Collage Wallet Extravaganza

Hello. I hope you had as great a Saturday as e and me. We hit up the RISD student fair this morning. We then settled in for some crepes after a short walk. I decided mine would be best if there was no banana or crepe, just nutella...

Anyways, we decided to get going with some fun when we returned to e's apartment. Therefore, this afternoon and evening turned into a frenzy of magazine ripping and taping.

Collage wallets are pretty wonderful. I have been using one for the past...oh my goodness...7ish years. I have taught a few people how to make one and thought it would be a good idea for our first endeavor here.


What you need:
1. Magazine(s)
2. Clear packaging tape
3. Clear Scotch tape
4. Scissors
5. You can use pretty much anything you would like for the collage (ex. feathers, cloth, etc)


What to do:
1. Go through the magazine and pick out what you want for your collage. Cut using your scissors or rip away. It really depends on your preference.


2. Use the cover of one of your magazines as the base for your wallet. Mine usually end up being as wide as the page. I make the height of the wallet a little bit taller than a dollar bill.

3. Choose where you would like your cards to go as well as which side you would like to keep your dollars. Fold the page into three sections. Use a card to meaure how much space you need. Make sure you also leave space for your cash when you are doing your folding. For the wallet I made, I put the cards in the middle and the dollars on the right.

4. Next you will need to make the new home for your cards. Use the other outside cover of your magazine for this. Use your card to measure the depth of the pockets. Fold the bottom so that each pocket allows the card to stick out half an inch at the top (so you can see your cards). The height of one page usually makes enough space for three card pockets. I wanted to be able to fit more cards in my wallet, so I taped another piece of the cover and kept folding. I have a lot of cards. Fold the page like an accordion.

5. Once your card pockets are all set, tape them to the wallet and start your collage. Use the Scotch tape to stick your magazine pieces in place. Make it as crazy or simple as you feel.

6. Now comes the hardest part....the taping. Tape the entire wallet. Start by taping down the card pockets. Tape the highest one up, then fold it and tape the second one, and so on till they are all in place. The process of taping will make the wallet water proof and more durable. The hard part is trying not to get wrinkles in your wallet. It's no big deal if you do. Make sure you get both sides and all edges.

7. The last steps involve making a slot for your money and also to making a clear barrier so your cards can't go flying out if the wallet is upside down. To make the money slot put two to four pieces of tape face to face. I like to stick a little fanciness on mine, but make it so I can still see the money in my wallet. You can do that or completely decorate it. To each his own. Tape the outside of the slot to the outside of the wallet where you will be holding your money as well as the top and bottom so your cash doesn't fall out. To make a barrier for your cards, fold a piece of packaging tape in half the long way. Then tape the top and bottom to the top and bottom of the wallet over where you will be keeping your cards.

Fold it up and now you are good to go! Feel free to make changes and improvements. I learned as I went, adding such things as the card barrier after having my card all over the place. I also made a wallet that had a little pouch to hold change. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

-k