Yesterday, I explained the basic instructions for decorating your journal. In this article, I’d like to focus on the extra touches you can do to make the album a personal reflection of you, and just to make it stand out.
I created two recently.
The first, shown at left, was a composition notebook that I covered with two different sheets of patterned paper. I chose a dark green patterned paper, to accompany the aged tan paper with the leaves all over it. I immediately loved the look, but then I am very drawn to autumn and fall colors. I decided to rip the paper so I could layer it and give it a semi-rustic look. Although I plan to do more to the cover, at this time I haven’t gone much further.
I did however decide to create a bookmark in the book (as shown on right). I used a piece of dark green fiber, though you could use ribbon, yarn, string or anything else. I actually chose the green fiber because I liked the prickly way it looked coming off the side of the book – almost like pine needles, giving the album still more of that nature feel to it.
I wanted something to be hanging off the end of the bookmark, and at first had decided on some beads. Then I came across the leaf you see pictured and I was sold. It was exactly what the album needed. And was a wonderful lesson on why if something doesn’t feel right, leave it and come back to it. If I had done the beads, and found this later, although I could have probably changed it, it would have been a hassle.
It’s very easy to place a bookmark into your album. Run the length of your fiber, ribbon, etc. along the inside of the front cover, all the way to the top of the outside of the spine. Leave enough to tie in place at the top corner of the book. Next you’re going to continue with the fiber, ribbon, etc, and run it down the center of the book. Just flip it open to whatever page it comes to and lay the string down through the center. You’re going to want some hanging out of the bottom of the book because then you know which page you’ve marked. Cut the piece with about an inch to an inch and a half hanging out. Now tie the fiber at the top leaving that piece hanging. If you want to secure beads, charms, or whatever else you can find to the bottom, do that now.
Now you have a built in bookmark for your journal.
At the same time I created the journal above, I also made another one. This one I’ve embellished a bit more.
I started with a gorgeous black and white patterned paper. It had texture in the paper already, with white roses, and torn paper and tinsel. It’s a beautiful paper. I decided to add some word ribbons, some hearts and some letters that spell out DREAM. I then glued a length of tiny pearls along the spine of the book securing in place at the bottom of the book. 
This is a different technique than the bookmark. After I secured it at the bottom, I attached a gold charm that reads “Life is measured by moments”. I then snipped the pearl strand so both sides were even.
I love the elegant way this journal looks. It’s not even finished yet, either. I’d like to paint or do something with the big white heart on the left side.
Of course now my four girls want to create journals of their own. Guess what we’re doing this weekend?
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