This project is part of my effort to spruce up my office and get more organized. I don’t know how organized it will make me, but these little notebooks sure are cute! The other project that I did was to cover plain file folders with scrapbook paper, and these look adorable also.

It seems like most workplaces generate a lot of scrap paper. From my first job out of college to my office today, I’ve usually been the one to collect the extra paper for reuse. At my first job, teaching at a small high school, I used the extra paper other teachers left in my cubby to shred for handmade paper, something I’d love to do more of again. These days, scrap paper from the office is the raw material for my three prolific little artists, as well as my own notes.

Even though we’re reusing old paper, it doesn’t have to look sloppy. I decided to make these notebooks to corral all of those loose papers. They’re great, because they can be decorated to create infinite customized looks, and it’s easy to add and remove pages.

Materials:

• cardboard – I used old boxes and the heavy cardboard backing from calendars or pads of paper
• fabric and Heat’n Bond Ultra Hold
• OR scrapbook paper and Clear Contact Paper
• 0.5 inch binder rings or 1 inch binder rings
• paper for pages. Ours are all scrap paper from the office.

Instructions:
Paper-covered notebooks

• for each notebook, cut two pieces cardboard to 8.5″x11″
• cut paper for the front and back to 8.5″ x 11″.  I mixed scrapbook papers to make interesting designs
• glue the paper onto the cardboard with a gluestick
• Wrap the cover in Clear Contact Paper.  As an optional step to make the inside of the cover more finished, I added white contact paper to the inside of the covers.
• Punch holes on the left side
• Use binder rings to hold the paper in place

Wrap the notebook cover in clear contact paper to protect it.

As an optional step, I added white contact paper to finish the inside of the covers.

I rounded the edges of some of the covers to make the design more interesting. For these, cut small wedges to fold the contact paper neatly.

Fabric-covered notebooks

• for each notebook, cut two pieces cardboard to 8.5″x11″
• cut fabric rectangles about 12″x15″ for the front and back covers
• Fuse Heat’n Bond Ultra Hold to the back side of the fabric, and then iron on to the cardboard
• After cutting the corners, wrap and fuse the fabric to the inside of the covers.
• As an optional step to make the inside of the cover more finished, I added coordinating paper to the inside of the covers.
• Punch holes on the left side
• Use binder rings to hold the paper in place

Adding coordinating fabric to the inside of the covers gives a more finished look.

Here are the notebooks I made for myself.  I can’t wait to whip one out during a meeting!

It’s fun look to make the back and front of your notebook from different papers that work well together. I love this one!

These notebooks have rounded corners for added detail.

And here are the notebooks I made for the boys.  They each chose their own covers – Superman for little J, art pencils for my budding artist L, and navy for big boy K.  I wasn’t sure if the note books would catch on, but so far, the boys really seem to like keeping all their drawings organized in these!  Yay!

The kids each chose the covers for their new notebooks.

L is really into art right now, which is so fun for me. I looped an elastic through the middle ring of his notebook, so he can keep his portfolio together. He has been bringing it to school every day!

Here’s what L is working on in his notebook. I love it!

More of L’s sketches, all neatly contained in his new notebook.

Yay for these little notebooks.  They would make great gifts, too!

Some holiday projects coming up next!

“Jewels”