Tell Me About It: Journals

So excited to be co-hosting my first ever link-up! Tell Me about it Tuesday. A big thank-you to Helene from Helene in Between and Emily from Newlywed Moments for granting me the opportunity to co-host.

Now, here's what I want to tell you about...

This year I wanted to do something special for my girls for Christmas. They are 9 (nearly 10) and 7 years old. I didn't want to buy them lots of toys - that they certainly didn't need - and I was trying to cut down on the amount of money I was spending on gifts.

I had seen and read about, in several different places (blogs, Pinterest, etc.), mothers that had created journals for their daughters. Places where their daughters could write freely, ask questions and stir up conversation. In some cases questions were answered with lengthy letters, and in others simple love notes were written when each might be having a bad day.

I wanted something like this for my girls and I. A safe space, for open communication. Not to replace or discourage verbal communication, but to supplement it. To be a catalyst for conversation. Because, I know well that some things are more easily said, and some questions are more easily asked, when put in writing.

Here's what I started with, two composition notebooks in my girls' favorite colors. A prefers green (and pink, too, but I couldn't find pink). E prefers purple.

(First, I must apologize for the quality of my photos. Completing a secret project in my house, means doing so in a poorly lit room, at night.)

Then, I went through all of my scrapbooking materials, which I haven't used in too long, and found papers, stickers, etc. that fit my color schemes.

Once I had all my materials together, I began creating a cover for the journals. I found some free fonts and created a title for our books, the Tell, Ask, Talk Journal. I took a photo of each of the girls with me and used them as the centerpiece for the journals' covers. 

Then, I laminated each of the covers, which turned out not to be the best option. Immediately after opening it on Christmas morning, E's cover began coming off. I will admit, it was likely user error...I think I cut the laminate too close to the edge of the cover, not giving it enough space to stick. Here are the laminate sheets I used:

Here are the finished products:

I wasn't sure what to expect from the girls on Christmas morning. They were both thrilled! I included a note for each of them, as the first journal entry. I wish I could have captured a photo of each of their faces as they read it, but I always seem to forget to take photos on Christmas morning. 

I did get a note from each of the girls by the end of the day on Christmas. So far, I have not received any deep thoughts or difficult questions, but we have had fun writing to each other and finding new places to put the journals, where the other person will be surprised to find it.

Did you give or receive any homemade gifts for Christmas?

  

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