Fabric Journal

What You Need:

• Non-spiral notebook
• Cardboard
• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Paperclip
• Light-weight fabric
• Glue or spray adhesive

What You Do:

1. For this project, you can either use scraps of fabric and ribbons already lying around the house or you can take your child shopping for those items. The benefit of going to the store is that your child can pick out colors and patterns that specifically appeal to her.
2. Measure the notebook with your child. Have her cut out two pieces of cardboard that are the same size as the notebook cover.
3. Cut two one-foot-long pieces of ribbon.
4. Punch a small hole halfway up the side of one of your cardboard pieces. Knot the end of one ribbon. Use a paperclip to push the ribbon through the cardboard hole. Repeat with second piece of cardboard.
5. Open the journal and place it on the fabric. Cut out a large rectangle of fabric that is slightly bigger than the open journal. An ideal size is a rectangle roughly two inches larger in width and height than the journal.
6. Glue the fabric piece onto the notebook. Fold the excess fabric over the notebook covers.
7. Glue one of your pieces of cardboard onto the inside cover of the notebook, covering any excess fabric. Make sure the side of the cardboard with the ribbon is facing out. Apply this same technique with the notebook's back cover. Both ribbons need to be facing out because your child will use them to tie her journal closed.
8. Once the glue dries, all your child needs is a pen. She's ready to start journaling!