 2 of them.



Out of those 2 pieces, I was able to cut 8 rectangles...the size of these all depends on how big your covers are going to be.


At each end I cut a finger tab using a circle punch.




Don't throw away the leftover bits...




using the cardboard from the back of old notebooks I cut my 2 covers. Mine are 6x6, whatever size you cut, will dictate the size you need to cut for the pages inside. The pages need to be smaller than the covers.


I attached patterned paper to the outside of each cover, leaving a border of the brown cardboard showing. Then I placed them side by side with a 1.5cm gap, and attached a strip of the kraft paper. I turned them over and covered the inside with patterned paper too.

next I started making the pages/pockets. Each rectangle of paper was folded in half.

Attach half of one rectangle to half of the next rectangle. I joined them using strips of the leftover paper. I ended up with 7 pockets and a spare half a rectangle at each end.

The 2 end halves can now be stuck to the inside of the covers. Just a little glue around 3 of the edges, so that each one becomes a pocket too. Also a bit of glue in the spine will help keep the pockets in place.

After I had stuck these down, I realised it would be a pain trying to get anything into them, so I cut a deeper finger pull.

Next the pages. I cut tag shapes from an old book. I glued 2 tags together for each pocket, just to make them stronger.

Then I gessoed,painted,collaged,scribbled,distressed each tag. ( I used neocolours,prismas,graphitints,white acrylic and strips of patterned paper.)

these slip into the pockets. Each one can have a photo attached and some journalling.

I also attached some of this decorative felt to the front cover. It needs some more embellishment, and the pockets will also be decorated, but i won't do that till the photos are chosen. I will also add some sort of closure, at the moment I am thinking cord attached to the back which will wind around a big button attached to the front.

I would love to see what you have been recycling...