Something old, but is actually quite new.....

© 2009 Tracy Borders

It's journal time again :) I just love making journals & this one was for a co-worker of mine. I call this one "Faux Leather". It's actually made from modeling paste that I have hand rubbed in MANY layers of Golden Fluid Acrylics' Iridescent Micaceous Iron Oxide, Interference Oxide Green & Iridescent Bright Gold. (It's a very good thing that the paint washes off your hands very easily, what a mess, which I'm a pro at making!!)

As I've mentioned in previous posts, one of the wonderful qualities of using modeling paste & paint, is that you can use any old ugly fabric that you like since you'll be covering it completely with the modeling paste & the Golden Acrylics.

I love how the modeling paste gives off the appearance of a really old & worn book. If I had to recreate that same texture, I'm not sure I could. I spread a very thin layer of modeling paste onto the fabric & then went back in with a putty knife & made big "swoops" (is that a real word) into the paste & then let it dry. This time, I was pleased to see that there was some cracking in the dried modeling paste since I was able to make those cracks work with this piece.

As for sealing this piece, it could probably float in a bath tub of water for over a month (but please don't try it) this journal has at least 7 layers of Golden's Polymer Medium on the surface. I had a small issue with 3 tiny cracks when I was finished with the journal & I wanted to make sure that the cracks were painted & sealed well & they still worked well within the journal.

The interior, I painted canvas with the same Golden Acrylics & sealed it (only once) with the Polymer Medium. I'm not sure I'd use the canvas again as it was a little stiff & didn't want to cooperate well when it was folded over to be closed. I made the removable note pad that fits inside the journal. Still not sure what I'm going to do with over 250 binding wires cut in half, which makes me now 500 binding wires, but hey I got a great deal on them & that's totally ANOTHER story!!

As for the closure, I always seem to get hung up on the finishing details of a piece. I was happy with what I ended up using. The co-worker I made this for, needed it to open very easily & she didn't want to have to mess around with a cord that would have been wrapped around the journal & the button a few times, so I used elastic cord. It was easy to create, opens quickly with it & it doesn't detract from the journal overall.

LOVE how this journal turned out!!