Art Journaling: storing my recipe-card journal

Hi again.

In yesterday's post I shared another week's worth of my Learn Something New Everyday pages and, as they're simply a pile of 4x6 recipe cards on to which I've journaled and collaged ... I was always going to need some way of keeping them all together.

If you're working on anything similar - or you're considering one of the recipe card journal kits I've put together - then the possible options for keeping the cards together include:

• punching 1/2 holes through the stack and storing them on bookring/s;
• using a Bind-it-All;
• dropping them into a decorated box;
• slotting them into a regular photo album;
• using divided scrapbook page-protectors [there are lots of those available at the moment due to the popularity of daily/weekly life-documenting projects] ... or ... as I finally decided upon ...

... nestling them down inside a kraft 'Creative Folder' folder by Collections Elements:

The folder began life like this:

 ... and they're available here from 3DJean.

If you'd like to see some 'in progress' photos and details on how I built up the decoration on the folder then all that can be found in my 3DJean Design Team blog post today - which is here.

Here's the finished folder:

BTW: the cardboard ring-bound stencil book [above], which I've used throughout my recipe card album, comes from the children's art supply department of my local Wilkinson shop and cost me the princely sum of ... 90p!!

I used the number sheet and the text sheet right across this project and, as yet, despite all the spray ink and paint it's seen, it's holding up really well. No buckling or sogginess yet ... so well worth that 90p!! It was only a fortnight ago so chances are they're still in stock ... so if you're passing by... go find one!

Anyway ... here's a closer look at the pockets holding the finished cards:

I used a contents page from a fashion catalogue, some Carta Bella stickers and a found phrase from a children's dictionary. And the hole-punched paper is the same as that in the kits.

And here's a closer look at the cover where I've layered more Plundered Pages with Collections Elements tickets:

The 'Learn Something New' is spelled out in Kaisercraft 'Tiny Alpha Stickers'. And when they say 'tiny' ... they're not kidding!

That said, they've been really useful, especially on cards where I've been able to write out full sentiments rather than just squeezing on a 'Hi' or a 'Yay' when using larger letters!

And speaking of small lettering ... I really wanted the finished folder to have a bookish feel so I strengthened the 'spine' of the folder with strips of washi tape then ran the whole thing through the sewing machine ... and finally came across a perfect found phrase from a Plundered Page:

And here's a final look at the finished folder showing the book-like structure: 

 With the ribbons fastened tightly, the cards don't move and are held completely safely inside.

It wasn't until I had the idea to use a 'Creative Folder' that the whole 'recipe-card journal' idea began to make sense ... and then I could just get on with the actual focus of Shimelle's class ... recording a lesson-a-day for a month. Speaking of which ...

... I haven't collaged a card since Thursday ... so I'd best go catch up! If you have any questions about the project, the folder, or the recipe-card kits ... then just yell. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Julie :-)