If you make junk journals, sewing-themed books, or handmade embellishments and you're always hunting for the right little sentiment to finish a piece — this short video comes with a free printable download of quotes, words, and phrases you can use straight away.
What we cover
I share the free PDF of quotes and words I've been using in my own journals, walk through several real examples of how I place them, and explain the printing approaches that make the whole thing as friction-free as possible. The download link is in the video description.
What you'll learn
How to use printed quotes as focal points on journal embellishments and pages — adding something to look at, something to sit with, rather than leaving a surface bare.
Where to place sentiments across different journal elements, including:
- Belly bands (wrapped around a journal, with a tag tucked inside)
- Pocket embellishments (quotes printed directly on the pocket face)
- Tags and double-layer tags
- Tuck spots (a folded piece that opens to reveal a word like inspire or create inside)
- Paper clips
Why I repeat the same quote several times on the same printed sheet — when you're making four similar journals at once, or a batch of embellishments, you don't want to print a whole new page for one small sentiment. Having multiples on a single sheet means you can work through a batch without stopping.
How to print on sticker paper for no-fuss placement — cut it out, peel, stick. No glue, no waiting, no wrinkling.
How to print on regular paper and tea-stain it instead — if you want a more aged, soft look, or you don't have sticker paper on hand, this gives you a result that feels more at home in a vintage-style journal. Glue it down with a glue stick and ink the edges if you like.
Using sewing-themed sayings in a sewing journal — the sheet includes a whole section of sewing-specific phrases (beautiful things come together one stitch at a time, you can't buy happiness but you can buy fabric) that I scattered through a sewing-themed journal I made. They work equally well in any journal — "craftiness is happiness" doesn't have to live in a sewing book.
Tips & gotchas
Sticker paper is worth it if you're doing this regularly. Cutting and placing small quotes can get fiddly fast — having them on a peel-and-stick sheet removes one step and keeps the pieces from shifting while you're composing a page.
If sticker paper isn't something you have, plain printer paper works fine — tea-stain it before or after printing, let it dry, then glue down with a glue stick. The slightly uneven colour from the tea stain actually helps the quotes blend into a vintage page rather than looking like they were printed five minutes ago.
Because quotes repeat on the sheet, you'll end up with leftovers. Keep them. A small bag or envelope of pre-cut sentiments is one of those things that quietly saves you time later — when you're mid-journal and need something for a tuck spot or a tag, you'll be glad they're already cut.
The quotes aren't meant to be precious or perfectly placed. In the examples I show, some are slightly inked, some are layered over collage, some are tucked inside folded pieces so they're only visible when someone opens the journal. The placement can be as casual or as considered as the piece calls for.
