Leather Painted and Wood Burned Journal Cover

Materials:

5" x 7" spiral bound journal (book)
3-4 oz. tanned leather hide
3 yards of 1/8" leather lace
assorted colors of acrylic paint
round synthetic paintbrushes:
- #2, #3 and small liner
neutral shoe polish
soft cloth
wood burning tool with chisel point tip
leather punch
acrylic hole punching template
scissors
needle
rotary cutter and mat
metal straight edge
plain paper for pattern
#5 or #6 soft pencil

1. Measure book and make a paper pattern approximately 1-inch larger than the book.

2. Use the pattern and the rotary cutter to cut the leather into a cover and two inside flaps to hold the cover.

• Cover measured 12-1/2" x 8"
• The two inside flap pieces measured 8" x 2" (figure A).

3. Draw geometric designs on the leather cover using a straight edge and pencil. Fill in with freehand designs (figure B).

4. Trace all the lines with a simple wood-burning tool with the standard chisel point attached (figure C).

5. Paint various areas using a variety of colors of acrylic paint and artist brushes (figure D ).

6. Punch holes approximately 1/4-inch apart using a leather punch around the perimeter of the cover and three sides of each flap (figure E).

7. Cut a length (I used 100 inches) of 1/8-inch leather lace. Thread a leather needle and sew the three pieces of leather together using a standard whipstitch (figure F).

8. Coat the finished painting with neutral shoe polish to seal and protect the leather.

9. Slip the book inside the wood-burned and leather-painted journal cover (figure G).

Website: www.hatfielddesigns.com