I just love to collage – you stick stuff on, then if you don’t like it, you stick more stuff on top. It’s a great feeling knowing you can’t really make a mistake! And these are not your average composition notebooks!
What a great way to use up scrapbooking scraps, old mail envelopes (Schwab has neat liners), clothing tags, wrapping & tissue paper scraps, ribbons and other novelties just laying around the house!
Here’s all you’ll need for this great way to reduce and beautify at the same time:
Composition notebooks – the ones with no wires. The best time to get them is with school supplies in the fall.
Gesso – artist’s “white out”, although you could use basic paint primer if you need to use some up
Sponge Brushes – for applying the gesso and the glue to the collage
Mod Podge or other collage glue – just the basic.
Various papers, fibers, anything interesting.
ruler
freezer paper or waxed paper
Method
1. Take some freezer or waxed paper and insert into the space between the cover and first pages of each book. This will keep your pages clean as you work.
2. Using the gesso, cover the surface of one of the sides of the cover (either the front or back, not both at once or you’ll have to hold it until it dries…). It works well to do multiple at a time since you have to leave them to dry. When dry, flip over and repeat with 2nd side.
3. After all is dry, start ripping your papers into different sized shapes and begin laying them out on your books. I like to use the ruler as an edge that I rip the paper against. That way, I don’t get scissor-sharp edges and the softer edges are more appealing. I find it beneficial to gather all my papers into piles by colors and work that way.
4. After you have at least an idea of a direction, go ahead and begin gluing. Take the sponge brush and brush glue on the gessoed book cover just where you are going to put the paper. Lay on the paper. Brush glue over top of paper. Continue laying on more papers and overlapping slightly for an interesting look, being sure to brush glue over all. Leave to dry.
5. Once one side is dry, repeat for the second side.
Viola! You have a really interesting, one-of-a-kind, notebook!
