While at Target today buying some school supplies, Kirsten chose one of those black & white speckled composition books that are 40 cents (about 9 3/4" x 7 1/2") and she asked me to jazz it up for her to use for journaling in her poetry class {I had made them for her for other classes in the past}. She is about to start her senior year in college.. so exciting!

This has got to be the easiest makeover. All I used was 2 identical Designer Series Paper (or DSP) sheets {Pocketful of Posies – new in the catalog pg. 184 and on sale this week during our buy 3, get 1 free sale} for the front and back cover, a strip from the reverse side of that DSP for contrast on the spine which I edged with the Scallop Edge Border {pg. 211} and one little strip of a 2nd piece of DSP to punch a decorative accent {paper from Beyond the Garden in the Summer mini catalog pg. 23 & Lace Ribbon Border Punch from new catalog pg. 211}.

I made a flower {Fun Flowers die, pg. 221} from the remnants of the spine papers to fill a blank space on the cover leaving all the elements flat so that nothing would catch and rip inside Kirsten's backpack. It was hard to not put bling on it!!

I added a ribbon {Concord Crush 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon, pg. 194} for a bookmark and used Sticky Strip {pg. 206} to adhere it to the back just before I adhered the back cover. I think the whole thing took 30 minutes at most.

To begin, I traced the DSP by laying the book on it. I cut the piece to fit. I then sprayed 3M General Purpose Spray Adhesive {from Wal-Mart I think} on it (in my garage – don't do this in the house!), covered front and back, then adhered spine then punched accent then flower & adhered those too. Take care as you have to be quick and accurate when you're laying down the sticky gluey paper onto the composition book. And, voila!

Kirsten will now have the prettiest poetry journal in her class (I hope!).