A Quick & Crafty Prayer Journal

Leonie's Loveliness Fair is up, and it's just beautiful! Thank you for hosting, Leonie - and thank you dear friends for sharing your thoughts!

I was so inspired by the many reflections and reminiscenses of prayer, I made up a brand new prayer journal for myself this afternoon. I've been wanting one for some time - something pretty to tuck in my reading basket next to my Magnificat. I even looked at some beautiful (but expensive!) fabric-bound books at the mall this weekend - but in the end I'm glad I went with homemade. It is humble, perhaps, but pleasing to me all the same - and I know I will always remember this afternoon -the way the boys ran all around me while I wielded that glue gun, and the way Bill helped me with the ribbon and pocket. :)

Anyway, it was very easy to do! I thought you might like to see how it turned out.

First of all, the materials were all things I had on hand:

Pictured here: a basic composition notebook, scrapbooking paper, plain library pocket, ribbon, holy cards. (Not shown - glue gun and tape.)

All I did was cover the notebook cover with the floral paper and the inside with a complementary shade. I glued a plain library pocket on the inside cover, and, to dress it up a bit, I wrapped it in a sheer violet ribbon. Inside this pocket I will keep favorite holy prayer cards. Finally I cut a length of thin blue ribbon to use as a pagemarker. I adhered it to the inside back cover and then brought it forward into the journal; it hangs down just a bit.

Here it is all finished:

And here it is open!

The whole craft took me less than an hour. I think a book like this, done in a different style, would be nice for a child to keep. A place to write down their thoughts, or perhaps drawings for God. They could tuck in a few prayer cards for the season. This craft would be very easy for an older child to do, and might even make a nice gift for just the right person!

Comments

[Jennifer]

You should put this in the Loveliness of Homemade Gifts fair - it's being hosted by one of the very best bloggers! :) I think we will do something like this. It is a much nicer, more meaningful gift. Everyone could use more prayer.

[alice Gunther]

Very pretty--I love what you are able to accomplish with simple materials and an eye for beauty.

[Theresa]

Dawn, I love this idea! I am SO going to steal it!

[Rebecca B.]

I love it Dawn! I especially like the pocket. I am forever trying to find a way to keep the cards of deceased loved ones (from the funerals) together so that I can remember to pray for each one of their souls. Right now I have them smushed between the pages of my prayerbook and they are forever falling out. Thanks for the great, practical (yet beautiful!) idea.

[Cheryl]

Another great idea Dawn! These would make very pretty gratitude journals for my dc.

[Margaret]

This is lovely, Dawn. Thank you for sharing.

[Valerie]

Oh, that is absolutely LOVELY, Dawn. :-) It never ceases to amaze me how inspiring all you 4Real ladies are. First the Home Management Binders, now a homemade prayer journal. I am finally using my scrapbooking materials! Maybe I'll be further inspired and actually start working on my scrapbooks again.

[sherry]

As always, your posts and crafts are so inspiring! I am going to make one for myself and another for my best friend, who is my prayer partner. I think she will absolutely love it.

Sherry

[Meredith]

Dawn, I love it and I am so inspired to do my own, very pretty and easy! Are you sure you and Alice aren't related?? Maybe you and Alice should do a book together :)

[KatieButler]

Wonderful! I am forever jotting down prayer requests from friends on slips of paper and have gotten as far at thinking about a prayer journal/notebook--I know what my next project will be.

[KC]

This is such a wonderful idea. I'll have to make some to give to my MIL and SIL. What kind of glue did you find works best?

[Dawn]

Thank you so much everyone!

Meredith - I am completely honored to have you compare me to Alice! She is a gift to us all!

KC - I have used a glue gun and tape, actually. The tape does not look so nice, though, so I need to experiment. The glue gun is OK but I think I need a hotter temperature gun. Sometomes the glue ends up congealing too quickly and then not sticking properly.

[Mary Ellen Barrett]

You are so talented Dawn, you have a real eye for what's pleasing to look at and use.

I think it would make a nice gift post for O Night Divine. Don't you?

[Dawn]

Thank you for the compliment and the invitation to post, Mary Ellen!

I have a second craft project to go with this one - I will post it soon and add them both to O Night Divine!

[Ouiz]

I can always count on being inspired by the projects that you do. Thank you so much for sharing your creative ideas! (I'll be re-doing my control journal soon too)

[Tracy Q]

Simply Beautiful!!! :o)

[Jennelle]

How beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with us and for the great idea. :-)

Love,

Jennelle

[Kimberly]

I made a "day minder" out of a blank spiral journal in October. I ended up covering it with the same paper as I see you used. What are the odds? I just had one page of that paper and knew I'd find the right project for it. I also modge podge some vintage calling cards, ribbons, a few buttons, & stickers on mine. I filled in a few calendar pages to help me remember events. I was just using it as a daily reminder/daytimer/journal, but now I think I'll add my prayer lists to it as well so it's all in the same place!

[Peakmore Academy]

I read your comments on this blog entry (lovely prayer journal, BTW) and wanted to share that when I cover notebooks I use the gold bottle of ALEENE'S TACKY GLUE and spread it using a plain ol' craft stick (a wooden popsicle stick.) I do a thin coat all over and it works like a charm. I think it gives the smoothest finish, yet adheres wonderfully, and the glue is a staple in our craft supplies since we use it for SOOOO much. Anyway, I know this was an old blog post, but thought I'd share anyway!