With summer here it is time to add some fun summer accessories to your purse. This fun little notebook uses only two sheets of 12x12” paper and an old cereal or other box from your kitchen. I used an old lasagna box to make mine.
Materials needed:
• Old cereal or other thin box
• Mod Podge
• Brush or paint sponge
• 2 sheets of coordinating summery paper
• Two solid papers in plain colors coordinating with patterned papers above
• Stickles
• Rhinestones or other embellishments
• Pad of paper
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Non-stick Surface
• Boning Tool
• Scissors
• Velcro dots
• Letter Stamps N,O,T,E,S
• Chalk inks which coordinate with your papers
The first thing you want to do is take your pad of paper and using a piece of copy paper and draw out a diagram of your pad using your ruler to take all the measurements. Add about an 1/8” to all measurements to allow for the width of the papers and cardboard. The top and bottom measurements add a ¼” total to allow for a slight overhang of the pad. Draw template to scale using your measurements.
When you have your measurements and template done, cut out from paper and place onto cardboard. Using a boning tool, or even a ball point pen press firmly and trace the inside lines of the template in order to make the fold lines on the cardboard. Trace lightly around the outside of the template with the pencil. Cut out following pencil lines.
Once you have your base cut out, take your paper chosen for the outside of the notebook and cut out the paper making it 1” larger than the base cardboard. Cut your inside paper ½” smaller in diameter than your base cardboard. Using your Mod Podge, coat the outside of your base cardboard and the back of the paper you have chosen for the front of your notebook. When both are coated with Mod Podge carefully lay the cardboard base onto the coated side of your front paper, centering as you go. Turn the cardboard over and taking your boning tool, carefully smooth out the paper to eliminate any bubbles.
When you are done, turn the cardboard over. Taking your scissors carefully cut the remaining paper on a 45⁰ diagonal so that when you fold your remaining paper to the cardboard the ends meet neatly at the corners. Carefully fold the cardboard base along the fold lines and allow to dry thoroughly.
When the outer paper is completely dry, take your Mod Podge and coat the inside of the cardboard, being careful not to go over the edges of folded paper. Mod Podge the backside of the liner paper as well. Repeat the above process for the inside paper.
When this is dry, cut a piece of the remaining outer paper which is approximately 3 inches wide and twice the width of the pad of paper. Fold this paper into thirds, with the paper meeting in the center of the backside. Fold this paper over the back of the paper pad to get a good measurement. When you have found your measurement, then adhere this piece to the center part of the back of your notepad cover. Take your paper pad and slide it into the pad holder. Take your Velcro dots an using one or two sets connect them to the inside of the cover foldover and then press the foldover firmly onto the main cover.
Take your Stickles and outline the design you have chosen for the cover. Allow to dry. Add any other embellishments to the cover.
Take your letter stamps and stamp across White Cardstock NOTES. You may do these in either one, two , or three coordinating colors. Carefully tear around lettering pulling scrap up towards you. When this is done take a coordinating color of chalk ink and carefully color the torn edge. Layer this on another color of cardstock and tear again. Do not color this torn edge. Adhere this into the foldover portion of the pad cover.
Voila! You are done and have a beautiful summer notepad that will get lots of attention!
