How to Customize a Journal Cover

Hey there!  It's Renee from thediyday here to share one of my favorite hobbies, journaling.  Surprisingly, when it comes to journaling, I enjoy personalizing those inexpensive $0.59 composition books.  The covers usually have some basic design to them and it's easy to incorporate that with my own creative touch.  Here's how I decorated my composition book with some of my favorite  StencilGirl® Stencils.

I wanted to incorporate most of the journal design into my design, so I decided to cover up the portions I didn't want with Gesso.

Then I used Matte Medium and attached collage paper to the cover (allow this to dry fully).

Next, I watered down some Heavy Body Acrylic Paint to the cover, giving a transparent effect.

Then I grabbed the Speckles and Spots Stencil (L587) by Carolyn Dube and added some fun spots to the cover.

I also added a pink and blue stain to brighten up the cover.

Once the cover was fully dry, I added a layer of texture with the Soulful Scribbles Dots and Dash (L605) by Traci Bautista and 3D Gloss Gel.

Last, I stenciled some circles using the Fade Horizontal Stencil (L027) by Michelle Ward. 

Now, my journal is ready for some journaling, lettering, and doodles!

Thank you for following along!

Renee