Create Crafty Thoughts

Why be boring when it is so much fun to be crafty? Think of your future generations and write your thoughts and memories to them in a fancy, decorative journal instead of a plain, old notebook to keep them interested in the story of your life.

Designing a crafty journal is a simple thing to do and it not only looks beautiful, but will inspire you to write more creatively, as well. Show and tell your descendents who you are by using simple craft supplies and a basic composition book to design a journal that portrays your personality through creativity, in addition to your words.

Necessary Supplies:

Composition book
Patterned scrapbook paper, variety
Solid card stock, variety
Pencil
Scissors
Pinking shears, optional
Glue stick/tape runner
Stencils, optional
Craft embellishments
Colored pens/markers, variety

Lay a sheet of patterned scrapbook paper on a flat work surface with the design facing down.

Place the composition book in the center of the paper with the front and back cover lying open. Use a pencil to trace around the open composition book cover.

Cut out the paper around your traced lines using scissors. You could also create your own unique paper patterns by gluing several different pieces of paper together to make the cover for the composition book instead. Glue strips of paper or even tiny scraps together to make a sheet large enough to cover the outside of the composition book.

Use a glue stick or a double-sided tape runner to adhere the paper to the outside of the composition book.

Draw shapes on different patterned scrapbook paper or solid colored card stock using a pencil or trace shapes from stencils instead. Cut the shapes out of the paper using straight edged scissors, or perhaps pinking shears, and glue them on to the front and/or back of the journal.

Decorate the cover of your journal with craft embellishments such as stickers, paper flowers, ribbons or chipboard embellishments. You could also use stencils or letter stickers to create a title on the front of the journal.

Write inside your crafty journal using colored pens or markers to add design to your entries. Use a different color every day or use various colors in each entry instead.