DIY Journals from Vinyl Floor Samples

This year we decided to bring our 1970’s kitchen into the present day. Good bye old dingy dark cabinets and flooring, hello fresh and new! During the process we had to make a lot of decisions and therefore acquired many samples, especially flooring and counter top samples. Flooring was the last thing we picked out and the thing we spent the most time deciding on. I hate throwing things out so these samples have been sitting on my craft table for months! Fortunately I stop by the dollar store frequently. While there I came across this really pretty shelf paper and it finally clicked. I could use the samples as the cover of a journal and wrap in in the shelf paper! After a bit of Googling on how to make a book here is what I came up with:

DIY Journals from Vinyl Floor Samples

Materials

Two Vinyl Floor Samples
Ten Pieces Copy Paper
Glue (White and Stick)
Scissors
Needle
Straight Pin
Craft Thread
Shelf Paper

Step One: Split your paper into two groups of five. Fold each set in half.

Step Two: Put one set of paper inside the other. Then, using the straight pin, poke holes through the pages. I started a couple inches from the bottom edge. I punched six holes. I left about one inch between the two holes and about an inch and a half between the sets. Reference picture below.

Step Three: Sew the pages together. Starting from the back push your needle through the bottom hole. Then push it back through the second. Do this all the way up. Secure thread with the white glue from the back of the pages.

 

Step Four: Measure and cut around your floor samples. Leave a little space in between, about half an inch or less. Enough to fit the edges of your floor samples and your paper insert.

Step Five: On a flat surface, carefully peel back the paper backing from the shelf paper. Arrange the two samples on the shelf paper leaving a half inch gap (more or less depending on thickness of samples and paper). With a slight pull wrap the top and bottom around the samples. Cut slits on either side of the gap.

Step Six: Cut out a triangle from the corners and fold in the sides, again using a slight pull to make sure the cover stays tight and flat.

Step Seven: Fold in the tabs at the gap. Run a bit of glue down the middle using the white glue. With the stick glue, cover the inside of the front and back covers. Place your page insert in the center. Then bring it down and stick it to the back cover. Fold over the top cover to stick it to the front.

Step Eight: With your journal closed, place some weight on top of it and allow to dry over night. In the morning you should have a journal ready to write in!

I am thinking about putting my favorite crochet patterns in it, either by printing them and taping them in or hand writing them. These would also be great for notes, recipes or even for photos or as a scrapbook! The possibilities are endless!

A couple quick notes: If you do not happen to have vinyl floor samples just laying around you could use cardboard from a shipping box or even a cereal box.
If you wanted lines you could make them in Word by orienting the paper horizontally (landscape) and holding down the underscore button until you have filled your page.
Check back soon to see what I did with my laminate counter top samples!

I really suggest trying this. I never made a journal before and I had so much fun! Plus I finished one in about 45 minutes, one of my faster projects! Once you get a feel for it they are super easy to make. Plus they make great gifts so you can make as many as your heart desires!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If you do try it out I would love to know how it turns out!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alyssa

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Revelation 21:5&6