Cardmaking, next to scrapbooking, was the paper craft that got me hooked to crafts and the DIY lifestyle.
When I started skipping greeting card racks at bookstores in favor of making my own cards, I was truly amazed with what a pair of scissors, glue, a couple of packs of cardstock -- plain and printed -- and embellishments can do.
And as a crafter, I'm constantly looking for ways to deviate from my comfort zone. So before the year ended, I attempted a challenge: I turned a scrapbook template into a greeting card.
(**DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. I'll collect a commission every time you click on those links and make a purchase.)
Free scrapbook template downloaded
As a designer, Kate Hadfield offers a lot of aesthetically pleasing scrapbook templates in her website, Kate Hadfield Designs.
The template above fits a 6" x 6", 8" x 8", 12" x 12", or 24" x 24" sheet of scrapbook cardstock. To suit a birthday card with a portrait orientation, I cut a 12cm circle out of a plaid, 6" x 6" sheet of scrapbook paper.
I then used a black, felt-tip pen to draw 2 pumpkins, leaves, and the rustic HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting, and cut them. Finally, I glued everything together.
Christmas is just around the corner. Aside from shopping for gifts for everyone on your gift giving list, or making sure that you have enough craft materials for DIY presents, there's another aspect we have to deal with: wrapping presents creatively and aesthetically.
Ever Thought About Skipping on the Wrapping Paper?
Every new year ushers in brand new designs of wrapping paper, both matte and glossy, sold at the stationery section of large bookstores, specialty bookstores, office supplies chains, gift shops, crafts and hobbies stores, and even shops and kiosks with a selection of party supplies.
Image from freepik
But have you ever thought about taking the less wasteful, more meaningful route towards wrapping presents?
Why Look for Sustainable Ways to Wrap Gifts?
Wrapping gifts through sustainable ways is gentler on the environment.
It might come as a surprise, but sustainable gift wrapping reduces clutter while sending fewer and fewer waste in a landfill.
With enough planning, looking for sustainable ways to wrap gifts can be effective in honing your creativity.
Even if you decide to forego on silver or gold, or the usual, festive red or green wrapping paper, it's possible to come up with various designs and aesthetics when wrapping presents.
You can make your gifts look understated and elegant, or decorate it in a way that gives off vintage or whimsical vibes, or even shabby chic.
You can get your entire family involved.
Promoting sustainability must start with your family. You and your family members can bond over gift wrapping sessions during an entire afternoon.
This creative activity can also help wean your kids away from the screen, albeit temporarily.
Replacing wrapping paper can further reduce the costs of gift giving.
You may not think much about the cost of a sheet, or roll, of wrapping paper. But what if you have a dozen (or so) recipients on your gift giving list?
Also, you may have bought presents like toys that were packed in huge boxes, and they might require 2 sheets of gift wrapper. Add the extra expense of ribbons and gift tags, and the total could end up in an amount that could afford you another gift.
Want additional tips to reduce your Christmas expenses? Read --
Having mentioned all of these reasons to resort to sustainable gift wrapping, here are 7 sustainable ways that are gentle on the environment and budget:
(1.) Try colorful fabric.
If you're a crafter who's mainly into sewing, you can use any leftover fabric that you have, or repurpose old clothes. Learn the Furoshiki style, which is an extremely presentable way to wrap items when using cloth.
(2.) Make use of kraft paper.
A roll of kraft paper is relatively inexpensive compared to sheets of gift wrapper.
Image from freepik
Admittedly, the neutral colors (e.g. brown, black, etc.) in which kraft paper come can potentially dull the festive nature of gift giving.
This is where you can be as creative as possible in putting accents to jazz up the look of your presents.
Below isn't an exhaustive list of ideas, but just a few suggestions:
Tie a strip of leftover ribbon, twine, or colorful yarn all over your present.
Recycle old greeting cards into gift tags.
Get hold of your craft punches, and turn excess cardstock or scrapbook paper into star-shaped, pine-tree-shaped, or snowmen-shaped gift tags.
Materials like fake pine cones, chimes, or Christmas balls also make festive accents.
If you have a stack of old magazines, newspapers, comic books, or catalogues piled around the house, then you have a goldmine of replacements for wrapping paper.
There are old calendars that are just too pretty to be thrown away. An entire sheet can be upcycled into a gift bag, or colorful sections can be used to make gift wrapping bows.
(6.) Turn old greeting cards into gift boxes.
Have you accumulated greeting cards over the years? Then you can select the most colorful and glittery cards you have to craft gift boxes.
Gift boxes are ideal if you enjoy giving away accessories and trinkets, or kitschy items like keychains, phone straps, and bag charms.
(7.) Use decoupaged containers to hold presents.
If you think shoeboxes or empty cardboard boxes have minimal value, think again! A lot of crafters swear by a technique called decoupage to decorate and upcycle old containers.
And what's even better is, you can tear or shred just about any waste paper for the 1st layer of your decoupaged container. Make use of old documents, magazines and other periodicals, or even flyers and junk mail.
For a vintage, shabby chic, or whimsical look, strategically place any flowers, embellishments, or craft materials of your desired style as a 2nd layer.
If you have boys and men on your gift giving list, cut out illustrations from low-value comic books, or images from video games, technology, automobile, or sports magazines.
If you have any old issues of comic books lying around the house, it would be best to upcycle them into comic book crafts.
Why Upcycle Old Issues of Comic Books?
For environmental and practical reasons
Upcycling helps reduce one's ecological footprint. Instead of old comic books piling up in a clutter at home or ending up in a landfill, upcycling can be a productive way to minimize waste paper.
Issues of low-value comics can be put to good use. Modern comic books and "filler" issues have low market value. Instead of selling them for a dime adozen, upcycling them into aesthetic crafts can be a better way of giving them value.
For creative and artistic expression
Crafters can take advantage of black-and-white and colorful matte pages, and glossy comic book covers.
For uniqueness and novelty
Pages from old comic books can be a good (and cheaper) alternative to paper craft materials like scrapbook paper. Comic book illustrations come in bold and bright colors. Pages can potentially rival scrapbook paper and printed cardstock. Even black-and-white pages can be made to look aesthetically appealing when used for DIY crafts.
Comic book crafts can be customized and tailored to suit one's tastes and preferences. It doesn't matter if you patronize superhero comic book powerhouses like Marvel and DC, or you used to be just a casual reader of the comics page of the Sunday morning newspaper.
Or, you may have preferred and collected timeless pop culture favorites like Archies, Peanuts, Garfield, or Disney.
And how about those copies for which you have lined up during Free Comic Book Day?
A few of the comic book crafts below can be tailored to suit your friends or colleagues. They can also be customized for your child's homeroom adviser, her best friend, a grandmother, an aunt or uncle, or a cousin.
Moldy, crumpled, or torn comic book pages can still be used. Lest you think that such pages are worthless, think again!
PLAID Mod Podge (Water-based sealer, glue and finish in assorted variants) by pocketsavers
There are reasons crafters swear by certain tried-and-tested techniques like papier mache or decoupage. With the help of a jar of Mod Podge and an old paintbrush, your only limit to creating is your imagination.
For frugality
Comic book crafts can be given away as attractive yet inexpensive gifts. And I'm not just talking about stocking stuffers or gifts for Secret Santa for your neighborhood block parties or church get-togethers.
You can DIY comic book crafts to give away as presents for occasions like birthday, anniversary, a housewarming, or a farewell party.
Should all of the reasons I have cited to upcycle convince you to try comic book crafts, here's a list of 9 DIY projects that are guaranteed to provide you with hours of fun:
(**DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, which means I'll be collecting a commission each time you click on those links and make a purchase.)
Preloved comic books Justice League (50% off) from The Mint Garage
(1.) Decorate a wine bottle. Forget about spending a ton just for a style upgrade for your home this holiday season.
Imagine having a quirky-looking vase next to a stack of randomly arranged books on your coffee table.
Just take an empty bottle of wine or champagne and old copies of black-and-white or color comic books, click on the tutorial above, and you'll have a worthwhile conversation starter at home in no time.
Pre-loved Spider-Man comic books by Roland's Comics, Roland Komiks
(2.) Make a set of coasters. You probably have more than a couple of people on your gift-giving list who enjoys a warm mug of hot chocolate or coffee, maybe with a batch of pancakes or a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast before heading off to work.
A hot beverage can be the best companion while reading a good book, or during an afternoon of knitting or needlework.
Men who crash out on their couch to watch a ballgame or Netflix on weekends, or tinker with their gaming equipment may wish to grab a cold beer nearby.
So why not make a dozen or more of these comic book coasters for them?
Since this upcycling project requires ceramic tiles, you should also plan a trip to the hardware store.
(3.) Are you too cool for school? Is note-taking in biology or algebra turning into a real bore? Are your notebooks and binders looking drab?
This tutorial from Autodesk Instructables utilizes old issues of fashion magazines. Feel free to substitute magazine covers with comic books.
Put some attitude into your school supplies by turning glossy comic book covers into notebook covers.
You can also arrange photos along with your selected comic book illustrations into a collage to decorate the front of your binder and its dividers.
Add embellishments like washi tapes, stickers, and die cuts, and school days will never be the same again.
(4.) Tote your own comic book clutch.
Have you run out of ideas on how to accessorize that little black dress or cocktail dress?
Also, think about those random or spur-of-the-moment errands, like a quick trip to the cafe to grab coffee and a sandwich, or the grocery store, or the salon for a trim or touch-up, where you only need to take small bills, a credit card, and your phone?
Make a comic book clutch (or 2, or half a dozen) to match a formal attire, or even an outfit that's semi-formal or business casual.
You can further modify this DIY project to decorate similar or larger clutch-style bags that you have thrifted, or rescued from going straight to a landfill.
In no time, you'll have the convenience to choose among several clutches for your next errand.
(5.) Make decoupage containers.
As a crafter, I swear by the wonders of a technique called decoupage.
Even if you ended up with a pile of comic books with low-market value, or you're trying to figure out how to make good use of moldy, dusty, crumpled, or torn pages, you can turn to decoupage to use up and clear away your clutter.
Photo from Crafts by Amanda For full tutorial, click here.
While the tutorial above involves round containers, you can just as easily take an old shoebox or empty gift box and apply the same technique to decorate it.
(6.) Jazz up a plain picture frame. Since we're on the topic of decoupage, here's another upcycled comic book craft that shows how it can be done, but this time, to a plain picture frame.
Image from Autodesk Instructables Click here for full tutorial.
And don't even think about rushing to the store to get cheap frames. Why not take any old ones you have around the house, and make them look brand new with this comic book craft?
Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest comics (priced per piece) from Roland's Comics, Roland Komiks
(7.) Hold off on buying loot bags for your next party. You may wish to stock up on inexpensive loot bag items like sticker sheets, notepaper, or craft materials as giveaways for birthday parties, or any kind of party.
But wait! Refrain from shelling out extra cash for loot bags, and settle for paper bags crafted from comic book pages instead.
Whenever there's a need for loot bags for guests for any kind of party, the colorful and bold illustrations on comic book pages are more than enough to suit the bright and festive mood of your celebration.
Image from Red Ted Art For full tutorial, click here.
And why limit yourself to upcycling comic pages into loot bags? You can DIY your own gift tags, and even make party invitations and place them inside comic book envelopes.
(8.) Delight your bookworm buddies. Whether your friends are heavy on the classics, prefer self-help or inspirational bestsellers, go from contemporary page-turners one day to poetry the next, or lean towards graphic novels, surely they'll appreciate a bunch of old comics turned into bookmarks!
To add a personal touch to your bookmarks, you can tie a ready-made tassel, a strip of plain satin or printed ribbon, or utilize leftover yarn or embroidery floss.
Want to learn other styles of DIY bookmarks? Read --
Turn heads every time you go out, or jazz up a plain jeans-and-T-shirt combo by putting on a pair of colorful, artsy earrings made from comic book pages.
The video tutorial above shows how to make a basic pair. You can modify and shape your comic book earrings into diamonds, hearts, teardrops, fir trees, snowmen, top hats, and animals like cats, bunnies, bears, etc.
I have cited several reasons scrapbooks-in-a-jar can be better than traditional scrapbooking. It's not too far a stretch for dedicated hobbyists. And as crafters, they'd get to recycle more and use up the excess supplies from their craft stash faster.
Here are the remaining 4 scrapbooks-in-a-jar DIY themes:
(**DISCLAIMER: I have kept my local readers in mind for this 2-part blog post. I have inserted affiliate links to products that are easily accessible for the list of DIY scrapbooks-in-a-jar I have curated. I will collect a commission each time you click on those links and make a purchase.)
(6.) KPop-inspired Scrapbook-in-A-Jar
KPop-inspired scrapbooks-in-a-jar are so fun to make. Each group has its own official logo and colors, and lots of KPop-inspired merch, both official and fan-made, are available out there.
And even if you don't stan a group or aren't really into this genre of music, you can DIY a couple of these scrapbooks-in-a-jar as gifts for your KPop-loving friends.
Photo cards can also be bought at relatively cheap prices. You can then insert extras, like miniature stickers or flatback charms of popular Korean food and snacks.
Consider the group's official colors and logo, and let them be the focal point of your scrapbook-in-a-jar.
(7.) Spring-Themed Scrapbook-in-A-Jar
Painting flowers or incorporating insects like ladybugs or bees is perfect for this spring-themed DIY project.
This recycled spice bottle may be too small for a scrapbook-in-a-jar. You can take a bigger jar to accommodate a photo and other embellishments.
Gather any photos you have of your family enjoying nature. It could be your kids tending to a flower bed, or your latest visit to the zoo.
You could be having a picnic at the park, fishing by the lake, or enjoying s'mores or roasting marshmallows by a campfire.
Think about your friends who enjoy sewing or baking. For sewing enthusiasts, embellishments will come in the form of craft buttons, a piece of colorful fabric, a cute pin cushion, and needle minders.
Printed liners of cupcake molds and miniature baking equipment as embellishments, on the other hand, will suit the scrapbook-in-a-jar for baking enthusiasts.
Since the holidays are fast approaching, make sure to have at least a dozen of these handy for Secret Santa and stocking stuffers. Think pine cones, fake snow, artificial snowflakes, Christmas balls, and red and green ribbons.
You may have a family photo taken, where all members are decked in funny-looking pajamas or ugly sweaters. You may also have your child's picture taken with Santa Claus at a nearby department store.
The good news is while you may need to buy some of the craft materials, a lot of the ideas in the videos require everyday items that can be recycled instead of thrown away.
What often comes to mind when someone mentions "scrapbooking" as a craft or hobby?
You probably think of 6" x 6", 12" x 12", and 24" x 24" scrapbook albums and paper, photos, die cuts, and embellishments.
But have you ever thought about the elements of scrapbooking, and maybe a little more -- all put together in a jar?
The Uniqueness of the Scrapbook-in-A-Jar
A scrapbook-in-a-jar lends novelty to the craft.
Imagine not arranging photos and elements on the pages of a scrapbook album. Instead, you'll take an empty jar, choose a theme, add a photo, and choose embellishments based on your theme.
Selecting the appropriate jar can be just as much fun as deciding on the size of the scrapbook album. Putting together a scrapbook-in-a-jar can truly be an exercise in creativity.
Scrapbooks-in-a-jar can be frugal.
While different sizes of mason jars can be bought in bulk for a cheaper price, you can choose to recycle empty jars of peanut butter, mayonnaise, pickle relish, or fruit preserves to create your scrapbooks-in-a-jar.
Also, you'll most likely need to use only excess supplies from your craft stash, including bits and pieces of scrapbook paper, ribbons, yarn, and twine.
You can also incorporate random items like tassels, lace, paper doilies, and a strip of pom pom trim.
So if you think resorting to crafting gift tags and bookmarks just to use up your stash has gotten old and boring pretty fast, putting together several scrapbooks-in-a-jar can be a new and exciting way to get rid of your excess supplies.
You can incorporate 3D elements better in a scrapbook-in-a-jar.
Unlike traditional scrapbooks with a flat, 2D surface, you can incorporate 3D elements better in a scrapbook-in-a-jar.
You can use multi-purpose glue to attach a small toy or figurine on your jar's lid, or attach oddly shaped craft buttons in strategic areas of your scrapbook-in-a-jar.
Scrapbooks-in-a-jar can have a decorative effect.
Because of their size, you can place a scrapbook-in-a-jar nearly anywhere -- next to a lamp on your bedside table, or the pencil holder on your desk.
Scrapbooks-in-a-jar can also be an eye candy, and serve as conversation starters in your home. You can randomly stack up books in various sizes and thickness on top of a coffee table and place a scrapbook-in-a-jar next to it.
So if you want to brighten up a rather threadbare space or room, why not place several scrapbooks-in-a-jar wherever appropriate.
A scrapbook-in-a-jar can be customized to be given away as a gift.
If you're looking for a unique present for loved ones or friends, a scrapbook-in-a-jar is a fool-proof handmade item that no one can resist.
All you need to do is keep the recipient's interests in mind, and tailor the jar accordingly. It could be a hobby or interest, or her favorite colors or styles. It could be a movie, TV series, or pop culture icons.
Putting together scrapbooks-in-a-jar can be frugal, so these items can also be excellent stocking stuffers.
(**DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, which means I'll be collecting a commission each time you click on those links and make a purchase.)
(1.) Pop Culture-Themed Scrapbook-in-A-Jar
Pop culture-themed scrapbooks-in-a-jar can be given as presents to anyone whose tastes are influenced by particular characters from cartoons, comic strips, video games, movies, or TV shows.
The video tutorial above features 3 kinds of jars decorated the shabby chic way. They're easy and simple enough to modify according to your tastes and preferences.
(3.) Beach-Themed Memory Jar
Set of 10 pieces Blue Wave washi tapes by jenny540118556.ph
The focal point of this DIY scrapbook-in-a-jar is to take your latest photo at the beach (it could be with your family or a group of friends) and place it inside a jar, and choose embellishments that give off a beach-y vibe.
Photo from Mom 4 Real For full tutorial, click here.
For this DIY project, sand, artificial moss, and seashells are a must. You can then incorporate a color or black-and-white photo.
Opt for teal, aquamarine, or sky blue washi tape for the lid of your jar. You can further add a rustic vibe by tying a piece of jute twine around the lid with a seashell attached.
(4.) Sports-Themed Scrapbook-in-A-Jar
Most guys would appreciate this DIY project, so I expect crafty girls and women to come up with one for their sweethearts, husbands, brothers, nephews, or sons.
Image from Mason Jar Crafts Love For entire procedure, click here.
Wrap a jar with sports-themed scrapbook, and tie a string around it and attach a miniature coach's whistle.
Take photos and tickets from a recent ballgame, cut out miniature jerseys, basketball courts and basketballs from cardstock, or try football-shaped accents if football is what the recipient prefers.
Whatever your guy's favorite sport is, you'll find countless ways to satisfy his fanaticism.
(5.) Jar-Shaped Holiday Scrapbook
Image from Artsy Albums Click here for full tutorial.
Deviating slightly away from the use of mason jars or recycled jars of mayonnaise, fruit preserves, or pickle relish is the holiday-themed, jar-shaped scrapbook.
Crafters will have a lot of fun with this DIY project, since it requires the use of a lot of scraps of scrapbook paper with bright and bold patterns.
You can also recycle greeting cards and gift tags you may have accumulated throughout the years. Be generous with embellishments like stickers and washi tapes as well.
If you've tried crafting with a type of fabric called felt, you may have realized by how versatile it can be.
Felt is an easily accessible craft material, and more affordable when bought in bulk.
Photo from freepik
Available in a multitude of colors, felt fabric can easily be cut or trimmed into shapes, and sown together using needles in several sizes, and yarn or embroidery floss.
While you may need to master basic sewing techniques to finish your felt projects, you can also use fabric glue for felt crafts.
Another advantage of felt is you can use a lot of craft materials to serve as accents: buttons, ribbons, cloth patches, twine, pom poms, tassels, and even miniature Christmas balls.
In this blog post, I have curated a list of a total of 7 Christmas-themed felt projects. Taking crafters' skills from all backgrounds into consideration, the level of complexity of these DIY projects range from easy to moderate.
You can create these felt crafts and keep some to yourself, and give the rest away as stocking stuffers, or as a present for your next Secret Santa. Just make sure to plan ahead, and you'll finish these felt crafts in no time.
(**DISCLAIMER: I have kept my Filipino readers in mind for this blog post, so I embedded affiliate links from Shopee for easier access to materials. These DIY projects were made with craft materials from North American brands.)
Durable, non-woven felt fabric sheets; available in 15 x 15 cm and 10 x 10 cm
Snowman Hoop Ornament
Image from Crafting Cheerfully For a full tutorial, click here.
First among our list of felt crafts is a pair of snowmen hoop ornaments, in which you'll get to use buttons and strips of polka-dotted and plaid ribbons.
100 meters/roll baker's twine (available in red-and-white and green-and-white) by liehuo.ph
Button and Felt Ornaments
Photo from Cutesy Crafts Click here for full tutorial.
Mixed wooden buttons (50 pieces) from women's clothes
If you're a fan of wintry scenes, then this is the perfect felt craft for you! Using wooden buttons would give off a rustic feel, giving you visions of a snowy Christmas in the countryside.
Felt Ball Ornaments
Photo from Better Homes & Gardens For full tutorial, click here.
Instead of store-bought Christmas balls that usually come in red, gold, silver, or green why not craft a bunch of these felt ball ornaments?
If you're the type who prefers a silver fir tree, using these colorful accents as contrast will truly put the "Merry" in your Christmas.
Felt Gnome Ornaments
Image from Cutesy Crafts Click here for full tutorial.
Who can resist these wonderful little creatures? Try something different this year by hanging felt gnome ornaments on your Christmas tree instead of Christmas balls.
Santa Claus Felt Ornament
Photo from Revista Artasanato For full tutorial, click here.
Will Christmas ever be complete without the fat, jolly man with rosy cheeks, hauling his sack of gifts and trying to fit into a chimney? This Santa Claus felt project will get you saying "Ho ho ho!" in no time.
Felt Pine Cones
Photo from Lia Griffith For full tutorial, click here.
You can make a bunting or garland with a bunch of these pine cone ornaments.
Or, you can make your dinner table look more festive by gathering around a dozen of these felt pine cones on a platter and placing it beside a red candle as a centerpiece.
If you have a long table, cover it with a plaid red-and-white table runner and place two platters of these on opposite ends with a red candle each.
Felt Reindeer Drawstring Bag
Image from Stubbornly Crafty For full tutorial, click here.
Rounding up our list of Christmas-themed felt crafts is a pair of reindeer drawstring bags from Stubbornly Crafty.
You can follow the tutorial and store small items inside, like candies or trinkets. Or, you can modify the template and create a larger bag for items like a bottle of perfume, lotion, cosmetics, or sewing supplies.
Furthermore, you can replace red felt with a large button for the reindeer's nose.
As a blog, Crafty in the City advocates frugal crafting. And as a crafter, I swear by repurposing pre-loved children's hardbound books into junk journals as a way to thrift this creative hobby.
Why Repurpose Children's Books?
Aside from the thrifting aspect, children's books give a wealth of colorful pages, matte or glossy.
If you're fortunate enough to find pop-up books, you can alter them as well and have fun with 3D effects.
You can give your junk journal a theme (for this blog post it will be journals repurposed from pre-loved Sesame Street books) and look for products (e.g. stickers, washi tapes, excess wrapping paper, etc.) that adhere to your theme.
You can incorporate generic materials like ribbons, index cards, ephemera, scrapbook paper, cardstock, etc.
You can DIY die-cuts and other materials (e.g. lamp post, school bus, Cookie Monster's eyes and cookies, Elmo's piano, etc.) to replicate the Sesame Street characters and stuff for which they're known.
You can use a multitude of techniques to decorate your junk journal, giving you the ultimate, unhinged, no-hold-barred experience.
Repurposing pre-loved books causes us to cut back on clutter and come up with something "brand new." In the long run, repurposing can be more sustainable, leading to less harm on the environment.
You can personalize and pass on your junk journals as gifts to children.
(**DISCLAIMER: Affiliate links to products are provided in this blog post. Each time you click on those links and make a purchase, I'll collect a percentage from your purchase as a commission.)
A Little Golden Book Sesame Street children's picture book from treasuresbyheylittlebuddyz0.ph
(optional) scrapbook scissors, craft punches, manufactured die cuts
Procedure
Take a look at your materials and decide what types of pages to incorporate on your Sesame Street junk journal. You can create pockets from cardstock and decorate them with stickers and washi tapes. You'll now have convenient places to insert mementos like postcards, notes, letters, and greeting cards.
You can wrap the back cover with printed fabric, glue wavy ribbons or pom pom frills on the pages' edges, or use two wide strips of polka-dotted ribbons as closure.
Attach a couple of colorful metal binders onto your journal pages. Take a bookmark (or two) and tie the tassels around the clasp of the metal binders.
Let loose! Go crazy! Experiment with various techniques for layouts and spreads.
Have photos developed in black-and-white and arrange them to serve as a stark contrast to the colorful pages.
Use ruled index cards to copy favorite recipes, quotes, jokes, poetry, etc.
For ideas and suggestions, four video tutorials have been embedded onto this blog post.
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