I’ve been a scrapbooker for over 20 years and over the years I’ve learned the importance of journaling. Journaling with photos is great, but sometimes you want to record ideas, experiences, and thoughts without an accompanying photo. That’s where journals come in handy! I love making custom journals and there are several ways I like to do that, but today I want to share with you how to make your own journal with the Staple Board.
I created a DIY journal complete with journaling prompts that will encourage me to write down my ideas, thoughts, experiences, and all those important details that I want to have recorded for years to come. I selected some of my favorite 12×12 scrapbook papers.
I created the cover with a double sided piece of patterned paper. I cut a 7 x 8 inch block and scored it vertically down the middle with my Trim and Score Board to make a 3 1/2 x 8 inch journal. Then I decorated the front of the cover with some die cuts.
For the inside pages of the journal I gathered four pieces of patterned paper and cut them all to 6 7/8 x 7 7/8 inches so they’re just smaller than the cover. That way when folded to fit in the journal, the edges of the inside pages don’t stick out over the cover. I stapled the cover and inside pages together with my We R Memory Keepers Staple Board to finish the structure of the journal.
I added a journaling prompt to each of the inside pages, along with some die cut embellishments.
I also made some frames to embellish some of my pages using the Frame Punch Board. This tool is super handy for framing photos or design elements on paper craft projects.
I finished off my DIY Journal with decorative paper clips, and secured it shut with a gold binder clip.
What I love about DIY journals is you can customize them to fit your needs. You can make them whatever size you want with however many pages you want. If you haven’t made your own journal before, you should give it a try! It’s easy, fun and a great way to tell your story. Thanks for stopping by friends!
