I had an idea a while back. I like notebooks and stationary and such things, and have loads of unused and half-full notebooks.

The one I’m using most frequently at the moment is a sort-of traveller’s journal, in the sense that it’s a cover with four A5 exercise books in it. It’s very handy. Each book has a different purpose but carrying them all together means my thoughts have a home when I become distracted by something else.

Anyway, the Idea. The Project.

Using up the pretty 12×12 paper and cardstock.

Making notebook covers.

Obviously the plain kraft notebooks can be easily prettified, but also making reusable covers for them. Well, reusable as long as they survive the rigours of being chucked in a handbag.

I made several prototypes, some using otherwise waste card, some using card I probably wouldn’t otherwise use. I tried different ways of holding in the notebooks, either ribbons or tucking one cover into a pocket. Both work. I’ll probably use a combination, because I have lots of ribbons which could do with using up too.

And although it took me several attempts to make one I liked, they’re really very easy. And they take up most of two sheets of 12×12, plus some prettifying patterned papers.

For A5 inner notebooks, I find the best size is 8.5”, with a 3” pocket. For the spine, to hold two or three notebooks, it needs to be about a half-inch, and then I add a quarter-inch “corner”, so it sort of curves around and you don’t have a sharp corner.

So I score my 8.5×12” pieces at 3”, 8.5”, 8.75”, 9.25” and 9.5”.

Burnish all the score lines, match up the two spines, and stick down the 3” pockets on either cover. The overlap helps to create a reasonably sturdy cover, too, which is good because I’d otherwise consider the cardstock I’m using a tad thin (it’s really designed for scrapbookers, who do lots of layering so don’t need the sturdy card of cardmakers).

And then prettify the cover. You can do a theme, or just spread a little whimsy.

I’ve made two already, and will no doubt make considerably more. They’d make good presents, and can probably be fairly easily modified for different sizes of notebook.