Antique Journal~

Hello my crafty friends!
Hope today's more like a 'lamb' than a 'lion' for you, it's been a real LION around here! LOL  Hopefully April brings more warmth and sunshine!  :)

I don't have a stamping project to share today, but I do have a fun project.

My oldest daughter is always looking for away to bring her A+ grade even higher, so she loves to do extra credit.  There was an assignment to create a journal like the one Lewis and Clark kept as they ventured west.  When she asked me if I had any ideas, I jumped right on it!  I remember making 'antique' paper with my grandma and dad when I was little, meaning before I was even in school!

Here is what we did.  Brew very strong coffee or you can also use instant Coffee and pour into a pan, I used a cake pan. 

The paper I used is plain copy paper.  Make sure both sides of the paper are covered with coffee, be careful when you turn it over.  The longer you leave it, the darker the paper gets. 

When you are ready to take it out, if you want the 'old rugged' look give it a gentle squeeze to crinkle it up and then place it flat on a protected table, I used a plastic garbage bags.

Do this until you get several sheets of paper tinted.

 The paper will lighten as it dries. 

When it dried, I then counted out 10 sheets of paper, she wanted a 20 page journal. After using our computer and printed out "Journal" on a piece of Stampin' Up Crumb Cake card Stock I simply put them all together and sewed right down the middle of the paper.  The 'binder' was a piece of Early Espresso SU card stock adhered on with Fast Fuse also from SU.

The pages will smell like yummy coffee and be bulky for a while, but soon the smell will go away and the crinkles will relax the more you crease it.  You can use pencil, pen or even old fashion fountain pens.  If you are not familiar with a fountain pen make sure you practice on a scratch piece of paper first before you write in your new journal. 

There ya have it!  Wasn't that fun!?  Such a fun memory to pass down to my children.  Because you know, once you make a cool project for one, you must make them for all!  My house and their bedrooms smelled of coffee for about a week!  LOL

Have a great day!
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheryl~