How to Make a Journal From a Recycled Cereal Box

Use scrapbook paper to decorate your journal.

Make your own journal and recycle at the same time. Craft an empty cereal box into a handmade journal to use as a diary, scrapbook or notebook. Cereal box cardboard is thick enough to make a front and back journal cover yet thin enough to easily flip behind itself when writing in your journal. To decorate your cardboard journal, use your favorite scrapbook paper, available in many designs at craft and stationery stores.

Things You'll Need

• Large cereal box
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Spray adhesive
• 4 sheets of scrapbook paper (12-by-12 inch)
• Three-hole punch
• 100 sheets of printer paper (8 l/2-by-11 inch)
• 3 pieces of 6-inch ribbon (l/4 inch)

Instructions

1. Cut open and flatten the cereal box. Measure and cut two 9-by-12 inch rectangles out of the box.

2. Spray adhesive over the front and back of one of the rectangles. Place the sticky cardboard rectangle between two sheets of 12-by-12 inch scrapbook paper, printed sides out. Press flat.

3. Apply scrapbook paper to the remaining cardboard rectangle. Cut off the edges of the paper hanging over the sides of the cardboard rectangles.

4. Adjust a three-hole punch to 9 inches. Insert the left vertical edge of one of the pieces of covered cardboard into the three-hole punch and punch holes into it. Repeat with the other piece of covered cardboard.

5. Adjust your three-hole punch to 8 l/2 inches. Punch three holes in 100 sheets of printer paper. Unless your hole punch instructions specify otherwise, for best results and clean holes, punch no more than 10 sheets at once.

6. Stack the paper, aligning the holes. Place the aligned stack of paper between the cardboard covers.

7. Feed three pieces of 6-inch ribbon (l/4 inch) through the three holes. Knot loosely to bind the paper and covers together so that the pages of your journal turn easily.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose scrapbook paper to match your journal purposes or hobbies. For example, use vacation-themed paper to journal about a vacation. Or, if you love to garden, use garden- or flower-themed scrapbook paper.

Resources

• Oriental Trading: Three-Hole Punch