Technique Class - Notebooks

Today I want to show you how easy it is to make your own notebooks using left over notepaper or exercise books from the kids, a couple of pieces of cardboard and a binding machine.

Requirements:
2 thick sheets cardboard of the same size for the cover (mine is 5" x 8" but you can make yours larger or smaller. I also made a mini notebook measuring 2"x 4")
Notepaper
4 sheets lightweight cardstock in a single colour (I used cream)
Binding machine + bindings
Glue, double sided tape
Ruler, pencil, eraser
Scissors, craft knife, cutting mat
Stylus
Bone folder
Embellishments of choice

1. Make sure your cardboard pieces are the same size, trim if needed. For the cover you can use sheets of chipboard or even pieces of cereal box sandwiched together to create a thicker more sturdy piece of cardboard. (Remember to use acid free products if you are creating a photo album or photo journal.)

2. Trim the lightweight cardstock so that it is about 3/4" bigger all round than the cardboard covers. (Remember that 3/4" all around means your cardstock will need to be 1 1/2" longer and 1 1/2" wider than the cardboard). Use a glue stick to adhere the cardboard to the centre of the lightweight cardstock.

3. Use a stylus to score the lightweight cardstock around the edges of the cardboard. This will give you a nice neat fold when you are covering the cardboard.

4. Fold the lightweight cardstock over all the edges of the cardboard, pressing the creases well.

5. Use a bone folder to crease each of the corners following the contours of the cardboard. Do this for each of the four corners.

This is how each corner should look after creasing:

6. Fold the corners of the lightweight cardstock onto the cardboard as shown in the picture and secure with double sided tape or glue.

7. Use your bone folder again to press the creases and contours back in around each corner. This will give you a much neater finish.

8. Now fold up each of the four sides, securing with double sided tape or glue.

9. Cut pieces of lightweight cardstock that are about 1/4" smaller all around than the covers. (Remember that 1/4" smaller all around means your lightweight cardstock should be 1/2" smaller in width and 1/2" smaller in length than the covers.)

10. Round the corners of the lightweight cardstock if desired, then glue them securely onto the centre of the cover so that the cardboard is no longer visible. This will be the inside of the book cover.

11. Now you need to cut some notepaper to size. I used some exercise books the kids had left over from last year, reserving the cardboard covers for later projects! The notepaper inside your book should be the same length as your covers or very slightly smaller. Don't make the mistake of cutting them a lot shorter or you will find that the pages sag. The width is up to you - I made mine about 1/2" narrower so that I could put tabs in my book to divide it into sections.

12. Time to punch and bind! Follow the manufacturers directions for the particular machine you are using.

13. All that's left now is the decorating... and that's the fun part!

Photos and instructions copyright Beccy Muir 2011