Last month we had our second teen book club meeting for our Wild and Free group!

(So far the girls have read Tress of the Emerald Sea and Out of My Mind.)

From somewhere in the recesses of my mind circa 2007 I remembered a decoupaged reading journal bought at a craft fair.  I thought making our own reading journals would be the perfect activity for a book discussion.

(They turned out to be such a hit that I might have even made one myself with a couple of mom friends the next night!)

This activity is great for gatherings like book club, mom’s night, or a birthday party. (Though I warn you, there will be a lot of magazine scraps on your floor!) You could make reading journals, prayer journals, or just fun notebooks as a new school year kick-off.

Best of all, there are no special skills needed.  (Because these are the kinds of therapeutic crafts I approve of.)

So here’s what you’ll need:

A big ol’ stack of magazines.  Home, garden, travel, and farm magazines were perfect for our crew.  I asked around and got them from a friend, but you could also hit up your local Buy Nothing group.

Scissors.  You should have several pairs or ask people to bring them!  I hate being scissor-poor, so I bought a bunch from Amazon.  We have these which work great.

Composition notebooks.  You can get these at an office supply store or order in bulk   (Sometimes Dollar Tree has them!)

Mod Podge.  Mod Podge is literally the glue that holds this project together.  You’ll use it to adhere the magazine cuttings to the notebooks, but most importantly, you’ll use it to shellac the entire notebook when you are done.  This gives you a smooth, matte finish and ensures your cuttings stay firmly in place without the edges rolling!

Foam brushes.  To get that perfect layer of glue.

Before you start chopping into the magazines (soooo satisfying), it’s fun to pick a theme for your journal.  One of the girls in our group chose purple, another did all faces, and someone else did a mixture of florals and words.  Some collaged the letters of their name together.

Mine was sort of a cottage-core theme.  (What can I say, I love a Victoria Magazine!)

Now, cut and glue like you’re in first grade.  When you’re done, give it a proper shellac with the Mod Podge.

There’s just something relaxing about the treasure hunt of looking through magazines for the perfect collection of phrases or images. There’s no wrong way to do this, which is also what makes it such a fun craft.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try this by taking a photo of your notebook and tagging me on Instagram!

Some links in this post are affiliate links! When you click on them and make a purchase it supports my work.  Thanks for reading! 

41 thoughts on “Decoupage Notebook Tutorial

  1. Matteo Thompson says:

    Your blog has quickly become one of my favorites. Your writing is both insightful and thought-provoking, and I always come away from your posts feeling inspired. Keep up the phenomenal work!

  2. Tommie Bernhard says:

    Your blog is a testament to your passion for your subject matter. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and it’s clear that you put your heart and soul into every post. Keep up the fantastic work!

  3. Asia Larkin says:

    Your blog has quickly become my go-to source for reliable information and thought-provoking commentary. I’m constantly recommending it to friends and colleagues. Keep up the excellent work!

  4. Destiny Dietrich says:

    helloI really like your writing so a lot share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL I need an expert in this house to unravel my problem May be that is you Taking a look ahead to see you

  5. Quinton Treutel says:

    Thank you I have just been searching for information approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I have found out so far However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain concerning the supply

  6. Laury Raynor says:

    Its like you read my mind You appear to know so much about this like you wrote the book in it or something I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit but instead of that this is excellent blog A fantastic read Ill certainly be back

  7. profis-vor-ort.de says:

    Great article, thanks for sharing such valuable insights! 🙌 I really appreciate the way you explained the topic so clearly and made it easy to understand. It’s rare to find content that is both informative and practical like this. By the way, I recently came across a helpful platform called profis-vor-ort.de — it connects people quickly with local experts and services in Germany. I think it could be a great resource for anyone interested in finding trustworthy professionals nearby. Keep up the great work, I’ll definitely be following your future posts!

  8. Elda Wehner says:

    certainly like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality nevertheless I will definitely come back again

  9. Jason Abshire says:

    Your blog is a constant source of inspiration for me. Your passion for your subject matter is palpable, and it’s clear that you pour your heart and soul into every post. Keep up the incredible work!

  10. Willow Mayert says:

    Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

  11. Tressie Hane says:

    I have been browsing online more than three hours today yet I never found any interesting article like yours It is pretty worth enough for me In my view if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before

  12. Doris Heller says:

    hiI like your writing so much share we be in contact more approximately your article on AOL I need a specialist in this area to resolve my problem Maybe that is you Looking ahead to see you

  13. Norma Ledner says:

    What i dont understood is in reality how youre now not really a lot more smartlyfavored than you might be now Youre very intelligent You understand therefore significantly in terms of this topic produced me personally believe it from a lot of numerous angles Its like women and men are not interested except it is one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga Your own stuffs outstanding Always care for it up

  14. Icie Brown says:

    helloI really like your writing so a lot share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL I need an expert in this house to unravel my problem May be that is you Taking a look ahead to see you

  15. Wyman Morar says:

    Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

  16. Barbara Brown says:

    Wonderful beat I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site how could i subscribe for a blog web site The account aided me a acceptable deal I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea

  17. Thelma Lockman says:

    you are in reality a just right webmaster The site loading velocity is incredible It seems that you are doing any unique trick In addition The contents are masterwork you have performed a wonderful task on this topic

  18. Ron Nicolas says:

    Simply wish to say your article is as amazing The clearness in your post is just nice and i could assume youre an expert on this subject Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work

  19. Verona Blick says:

    I simply could not go away your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person supply on your guests Is going to be back incessantly to investigate crosscheck new posts

  20. Myra Leffler says:

    certainly like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality nevertheless I will definitely come back again

  21. Stephon Swift says:

    Thanks I have recently been looking for info about this subject for a while and yours is the greatest I have discovered so far However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply

  22. Bernita Murphy says:

    Your passion for your subject matter shines through in every post. It’s clear that you genuinely care about sharing knowledge and making a positive impact on your readers. Kudos to you!

  23. Delores Carroll says:

    Your writing is not only informative but also incredibly inspiring. You have a knack for sparking curiosity and encouraging critical thinking. Thank you for being such a positive influence!

  24. Haven Stamm says:

    I just wanted to express my gratitude for the valuable insights you provide through your blog. Your expertise shines through in every word, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from you.

  25. Ignacio Ward says:

    you are in reality a good webmaster The website loading velocity is amazing It sort of feels that youre doing any distinctive trick Also The contents are masterwork you have done a fantastic job in this topic

  26. Elvie Lebsack says:

    Your blog is a testament to your dedication to your craft. Your commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the online community.

  27. cfhk says:

    You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *