The Home Mgt Journal - Design Basics and quote pages

Charlotte asked for some specifics in creating a journal from the ground up. First I used a 2in clearview binder.It has a plastic sleeve outside so you can slip a paper inside. I surfed Two Peas in a Bucket  under 'planners' for design inspiration. Then hit the craft store. They sell all sorts of coordinated paper lines. It really doesn't matter which you get but a set that coordinates makes all the difference imo. Then you might want to choose some ribbon, stickers, or the like to accessorize. Again if you use the same line of products it's hard to go wrong.

Pick a font, or use my templates and just highlight them and then switch to your desired font if you wish. Mine are Word fonts which you all should have. The ones used for Elizabeth's were AL Age Old Love from Two Peas which looked most like Susan Branch's writing. You can download those from the store section. They run about $3 a set and will download right into your Word program.

Get a set of page protectors and make your dividers. Print off the divider labels from the last post and cut and paste to your patterned paper. You might want to mount them on a piece of solid color paper first to set the titles off nicely. Slip those into protectors. Get clear index labels to mount the labels on the sides of the divider pages so you can find them easily.

I used 12 by 12 paper to cover the front. It needed a bit of trimming but it covers it all. If you get 8x11 it won't go all the way across. (read: cheesey!)  Measure the side of your binder.  Then you can print off a cover spine: Download binder_spine.doc . You can use this one but then you will want to mount it on a larger rectangle the exact size of your binder spine. If you aren't used to changing text direction in Word it will save you that step. If you look at the top of your document before printing you can change the font and color by highlighting the text and hitting the "A" with the colors underneath right by the font box on the top toolbar.

I also printed off an inspirational quote for each section of the journals. I had seen some women's journals with parts of Proverbs 31.  I also liked some other famous quotes about order and such so I mixed mine up. After printing, these are slipped in the same page protector as the divider page - on the back side of it.

Download health_divider_quote.doc

Download housekeeping_divider_quote.doc

Download education_quote.doc

Download contacts_divider_quote.doc

Download faith_divider_quote.doc 

That is that. You can then start printing the articles, lists, and whatnot and filing them in the appropriate sections. I would keep all of those in page protectors also unless you are including a calendar you will be writing on. In that case include a nice pen. Gold or black is motivating imo!

Next up are the housekeeping lists. Bear with me. Late pregnancy and my need to actually LIVE this are trumping writing about it. Unfortunately I know too well how easy it is to be snowed under in no time. : /

Comments

[Viv]

Beautiful notebooks!
Here is a very basic scrapbooking question--for a real novice who has no interest in scrapbooking but has interest in creating a lovely home notebook.
Question--once I print the labels--how do I cut the labels so they look "not cheesey".
I have seen the cutters that you use with the templates--is that what you use or do you have and incredibly steady hand?
If using some sort of cutter for ovals does not work I could always use the straight cutter and cut rectangles.

Thanks

[Betty]

Hi! Beautiful notebooks!!! You referred to articles and lists and whatnots for the notebook. Are these things on your website? Do you have suggestions for these?

How amazing that God is using you to inspire others while you are in nesting! God's blessings to you!

Blessings,
Betty

[Dani]

This is such a great idea and thank you for the detailed instructions!!!

Hey, if you get a minute (LOL) stop by and check out Quinn's Autumn/Creation lapbook...we finally finished it. Thanks for all the great links. {{hugs}} Dani