Attitude of Gratitude

It appears the sky has fallen down.
Because, you see... it seems that I have made an altered project :)

A rolodex-turned-family-gratitude-journal to be exact.

It's still countdown week at Papertrey Ink and today's group post features a brand new set from Dawn McVey... Gratitude Journal.

I put it to good use rescuing this thift store outcast.  Have to say, I was totally surprised to only find one rolodex at my local thrift... maybe all the other crafters had already snatched them up :) 

I invested a whole $1.49 in this beauty. 

I considered taking a before picture, but I figured you guys could all put those creative imaginations to work and remember the uninspiring black plastic base with weird semi-clear grayish lid that is the "vintage" rolodex.

Can you picture it?

1 coat of Rustoleum's Plastic Primer spray paint in white and 1 coat of Krylon's Satin Catalina Mist spray paint later and voila...

vintage rolodex gets a whole new look.

There are two parts to the rolodex... the outer case and the insert which sits inside and holds all of the cards.  I started by adding a few details to the outer case...

Since I'm picturing this project being handled daily, I wanted to keep the case simple, but pretty.  I added a title strip that is embossed with one of the Gratitude Journal sentiments and stamped with a new Background Basics: Houndstooth image. 

When embossing a sentiment over a background, you'll get a much more clean image if you emboss first.  That way you won't have to worry about the embossing powder sticking to the background image as well.


Since this gratitude journal will be a place for everyone in our family to record what we're grateful for, I thought it would be fun to start the first tab off with a family picture...

For this picture (and all of the picture dividers), I adhered the picture to a cardstock panel, then used one of the existing dividers as a stencil for tracing and cutting the picture into a divider shape.  

Next I needed to figure out how to create the holes at the bottom.  There is an actual rolodex punch available at office supply stores, etc, to punch the two rolodex holes at the bottom, but because I didn't picture myself using that tool outside of this project, I just did my best with a small rectangular hand punch and an exacto knife :)  It's not perfect but it definitely works.

I used StazOn ink to stamp two of the Gratitude Journal sentiments directly on the picture.  I thought adding the year was a fun touch as well.


I considered the family picture as the "cover" and the next tab as the sort of "title page" in this journal...

I really love how the tab, buttons, and houndstooth are working together here... elegant, but still fun.


Next up... the "chapters" in this little journal. 

I knew I wanted to have a divinder and section of cards for each family member, so I used the Gratitude Journal numbers to create a tab for each person...

Brian's tab is #1 (that would be Brian; he's on the right :), then mine, then each of the kiddos.  I also choose a a favorite picture of each person for each tab, just to make it more fun.

(The above and below pictures were actually outtakes from our fiasco-of-a-Christmas-card-photo-shoot from last year.  My mom and dad always help out by taking the pics for us and this day from last year was one of those holy cow every single darned thing went wrong in the family photo.  So much so that we ended up doing a re-shoot.  The outtakes turned out well, though!)

I added a little sentiment to each tab just for some added detail...

and, of course... more Houndstooth. 
I can't stop with the Houndstooth.

It is an issue nearing therapy levels.
For the love of all that is crafty, add Background Basics: Houndstooth in with Gratitude Journal this month.
Take it from me.
And then join me in therapy.

Each card is stamped and ready to go.

Do yourself a favor and just line the date stamp and sentiment stamp up on one block. Then you can ink and stamp all of your cards in no time :)

I've already got a spot in the kitchen picked out for our new journal.


My soon-to-be 2nd grader and pre-schooler will be sitting back down at the table next week to start school up again and I'm considering making this part of our morning routine. It won't be long before Noelle is old enough to add her own. (Right now, I'm sure she would say that is very grateful for "hookies.")

But I'm torn because I also think it would make a nice dinnertime activity, too.  Sort of a chance for everyone to share their day with the family and pick out one thing that they can focus on being thankful for.  What a sweet way to teach them to look for the Lord and all that He's doing even in their young little lives.  I really love the thought of this time growing into a daily memory for everyone :)

I figure that once we fill this one up I'll just find another abandoned rolodex castoff in need of a makeover and start a new one :)


Well, folks... that's it for me!  But, not to worry... I knew the rest of the team have some super sweet Gratitude Journal projects just ready and waiting for you...

Nichole Heady
Betsy Veldman
Erin Lincoln
Maile Belles
Lisa Johnson
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Melissa Phillilps
Michelle Wooderson
Danielle Flanders

Thanks for joining me today!
I hope you enjoyed it even if it's a little outside of my norm :)



{Family Gratitude Journal} Rolodex
Stamps - Gratitude Journal, Background Basics: Houndstooth, Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger
Cardstock - White, Kraft, Orange Zest, Aqua Mist
Ink - True Black, Fresh Snow, VersaMark, Pumpkin Pie (SU), StazOn Black
Die - Gratitude Journal collection
Ribbon - Orange Zest, button twine
Other - Vintage buttons; Filigree White embossing powder; rolodex & cards