These composition books are good for schoolwork…and also work great for journals. But…it needs a little prettying up!!

Start with a composition book (you can them find anywhere they sell school supplies) and some Mod Podge from the craft store. The size of my book is 9-3/4 inches by 7-1/2 inches. Pick out some coordinating scrapbook papers. I like to use the thicker papers, the ones that are closer to light card stock weight. Sometimes they are double-sided. The green flowered paper below is thinner text weight paper that I used around the binding of the book. This weight works well because you are bending the paper around the book. 

Trim your main papers to 6 inches by 10-3/4 inches – one for the front and one for the back. Score both short sides and one long side 1/2 inch from the edge so it will fit around the cover like in the picture below. Using a foam brush, brush a light coat of Mod Podge on the front cover. Attach paper to the cover, being careful to line up the scored lines with the edges of the cover. Smooth out any air bubbles. Open the cover and, using Mod Podge, glue the top and bottom edges of the paper first. Then glue down the long edge. Repeat these steps on the back cover. 

Trim the paper you are using to cover the binding to 6 inches by 7-1/2 inches. Attach to the book with Mod Podge, overlapping the main papers by about 1/2 inch. Be sure to brush Mod Podge on the edge of the binding and smooth out any air bubbles. This is where I like using a thinner paper because it is easier to work with. Here are the front and back covers of the book. 

To finish the inside, trim card stock to 9-1/2 inches by 7-1/4 inches and glue to the inside of the cover with Mod Podge. Repeat for the inside of the back cover.

Trim another coordinating paper to 1 inch by 7-1/2 inches and attach over the “seam” of the 2 papers on the front and repeat on the back.

You may have noticed that the corners of the actual composition book are rounded, but my papers are not. I did that on purpose because it is hard to get the paper smooth if you try to match the rounded corner. This is another reason I like using the thicker paper, it makes your straight corners sturdier.

Then decorate the front of your journal however you would like!! I stamped Wakely Girl from Unity Stamp Company with brown ink on white card stock. She is colored with Copic markers, trimmed, layered to orange card stock, and attached to the front of the book. I tied 3 buttons with twine and attached them to the left corner.

And now you have a beautiful journal to write your thoughts in – or maybe to keep track of all those craft projects on your to do list! 

Happy Crafting!!

Anita