Shocking True Confession: My name is Lauren, and I've never outgrown the joy of shopping for new school supplies, despite having left formal schooling several decades ago. Even better than a brand new notebook, imo, is a brand new notebook I have customized with all my favorite colors... and a bit of glittery sparkle!

Step 1: Trim a piece of Simon Hurley create. Stark White Cardstock to fit the size of your notebook cover; this composition book measures 6.75 x 9.75" and has rounded corners on the right-hand side. Pencil a small dot towards the top right-hand corner of the panel, taking care that the longest distance from any edge of the panel to the dot is NOT longer than the stencils you'll be using to fill the segments. (Please Note: the sample has twelve random-sized segments, adorned with four different Make-It stencil patterns, each paired with a shade of Archival Ink; repeated three times each. However, you can use any combination of inks and stencils, on any number of segments.)

Step 2: Mask off the surrounding area with two strips of scrap paper, to create a triangle shape in which to stencil with Make-It's Bubble Mix using Vibrant Fuchsia Archival Ink and a Mini Ink Blending Tool. When the segment is complete, move the stencil and surrounding mask to create two more triangle-shaped wedges, spaced around that same dot. There's no need to measure or to make the segments of equal widths; in fact, the random element makes the design more interesting.

Step 3: Continue working around the panel, applying three segments each of the following pairings: Slanted Stencil with Chrome Yellow; Wavy Lines Stencil with Paradise Teal; Sprinkle Hearts with Majestic Violet. As you finish with each stencil, use Isopropyl Alcohol to wipe the excess color off.

Step 4: Use some Dina Wakley MEdia Pink Art Tape to cover the area around the line of medium-sized dots on the Make-It Bold Shapes Stencil. Place the line of dots over the seam of any two stenciled segments and use the small palette knife from Simon Hurley's Paste Tools Set to apply Solar Flare Stickles Glitter Gel. Carefully move the stencil twice more, taking care not to smudge the previous dots, and apply two additional lines of golden dots. Set aside and allow to dry.

Step 5: On some small scraps of Stark White Cardstock, use the star on the Bold Shapes Stencil (with the surrounding area taped off) to stencil 4 or 5 Solar Flare stars, and 4 or 5 Venus stars. (Note that for maximum color impact, you can first stencil with a coordinating shade of Archival Ink; in this case, Sand Castle and Vibrant Fuchsia.) Set aside and allow the stars to dry completely; then cut them out neatly with scissors, leaving a thin border of white on all sides. Add a 3D Foam Square to the back of each star and set aside.

Step 6: Mask off a single line of dots, close to one edge of the Make-It Pegboard Stencil, using Dina's Pink Art Tape. When the Solar Flare dots from Step 4 are dry, apply three longer lines of small black dots to the seams of three more radiating segments. Add 5 to 7 drops of Jet Black Archival Re-Inker to about a teaspoon of White Matte Texture Paste and combine thoroughly using the small palette knife from Simon's Paste Tools Set. (Saving the plastic lids from food containers gives you a shallow palette in which to mix pastes and pigments, which can be guiltlessly thrown away when you're done!)

Step 7: Using Dina Wakley's Block Alpha Stamp Set, stamp the letters of "N-O-T-E-S" in Vibrant Fuchsia, Jet Black, Majestic Violet, Jet Black and Paradise Teal. Cut the blocks out neatly and add foasm squares to the back of each.

Step 8: Assembly: Adhere the patterned panel to the front of the notebook with Dina Wakley MEdia Glue. Add the title, "NOTES" to the bottom right-hand corner of the book. Place one Glitter Gel star over the pencil dot at the junction of the stenciled segments and scatter the rest of the stars around the design.

Step 9: Consider covering a mini composition book to coordinate; choose a favorite pen and maybe a few stickers or washi tapes to keep with your notebook, and prepare to have the most colorful school year yet!