Clear Scraps Project Post

Can I be honest? I’ve never junk journaled before. When I first saw the brand-new Clear Scraps Journal Covers, I was a little intimidated… until I saw the Small Travel Journal Cover! How cute is that? Suddenly I wasn’t thinking about what I didn’t know—I was picturing all the little scraps, tickets, photos, and memories from past trips that I could tuck inside. I watched a few tutorials, took a deep breath, and dove in.

Assembling the cover was easier than I anticipated. I simply aligned the cover and spine, leaving a gap between so the cover can fold without damaging anything and taped them together with a pliable tape. After assembling the journal cover, I painted the handles black using my favorite paint marker, then covered both the inside and outside with coordinating patterned paper. To give it a more realistic "suitcase" feel, I added a little closure using a ½" strip of black cardstock. I adhered it between the chipboard and patterned paper on the back side of the book, then tucked a small magnet under the front cover paper. A coordinating brad became the clasp and hides the other magnet—cute and functional! This helps keep the cover closed while adding a little extra flair. With the base done, I decorated the cover with embellishments that coordinated with my papers and fit the travel theme. 

The part that intimidated me most? Sewing in the signatures (aka the inside pages). But I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was! I used a mix of journaling cards, patterned paper scraps, and plain cardstock—cut to various sizes—for a junky, layered look. This suitcase is the perfect size to include leftover journal cards and tags in the signatures. Doing so will give even more dimension to the journal too! Once I had the signatures layered, I held the pieces together with clips while I punctured the holes and prepared to sew them in.

Because this travel cover is on the smaller side, I decided to keep it to just two signatures, which felt manageable for my first go. And here’s the best part—Clear Scraps includes the needle and thread to sew in your signatures! No need to dig in your stash for the right type of thread or a strong enough needle!

To sew in the signatures, I used a piece of scrap paper that was the same size as the spine. After a little math, I marked my template where I wanted my holes then clipped it to the spine and used an awl to puncture the holes in the spine. Using the same template, I followed the same process to make the holes in the signatures.

Here is a view of the inside with both signatures sewed in. I absolutely LOVE how this turned out and can't wait to fill it with all my mementos!

Feeling inspired? Grab your favorite Clear Scraps Junk Journal Cover (travel or otherwise!) and start saving those ticket stubs, travel snaps, and little treasures. Don’t forget to share your finished journals with us on social media and tag @clearscraps—we’d love to see where your creativity takes you! ✈️💙

Products used:

Clear Scraps Small Travel Journal Cover

I can't wait to see what you create! 

Katie