Personalized Day planner

So I love that Pin on Pinterest that says "Thank you Pinterest for making me feel creative even though all I've done is spent the last 3 hours on the computer" or something to that nature... But in all reality, it is inspiring me to be a little creative!  I decided to personalize this dayplanner I had.  I bought it cause I loved the colors and designs of the pages inside, but I was slightly dissapointed by the plain black cover.  So after seeing all the craftyness on Pinterest with mod podge and scrappy paper, I decided I was going to personalize my planner!  I took pictures to show how, but please excuse how terrible the pictures are!

We'll go from this:

to this:

It was super easy and only took me a couple of hours (including drying time)!  All you need is:

• Plain day planner
• Some sort of graphic you want for the front
• Scrapbook paper (if I could do it over, I'd choose a thin paper.  Loved my vintage choice though)
• Scissors
• Mod Podge
• Spongy applicators
• Scrap Newspaper to lay everything on

1) The first thing I did was chose four or five different scrapbook papers, cut them into random shapes, and then arranged them around the border of the planner, making sure you have about an inch or two hanging over the edges.  Once I knew what order to place them in, and made sure that when my graphic was placed over this, there would be no original front page showing, I Mod Podged the cover (not the paper) and then pressed the paper onto it. (Of course if some paper is going to overlap, place the glue on the first paper and press the second layer down)

2) Once dry, open the cover page and glue/Mod Podge the overlapping paper down

(At this point in the drying, it would be handy to have clothespins to keep it firm against the cover.  I, however did not, and was forced to seek alternative methods)...

3) Once dry, I secured the edges with some duck tape, and then Mod Podged a sheet of cute scrabook paper on top of that to hide everything!

(dont worry, I had company through the periods of letting the glue dry!)

4) Finally, Mad Podge your graphic down to the front, and then paint a layer of the Mod Podge over everything!  Make sure you apply it in the same direction with every stroke.  It will give uniformity and texture to the front, plus will seal the edges of the graphic so it doesn't lift up over time.  I added a cute little "Love" embellishment, I think it would look just as cute with little buttons, ribbon, or pinwheel flowers.