DIY Baby Book Gift

There are a ton of items that new parents will need with the arrival of their first child.  From diapers and bottles to strollers and car seats, these are likely the items you will find on the registry.  What new parents don’t think about is how incredibly hectic their life is about to become.  No matter how prepared new parents think that they are, nothing can actually prepare you fully for the demands and stresses of parenthood.  Instead of just giving them a gift off of their registry, give them this DIY baby book.

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Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

This makes it easy for parents to preserve memories from their baby’s first year in snapshots that they can print when they find the time.  Once they do, the photos can be glued into the album and voila!  They have a beautiful keepsake that they can look at for years to come.  Best of all, these are super simple to create and will be cherished by friends and family.

[bctt tweet=”Help #parents preserve the memories of their children easily with this #DIYbabybook.”]

Materials

Step 1

Cut out your background papers using the white paper inserts from your album.  This will ensure that the sheets are cut to the appropriate size and that they will fit in the album after you have finished creating them.

Step 2

Design each of your pages using the following list of topics for a standard 20-page scrapbook album.  You can create your own uniquely styled album using the templates pictured below as guidelines.

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

Title Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

Two page Ultrasound layout

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

Daddy Page and Mommy Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

Newborn Page and 1 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

2 Month Page and 3 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

4 Month Page and 5 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

6 Month Page and 7 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

8 Month Page and 9 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

10 Month Page and 11 Month Page

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

Two Page 1 Year Layout

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

End Page

Step 3

Once you have finished designing your pages, slide the completed pages into the plastic sleeves of your album.  Be sure when placing them in the sleeves to keep them in the order listed above.

 

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

 

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

 

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

 

Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this DIY baby book.

It is that easy to create a DIY baby book that will be incredibly meaningful to the new parents.  This gift is not only great for new parents but seasoned parents as well.  Let’s be fair, life only gets busier and more chaotic with each addition child.  Help parents preserve the memories of their children’s first years quickly and easily with this thoughtful DIY gift.

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Beautiful and Functional Stash Frame

If you own movies chances are you have some DVD cases lying around.  We store ours in CD binders so we have a lot of empty cases… and then somehow got a whole box more of them from my mom.  You don’t want to throw them out and add to your already overflowing landfills.  Instead, upcycle them into a beautiful and functional stash frame.

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This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

So what is a stash frame and what should you keep in it?  A stash frame is simply a picture frame you hang on your wall that looks like a regular frame.  However, it has ‘hidden’ storage inside for hiding cash, gift cards, or whatever you want to stash!  This one is even better because you can customize it to match your decor helping it blend in even more.  Don’t you love items that are more than they appear?

[bctt tweet=”This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye! #secretstorage”]

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Materials

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 1

Measure and cut your paper using your frame as a guide.  Make sure that you leave enough extra so that you can wrap it around the edges.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 2

Center your frame on your decorative paper and trace the inside.  Next, draw an “x” from corner to corner.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 3

Using scissors or an XActo knife, cut along the lines of your “x”.  Do not cut out the edges of the traced rectangle.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 4

Realign your frame with the center on the tracing.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 5

Mod Podge around the edges and begin folding up like you’re wrapping a present.  Start with the edges and then fold and adhere the inside flaps.

Tip:

  • You may have to fold the flaps in half before adhering to your frame to keep them from hanging over the outside edge.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 6

Once you have finished adhering your paper to the frame, put on a top coat of Mod Podge to seal it.  Do this on the front and back of your frame allowing one side to dry completely before moving on to the other.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 7

Once your frame is completely dry it is time to glue it to your DVD case.  Place you glue on the center of bottom and side surfaces of the frame.  This will ensure your photo aligns correctly when you slip it in from the top.

Note:

  • Do not glue the top side of your frame.  This will prevent you from being able to slide your photo in.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 8

Press frame firmly to your DVD case.  Be sure that the side of the case that opens is at the top.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Step 9

My DVD case already had openings under the plastic that were perfect for hanging.  I simply cut a slit in the plastic to accommodate.

If yours does not, don’t worry.  You can attach some frame hardware to the back with glue and hang it that way.

 

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

This beautiful and functional stash frame is more than meets the eye!

Now you have a beautiful, functioning picture frame to hang on your wall that doubles as a place to stash things (like a Sephora gift card… just saying).  Bonus: you’re taking clutter and turning it into storage!  These are so easy to make, you will want everyone in the family to have one.

If you like this you might like our DIY Chalkboard Key Organizer!  Or sign up for our newsletter and become a VIP (with access to an exclusive content page)!

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DIY Free-Form Journal

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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