Don't overlook the classic spiral-bound notebook. It may look boring on the outside, but with a little creative thinking, you can turn a plain spiral-bound notebook into a customized journal. The lined paper on the inside is ideal for recording your thoughts. All you need is some colorful fabric to staple to the cover to give your notebook a journal makeover. You can purchase fabric in a craft store, or if you have an old shirt you don't wear anymore, turn it into a fabric cover for your notebook journal. You can also use glue and glitter to spice up notebook covers. Another good idea is sticky letters. You can purchase them at an arts and craft store and use them to apply your name and custom phrases to the notebook.
Index card journals are small and ideal for someone who prefers to write short daily thoughts. They're easy to make. You can purchase a square foot of textured leather from a hobby and craft shop and use it to make a classy cover. Cut the leather to fit your index cards, use a two-hole punch to apply holes for binding, and fasten it all together with brass brads. This makes an attractive, easy-to-carry journal perfect for random thoughts or ideas.
Purchase card cover stock, blank paper, ribbons, brass brads and custom stencil sets at a hobby or craft shop. There are stencils for just about any subject you can think of, so finding one to fit your journal shouldn't be a problem. You can also purchase sturdy card cover stock in an array of colors, colorful silk ribbons, beads and other decorative items. The items you purchase will depend upon your personal design tastes. Use brass brads or ribbons to bind blank paper between your card stock, then decorate the front and back covers of your journal with the stencils of your choice. You could stencil your name or stencil images of whatever you like. These journals can further be decorated adding glitter or cloth borders to fit the theme.