Four humble volumes of Journey Through Bookland are about to become something magical.
In this course we'll deconstruct one old encyclopedia set and rebuild it as a whole shelf of new books, everything from a Traveler's Notebook planner to a mixed media journal, each with its own character and charm.
By the end you'll never look at a thrift store shelf the same way again. You'll have the skills, the confidence, and the techniques to take your own forgotten finds and turn them into magical journals full of possibility.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WONDEROne old set of books. A whole shelf of new ones.
WHAT YOU'LL MAKE:
Traveler's Notebook Journal. A practical, beautiful planner built to hold six A5 dot grid inserts and two folders. We'll deconstruct the original book, build the binding from scratch, and finish with decorated covers, folders, and a lovingly decorated spine.
No-Sew Watercolor Journal. All the satisfaction of a bound book with none of the stitching. I'll walk you through my favorite no-sew method, and just as importantly, I'll share every pitfall I've learned the hard way, so yours goes beautifully right.
Commonplace Book. A traditional pamphlet-bound gathering place for the bits of life worth holding onto: recipes, travel memories, family moments, a favorite line of poetry, anything that matters.
Mixed Media Book. My personal favorite. We'll decorate the cover, prep the pages so they can stand up to paint and glue, and then I'll bring you along as I build two beautiful, achievable layouts of my own. The whole idea isn't perfection, just the quiet joy of making something lovely with your own two hands.
I'll let you in on a secret: turning old books into journals might just be my favorite thing of all. There's something about thrift store finds, and especially old encyclopedias, that makes them the perfect base to build upon, all that lovely thick paper just waiting for a second life. This course is the one I've been wanting to teach for ages, the one where I get to show you everything that's possible when you stop seeing a thrift store book as forgotten and start seeing it as waiting.
PERFECT FOR…
Lovers of old books, thrift store wanderers, journal hoarders, and anyone who's ever picked up a battered encyclopedia and wondered what it could become. With four very different projects, there's something here for every kind of journaler, beginner or seasoned.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Deconstruct a thrift store book to use as your journal base
Build a Traveler's Notebook binding from scratch
Master a no-sew binding (and avoid the pitfalls)
Use traditional pamphlet binding for a commonplace book
Prep encyclopedia pages for mixed media so they can hold paint and glue
Create beautiful, achievable mixed media layouts
Decorate covers, spines, and folders for those finishing touches
See the journal hiding inside every thrift store book
Why an online class?
Why an online class?
Online courses are so much fun because you can learn at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. May we suggest a tasty beverage and pajamas? Perhaps on your favorite chair? Or even in your studio at our craft table? You can take online classes anywhere you want!
You have lifetime access to the video course and can come back to watch it and rewatch it anytime you want.
You can ask as many questions as you want on the course page and I will always do my best to answer your questions as best as I can.
Join a fun community of makers and creators and share your work and learn from others!
Hi I’m Mahe Zehra a.k.a MZ Welcome to my Whimsical World!Hi, I’m Mahe. I was self-schooled. The greatest thing my parents ever taught me was how to learn on my own.
I’ve been teaching myself hard things since I was ten years old. I grew up in Lahore, in a household where nothing was considered disposable. Biscuit tins became sewing kits. Old saris became quilts. I am the daughter of two long lineages of women who saved, mended and repurposed beautifully — not out of necessity, but because waste genuinely offended them.
Twenty-five years on, that’s the foundation of everything I make or do. MZ Creates is where I teach the soulful art of making meaning from what you already have — old envelopes, tea-stained paper, ticket stubs, the pretty bits of an ordinary life. I’m a Certified Zentangle Teacher and the author of over twenty books on paper craft, journaling and mixed media. I teach the way I was taught — by being trusted to figure it out. I won’t lecture you. I’ll sit beside you and show you that you can do this. Because you can. [ Read my full story ]