Summer Activities with the kids, Episode 2, Handmade Journals

I am in love with journals...{and scrapbook supplies}.  Actually I just love journals....period! I love the journal section at the book store!  I usually wish I could have all of them! What is it that attracts me to these pretty books with blank pages? I'm not sure...maybe it's the possibility of what is yet to be written or created. 

Since I cannot afford to buy every adorable journal at the book store, I thought I'd try my hand at making some. They are completely made from scratch...hand sewn, the whole nine yards. I up-cycled thin cardboard from another project for the front and back of the journals, used scrapbook paper to decorate, and embroidery floss to sew the pages together. The blank pages are made from plain white card stock. When needed, I used Elmer's clear school glue. 

Just a quick note here: this started out as a project with my youngest son. He was totally into it until something went wrong and he got a little frustrated. He's 10 years old and completely capable of making one of these journals...but I just don't think he was in the mood for pressing on, this particular day. However, I still wanted to keep the title to my post as "summer activities with the kids" for any of you out there who have kids that would be interested in making a journal. It is such a great summertime activity! They could make a bird journal, or a sketch pad....or just a writing journal for poems and such. Anyhow, I just thought you might be wondering where the photos of my kids were in this post....so now you know! :)

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So, you're wondering how I put it all together, aren't ya? Well, here's my secret...I watched this great tutorial
on Youtube...she does a great job of explaining and showing every detail of how to make a simple, basic, journal. Once, you get the basic idea, you can just run with it!

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I customized the inside front of this journal. Polly is my mother-in-law...I made this for her for her birthday which is coming up next week.  I used my giant foam alphabet stamps and brushed them with creamy white, acrylic craft paint. I am loving the look of it!

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And...I'm just plain 'ole in love with the cover on this tiny doodle journal I made for myself. I cut this cute little sewing machine from some scrapbook paper. It's just adorable!

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Now I'm in the mode, I've been dreaming up all sizes and styles of journals I could make. I have so many pieces of gorgeous scrapbook paper just begging to be used. Now, I must get to work...so many ideas, so little time!

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Do you like journals? 

Do you keep a journal?

I have several journals that I have been writing in since I was about 25 years old. Not to mention my diary that I still have from when I was a child and a pre-teen. Oh brother, the things I used to write! Hilarious! I intend to give all of my journals to my children when I am old and gray. I hope they will be interested in them. I try to write about daily things, but also, my thoughts on things get intertwined along the way. Hopefully they will get that it is a piece of history to their past.

Anyhow....happy journal making!!

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