Momigami Altered Composition Journal

✂️ Momigami Altered Composition Journal | Easy Magazine Page Cover for Beginners

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with all those catalogs and magazines coming through the mail, this project is for you. In this beginner-friendly tutorial, I’ll show you how to turn a plain composition book into a beautiful Momigami-inspired altered journal using nothing more than magazine pages, a little oil, and simple Dollar Tree supplies.

We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, so you can relax, follow along, and create at your own pace.

In this video, you’ll learn how to:

Protect your book with wax paper and masking tape so things stay neat
Turn ordinary magazine pages into soft, crinkled Momigami papers using oil
“Audition” and collage your torn pieces onto the cover for a layered look
Wrap and glue the edges for a clean, finished cover
Add a button and elastic closure using twine, stretch lace, and simple tools
Line the inside covers with magazine pages to create beautiful end sheets

Supplies used:
Composition notebook
Magazine or catalog pages
Wax paper, brown paper bag (to protect your surface)
Mod Podge, glue sticks, sponge brushes
Elastic stretch lace, twine, old button
Masking tape, scissors, ruler, pencil
Ice pick or piercing tool (Dollar Tree), scraper/key card
Grape seed oil (or any light oil you have at home)
Optional: gloves to keep your hands clean

This is a great starter project if you’re new to altered books or mixed media. No perfection needed—just curiosity, play, and a willingness to tear paper and glue things down.

If you enjoy this tutorial, please like, subscribe, and share—and if you make your own Momigami journal, I’d love for you to post a photo in our Facebook group so we can cheer you on. 💛

⏱ Use the timestamps below to jump to the section you want to watch.
00:00 Intro & finished journal preview
00:08 What is a Momigami altered composition journal?
00:39 Supply list walkthrough
02:15 What is Momigami? Using old magazines & catalogs
03:06 Protecting the book with wax paper & masking tape
05:49 Choosing magazine pages for inside covers
07:50 Adding oil to pages (grapeseed oil demo)
09:13 Crumpling pages into soft Momigami sheets
12:31 “Auditioning” your pieces and planning the cover layout
14:20 Gluing collage pieces onto the cover
18:35 Sealing the cover with a coat of Mod Podge
20:59 Turning in and gluing the cover edges
22:12 Folding and gluing neat corners
25:45 Creating and trimming inside endpapers (magazine pages)
30:01 Attaching button and twine on the cover
33:19 Gluing the front inside cover (end sheet) with glue stick
37:16 Adding closure cord & securing it inside
42:27 Final flip-through, finished journal & closing invitation