Last Wednesday on my ‘To Do This Week’ list was to make a notebook to take with me to Ireland. I finished this about, oooh, midnight on the Thursday lol. Anyway, I had loved the notebook cover from Rachel’s Curves Class with the tricky improv flower bud – yay, I only needed the seam ripper once!
Now, I’ll admit here that I followed the pattern for the bud bit only, and after that I had to wing it. You see I made the actual notebook too… I started out to just buy one, I really did, but then I wanted plain paper. And gridded paper. And lined paper. Hmm. WH Smiths was strangely out of such a beast – I think I had imagined a project book would have a mix of things, but there wasn’t even a Pukka Pad that fit the bill. I managed to find a collection of exercise books that I think are aimed at small kids learning to read and write. I got a lined pad, a plain pad, a gridded pad, and one that was half plain, half lined (in the shop they sell them individually for about 99p a piece) When I got them home I cut off about 1/8″ at the stapled edge to make them loose leaf, added in some smaller gridded paper from a French pad, then got out a couple of sheets of greyboard, a thick piece for the cover and a thin piece for the dividers. I used my Zutter Bind-It-All to wire bind it, and then went to make the cover.
You’ll be truly shocked to know that the home-made pad wasn’t the same dimensions as Rachel’s pad ;o) I made the bud bit with her measurements, added the stem and free motion stitched the leaf, then trimmed it down to allow me to put a decent border all round with a collection of fabrics from my stash. I totally mixed the lines here, and as most were charms or fat quarters with no selvedges, I have no clue what most of it is, although I thought the charm with the bees was perfect for the bud. I added some of the Moda rulers inside the front cover though, and some Children At Play How To Make A Paper Hat inside the back cover (you know, in case I get bored ;o) )
I’m processing pics for Jack’s blog, so will hopefully get something up tomorrow or Thursday…
What a great job you made, certainly more special than a Pukka Pad!!
I think you should make them in bulk and market them. It's a gorgeous notebook.
adorable Katy! super, super cute!
Hi Katy, only you would have to make a customised pad. I had to laugh. It finished up just great.
Have a great trip.
Hugs
That is so adorable! I love your fabrics – bright and cheerful 🙂
Cute! You can't beat the French for gridded paper!
Lovely job on the curves 🙂 Look forward to seeing Jacks pissed ramblings 😉
It turned out great! I still need to attempt something in Curves Class. I meant to… I just go tied up doing other things.
Great idea, and it turned out beautifully.
Beautiful job, I use those notebooks (exercise) all the time 🙂 Super handy!
Very cute!!
Oh this is so special – I had no idea that the notebooks were not standard – you certainly give yourself extra work. It is lovely xx
Hi! Your new notebook is beautiful! What a great simple flower!x Teje
I love that you made the book too! I have bought some books with assorted papers from paperchase I think, but far more expensive than your bodge, sorry, creation!
You are too clever by half – was in WH Smiths looking at stationery but only bought a boring old to do list!
Your idea is so much nicer!
Very nice! It really cheers up a boring notebook!
Lovely jubbly!
Adorable cover! I love how you made your own notebook. I really like the fabric with the text, very nice touch for a notebook.
I had not heard of the Zutter products, not being a scrapbooker. Very fun. And your cover is also lovely.
now aren't you the clever one? Great idea to bind yourself and the cover is perfect.
K – your notebook cover is gorgo! 🙂
Good fun indeed and useful I'm sure. What I'd like to know too is how you got on with Wee Jock? "Wee who?" do I hear you say? Wee jock is Jacks friend that you're making. I thought I'd let you know The name I'd thought up for him, or have you another idea?
Dad
Sigh. You can only get graphpaper here. No lines. No plain. Just graph paper. No WH Smith, no Rymans. However, love your notebook and having different sections is genius as is your buddy flower thingy!
Sigh. You can only get graphpaper here. No lines. No plain. Just graph paper. No WH Smith, no Rymans. However, love your notebook and having different sections is genius as is your buddy flower thingy!
That's super cute! I want to see pictures of the inside and back too. 🙂
Super crafty and so cute, I love your work.
Cheers Susan♥