glue and paper...

I've spent much time over the last few months trying to find a way to customize journals for the upcoming CleanPlace Moot. We try to provide a journal every year--usually just a notebook with a sticker on the front or something. But this year I wanted to do something more snazzy.

Turns out that buying customized journals is very expensive...not to mention that the minimum order tends to be 200+. We only have 30-35 members who come to the Moot, and giving out the same thing year after year is not really my style.

Then my friend Holly posted a creative and fun way to make journals on her blog. I thought, "Hey, I can do that!" So I headed to JoAnns for the paper and Walmart for the composition journals (you know the black and white hard cover ones--they are like a quarter each!).

And here's what I made...

I added a "name plate" on the inside of each since I picked paper out special for each member.

And then in the back I put a personal note (my CP name is NarniaPrincess, or Nia).

Each journal ended up costing me somewhere around $0.75 to make! And since I was able to pick out paper designs for each member, each journal is very personalized, even more than ordering preprinted one would have been! Not to mention that they are super easy to make--I am planning on making a few more for myself just because they are so fun. I'm so thankful that Holly stumbled upon this idea, and that she shared it with me. Thanks Holly!

--To make, you need four sheets of 12X12 paper--two for outside, two for inside--cut the outside papers to 12 high and 8 inches wide. For the inside cut them down to 8 1/2 high and 6 1/2 wide. I like to round the corners on the inside. Glue the outside papers onto the book (right up to the black edger on the composition book, that's what makes them look so neat and edged!). When dry, fold in the corners first and glue down (this is going to help square off the corners). When those are dry, fold in the top and bottom and side. To make things really neat, take some of the cut off paper from the cover and paste a 1 1/2 stripe of it on the inside fold, right next to the pages--this makes it look really awesome! Once that's all dry, glue in your inside cover. Add any embellishments you might want!