DIY- Handmade Mini Note Pads
I am always on the look out for cute little note pads I can keep in my handbag for those times I need to jot something down. I decided I wanted to make some of my own.
These are just the right size and can be personalized for a wonderful handmade gift. I used my new Wild Flower Digital Paper Kit releasing tomorrow.
What you need:
Several Sheets of blank paper- for the notepad
Patterned Paper
Template (can be found on my blog)
Printer
Template
Rubber Cement (or Padding Compound)
Scissors/Craft Knife
Scoring Tool
1/8″ hole punch (I used the We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile)
4.25″ piece of 1/4″ braided elastic
2 Eyelets and a tool for setting them (I used the We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile)
2″ Circle Punch
Brad (optional)
Making the blank notepad:
1. I took 8.5″x11 sheets of paper to my local copy/print store and had them cut them into 1/8 ths. So that I had several 4.25 x 2.75″ sheets of paper to make the blank notepad. You could also cut these yourself.
2. Take the 4.25 x 2.75″ papers and make a stack about 3/8″ thick.
3. Tap the whole stack together on one of the sides so that one side of the stack is completely even.This is the side you will now glue together to form the spine of the notepad. To hold the stack together while gluing you can use clamps or two boards with weights on top (as I did) so that you get a tight spine. Then spread your glue on that even side. I used rubber cement but Padding Compound is probably the best. Padding compound is made especially for making these note pads and can be found online or I also found it at my local Xpedx paper supply store.
4. Let the pad dry completely.
Making the pad cover:
1. Select and open your favorite digital patterned papers in Photoshop. (I used my new Wild Flower Kit–find it here on Thursday)
2. Open up the .png template in photoshop. (get the template here)
3. Open a new photoshop file sized at 12″x12″, 300dpi and white background. Copy both the paper and template into this new file.
4. With the template as the top most layer, crop your patterned paper layers to bleed just outside the template boundaries for each pad template. If you wish you may also use the circle tag templates included. I used some of the Wild Flower Elements and Wild Flower Alphabets on the tags as well.
5. Print. I printed on Epson double sided 12×12″ Scrapbook paper. I also printed a 12×12″ pattern on the backside so that the inside of the pad cover would have a pattern as well.
6. Cut out the pad cover using the outside rectangular lines as as guides. The two perpendicular inside lines are for scoring the spine, score those and fold inward. Use a 2″ punch or cut the circular tags.
Attaching the elastic to pad cover:
Now it’s time to attach the elastic that will serve as a closure for your pad.
1. Cut a piece of 1/4″ braided elastic to aprox. 4.25 length.
2. Locate the two hole guides on the back flap of the pad cover.
3. Take one end of the elastic and hold it on top of one hole guides. Center it vertically and leave approx. 1/16th of and inch of a tail toward center of the pad horizontally. Using an 1/8″ punch make a hole in in both the elastic and paper. You won’t be able to see the circular hole guide at this point but just approximate it. (it doesn’t have to be perfect).
4. Take your eyelet and insert through the hole you just made. With top of eyelet being on the outside of the pad cover.
5. Set eyelet.
6. Repeat for the other side and attach the other end of the elastic using the other eyelet. Both ends of the elastic should be inward toward the middle of the pad cover. You may need to cut a little bit of the elastic ends off if there is some showing after you set the eyelet.
Finishing up:
1. Add embellishments at this time. I added circular tag to front cover using a brad to attach.
2. Now attach blank pad to cover, by painting rubber cement to blank pad spine then setting it inside spine of pad cover you scored and folded earlier. Be sure to let it dry while applying pressure so that it adheres well.
3. Test out your elastic closure and you are finished!
I love giving these little hand-made, personalized pads to friends and family. I hope you enjoy this little hybrid project!
