DIY Fall Art Journal

We all love fall around here.  We've been secretly counting down the days until October for a while now.  Summer is awesome and all, but there is seriously something so amazing about a chill in the air, boots on my feet and a coffee in the hand.  It's when we get to drink hot chocolate for no reason at all, and when football echoes through the house.  It's the time for planting and fall flowers; it's the time for scarves and flannels and booties and jeans.  All of my favorites.  

To kick off the season this year, we decided to go on a nature hunt and check out the beauty that is fall.  Creating a fall journal was a no brainer and it really is so simple and easy to make.  My kids seriously can't get enough of these little books.  We make them for everything.  Birthdays, coloring, writing, and now...fall nature hunts.

This little book measures 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide (6x8 when opened completely).  I used two pieces of kraft paper and one piece of white printer paper.  I trimmed and scored the papers, and then sewed down the middle to create a small journal.  I sewed a piece of pretty patterned paper onto the front of each one and added a tag, as well as a piece of wood veneer.  

I used my alphabet stamps to add each of my children's names, and to give the front a little more contrast.

We definitely put these books to good use!  We went on a nature hunt one afternoon and collected lots of fall goodies....leaves, flowers, snails, acorns and much more (my children classify as hoarders for sure).  I also took along my instax camera and captured our walk.  We added those photos, as well as the fall pretties into the book with paperclips, mini staples and clothespins.