Back in College I took an Online Psychology of Dreams course. It was super interesting and I got really good at reading dreams! At the end of the semester, the instructor gave us the choice of heading to her house for an all day Dream Retreat, or taking an exam. I chose the former and headed off to her house with 10 other members of the class.We spent the day analyzing dreams, discussing theories and making dream journals. The instructor made her own paper, so we used that as covers, and twine and leather string for binding. I’ve held onto that skill the last 10 years and have made numerous journals. I even taught two separate Girl Scout Troops how to make them! And today I’m going to share it with you.
 
I love how custom you can make these – size, style, materials, textures. For this tutorial I used chipboard for the cover and the brand new Mod Podge Rocks! Peel & Stick Stencils from my friend Amy of Mod Podge Rocks! These stencils are great – they adhere to just about any surface and can be re-used several times. They are designed to be used with Mod Podge, so really, the applications are endless! Michaels Craft Stores have these awesome new stencils in stores now, so head on out to buy yours today! 
 
 
Materials Needed:
Chipboard, cereal box, homemade paper – any thicker cover stock weight paper will work
Plain 8.5 x 11 computer paper
Twine or leather string
Drill & drill bit
Block of wood
Mod Podge Rocks! Peel & Stick Stencil
Mod Podge
Foam Pouncer
Glitter
 
DIRECTIONS:
 
Fold a small stack of computer paper in half, making it 5.5×8.5.
 
Do the same for the cover material. I used 12×12 chipboard, so folded it in half and then trimmed it to 6″x9″.
 
Place the computer paper into the cover.
Place the book unto the block of wood. Drill a hole about .5″ from the top, all the way through all of the paper. 
Do the same for the bottom and then locate the middle and add one more hole.
 
Thread twine through a tapestry needle and  feed it through the holes. I started at the bottom, going in through the back of the book and out the front, up to the middle hole going in through the back hole and coming out the front and up to the top hole, going in the back and out the front. I then went through the top hole again, back to front, down to the middle back to front, and down to the bottom back to front, where I tied the two tails together and cut.
 
Now your journal is made and it is time to decorate! Really you can do this any way you want. I used the Tangier pattern Mod Podge Rocks! Stencil, but I think the wood grain one would have looked really cool too.There are detailed directions on the back of the stencil, but the cool part is these babies are are made to be used with Mod Podge and can be washed afterwards! 
Adhere your stencil to your cover, and using a pouncer or a paint brush, or even just your finger, dab a nice amount of Mod Podge onto the stencil. 
 Remove the stencil and sprinkle on the glitter! Mod Podge is fast drying so make sure to move quickly. Turn your DIY journal over (make sure to have a sheet of paper laid down!) and tap off the excess glitter and funnel it back into the container. Set aside to dry and you’re done! You’ll want to immediately wash off the stencil to keep it clean and working properly. The stencil can still be used after loosing it’s stickiness, so you’ll be able to keep this baby around for a long time!  Visit Plaid Crafts for a more in-depth tutorial on using the stencils.
 
You’ve just made a fabulous journal that can be used for just about anything!
 
DISCLAIMER: I shared links to the Mod Podge Stencils as a favor to my friend, Amy. I did not receive compensation, though I did receive a stencil in order to write this post.
 
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