A wonderful crafty friend (YT: Justine Stone) regularly hosts challenges asking folks to alter journals for folks in hospice care, senior centers, etcetera. This time she asked folks to alter journals for teens dealing with cancer (one for a boy and one for a girl). With such a wonderful cause, I knew I wanted to participate and hopefully create some useful items that might help a couple of young people work through some very difficult times.
I picked up a couple of notebooks at the Dollar Tree and decided to decorate them simply, to keep them more functional and practical for kids. For the masculine journal, I used some gorgeous paper from the DCWV “Tattered Times” collection and some fun textured animal print 
paper to add some extra durability to the spine and the edge of the inside pocket. I also used scraps to make a little coordinating bookmark. I love the Steampunk gears paper and just had to ink the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot to give the journal a nice finished look.
For the feminine journal, I used some beautiful paper from the KaiserCraft “Enchanted Garden” collection, inked the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Picked Raspberry, and added some floral trim (they seemed to match the the paper perfectly) and crocheted lace to cover the binding and make a closure, respectively. The soft trio of colors of pink, raspberry and green were bright, fresh and soft in a way that I thought suited the shabby chic look I was going for. I also made a matching bookmark for this journal using the banner die from the Avery Elle Dotted Die Set and a bit more of the floral trim.
I hope whoever receives these journals will enjoy using them and that they are helpful to their process of healing.
The following is a video share of the journals:
The feminine journal is being entered into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Throwback Challenge — Trio of Colors
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes Challenge
Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes Challenge
613 Avenue Create Anything Goes Challenge
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you are having a wonderful crafty day! WOOF
Lovely journal covers, gorgeous papers. Thanks for joining us at LPCF.
Rose DT x
Thanks so much Rose! tf stopping by! hugs, Kristina
Absolutely gorgeous journals!
Thank you so much! I hope the teens who receive them will like them and enjoy using them. Hugs, Kristina
These journals are beautiful and for a great cause. Thank you so much for sharing with us at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!!
these are fab and the cause is even bigger. must say that my favourite is the one with the gears. those DCWV papers look lush. thank you for sharing it with us at TTCRD and good luck, Theresa DT xx
http://craf-ther.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you so much Theresa! Yes, my friend Justine hosts the most wonderful challenges for great causes. I hope the kids who receive these journals will enjoy using them. TF stopping by! Hugs, Kristina
One word: MAGICAL! Thanks for playing along Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge 🙂
Gayatri xx
Thank you so much Gayatri! Yes, I hope that a little crafty magic will bring a smile to the children’s faces who receive these journals. 🙂 TF stopping by! Hugs, Kristina