Stamp Things: Personalized Journals - Part I: Decorating Chipboard

When I mentioned that I needed a little notebook to keep track various medical information and tasks for my daughter, my daughter's night nurse suggested that I make one. " Why not?" I thought. " It can't be that difficult and I do have a Bind-It All" (Machine made by Zutter to bind things together) that I've never used before. "Shhh....Don't tell my husband". ;)

Although, I use this notebook for keeping track of medical information; it is also the perfect for journaling about Baby's first year or as a Pregnancy Journal. I also made one for her nurse to keep track of books and movies that she read or seen. It would also make a great gift for a new mom!

The tools and supplies that I used to create this adorable little notebook include

How to Decorate Chipboard.

Cut Chipboard to desired size of Journal. Do not punch holes for the spiral binding in it as shown in the picture above with the supplies. It is best to punch these holes last. Using the Bind-It-All will be shown in Part II. For this project, the 9-3/8" x 9-3/8" Chipboard was cut in half to yield two - 4-11/16" x 9 3/8" piece of chipboard. Don't worry about the funk measurements. Here is a tip for cutting ANY rectangle in half.

You only need to score one side of the chipboard. It will break apart as you bend it back and forth. In step 3 we will sand the sides smooth, so don't worry about the ragged edges.
When applying paper to chipboard, it is best to allow for some overlap. Cut the paper larger than the chipboard. Apply an even coating of Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive using the Broad tip adaptor. Center the paper over the chipboard and rub the paper to help it appear and work out any bubbles.
Using a craft knife or scissors, trim the excess paper from around the chipboard one side at a time.
Use a sanding block to light sand away those ragged edges.
Complete decorating the front cover and back cover as desired.

Wednesday's post will detail how to assemble the journal using the Zutter, Bind-It-All. Don't own a Bind-It-All, but want to make your own little journal, come to my March 6th, Saving StampThings Stampin' Up! Party where you can make one of your own. E-mail me at marie@stampthings.com for more information.

Link to Part II: Binding the Journal