If you've ever looked at a broken necklace, a handful of old buttons, or a piece of fabric you've been holding onto and thought there's something here — this video is for you. I walk through the complete process of making a bejeweled handmade journal from start to finish, inspired by the historical tradition of medieval treasure bindings. Everything you see comes from everyday materials: cardboard, fabric, tea-dyed pages, and old costume jewelry that most people would throw away.
What we cover
This is a full build — cover construction, signature making, three-hole pamphlet stitch binding with a beaded spine, and then the bling design and gluing process that turns an ordinary handmade book into something that looks genuinely luxurious. I also talk through how to choose a background panel that makes the embellishment design easier to plan, and which glues do (and absolutely don't) work for metal and gemstone pieces.
What you'll learn
How to choose a background panel that guides your bling design — the key is finding something with a central focal point or symmetrical structure. I use a page from a carpet catalog, but scrapbook paper with a central design works just as well. A symmetrical or geometric background gives you a natural framework so your layout doesn't end up looking busy or random.
How to build a three-piece cover from thick cardboard, including:
- Cutting the front panel, back panel, and spine to consistent dimensions
- Leaving the right gap between panels so the book opens and closes cleanly
- Using a ruler to keep the spine properly aligned before the glue sets
How to wrap and cover the boards in fabric, including:
- Mitering corners for a neat finish
- Using double-sided tape to hold fabric in place while glue dries (not as the permanent fix — that's the glue's job)
- Applying glue to the panel rather than the edge to prevent visible seepage through the fabric
How to cover the spine with fabric — and why fabric is worth using here rather than paper. Paper simply isn't durable enough to handle the repeated opening and closing of a journal. I use a piece with frayed edges deliberately, which also hides the fact that it doesn't need to reach all the way into the groove.
Inking edges before gluing panels — a small detail that makes a real difference. White paper edges are visible on the inside of the cover; inking them takes seconds and gives the finished book a far more professional look.
How to make two signatures and bind them with a three-hole pamphlet stitch, including:
- Folding and trimming pages to sit just inside the cover edges
- Making a binding template to space two signatures evenly on the spine
- Threading a beading needle and adding metallic spacer beads between each stitch on the spine
- Tying off with a secure double knot and an S-knot to prevent unravelling
How to design the bling layout before committing to glue, including:
- Working outward from a central focal point
- Moving pieces around until the composition feels right — and trusting that feeling
- Taking a photo of your final layout before removing pieces to glue, so you have a reference to work from
How to glue embellishments securely, including:
- Using E6000 or a strong jewelry adhesive for metal and heavy gem pieces
- Why hot glue fails completely for this (it lets metal pieces pop straight off — I demonstrate this on camera so you can see exactly what happens)
- Filing or sanding down shank button remnants so the button sits completely flat before gluing
- Starting from the center and working outward, referring back to your photo as you go
- Cleaning up any glue seepage around pieces before it dries
Tips & gotchas
Don't overflood fabric with glue. It seeps through and leaves stains on the surface that are very hard to fix. I apply glue to the cover panel rather than the fabric edge itself — that way any excess goes somewhere hidden, not somewhere visible.
Hot glue has no place in this project. I tried it, and I filmed myself demonstrating exactly what happens: the metal pieces simply pop off. Use E6000 or another strong jewelry-rated adhesive for anything metal or heavy. E6000 takes about 24 hours to cure, which is actually a benefit — it gives you plenty of time to nudge pieces back into position before everything sets.
File down shank buttons properly. Even after you've removed the shank with pliers, there's almost always a small stub left. For this project it has to be completely flat or the button won't bond to the cover. I use a nail-filing tool to grind it down — coarse sandpaper works just as well.
Use flat or small beads on the spine. Chunky beads sit proud of the spine surface and get in the way of writing on the open page. Flat metallic spacer beads or small round beads (what I call metallic spacer beads) look just as beautiful and don't interfere with the journal at all.
Take a photo of your bling layout before you start gluing. I did this step and then couldn't refer back to my phone because I was filming with it — which meant working from memory. Don't make my mistake. The photo is your map.
Smaller books are genuinely easier for this technique. Less surface area means a more manageable design, less gluing, and a more cohesive result. If this is your first time, start small.
When your design feels right, stop adjusting. If you're asking yourself whether the layout is working, it probably isn't yet. When it clicks into place, you'll know. That certainty is what you're waiting for.
The combination of aged pages, beaded spine, and embellished cover gives the book a weight and richness that lands somewhere between heirloom object and handmade art — the kind of thing people who don't usually notice your crafting projects will stop and pick up. These work beautifully as gifts or as pieces to sell, but I'll be honest: both of mine are staying on my living room shelf.
