Reliquaries for New Passions: Creating Decorated Journals
Journaling can take many forms and serve many purposes; sometimes, it’s a great way to just release things that are weighing you down. My form of journal tends to be more along the lines of a sketchbook, with notes, drawings, and the occasional grocery list. There’s even a growing movement for Bullet Journals, codified daily journals to keep track of tasks, meetings, and other responsibilities in an organized and beautiful way.
And while I think that having a low-pressure, catch-all journal to carry around with you is a wonderful idea (and a practice I have done for years), there’s something really special about crafting a beautiful journal for a specific function. In the Wonder Club, an absolutely fantastic online course taught by Victoria Smith of the Mojo Lab, we designed our own “Wonder Yearbook” to chronicle our thoughts and adventures throughout the year. Victoria sent us weekly prompts to explore in its pages, and I loved dedicating time to collaging, drawing, and dreaming in its pages. It looks much different from my scribble and grocery list-filled everyday sketchbook, and it’s a treasure I will love looking back on for years. Likewise, many practicing witches keep a Grimoire, a specialized journal or textbook of magic. There’s a long history of their use, from ancient Mesopotamia cuneiform clay tablets to notes on astrology in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Modern-day witches can tailor their grimoires to specific uses, too - a Kitchen Witch might take notes on favorite recipes, while a Green Witch might use it to explore plants and their uses. Books certainly do seem to collect magic as they are filled with passionate writing and detailed notes, and they can be a part of a beautiful practice of exploration.
Do you have a new hobby you’d like to explore in depth? Is there a certain subject you’re particularly passionate about? Creating a specialized journal in its honor is a great guide to exploration - and all the more meaningful when it’s been lovingly and beautifully decorated. These decorated journals make absolutely wonderful gifts, too - especially when encouraging a friend to follow their passions or write down their brilliant ideas!
Decorating a journal with a polymer clay cover is a way to elevate it from everyday notes to something special. The polymer clay can be rolled thin so as not to add much extra bulk or weight but can be sculpted into stunning relief pictures and designs. The book can then be baked in the oven and painted with acrylic paints to further accentuate the designs.
The first, and most important, step in creating your special journal is to decide on an intention. Be specific about the purpose this book serves. You could say something like “This journal is a place to write about what I’m grateful for every day before bed,” or “This journal is where I will keep all of my notes and recipes about baking homemade bread.” If you’re giving it as a gift, you can write the intent for the recipient; “I made this journal for you to fill with all of your amazing short stories.”
Once you’ve decided on your intention, start brainstorming symbolism. Think about designs that relate to the purpose of the journal. You may want to incorporate animals you relate to, favorite plants, specific gems (most cabochons can be baked right into the clay), or favorite colors. Sketch out your designs first before starting on your journal.
You’ll need:
a journal with a hard cover
polymer clay
cornstarch
mica luster dust, optional
aluminum foil
acrylic paint
water-based varnish
epoxy glue
Directions:
measure your journal cover, then roll out some polymer clay to about 1/8” thick and trim to be just slightly smaller than the cover. (I like to do this directly on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet so I don’t have to try to move it as I decorate it.) Dip your finger tip in cornstarch and smooth the edges of the rectangle.
Decorate your cover as desired. You can roll “snakes” of clay and press them into place, cut shapes, or draw designs using a toothpick or pencil tip. Try using tools you have around the house to emboss different patterns or designs. You can work in one color of polymer clay and paint it later, or use multiple colors to create patterns.
If you would like to add a gem or cabochon, choose something that will be safe up to 300F. Most real stones are appropriate for this, and rhinestones such as swarovski gems work as well. You can either plan to glue the gems in place after baking your journal cover, or you can create a “lip” to go around them out of a snake of polymer clay. (If you do this, make sure it’s pretty sturdy and overlaps a fair amount - you don’t want your jewel to fall out!)
If you’d like to add a little shine at this step, use a soft brush to brush on some of the mica luster dusts. Work gently to apply them to the raised parts only to create relief.
Once you’ve finished decorating your journal cover, bake it according to manufacturer’s directions. (Usually that’s 275F for 30 minutes.) If you’d like to add more designs after baking, you can do so and bake again to set them.
Once you’re happy with your baked design, let it cool and harden completely, then use a strong epoxy to glue it to the surface of your journal (E6000 is a good choice for this.) Glue any gems in place at this time as well.
Use the acrylic paint to paint your polymer clay plaque and the rest of the cover as you’d like. You can create polymer clay decorations for the spine and back cover if you want to - though a single cover is gorgeous on its own. When you’ve finished painting your journal, use a water-based varnish to seal the clay. (Never use oil-based varnishes on polymer clay as they react and never dry.)
Open your journal to the inside cover and decorate it however you’d like - I usually just paint it a simple plain color, but you can collage it, color it, or doodle it to express yourself. Leave a space on the first page for your journal’s intention and the name of the author. (I often include my phone number or email as well just in case my journal gets lost, but that’s optional.) Make sure you write your intention for your journal clearly on the first page.
Your piece of artwork is now ready for use! Start writing in it or give it as a gift and watch your ideas bloom on the page.
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!