Guest Blogger: Heather Nichols

Hello everyone and welcome to this month's Traveler's Journal feature! This month, myself and the Traveler's Journal team are sharing some fun embellishments and accessories that you can add to your Traveler's Journals.

I don't know about you, but I really love paper craft embellishments and accessories. They just add so much fun to your projects!I have spent lots of time browsing embellishments at craft stores and to be honest, I spend time thinking about how I can make the embellishment myself. So many embellishments and accessories out there are actually pretty easy to make on your own. And when you make them yourself, you can completely customize them for your projects and journals.

I decided to create some glittery clips and embellishments for my journal this month – let me show you how I made them:

I started by die cutting some clips with the Clip Tips dies and stars with the Small Sketched Stars dies from kraft cardstock that I had added adhesive to the one side of. You can add adhesive using a sticker machine or a double sided adhesive sheet. When you die cut the cardstock with the adhesive (the adhesive should be covered by the backer paper) make sure the adhesive side is on top because that is what your glitter is going to stick to.

Once your shapes are die cut, remove the backer paper so you can add the glitter and labels to the shape (top left picture.) I added some labels that I stamped on white cardstock and then I also added a some tiny star glitter that I had in my stash to add a little more texture to my glittered embellishment.

After you have added those pieces to your shapes, then dip the shapes into the fine glitter to cover the rest of the embellishment (top right picture.)

Next, lay your embellishments on a craft mat or piece of acetate (so they won't stick to your work surface) and add a layer of Glossy Accents over the whole embellishment (bottom left picture.) Let this dry completely – I let mine dry overnight. You might notice that I had a little overflow and that is okay because once it's dry you can trim those pieces off.

After the pieces are dry (bottom right picture), you have a fun collection of epoxy like glitter embellishments! I love how the glitter is sealed right underneath the glossy accents.

It's back to school for my girls and so I put together a few little layouts in my journal with some photos that I took. This first page is of Hana on her first day of Freshman Orientation at the high school – I can't believe that both of my girls are in high school now!

The left page has a pocket made with the Traveler's Journal: Accessories pocket die that I tucked a card into that includes a little bit of journaling about the day.

I added a glittered clip with the "take note" sentiment on it to the side of this page. There's a little star embellishment on the journal card and I am sure you noticed the bookmark that I will tell you about in just a bit.

On this page I added a photo Hana with a glittered clip attached right to it along with a few little stamped and die cut embellishments that I made with the Desktop Design stamp set and dies.

This next layout spread is from the official first day of school. 

The left side is individual pictures of my girls along with a glittered star embellishment – I also love how the clip from the previous layout peeks out on the side.

And the right side is a photo of my girls together. I attached a clip to the photo that has the September abbreviation and then added the "6" on a punched circle to the bottom corner of the clip. There are a few more stamped and die cut embellishments here too. Some typed journaling and a few more glittered star embellishments finished off this page.

Now about that bookmark: I added some twine to the binding of the journal and then strung a few beads and glittered star embellishments to the end of it. Having a bookmark as a part of your journal is fun as well as functional. You can use it to mark a certain page to look back to, to mark the area in your journal where you left off, or just as a fun embellishment. And don't think you have to limit yourself to just one bookmark – add as many as you like!

Here's a look at the top of my journal where the twine goes down between the cover at the first page spread. I literally just tied it right to the binding and threaded it up and over the pages.

• STAMPS: Traveler's Journal: Dates, Clip Tips, Desktop Design
• INK: True Black, Pure Poppy, Prairie Grass, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Smokey Shadow
• PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Kraft, Bitty Big: True Black, Traveler's Journal: Page Blanks
• DIES: Memory Clips, Small Sketched Stars, Traveler's Journal: Accessories, Desktop Design, Monthly Moments: Mini Journal Card
• OTHER: gold glitter, gold star glitter, Glossy Accents, eyelets, white twine, red beads, 3/8" circle punch

Now, I know you are going to LOVE all of the ideas and inspiration for embellishments and accessories from the rest of the Traveler's Journal team:

 

"Just as accessories can totally make an outfit, they can also elevate your traveler's journals to something extra special. I'm excited to share with you some ideas for charms, bookmarks, and pen storage that will add both functionality and beauty to your journals."

• DIES: Traveler's Journal: Outer Cover; Traveler's Journal: Page Blanks; Stitched Tray: Rectangle Trim Die; Stitched Ornament: Classics; Bitty Button Stacks; Grand Botanicals; Coin Purse II; Sew Stylish Alphabet I
• OTHER: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Fresh Snow, Lavender Moon, Winter Wisteria, and Simply Chartreuse Felt; white thread; True Black Baker's Twine

Click here to visit Amy's blog to see more!

 

"Accessorize…How we all love our Accessories! If you are like me, it might not be so much about fashion or attire, but I love all the things when it comes to scrapbooking, crafting, and journaling! I’m showing some ways to make your own accessories using some things you may already have on hand, and a way to collect them all in one place when on the go!"

• STAMPS: Traveler’s Journal: Bullets, Traveler's Journal: Currently, Traveler's Journal: Adventure, Accessories Die, Envelope Die, Outer Cover Die
• INK: Tropic Teal and Enchanted Evening
• PAPER: Blueberry Sky, Melon Berry, Vintage Jadeite, Lemon Tart, Bitty Big: True Black
• DIES: Traveler's Journal: Accessories, Traveler's Journal: Envelope, Traveler's Journal: Outer Cover, Countdown Details
• OTHER: Rustic Cream button twine

Click here to visit Andi's blog to see more!

"Accessorizing your journals, planners, albums, etc. is often even more fun than actually making the album!! Creating decorations is exceptionally enjoyable and if you add in something like my moveable pen holder, then it's useful too! I hope you will join me on my blog where I will go over how to recreate these looks. Much love friends!"

• KIT: Traveler's Journal
• OTHER: Binder Clip, Large Paper Clip, Ribbons, Pom Poms, Twine, Tassels, etc. (whatever you happen to have)

Click here to visit Stephanie's blog to see more!

Thank you so much for joining me and the Traveler's journal team today and I look forward to sharing more Traveler's Journal inspiration with you next month!