Gratitude is good for you! Science tells us that practicing gratitude helps improve our health and overall happiness. This year, help your family out by making a DIY Gratitude Journal that everyone can write in. I posted instructions for this cute Thanksgiving craft idea over at Live.Craft.Love, so go check it out: [DIY Gratitude Journal]

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When her kids insisted on getting these plain clocks for their rooms, Katie from Sweet Rose Studio felt stuck. How was she going to make something so homely look adorable? With a little thought and some basic scrapbooking supplies, the clock was transformed into something fit for a princess. [how to make a cute clock with scrapbook paper]

Project estimate:

• Wall clock, $1 and up
• Scrapbook paper, on hand
• Pencil, on hand
• Craft knife, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Number stickers, $1 and up
• Rhinestone, on hand or $1 and up
• Craft paint, on hand
• Paintbrushes, on hand

Total: $2 and up

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Welcome to the first installment of a new series here on DSC:  Friday Freebies!  Every Friday we will bring you a new, free printable to use in your crafting or home decor.  Today’s printable is for all of you scrapbookers out there!  If you love the look of dimensional elements in your scrapbook but don’t like the way they make the pages lay in the album, here is a solution for you!  These free printable scrapbook journaling tags give the appearance that your page is trimmed with bits of pretty wool yarn.  I designed them with the old-fashioned cut and paste method; as much as I love graphic design projects on the computer, there is something about the tactile experience of working with paper and glue that just doesn’t compare to the virtual equivalent!  They’re lined for convenient, easy writing, and their color scheme is both cute and versatile.  Just print and trim and you’re ready to go!

Yarn Trimmed Scrapbook Journaling Tags

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I love making books and journals.  It’s something I’ve dabbled in for a long time.  The other day I came across a roll of kraft paper tucked away in a closet and it made me think of a project from my high school art class, for which we made art journals using recycled paper grocery bags.  I ended up building mine into the cover of a book and turning it into a scrapbook, and I got an A+ on it!  Inspired by that memory, I have recreated the project.  It’s a great first book project because it’s so easy that it’s also kid-friendly!

Project estimate:

• Hardcover book, $1
• Paper grocery bags or kraft paper, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

First, you’ll need a book.  I picked one from Goodwill that I chose for its pretty colors (if it has one, make sure you take off the dust jacket and look underneath) and its title, “The Inner Circle,” which I thought would make a good title for a scrapbook.

Carefully cut along the crease of the inside of both the front and back covers to remove the pages.  Measure the height and width of the pages, and put them aside for future book page crafts!

Cut your paper bags or kraft paper into pieces the same height as the book pages and twice as wide as the pages.  Fold each piece in half and crease well.  If you are using paper bags with printing on them, make sure the printed side is on the outside of each folded piece.  If you are using kraft paper on a roll, you may want to carefully place the folded pieces under a couple of heavy books to make them lay flat.

Apply a layer of glue to the front of one of the folded pieces (I used a foam brush and a light coat of Mod Podge), and making sure the folded edges are facing the same way, place a second folded piece on top of it.  Repeat until all of the pieces are glued together; you want your stack to be about 2/3 to 3/4 of the thickness of the original book pages to allow space in the book for gluing in photos and mementos.  If you’re using liquid glue, place the stack under books to keep it from curling as the glue dries.

Apply glue to the page on top of the stack, then carefully line it up and press it into place in book cover.

Repeat with the other side of the book.    Your book is complete!

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I’m not as into scrapbooking and card making as I used to be, but with Valentine’s Day upon us I felt the need to do some paper crafting.  I like making cards and mini scrapbook albums out of different materials, and this envelope mini album is perfect for so many occasions!  For Valentine’s Day, use it to make a memory album with photos of you and your sweetie, to make a “ten reasons why I love you” card, or to hold a set of love coupons.  A blank album also makes a great gift for a friend who enjoys scrapbooking!

Project estimate:

• Envelopes, on hand or $1
• Scrapbook paper, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Stick-on velcro, on hand or  $1

Total:  Free and up

You can use as many envelopes as you like, but be sure to use an even number.  (I used ten.)  Place two envelopes laying open with the flaps pointing away from you and the opening of the envelopes facing up.  Cove the flap of one of the envelopes with glue using a glue stick and place the second envelope so that its bottom lays over the flap.  Continue adding envelopes, all facing  in the same direction, until they are all connected.

Starting at the bottom of the strip, fold up the envelopes.  Fold the first flap normally, then fold the next flap backwards, then fold normally again, creating an accordion-like zig zag.

On the back sides of the envelopes (the side with the flaps), apply a layer of glue and fold together.  It is important that you only glue the back sides of the envelopes.  Do not glue the sides with the openings. This will turn the accordion into a book.

Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to  fit around the outside of  the album, including the flap.  You may also wish to cover the inside of the flap to cover the glue strip.

Fold up the  album and add a piece of stick-on velcro as a closure.  Inside the album, you can decorate envelope pages any way you like.  Cut pieces of cardstock to fit inside each envelope to make a pull-out inset for each page.  The possibilities for these albums are endless!

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Reader Sophia from Frugal Ideas from the Parsonage made these adorable castle-shaped photo albums out of recycled cereal boxes. She was inspired by a castle chipboard photo album she found online, and decided to use what she had on hand to make her own version (yay, ingenuity and frugality!). I love that she made a boy and a girl version of the album, both of which are totally cute in their own way. These are going to be party gifts for her kiddos for Valentines’ Day.  She used a few dollar store embellishments to give the castles some texture and interest. These would be good gifts for Mother’s or Father’s Day, too. [check out the recycled cereal box photo album projects here and here]

You will want to bind it in some way. An easy binding method would be to use binder rings like in this project, or there are a ton of other binding methods around. I found a recommendation for the book Expressive Handmade Books by Alisa Golden on Billie’s Craft Room (here’s her review of the book).

Project Estimate:

• Recycled cardboard, on hand
• Paper, on hand
• Embellishments (paint, beads, glitter, etc.), on hand
• Something to bind it with, on hand

Total: FREE and up

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Aww, so cute. Reader Jean submitted this project idea at the Dollar Store Crafts Facebook page; it’s a romantic book of “52 things I love about you” to give to your sweetie, out of a deck of cards and some binder rings. Cute idea by Kelly at Trans-craftinental, and so simple and customizable! Look beyond Valentines’ Day for this project as well; it would make a great personal gift for any occasion, or you could just use this idea to make an adorable mini scrapbook or tiny book filled with anything you want. Definitely keep this one in mind for Mother’s Day, too! [click here for how to make a Deck of Cards love book]

Project Estimate:

• Deck of cards, $1 or on hand
• Binder rings, $1 or on hand
• Scrapbook paper, other ephemera, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total: FREE and up

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the concept of the “Five Love Languages“* but basically the idea is that every person likes to give and receive love in a preferred format, most of which are covered by the Five Love Languages, which are:

• Physical touch
• Acts of service
• Quality time
• Words of Affirmation
• Gifts

Making this would cover a few of the love languages (gifts and words of affirmation), so if your sweetie loves compliments or gifts, think about making this one for him/her.

*I know it’s kind of random to throw this in here, but I am a big fan of personality profiles (like the Myers-Briggs!) and knowing my love language (and my loved ones’ languages) has really helped me out in everyday life! It even helps me interact with friends and co-workers. I liked the Five Love Languages of Children book the most (even before I had children) because it helped me understand the languages on a basic non-romantic level, although there are a couple other versions of the book, too.

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Esprit Cabane posted this simple project for pocket notebooks. This is a great reuse for paper that has been printed on one side, or is otherwise bound for the recycling bin. Use cardboard, an old photo, cereal boxes, or any other sturdy paper you have for covers. Add a charm or an attached pencil for added usefulness and whimsy. These would be great anytime gifts, or good party favors or stocking stuffers. Or, just make a stack to keep near your phone, on your nightstand, and in your car for whenever inspiration strikes!

Project Estimate:

• Recycled paper, on hand
• Heavy paper or cardboard, on hand
• Brads/paper fasteners, $1 or on hand
• String, beads, pencils, etc, as desired for embellishment, on hand
• Hole punch, on hand

Total cost: FREE or $1

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Here’s a cool scrappy craft that caught my eye at the By Shasta blog. It’s a handmade photo album wherein each page is a different shape. Nifty! By Shasta used a Cricut to cut the shapes, but you could easily freehand-cut the page shapes (or enlarge shapes you want on your computer, print, and cut them out). She used recycled cereal boxes (and other cardboards) to make the bases of each page.

It would be cool to make one for your Holiday pictures with recycled wrapping paper and holiday shaped-pages.

Project Estimate:

• Recycled light cardboard boxes, on hand
• Pretty paper, $1 or on hand
• Eyelets, $1
• Eyelet setting tool, $1
• Round binder thingies, $1
• Ribbon, lace, other embellishment, on hand or $1 and up
• Photos, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total cost: $3 and up

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