This middle child of mine is very particular. Who would have thought picking out a journal would be so difficult? For school purposes, the kids are required to keep a journal of our trip to Africa. Vanessa was given a nice journal for her 8th grade graduation that is just right for her. Christina found a lovely journal at the store marked 50% off. It's very 'artsy' and has room for her to draw and write. But finding a journal for Brianna was whole 'nother story!
We searched in every store for the PERFECT journal. Book stores, card shops, art shops, Pickle Papers, Academic Toolbox, A Book for All Seasons... you name it, we've been there. We know exactly what kind of journals they all carry. NOTHING struck her fancy. NOTHING was just right!
Browsing in a bookstore alone one day, I struck gold! I found myself staring at the cover of a craft book. It was a book on how to make personalized journals! I took in all the pictures and contemplated some of the tips, then shut the book and put it back on the shelf. For $19.99 I bet I could make a lot of journals!
So, we scrounged around the house for old scrapbooks, notebooks and journals that were not so good, half used, or no longer loved. Then we set to work taking them apart and salvaging the useable parts. We didn't really follow the book's advice... I couldn't remember anything I had read, anyway, but the pictures stayed in my mind. It was the idea that was important.
I decided to make one for myself while we were at it. We used 4 coordinating 12 x 12 designed scrapbook papers, lots of tacky glue, a little raffia, some elastic headbands, various types of paper salvaged from various journals, a whole punch, and some stickers and accents. This project took a few artistic brain cells and we finally settled on an 8 .5 X 8.5 inch square cover. We had to trim up all the pages we took out of other books and journals to the right size.
Bri working on the journals at her desk...You will note her artwork everywhere, hence the need for a very particular journal.
Cutting, pasting and designing.
We pretty much copied each other's ideas. Hers is red. Mine is blue. I blocked the address even though we really don't live in that town... that is where some of our mail goes.
Beginning to look like a book!
I found a nice coordinating pad of journaling tags that we shared and a nother little booklet of shaped paper that wasn't too pricy.
We made pockets on the inside of the covers to stash more accents for later use. We included a few scrapbook plastic sleeves for little things we might collect on the journey and we included quality water color paper for when the urge to paint hits us. They both turned out very nicely and best of all Brianna is sure that her journal is just right! Whew!
Untitled Comment
Posted by stitchnchick on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 03:48 - Link
Those are beautiful! I'm sure they will be filled to the brim with many treasures. Thanks for sharing. I'm sure you will inspire many. :-)
Amy
Very cool.
Posted by MissionaryMom on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 12:21 - Link
My oldest daughter is our artsy one, but it is our second daughter that is the particular one! It is fun watching the different personalities develop, isn't it?
Bri working on the journals at her desk...You will note her artwork everywhere, hence the need for a very particular journal.
Cutting, pasting and designing.
We pretty much copied each other's ideas. Hers is red. Mine is blue. I blocked the address even though we really don't live in that town... that is where some of our mail goes.
