Maker’s Essentials: Getting Started Field Guide

Your first Storybook journal starts here. 💚

Ever picked up one of those little vintage books and thought:

“I know I could turn this into something amazing… but where the heck do I start?”

Start here.

Maker’s Essentials: Getting Started Field Guide is a 14-page, step-by-step guide designed to take you from a blank book to a finished Storybook journal.

Whether you're making your very first journal or you've already made a few, this guide gives you a simple process to follow — without making the process feel complicated.

Inside the Field Guide:

🌿 Choose Your Book

Learn what to look for before you start cutting, designing, and planning.

📐 Size First. Always.

Understand the 6.5 × 8-inch finished page size used throughout this guide and why getting your size right matters.

📝 Plan Your Pages

Figure out what your journal needs before you start printing and assembling.

✂️ Gather Your Supplies

A practical look at the tools, papers, adhesives, and binding options you can use.

🖨️ Prepare Your Pages

Measure, cut, organize, and prepare your pages for assembly.

📖 Assemble Your Journal

Stack, punch, bind, finish, and troubleshoot your journal.

✨ Make It Your Own

Add your personality with themes, layers, pockets, embellishments, and functional details.

💡 Journal Ideas & Inspiration

Recipes, travel journals, nature journals, holiday books, baby keepsakes, junk-journal styles, and more.

🗂️ Organize Your Supplies

Simple ways to keep your creative space and materials under control.

🎀 Finish, Display & Share

Those little finishing touches that turn a collection of pages into a finished piece you're proud of.

And then there's the best part...

You don't have to stop after your first journal.

The final page introduces you to Storybook Designers Club — our $9/month membership for makers who want fresh, coordinated Storybook journal designs and new creative projects every month.

But first?

Make your first book.

Learn the process.

Try things.

Make mistakes.

Figure out what you love.

Then make another one.

Create. Restore. Reimagine. Share.

Download the Field Guide and let's get making. 💚

FREE • 14 PAGES • INSTANT DOWNLOAD