Here is my handmade cover- using Holbein watercolors, acrylics, stencils, and mark-making. The same applies to my inside cover and the back/inside (not pictured as they were almost identical)

I have followed so many various tutorials on bookbinding but this is HANDS DOWN the best tutorial I've done so far and also had both the best EXPERIENCE in the process and the best outcome in terms of how happy I am with my finished journal! I used Hahnemule paper for the signature pages, and used Canson XL watercolor paper to make my own covers. This first journal I made similar front and back covers as well as the inside covers, so I only posted one of each. I'm excited to get creative and change things up on the ones I do next! Thanks, Denise- you are such an AWESOME teacher!! (P.S. please share any technique you discover in the glue removal of the Hahnemule paper as it is driving me bonkers! Thanks!)