Canvas Journal Tutorial

Hey ya’ll! It’s Stacey here and this is my first SIS tutorial.

Today I’m going to show you how to make these:

A fabric lined, hand painted canvas journal. Not only is it a piece of art but as it is a journal you can also fill it with your daily art.

Supply List

9x12 canvas pad

Paint (several shades of base color and one neutral shade)

Baby wipes (paper towels)

Glimmer mist

Modge podge (or other sealant glue)

Stamps

Heat gun (optional)

Kraft paper or other asst. art paper to fit inside of journal

Misc. ribbon or décor for outside of journal Instructions:

This is a very simple project and I’m so excited to share it with all of you!!!

First of all we will "decorate" our canvas panel. You can buy the canvas in panels of 9x12 “notebook” style or you could easily cut your own canvas into custom sizes.

For this example I have painted the canvas with different shades of green   

After letting the base colors dry I have spread a coat of a neutral color (antique white) over the entire surface and then rubbed into the crevices and then off of the surface of the canvas with baby wipes (you could also use wet paper towels)

Then I sprayed the entire surface with glimmer mist

In order to dry the glimmer mist quickly I use my heat gun ( I actually did this with every step but you need to know that if you use it during the painting steps the paint will “boil” under the heat gun and create an entirely different surface texture)

Once I had my base established I covered the entire surface with a repeated stamp to create a pattern for the canvas

After you are happy with your canvas you need to seal it with modge podge or another sealant by covering the entire surface of the canvas.

To line the journal you need to cut a fabric panel a bit larger than your canvas

Sew all four edges of the fabric inside to create a lining for your canvas making your fabric panel just a bit larger than your canvas

Center the canvas on your fabric panel to create even edges all around.

Sew canvas to fabric

Once the canvas and fabric are sewn together fold in half and attach a tie closure to the front/back edges,  or you could also sew the ribbon in between the canvas and fabric but i like the look of the ends sticking out

For the pages of the journal I typically take a large roll of kraft/packing (non-acid free) paper and cut it down to smaller squares, I also use large sheets of handmade paper from art supply stores or you can actually cut any scrapbook/art paper to size

To bind the paper to the canvas, center the paper, and then I sew it down the center. I don’t sew all the way from the top that way the paper doesn’t perforate to easily, however if you want detachable pages I would suggest you sew from the top of the page to the bottom

And there you go!! You’ve made a journal!!

Below are some different examples of the same project using different canvas and/or paper techniques:

In this journal I added a mixture of cardstock and random office papers in with the kraft paper -

For this journal I used a crackle medium to add texture to the canvas surface and then I cut words from an old book to make a random quote and I added a strip of ribbon instead of a tie closure

For the paper in this journal I used 2 large sheets of handmade paper from an art supply store and cut it down into fourths, I added shape to the outside edges of the pages by using scallop scissors. Also instead of lining this canvas with an over sized panel of fabric I used a piece of coordinating sheet of felt for the lining.

 

For this journal I painted a 2-toned base and then randomly stamped several shades of pink and blue bubble wrap to add dimension. I also added random text from a book, a rub-on, and a cotton lace tie

For this journal I used texture medium and a paper doily to add the faux lace pattern and instead of sewing in a tie closure I sewed the lace all around the journal.

Comments

[christina clouse]

you are my psychic twin. I bought canvas this last weekend to do something simliar. I love this though. Hadn't thought about the issue with stitching the pages all the way down the center.

[sandra]

stacey these are awesomeness!!
i have a slight obession with journals.

[aimee]

oh stace! these are awesome. i love the wat that you lined the covers!

[nikki peterson]

these are freaking awesome!!!!!

[metrochic]

PAPER DOILY MASK! you are a genius.

[Cathy]

wow. i'm just blown away by this! love these!

[gabbe]

oh man- i'm gonna make these all weekend!
wow wow wow-love 'em all! they'll make such lovely gifts if i can part with them 8)
thanks Stacey- what an awesome tutorial!!

[rhi]

you are outrageously magnificent.
my favorite is the pink doily one.
loveit alot.
i want to run out and buy canvas.

[Stephanie Ainsburg]

oh man, so stinkin' cool!

[Lisa Day]

I am so making these this weekend!! Absolutely amazing!! Totally beautiful! Gorgeous!!

[heyjenrenee]

i am in love love love with these!

[Helen]

this is a wonderful tutorial, I love to alter or rather "dress" my note books, agendas, etc;these are lovely !!

[AnnaB]

These are gorgeous...!!!! I love the fabric - need to try that...!!!

[Lucy]

This is freaking STELAR!
Stacey what an awesome tutorial!
I'm gonna do something with it to make you proud:)
Thank you so much for sharing these secrets!

[Juliaom]

Those are adorable. I will take a dozen, I don't sew.

[Anna]

i love these so much!!! great tutorial thanks!

[Anna]

i love these so much!!! great tutorial thanks!

[Anna]

i love these so much!!! great tutorial thanks!

[Luisa Brimble]

My goodness I just saw your very latest Scrapbooking entry in flickr and followed the link to your blog! I just love love love your blog. This book is just so gorgeous and you have such a unique style. I tried to create some digital scrapbooking last night but having a lot of trouble with layouts. I usually browse through some inspiration first and work my way back. Thank you so very much for your blog. Just amazing and very inspirational indeed.

[gabbe]

finally finished mine! you can see it here:
http://www.scrapinstyletv.com/portfolio/view_layout.php?layout_id=122784

Thanks Stacey- this is an awesome tutorial!!!

[sandra]

yay! i did mine--see them here: http://www.scrapinstyletv.com/portfolio/view_layout.php?layout_id=123159&user_id=9303