Moments & Memories Handmade Journal
Hi Craft Friends!
Welcome to the Tres Jolie Blog! So glad you're here. I have a fun journal project today, I hope will inspire you. I love creating small journals to record life's special moments and treasured photos!
For this project, I am using Studio Lights "Sweet Bee" journal template from this month's Card kit. This template is a great tool to add to your crafty stash! You can use this journal template over and over, just using different patterned papers you already have. Or even any leftover papers from our previous kits. Tres Jolie has some many chipboard designs you can use in addition to the chipboards included in our kits. You can see all the products here in the shop! https://tresjoliekits.com/
This month's Scrapbook kit papers are from Simple Stories " Simple Vintage Junk Drawer" collection. You'll receive matching Ephemera pieces and 12x12 sticker sheet, journal cards and Journal Bits pack, Card Essentials Clear stamp, Prima Marketing flowers, and Tres Jolie Chipboard Butterflies and stamp pieces.
Here's a photo of the Scrapbook kit:
Here's a photo of the Studio Lights Memories Journal Template pack I will be using to create our journal, and includes templates to create pockets and a belly band.
From my stash I am using the following: Stickles Glitter Stardust, x-acto knife, Stulus tool, Score board, foam dots and tape, Distress Ink Gathered Twigs, Clear Ink, Black Sparkle Embossing powder, Gold and Copper ink and Gold Embossing powder, gels pens, stapler, Distress tool, heat gun, gems, lace trim and cardboard or heavy Cardstock.
To begin we will create our journal base with front and back covers. I took a piece of heavy Cardstock. Taking the journal template see photo:
Laay onto your Cardstock and trace around the outside and cut. This will make your journal cover.
Lay your Stencil back in place, and score the 2 center lines using a stulus tool. If you want to add binding in the center spine of your journal, you can mark and poke the two small holes on the spine I am skipping this step. But you can do this if you desire. You also want to lay this template and trace the buckle piece onto Cardstock. I used a small pink scrap piece to make my buckle. Cut out this piece and using an x-acto knife i cut the two slots on the buckle. Set aside. See photo:
Fold and crease your journal cover. See photo:
Take the 2 pocket templates and I traced mine onto brown Cardstock. See photo:
From this same Cardstock I traced and cut 2 belly band pieces.My buckle piece is pictured below:
Set these pieces aside for later. Now take a piece of patterned paper from the Scrapbook kit. I used "Stay Curious " paper. Take your journal template and trace around the inside lines. This will create your two mats for the front and back covers. Make sure you flip the template over on the other side so both corners match up.
Glue one on the front cover and the other on back cover.
Next I gathered some embellishments to decorate my front cover. I fussy cut acouple Butterflies from my scrap paper and Prima flower. Taking one of the Tres Jolie Chipboard Butterflies from the kit, I applied some Empress Gold and Copper ink onto my Butterflies wings and body. Then heat embossed.
I added a piece of white trim along the left edge, with foam dots I adhered the Ephemera sentiment "moments " at the top. I glued my fussy cut butterflies over the matching image on my cover, glued my Chipboard butterfly, Prima flower and added a few gems! I applied some Stickles Glitter Stardust on the butterfly wings! Here's some finished photos!
Set your journal aside for now. Next we will create an accordian fold insert so we can attach our journal pages inside.
I took a piece of brown Cardstock cut to measure 12x6 inches. Score every 1 inch mark all the way across. See photo:
Now accordian fold
Add glue to the center of your accordian insert and hold in place. Glue one end on the left and ride side covers. See photos:
You will have a total of 12 pages. We will glue one page to each accordian flap. You can use the journal template to trace your pages onto your patterned papers. I just cut my pages to measure 5 x 6 & 1/2 inches. I inked all my papers and embellishments before adhering them.
Backside of front cover: I cut a piece from the " Stay Curious " pink paper scrap to measure 5x 6 & 1/2 inches. Then I cut a piece of butterfly paper to measure 5 x 2 & 3/4 inches.
Glue onto your pocket you made from the template. I added a sentiment sticker on the tab of my pocket. I cut out 3 tags and tied some jute cord from my stash, onto 2 of my tags.
I tucked a journal card and the 2 tags inside my pocket. Glued my pink paper onto my cover page. I added a sticker " Today" at the top of my page.
Page 2: I cut another pink scrap piece to measure 4 & 1/4 x 6 inches. This will be the size I cut for all remaining pages in my journal. I fussy cut out the film reel, favorites journal card and took the admit one pink ticket and ephemera hearts.
I glued my pink paper to the first flap on my accordian binding. See photo:
With foam dots, I adhered my film reel/ butterfly piece on the upper left corner. I glued my journal card in place tucking my admit one ticket behind it. I glued all 3 Ephemera hearts at the top! Here's my finished pages.
Page 3: I cut a piece from the "Simple Pleasures " paper. Chose some Ephemera pieces, and key card.
I added a small photo and a sticker sentiment along the bottom. I also tore some pieces from the clock/ keys paper,
inked them and tucked behind my card at the top and bottom edges.
Page 4: From "Small things" paper B side, I cut a piece of paper. I cut out around the journal card with the birds and clipboard,
I adhered the bird/clipboard with foam tape, tucking my library card behind it. I glued a Ephemera sentiment piece at the top. Here's some finished photo!
Page 5: I cut a piece of paper from " All the Possibilities " and a floral journal card. I distressed the edges of the floral card with my Distress tool (my stash)
Take one of the Tres Jolie Chipboard stamp pieces in the kit. I applied some Dew Drops Ink- pink Grapefruit on the stamp edge. Then cut out a small floral piece from " Notes & Things " paper. I trimmed to fit and glued onto the center of my Chipboard stamp.
I glued this paper onto my accordian flap
I tucked a Prima leaf behind my journal card and glued my Chipboard stamp on the bottom right corner.
Page 6: I cut a piece of paper From "All the Possibilities " brown side. I tore 1-2-3 from the 4x6 journal card. I added a sticker border at the bottom edge of my page.
I fussy cut out numbers 1 and 3. With foam dots I adhered them over top of the numbers on my journal card piece. I tucked a Ephemera card behind my journal card and glued onto my page. I glued a Ephemera tab at the top. Here's a photo:
Page 7: I cut a piece of paper from " Timeless Moments " and 2 journal cards. I also cut out the butterfly label. (Save this for opposite page)
I scored 1/2 inch at the top of my small journal card.
Glue the longer journal card onto your page. Then waterfall the small journal card on top. I added a sticker sentiment on the scored flap on my small journal card. You could add a photo underneath or something Journaling.
Page 8: I cut a scrap piece of " Timeless Moments " paper. I took the stamp from the kit, and stamped my butterfly image using Versa Mark Clear Ink and sprinkled some Black Sparkle Embossing powder over top. Heat emboss.
Using some gel pens, I colored some of the flowers, leaves and butterfly wings.
I stapled the butterfly label at the top of my page, added a photo and sentiment sticker on the bottom edge. Here's some finished photos of my pages:
Page 9: I cut out 2 journal cards and glued back to back and adhered to my accordian flap. I scored 1/2inch on the right side before attaching these.
Page 10: I cut a piece of the Butterflies paper. Chose acouple Ephemera cards.
I added a piece of Tim Holtz Cello Tape on one of my journal cards. I love the old worn look the Cello tape creates. I adhered my journal cards using foam dots. I glued a Ephemera sentiment at the very top. Here's a photo:
Page 11: Simple Pleasures paper for my page. I cut out the 3x5 journal file drawers card. I cut out and trimmed some top portions of file cards B side.
With foam tape I adhered the file drawers at the bottom edge. This creates a more dimensional look and it allowed me to tuck the other file cards behind as if they are poking out of the file drawer. I added a sentiment sticker and some Ephemera hearts to finish.
Page 12: Back cover. I covered my last pocket template with a 4x6 journal card, I trimmed off to fit.
Glue on the front of your pocket. Then adhered my pocket on the right side. I added a sentiment sticker onto the tab on my pocket. Tucked a few journal cards inside my pocket! I added a small photo on one of my cards. Here's some photos!
To create your Belly Band: I traced my belly band template onto thick cardboard to make it sturdy. I cut 2 pieces. I covered them with scrap paper from the kit.
I wrapped these pieces around my journal and adjusted them before gluing both pieces together at the back. Make sure you have enough belly band to secure both tabs through the buckle piece.
I glued an Ephemera key piece on the top portion on my buckle. Here's a finished photo:
i hope you enjoyed my project today and if you haven't ordered a kit yet, do it now before they sell out.
Thank you for joining me on the Tres Jolie Blog! Hope to see you back again soon. I will return next month, and share more project ideas and inspiration for you!
Have a Crafty Week!
Dana
January 2026 Mood Board Challenge
Get Involved: January Mood Board Challenge
Even if you haven't grabbed a kit yet, you can still join the fun! We’ve just posted our January Mood Board. It’s the perfect visual starting point for your next project. Head over to our social media to see the board, use it as inspiration for your art, and enter our monthly contest by tagging your work with #CreateWithTresJolieKits, and join the fun for a chance to win and be featured.
Here are the rules.
1. This challenge is still open to everyone.
2. You can create any type of project for the challenge.
3. You MUST say what you were inspired by.
4. You MUST include the twist in your design. This month's theme is
FOUND TREASURES.
5. We would love to see you USE AT LEAST 1 of Tres Jolie's products on your projects but it isn’t required to play along.
6. It MUST be a new project.
7.To have everyone eligible to win, we are limited the same winner to once every 3 months.
Good luck! Can't wait to see what you make!
Here's our January Monthly Mood Board:
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