Kids Craft: How to Make a Gratitude Journal

by Kelly Esposito on January 10th, 2013 | 1 Comment »

The best way to start off the New Year is with an attitude of gratitude! A gratitude journal helps keep track of what you were grateful for, so on the days when you are having a hard time remembering what you are grateful for, you can look back and inspire yourself.

How to Make a Gratitude Journal

Supplies:

Composition book
Mod Podge
Sponge brush or paint brush
Scrapbook paper
Scissors
Craft knife
Chalkboard paint (paint or spray)
Chalk
Vinyl (optional)

Instructions:

Spray paint or sponge paint the front of the composition book with the chalkboard paint. The pros and cons? The spray paint is quick and easy and creates a smooth surface to write on but it smells awful for a while (even after it has dried) and rubs off quite a bit. The paint is thick and a little difficult to paint on a smooth coat but it creates a sturdy chalkboard that the kids will be happy to use.

Once the paint has dried, it is time to add a second and maybe even a third coat. The spray paint may require more coats.

After you have applied all the coats you desire, you can prime your chalkboard cover by rubbing a piece of chalk over the board and then wiping it all off.

Once the chalkboard is primed, you can add a vinyl title to your book or leave it blank so you can keep changing your gratitude book to fit the season or your mood. I used my Silhouette Cameo to make the finishing touches to my gratitude journal. You can download the files for Grateful, inside/back cover, and tabs. I went with the peacock paper for the back cover so I could add more color!

You can brighten up the journal by lining the inside covers with scrapbook paper, adding scrapbook paper tabs, and embellishing some or all of the pages. When I added the tabs, I sandwiched two or three pages between the tabs. This made a more sturdy area for the tab to attach. Another idea would be to cover the page with scrapbook paper and then add the tab. The back cover can be covered with more paint or scrapbook paper. The possibilities are endless.

For my son, who is still learning to write, I created a scrapbook style gratitude journal. I used a little chalkboard paint on the spine and front of an old book and created a title page by gluing in some scraps of white paper. He will be able to find or draw pictures of things he is thankful for and glue them in to the book to cover the pages. It is a fun way to recycle an old book!

Be careful with the chalkboard paint. It is so much fun you will start covering everything with it!

Have a Happy New Year!!

Have you used chalkboard paint in any of your crafts? What was your favorite project?

Kelly Esposito lives near Frederick, Maryland on Chaosington Farm where she crafts, cooks, gardens and homeschools her son and tries to keep the chaos to a minimum. Late at night she documents success and failures on her blog Way Past Fabulous.