Directions for Creating Aged Paper

How to Make Aged Paper and Faux Leather Journals Aged Paper: Use coffee grounds or used tea bags to dab over paper or envelopes to give an aged color. Wrapping the coffee grounds in the filter or a paper towel makes less mess. Just using the coffee or tea itself will work. Too much liquid will make the paper wrinkle. Be sure to let the paper dry before writing on it. Dying the paper after writing will cause the ink to smear.

Leather Paper: Cut out a large rectangle from a paper bag. Crumple the paper to create wrinkles.

Fold and refold from several directions to make as many wrinkles as possible. Unfold, leaving the paper somewhat crumpled. Rub ink pads lightly over the highest spots. Use brown, yellow, and maroon ink. Candle soot or coffee can also be used for staining. Shoe polish can be used, but wax shoe polish will prevent glue from sticking. Staples or brads can be used instead.

Journal Cover: Cut out a sheet of light cardboard slightly smaller than your paper. You can use the back of a tablet a cereal box, or a priority mailing envelope. Mark the center of the cardboard, and score a folding line. Fold the cardboard in half and crease it flat. Open and refold the opposite way to accomplish a smooth crease. Set cardboard in the center of paper with the stained side down. Fold over all four edges and glue or tape tightly into place. Do not use a lot of wet glue since the paper is porous. Pull corners up into a point and trim off excess paper for a mitered corner. Put under something heavy to dry. The underside of the cover can have a rectangle of paper glued inside to cover the raw cardboard and cover edges.

Strap: Cut out a strip of brown cardstock piece of paper, long enough to wrap around the entire journal with enough extra for a closure. Make a slit for the strap on the folded edge of the open book, approximately 1 ½" near the center. Slide strap in between paper and cardboard. Fold over approximately 2" Remove strap and cover with glue. Reinsert and press into place. Trace or copy a picture of a lock onto gold or yellow cardstock. Cut out. Glue to the front of the folded strap. Put under something heavy to dry. Use Velcro, thin magnets, or a brad with string to make a closure.

Advertising magnets that are business card size work well. Peel off the advertising paper and cut in half or fourths. Match the black faces together so that they attract and hold together. Place glue on the paper sides and attach to the strap as a closure.

Inner Pages: Cut and fold several sheets of paper that are approximately the size of the whole book when opened. A piece of elastic, yarn, or string can be tied around the spine of the journal to hold the sheets of paper in place. A shank button or bead can be used to help tie the elastic off. A long reach stapler or a rubber band could also be used.

Embellishments: Add a journal name plate, a key with a tassel and or protective corners.

Dr. Nancy Mack Multigenre Research Projects: Multifaceted, Multipurpose Writing Assignments Teachers College Press