If you've got a pile of interesting papers you've been reluctant to fold in half — artwork, tea-dyed pages, vintage prints, junk mail envelopes — the flip-out journal is the answer. In this tutorial I show you how to make an alternating-page flip-out journal from scratch, from choosing a base all the way through finishing the backing board and attaching a closure. Any paper works: envelopes, scrapbook paper, paper bags, book pages, even CD sleeves. The result is a journal where pages open in alternating directions, each one hinged rather than folded, so nothing gets creased and no image gets buried in a spine.
What we cover
This tutorial walks through the full construction of an alternating-page flip-out journal — starting with a cardstock base, building up pages using three different hinging methods (folded flaps, washi tape, and paper strips), and finishing with a sturdy backing board and an attached ribbon closure. The flip-through at the end shows four completed journals so you can see the range of what's possible with envelopes, scrapbook paper, vellum, and paper bags.
What you'll learn
How to set up a base for a flip-out journal — why the base doesn't need to be thick cardboard at this stage, how journal thickness builds outward from it, and why keeping pages slightly smaller than the base lets layers show rather than stack invisibly.
Three methods for hinging pages without folding them in half, including:
- Folding a flap at the back of the page (the same principle as an envelope flap) — the simplest approach and a natural starting point
- Washi tape hinging — applying tape to the page first, then wrapping it around to the back of the base, with glue added on top because washi tape is designed to be removable and won't hold long-term on its own
- Paper strip hinging — using offcuts, flag shapes, or decorative strips to attach pages; these can become a design feature in their own right
Why the spine gap matters — and how to build it in deliberately. Every hinging method needs a small gap between the page fold and the base so pages can close flat as the journal gets thicker. I show what happens when that gap is missing (pages lift and won't close) and how each method naturally creates it when done correctly.
How to decorate and prepare pages before binding them down, including:
- Stenciling with a makeup sponge to create cohesion across mismatched papers
- Edge inking as a finishing touch, especially after trimming into an image
- Machine sewing pockets and decorative edges while pages are still flat and easy to handle
How to make pocket pages from paper offcuts — sewing or gluing three sides closed and hinging the finished pocket onto the base just like any other page.
How to work with junk mail envelopes — covering printed text with washi tape or stenciling, and how using one stencil throughout ties a busy, mixed-media journal together.
How to make and attach a backing board — cutting thick cardstock slightly larger than the journal on all sides so it protects the page edges and prevents the journal from bowing when opened. I also show how to cover it with scrapbook paper, miter the corners cleanly, and use double-sided tape for a neat finish.
How to permanently attach a ribbon closure — positioning it between the backing board and the journal body so it's anchored securely without any exposed attachment on the front.
What to do with the back of the journal — options include a tuck spot, an expanding pocket, a small sewn signature using repurposed diary pages, or a simple notepad, all glued or sewn down before the backing board goes on.
Tips & gotchas
Always leave a margin between your glue and the fold — if glue gets too close to the spine it seeps through or becomes visible as pages build up. I show this repeatedly because it's the thing that matters most as the journal gets thicker.
Apply a little glue over your washi tape after you hinge each page. Washi tape is made to be removable, which means it won't hold a journal together long-term on its own — a thin layer of PVA or craft glue over the top fixes that.
That small gap between each page and the base isn't a flaw — it's the spine. Keep it consistent. The thicker your journal grows, the more important that gap becomes; pages with something stuffed inside them need room to close flat.
Do all your stenciling, sewing, inking, and stamping before you glue pages down. Once a page is bound into the journal it's much harder to work on, and taking it to the sewing machine is impossible.
Paper grain matters when you're folding a hinge. Folding against the grain can cause cracking at the fold, and the page will want to lift rather than lie flat. It will settle with time and weight, but it's worth thinking about paper orientation before you cut.
Make your backing board slightly larger than the journal — it protects the page edges on the sides and stops the whole thing from bowing when you open it fully. But don't glue all the way to the edges of the backing board when attaching it to the journal; leave a margin so nothing seeps through to the visible sides.
When the journal is finished, place it under something heavy while the glue dries. It helps everything settle flat, especially if any pages have been folded against the grain or are carrying bulk inside pockets.
A whole journal of junk mail envelopes — all hinged with washi tape, stenciled with a single pattern to tie it together — turns something headed for the recycling bin into something genuinely beautiful. Or go the other way: use it as a place to collect artwork, zentangle studies, painted pages, anything you'd normally hesitate to fold. You can also scale the idea down to a tiny mini journal using the same construction, or add a small sewn signature to the back for extra writing space. The base structure stays the same; what you do with it is entirely up to you.
