Summer is coming, are you ready? I thought to myself I can be a salmon and fight upstream doing my crafts all summer or I could embrace my tag line of – CRAFTS, KITSCH and KIDS and get the littles in on my crafty action. After all, I was the editor-in-cheif of a kids crafts magazine. I have an entire Kids Crafts Section right here on this blog. I’ve written articles for places like Learn Vest, BlogHer and eHow all about kids DIY projects. It only made sense to embrace the summer and get crafty with the kids. As luck would have it my 6 year old son loves art and my 8 year old daughter is going through a hardcore DIY phase. Every Monday this summer (and maybe beyond) I’ll be taking this stroke of luck and running with it.
School is not even out yet and my daughter is already making DIY school supplies. Like I’ve had to hide my good washi tape because she won’t stop covering cereal boxes converted into magazine holders and canvases painted into chalkboards with it. I’m all for creativity, but don’t mess with mommy’s good washi tape. I digress. Today’s project was inspired by my daughter and an idea she had for a DIY Jean Jacket Notebook. Behold her version, my version and a book of stickers that inspired our idea for jacket flair.
Did you happen to catch the episode Fabric Covered Journals episode of DIY This With Jennifer Perkins for the DIY Network? In the video I share 3 different ways to cover a journal or photo album. I also gave a sneak peak of my daughters adorable DIY denim planner.
This is the mommy version of this journal. The video tells you most everything you know and eventually over on the DIY Network website you will be able to find more details and step-by-step pictures. Basically you get a big journal, a small jacket, lot’s of glue and flair! It’s all about upping your pin game, patch game and how on point your flair is. Today however, let’s talk about the mini maker version and my daughter’s brilliant idea for sticker flair.
My daughter decided to paint an existing journal to make it look like denim. Please note the pocket she painted complete with stitching detail. Seriously, this kid and her clever cuteness kills me. I’m partial, but come on. She was inspired by the stickers in this book that Quarto sent me called Stick It to Em: Playful Stickers to Color and Create (affiliate link). These stickers reminded her of flair.
The stickers in this book are so cute and since my daughter loves both stickers and coloring books it was a match made in heaven. Half of the book are adorable ready made stickers – peel and stick. My 8 year old daughter loved all the designs, but I will say there are a few for adults only (cocktail references and such). However, she and I are sharing the book.
The other half of the book are stickers that you can color and color she did! She is too cool for kid coloring books, but the adult coloring book trend she is all over it. Her journal is a mix of readymade and colored stickers.
There are a bazillion ways to cover a journal with your mini makers, this is just one of many. I’ve made Fabric Covered Photo Albums, Woven Journal Covers, T-Shirt Notebooks and more. Journals are awesome for the littles to record their summer memories, take to school next year and more. Will you cover yours in a real life jean jacket or paint your own? Either way don’t forget the flair! It’s the most important and fun part.
***Please note this post contains an affiliate link and I was sent the sticker book for free. All opinions are my own however.***
Want more ideas for the mini makers? Sure you do!
Coloring Book Flair – This is not the first adult coloring book my daughter has taken a liking too. Check out the time she converted a coloring book image into a charm for her back-pack.
Toilet Paper Roll String Lights – Nothing says kids crafts quite like recycled toilet paper rolls.
Salt and Watercolor Painting – This is such a fun textile project for kids.
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