Hand Built Notebooks

You Will Need

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Hardback notebooks built from scratch
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I have a massive thing for notebooks but can never find any I like in stationers so decided to make my own.
I use old cereal boxes for the covers (double thickness to make them firm). I also use double sided carpet tape from hardware stores instead of the craft stuff, it's cheaper, stronger and wider so better coverage.
I print my own lined paper on the pc that way I can get a matching design on the pages too.
I like the button and elastic closures (I'm sad that way).
This is my first how-to so apologies for being long winded. It looks like there are millions of steps but I really broke it down to make it simpler:)Also the pics are quite big so click on em to see em properly:)

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First step, get all your stuff together. I forgot to add the scoring/folding tool and clear book wrap (though I didn't use any for this one.
First off, we make the cover. I use old cereal boxes, anything like that is good.
This is going to be an A6 size notebook so cut 4 rectangles 10.75cm x 15.25cm (roughly 4.25" x 6"). To save untold measuring I measure and cut one and then draw round it for the others (but I'm lazy).

Cover two of the pieces with double sided tape and stick the others to them, so that you end up with two double thickness pieces.
Cover one side of one piece with double sided tape and lay it on the back of your paper, leave a good 2.5cm (1") border.

For some reason bookbinders don't mitre corners so we're going to fold them over.
Take your straight edge and scoring tool and score across the corners. I've drawn lines cos I'm rubbish at explaining:/
Fold the corners in and stick them down.
Put tape along the four edges of the card and score the paper using the card as a guide.
Fold the paper over and stick down.

Repeat for the other cover.
If you're covering the book with clear film, do that now:)
Mark on the covers where you want the closure to go (if you're not using a closure ignore the next couple of steps:))and poke a hole through both covers together so you get them both in the same place.
Soz, this pics a bit fuzzy:/
For the front, thread a piece of florists/fuse wire through the shank of a button and put the ends through the hole. Twist and lay flat (the wire, not you;])
For the back, punch a hole where you've pierced. Make a small loop from a piece of jewellery elastic, put the loop over a 3/16 eyelet and set in the punched hole. The eyelet will hold the elastic in place.
Now to cover our workings:)
Cut two pieces of card slightly smaller than the cover, about 10.25cm x 14.75 (roughly 4" x 5.8")and stick them to the backs of the covers to hide all the doings:)
Punch 5 holes, evenly spaced, down the inside edge of each cover and set eyelets in them.
Line the covers up so that the holes match.
That's the covers done yay:D
For the pages, you could just cut plain A4 paper into quarters for a plain notebook for drawing in etc.
I use MS Publisher (any DTP software is good though)to make lined pages, and put a washed out version of the cover design in the background. Takes aaaaaaages to print though:/
Now for the tedious bit, cut out the sheets of paper into four and stack them neatly. Using the front cover as a guide, mark where the holes are going to go and punch them out. A cropadile will go through tons at once.
Line up the covers and pages so that all the holes match and tie together with thonging/string/yarn whatever you're using.
Don't make them too tight or the book won't open properly (ask me how I know lol)
You could also use those big, hinged split ring thingys that scrapbookers use. Don't know their proper name, but a craft store will know what you mean:)
Tada! A brand new, one of a kind notebook. They can be personalised all over the place. I sometimes print the cover paper and put names or titles on, especially if I'm making for a present.
Just a gratuitous pic of the book open:)
Hope you enjoy making them. It's not as complicated as I've made it look, honest:)