Been having fun making mini journals for my Etsy store. I take small composition books that I get at the dollar store. Then I reduce down my art works or vintage post cards and make lots of envelops and tags and add them to the journals to make them fun. I make the covers with left over designer paper like Graphic 45.
The journals above with the flaps are attached with velcro dots or could be done with mini magnets. I add a string or ribbon with beads to make the book marks. I save some of the cards I receive and cut out the illustrations that I like. The Paris embellishment on the notebook above came from a card I received and just could not throw away.
These inexpensive journals would make an easy project for school children as well as a personalized notebook to keep in your purse or backpack.
It is getting filled with my thoughts and experiments quickly. But that is good because then I get to make another one.
Then I make a large mixed media art journal that is very complicated and takes about 3 weeks to complete. Here is my currant one called Steampunk Woman; 
This started out as an old 1930s book that I rescued the covers ( the inside pages are being used for other projects), I cut out the pages and painted the covers white. Then I used clear gel and stencils to make the textured background. I painted it with metallic teal paint and edged with gold paint. I used Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante paper for the cover and the inside pages. I painted the woman on the cover with crackle paint and added the metal gears and a name plate.
I even made a small book of secrets that fits in a pocket for those private thoughts.
The back cover is plain except for the mixed media collage that I made on the front cover.
The beauty of this journal is that you can use the book rings to open and add your own pages or to rearrange anything. I love this type of premade journal when I travel because all I have to do is tape or paste items into it as I go.
creative vintage studio 