Make your own Art Journal/Smash book

I do have 2 sizes of store bought Smash books, but I have yet to put anything into them. Yesterday while in my craft room I came across a few ring binder Paula Deen recipe keeper binders that I bought in Michael's on a clearance rack. I think I paid $2 for each book that I bought.  After looking at it, I thought...why not alter the cover and make an Art Journal. There are new Smash books for sale now that have the ring binders, and I like them a lot better.

This week has been busy and I haven't had time to select my papers to recover the outside of the binder.

Below is the inside before altering. The binder came with some 4 x 6 clear page protectors for recipe cards, but they are also the perfect size to insert photos and much more. The page protectors (4 X 6) with the black outlines I bought in Michaels for 50% off along with a package of kraft paper envelopes. I am going to make my book pages from thin cardboard from the backs of scrapbook paper stacks or cereal boxes. Reuse and Recycle as much as I can.

Will add more  photos as I work on the journal.

So far we haven't had any luck getting her to go into the havaheart trap. Wish me luck on that. I have to get her to the vets as I can't keep taking in her kittens.

Here are a few photos of the 2 newest kittens I adopted from the stray mom cat.

  peeking at me thru the peep hole in the cat tunnel.