Miniature Vacation Journal

I'm planning on going on a short canoe trip this summer and I wanted to be able to write my observations, sketch and put down my memories into something that wouldn't take up too much room. I made myself a miniature journal and thought I'd share it as an idea that could be used for any vacation.
The materials you need are:

watercolour paper
acrylic paint (diluted with water)
permanent fine tipped marker
glue

1) Cut a strip of watercolour paper, 4 inches wide by the length of the watercolour sheet. (4"X30")

2) Loosely sketch a scene on one side which corresponds to trip you'll be taking
     OR
    just randomly paint colour along the whole length of the paper with the diluted acrylic paint.

3) Wet the whole strip of watercolour and drop or brush paint colours onto the wet paper. The paint will spread and mingle on the paper.

If painting a scene, wet only sections at a time and paint them letting each section dry before moving on to the next section to minimize the colours bleeding into each other. Let this side dry.

4) Because this will be a double-sided journal, once the first side is dry, flip it over and wet the whole back side and repeat with colours of your choice. NOTE: Because you will be writing or sketching in this journal, make sure your colours are light, unless you will be using a silver ink pen then you can make your journal darker in colour which might also have a nice effect.

Front side of journal. Note that I have left enough open spaces for writing or futher sketching.



Back side of journal

5) When you've finished painting the back side of the journal, flip it over and wet the front side with plain water (because you've used acrylic paint, there will be no bleeding or removing of paint as with watercolour), place the whole thing, while still damp between paper towels and under heavy books to dry and flatten.

6) Once dry and flattened, fold the strip in half and then fold each flap in half again. Continue folding until you have made an accordion of your strip.

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7) Your journal should be approximately 4" X 4". Cut or tear 2 pieces of watercolour paper to a size of 4" X 4". These will be your front and back covers.

8) Draw a design of your choice on the front of the covers and paint the design OR glue magazine pictures, photos or even fabric to them. Add embellishments like beads, shells, sequins, glitter etc. Write a title on the front cover. (I have decided that I will embellish my journal with things I collect on my canoe trip so I will be embellishing my journal when I return)

9) Glue the book covers to the front and back pages of your journal. Place a heavy book on it while the glue dries. I also included a piece of cord which I sandwiched between the cover and the first page when gluing them together so I can tie my journal closed.

Now your journal is ready to take on your trip to fill with ideas, feelings, quotes, pictures, sketches, pieces of nature, descriptions of weather, the place, the people, bits of found items, ticket stubs, candy wrappers, whatever will give you wonderful memories.