Does your Grimoire have an index?

Did you number all the pages in your journal?

Do you tip pages into your Grimoire, after the fact, and have to figure out where they fit in the original page numbering system?

How do you find the pages you need to find when you need to find them, other than flipping through the book, page by page, until you happen upon the page you are looking for?

When you put together your Grimoire, did you include a bookmark or two internal to the book? If you bought a journal for your Grimoire, did it come with a bookmark or two, or did you add a bookmark to the journal?

When I say bookmark here, I mean ribbons or something similar that are secured in the binding and spine of the book, integral to the book itself, not a removable bookmark with a tassel, although those are lovely as well.

You can, of course, use the bookmarks that you move from page to page as you work through your book. Paper clips, in pretty shapes, decorated in any number of ways, even hidden paper clips, can be used.

But what about tabs? Have you thought about that?

There is the re-usable, re-stickable kind that you can buy at most stores.

You can cut paper tabs yourself with a punch tool or even using a pair of scissors. When you make them yourself, you can make them all match in size, shape, or color–or you can cut them any different size or shape you like, and make each tab any color you like.

You can also use bits of fabric. You can fold a bit of fabric over the edge of your page that you want to mark. You can glue it down. You might want to use a fabric glue or stronger PVC glue to do this. You could sew it on, by hand. If you are determined, as it is on the very edge of the page, you can sew it on by machine.

If you really wanted to have fabric bits sewn along edges or used as tabs throughout your book, you can sew fabric anywhere you want using your sewing machine before you bind your book together. Then you won’t have to worry about manipulating your book and page around in order to sew on a tab.

You can do anything you like when adding tabs. And right now, I am speaking strictly about tabs. We can discuss adding ruffles, lace, and whatever else to decorate edges later on.

You can create a tab using any thickness of ribbon, thin or wide, wired or not, depending on what you want for your Grimoire.

You can use bits of fabric, bits of lace, or scraps of leather. Basically, if something means something to you, and you can fold it over your page and secure it in a way that doesn’t harm you or your journal, then you can use it to create a tab.

One thing to think about is where are your scraps coming from. Beloved pieces of clothing of your own or someone you love dearly. A piece of grandma’s quilt, The cuff from your uncle’s old flannel shirt. Your baby’s first outfit. Things of that nature are perfect for including in your journal.

Your Grimoire is supposed to be deeply personal. Adding bits and pieces from the things and the people you love infuses it with more power, with more value. Add only what inspires you and makes you happy.

You can find a way to do this with any sort of tag, but for me, adding bits of decoration to fabric tabs has been easier in practice. You can add buttons, bits of broken jewelry, beads, stones and crystals prepared for jewelry, strips of fabric or ribbon.

My hands don’t work well enough to do fine work, like adding jump rings and the like, so I mostly stick to hand sewing these things on. If you can do finer work and this appeals to you, do it.

Remember: 1 This is your book, your Grimoire. Make it the way YOU want it. 2 All I am doing is giving you suggestions on things to do with and to your Grimoire. Take what resonates with you and leave the rest, without guilt or anything else. refer to number 1 if you feel any guilt at all.

Do you have any other ideas for tabs or tab decoration you would like to add? Let me know in the comments below.