There are many things going on in your life that can weigh on you. Sometimes you can’t tell people these things and sometimes you just need to vent right now. The kids are driving you crazy or your friend hurt your feelings. The regular lines of communication aren’t there because your spouse is deployed and you are feeling isolated. You shouldn’t carry all of that hurt and frustration around. It keeps you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal helps you let go of all of that in a safe place. In addition, it is the second tutorial in the journey to wellness ~~(in preparation for the first ever Military Spouse Wellness Summit).~~ This has now ended.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

[bctt tweet=”A DIY free-form journal can help you let go of frustration in a safe place. Find out how now!” username=”diyadulation”]

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

What a Free-Form Journal Is Not

This journal does not replace important conversations with the people in your life. It is important to open up about it in order to move past it.
It is not a tool for avoidance of important issues going on in your life.
A free-form journal is not a magical cure-all to keep you from being hurt or frustrated again. (Don’t I wish!)

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

What a Free-Form Journal Is

This journal does give you a safe place to vent your hurt and frustrations so that when you get the chance to bring it up, you are able to do so with much more diplomacy and clarity.
It is for any form of expression including destruction. First, write your frustrations in your free-form journal. Then feel free to mutilate that page or rip is out and destroy it altogether.
It is a tool for helping you unload some of your burdens so that you can go through your day to day life without the weight of it all on your shoulders.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Materials

Composition Book
Double-Sided Tape
Ribbon
Mod Podge
Decorative Paper
Embellishments

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Step 1

First, cut a length of ribbon 4 inches longer than the height of your composition book. Next, attach it to the top left corner of your composition book cover.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Step 2

Next, use your composition book to measure you decorative paper. Once you have measured it cut 2 pieces to those measurements.

Step 3

Put a layer of Mod Podge on the front and back covers of your composition book. Next place your decorative paper on top.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Tip:

This entire project works best if you lay your composition book open with the covers facing up.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Step 4

After attaching your paper put another coat of Mod Podge over the decorative paper. Next add any embellishments you chose.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Note:

I just added letter stickers to mine because I loved the paper and didn’t want to cover it much but you can use any stickers, die cuts, or chipboard that you want.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Step 5

Finally, add a sealer coat of Mod Podge to your entire notebook and allow it to dry.

Tip:

If you notice that your paper is bubbling, add a sheet of wax paper over top and stack a heavy book on it. Once the Mod Podge has dried, the wax paper will peel right off leaving your design intact.

Hurt and frustration keep you from being the best you possible. This DIY free-form journal can help you let go of all of that in a safe place. Find out how!

Now you have a fantastic new free-form journal. Use the ribbon you attached to keep your place easily. Any time you begin feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or anything in-between simply pull out your new tool for being the best you possible. This is another excellent tool that goes along with dealing with embarrassment (if you struggle with that like I do). Take control of your life today with this easy DIY.

See where I’m linking up!

** I have written this as a MSWS Ambassador because this is an event that I truly believe in. It is a totally free and completely online event for helping spouses put their wellness first. Read more about it here. **

To help you get just as psyched as I am for the first ever Military Spouse Wellness Summit, I am creating DIY tutorials to help you on your journey to wellness. First up is this easy-sew yoga mat bag. If you aren’t doing yoga, you should be. You don’t have to be good at it or be an expert in flexibility to benefit from it (take it from someone that looks like a drunken flamingo when she does it). It can help improve not only your health but your soul.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Get started on your journey to wellness in preparation for #MSWS15 with this easy-sew yoga mat bag!”]

Wellness is not just about your physical wellbeing. It is all-encompassing mind, body, and soul. When I take the time to do a 20-minute yoga workout (complete with meditation) in the morning, my entire day goes smoother. If you start, you will likely experience some of the same benefits including increased patience, elevated mood, increased focus, and higher levels of energy. All of that in 20 minutes a day! What better way to start putting your wellness first than with such a benefit-packed exercise? (I’m no expert by any means, but if you’re looking for a recommendation on where to start, I love any of the Yoga Zone DVDs. They are broken down by levels and I always have such a positive experience with them. Plus you get multiple 20-minute workouts on each one.)

Materials

1 yd of Fabric
Matching thread
24” Leather Cording

Get started on your journey to wellness with this easy-sew yoga mat bag.

Step 1

Keeping your fabric folded in half (as it comes off of the bolt) cut out a piece that is 30” by 20” on the folded side.

Step 2

Open you cut piece of fabric and re-fold it in half with right sides together. Pin the 30” edges opposite the fold and sew.

Get started on your journey to wellness with this easy-sew yoga mat bag.

Step 3

Turn right ride out and hem both 20” edges.

Tip:

Be sure that both hems are sewn folded toward the same side of the fabric.

Step 4

Create a gap for your leather tie by folding over the top hem 2” and sewing along the bottom of the hem.

Tips:

It doesn’t matter which end you choose to be the top unless your fabric has a pattern on it that dictates a “right side up”.

Be sure you don’t sew the opening to your drawstring hem closed.

Step 5

Fold your fabric in half along the 30” length again. Pin the edges opposite the fold and sew.

Tip:

When you fold your fabric make sure the cut side of the hems is facing out as that is the side that will become the inside of your bag.

Step 6

Go back to you “yard” of fabric and unfold it. Cut out a 6” by 6” square. Trim the square into a circle.

Tip:

Make this easier by finding a plate that is slightly smaller than your square and using it as a guide to cut out your circle. Center it on your fabric square then trim around it leaving a quarter inch extra all around.

Get started on your journey to wellness with this easy-sew yoga mat bag.

Step 7

This part can be tricky but you want to pin your circle to the bottom end of your bag. (Your bag should still be inside out.) The best way to do this is to match the edges of both the circle and the bottom of your bag and pin, right sides together. Press the middle of your circle into the bag instead of out. Once all of the edges are pinned, sew the circle onto the bag.

Step 8

Thread your leather strip through the hem you made at the top and turn your bag right side out. Knot the ends of the leather strip to help prevent them from slipping back through your hem.

Get started on your journey to wellness with this easy-sew yoga mat bag.

Step 9

To make the strap, cut a piece that is 4” by 32” out of your remaining fabric. Fold in half, right sides together, and pin the loose edge. Sew pinned edge and then turn the fabric right side out. Sew a quarter inch hem at each end.

Step 10

Attach your strap by sewing the top and bottom hems to the top and bottom of your bag.

Get started on your journey to wellness with this easy-sew yoga mat bag.

That’s it! Even if you only enjoy yoga at home, you will want to invest in a mat and this bag! The mat if much more comfortable than the floor and this bag will make storage a breeze. So tell me, what small steps are you taking to improve your wellness? Have you become convinced to at least give yoga a try?

See where I’m linking up!

Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that marriage is a partnership. In our family, my husband works third shift at his civilian job in addition to being a member of the Army National Guard (and having served two tours). This pretty much means that our time together is coveted. It also means that I am in charge of most of the day-to-day workings of our home and family.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple #DIY #marriage #wallart.”]

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

If you are anything like us, you and your spouse can get caught up in your respective roles and forget that you’re supposed to be in this together. Instead of traveling on an intertwined path, you and your spouse being living parallel lives separate from each other. This is dangerous for your marriage and sometimes takes a conscious effort to avoid. This DIY marriage wall art can be a prominent reminder in your home to not only keep your marriage on track but also provide and excellent model for your children as well, especially when they see you and your spouse living it.

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

Materials

16” x 20” Canvas
Acrylic Paint in Black and White
Pencil
Heart Stamp
Hot Glue and Gun
Floral Stems (to match your décor)

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

Step 1

Cover entire canvas with black acrylic paint, including the edges.

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

Step 2

Once the paint has dried, write the word “MARRIAGE” vertically down the center of the canvas with your pencil.

Tip:

Start in the middle and work your way to the top and bottom of the canvas. This will help you achieve more even spacing with your letters.

Step 3

Still using your pencil, write the remaining horizontal words on your canvas:

M EANS

p A rtnership

wo R king

fo R giveness

fr I endship

l A ughter

encoura G ement

(means, partnership, working, forgiveness, friendship, laughter, encouragement)

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

Step 4

Carefully go over all of your letters with white paint. It may require 2 or more coats. Just continue adding coats of white paint over your letters until you achieve your desired look.

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

Step 5

Stamp hearts onto the canvas, also with white.

Tips:

To keeps stamped images from being too heavy with paint, use a paint brush to put of thin layer on the stamp and then stamp on canvas.

Be sure to turn your stamp various directions when stamping (occasionally stamping partially off of the edge of the canvas) to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing look.

Step 6

After paint has fully dried, create the distressed look using a dry brush technique.

Tips:

Dip your brush into the white paint then brush back and forth on a scrap piece of paper 2-3 times, leaving only a small amount of paint in the bristles. Then brush onto canvas.

Brush over the entire canvas (including words and stamped images) during this step.

Step 7

Choose floral stems that match the décor in your home and glue them along the edges as pictured. Try to arrange them in a way that does not cover the words on your painting. If some flowers or leaves do cover your words, pull them back and glue them into place.

Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own using this simple DIY marriage wall art.

This simple DIY can have such an impact. Make one for your own home and make another to give as a beautiful wedding gift to newlyweds to help them start their marriage on the right path. Let’s build marriages up any small way we can, starting with our own.

DIY Free-Form Journal

What a Free-Form Journal Is Not

What a Free-Form Journal Is

Materials

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

See where I’m linking up!

Easy-Sew Yoga Mat Bag

Materials

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

DIY Marriage Wall Art

Materials

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

See where I’m linking up!