Altered Journals- A Tutorial

I recently started creating some altered journals for birthday and Christmas gifts.  Here is a quick tutorial on how to make a beautiful journal for someone.

Take a regular composition book (got mine super cheap at Walmart). Place wax paper between the cover and the first page.  Do this for the back cover also. This protects the pages from getting glue or modge podge on them.

I used UHU glue to adhere a piece of scrapbooking paper to the front. I used a 12 by 12 piece of paper.  You can do this one of two ways: either adhere the paper (as seen below) and then cut of the overlap at the top or measure the height of the journal and then cut your strip off before adhering the paper.  I found the second way to be easier.  You will have extra paper on the side. That paper is going to be folded on to the inside cover.

{Notice the strip cut off from the top}

{Here is a picture of the inside once you have folded over the extra paper.}

You will notice that you still have some of the inside cover showing.  I just take a strip of coordinating paper and glue it in.

I repeat this process with the back cover.

I then Mod Podge the outside and inside of both covers.

Here is an example of a finished journal.

Notice the inside of the covers where I glued an extra strip of paper to completely hide the cover.  On the back cover on the inside I attached a long ribbon with glue dots.  This ribbon can be used as a marker in the journal.

So what have you made lately?  I would love to hear your ideas!