How to make a Dinotopian journal cover

Whether you're a newly arrived dolphinback or a twentieth generation Dinotopian, it certainly helps to have someplace to keep notes of the remarkable journeys to be had. For this project I simply added a new cover to a cheap notebook featuring faux leather and some original stylized Parasaurolophus designs. 


And the close-up:


Inspirations


Materials
-Cheap pocket journal with cover
-Faux leather vinyl
-Gold paint marker

Tools
-Scissors
-Hole punch
-Superglue

1. Gather the materials
For this project the key ingredient is a cheap journal, which was from a CVS pharmacy store for about $3. The faux leather and gold paint marker are basic craft/fabric store items.

2. Cut the materials
In order to cover the entire journal cover, first a few measurements and a little math is needed. This'll be different depending on the dimensions of the journal you decide to recover. First I took out the notebook and spread the cover flat. The dimensions there were 6 inches by 7.75 inches, the inner flaps each 6 inches by 2 inches. So for the entire cover a rectangle of 6 inches by 11.75 inches was needed. 


And then trace the journal strap and cut two tabs to cover the front and back of the strap. Although you can cover up the metal of the snap I used a hole punch so that the metal will remain exposed. 


3. Fit the cover
Once cut, it helps to make a few marks on the inside to guide how it will fit over the top. At two inches at either side I made some markings. 


And with the cover loose you can test how the cover will fit and then anticipate where you can cut a slit to allow the strap to pass through. You can see where I planned to cut the slit here. I used a hobby knife to add the slit for the strap and then for the black loop that would secure a pen. 


You can see where the strap passes through the slit in the next picture. 



This a good enough time to glue the front and back strap covers onto the existing strap, just needed to be fit snugly around the snap and then secured with a few drops of superglue. 


Before fitting the cover, also be sure to find where the snap on the cover would need to pass through the new cover. Then you can start gluing the new cover on, starting at one inside flap.


And then moving along with new rows of superglue. 


Until the entire cover is fitted. 


4. Make and add embellishment
To make it truly a Dinotopian journal it helps to have some dinosaurs or footprint alphabet. This time I decided to flex my drawing skills a little. Drawing from internet references, I sketched a basic outline of a Parasaurolophus. Then I got some ideas for stylizing the drawing with spirals, etc.


I cut out the pattern and traced it onto some scraps of the same vinyl, cutting out two dinosaur figures in mirrored positions. Then I used a gold paint marker to add the stylized sort-of-tribal details.


And then I glued onto the front and one on the back. In retrospect I should've planned the design to better accommodate the snap on the front cover, but it works out well enough. 


And here's what the back looks like. 


And there you have it, a way to repurpose a cheap, conveniently size journal cover into something decidedly Dinotopian. For more details you can always add some writing in footprint alphabet. Good luck and keep crafting!

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