This is a great DIY project that makes it easy to personalize a notebook for journaling or note taking. Make one for yourself, as a gift, for a birthday, Easter or Mother’s Day! But be warned: these can be addicting to make! Once you start making them, you’ll realize these beauties are just as fabulous as their cover! You’ll see how useful and helpful they are!
I love all kinds of journals. And who doesn’t like a cute one?! I made one just to write down the cute things my little one says. Sometimes it is easier to write in a journal if you have a category. I love writing down things in categories like: things I am grateful for, people who I love/admire/inspire, experiences, scripture and prayer journals, humorous things that have happened to me, etc.
Any old notebook will do, but then how does anyone recognize it from all the other notebooks around? Personalizing a notebook indicates it is special and that it has a purpose. You can even tell that purpose from the papers you choose to personalize it with!
Here is how you make one:
1. Gather together the following: one composition book, two pieces of 12″x12″ paper, a glue stick and scissors. NOTE: I have noticed that the glue sticks labeled “washable” or colored blue tend not to adhere quite as well as just the plain old fashioned glue stick. You may have to re-glue edges if your glue stick is not the best. I use Scotch’s plain glue stick.
2. Decide which piece of paper you would like as the front cover and which for the back.
3. Take the front cover of the notebook and completely apply glue to it. Follow along the binding seam and edges well.
4. Place the chosen “cover” 12×12 paper onto the composition book by matching the bottom left corner to the bottom of the notebook and the binding seam. Make sure the left edge of the paper follows straight along the seam. Don’t worry! Most glue sticks don’t dry out too quickly, so if you are fast you can gently peel and place again if you mess up! Press firmly all edges making sure it adheres well. Now you should have a piece of paper glued, lined up along the bottom edge of the notebook and along the binding seam. This leaves excess paper on the top and on the outer edge side.
5. Trim ONLY the top piece all the way along the 12×12 piece of paper following along the top edge of the notebook. You should now have about a 2″x12″ inch strip of paper. DO NOT THROW IT AWAY!!!
6. FOLD the outside excess of the “cover” paper over onto the inside of the cover. The folded edge should match up with the outside edge of the notebook. Glue the folded paper and press firmly to the inside cover.
7. Repeat the same process with the backside cover. Now you should have two 2″x12″ pieces of paper. Keep them for the next step!
8. Now there are two things you can do to use these 2″x12″ pieces:. Number 1: You can paste it to the inside of the notebook cover, patching over the only part of the original notebook cover showing OR Number 2: You can add a little flair to the notebook by placing the contrasting piece of paper across the front of the notebook either horizontally or vertically. OR You can add more papers and really get creative!
If you decide Number 1: after you paste it to the inside cover, trim the little square of excess. If this is a gift: KEEP THAT SQUARE! It will become your gift tag.
If you decide Number 2: adhere to wherever you’d like on the notebook. Then bend the excess over to the inside and adhere again.
9. With your extra little square of paper, punch a hole in the top and thread a ribbon through it. Use this as a tag for your journal gift.
10. If you would like (and I DO), trim all the edges of the newly covered notebook. I like to round the edges off then ink all the edges with an ink pad.
11. Last but not least: Accessorize!!! (accessorizing is never a bad thing) with stickers, letters, inking the edges, etc
12. Enjoy your newly beautified journal! Send us a pic of your creation!
