:: Pretty notebook cover makeover ::
Here’s yet another paper crafts with recycled materials. I found this rather ugly, but handy ‘To Do’ planner book at a garage sale. 25 cts. I liked that it combined personal and business . It’s not an official planner, but just the perfect memory jotter for me, really. And each fold has 1 entirely blank page. Perfect for  big picture plans as well as crochet designs and knitting ideas. However, that plastic cover….. Gruesome!  Too ugly, too plastic, too bright, too little girly and well, I don’t want to be reminded that I have all that stuff ‘to do’. I want to be reminded that I am achieving great goals and living my dream in action.

Notebook cover Before and After

So, I gave the book cover a makeover. Here it is.

How to Transform a Book Cover

Step 1: Design a style/ color scheme, and get your materials and tools together.

Professional Scrapbooking Supplies and Tools

My secret? My Christmas presents (from Santa-me to me)! I invested this Christmas in 2 new tools: a professional hole punch (that will work on anything from paper to leather and anything in between. I HAVE ALREADY LOVED IT!!!  So far, I have made tags, made this book cover, adjusted a leather belt and am designing my leather bags now, as I finally have the tool I need to pull that off. Here’s where you can get one too: Hole Puncher. As I wanted to get a good one rather than a cheap one, I held off purchasing something like this. Glad I got it now, albeit that you can get it now on sale. Get this one that I am linking to, or get the next one up in quality.

The other ‘investment’ in my paper art is this beautiful large scalloped circle punch. They make instant tags, vignettes for cards, paper garlands, and so much more.  I already used them to make tags for Christmas gifts, and am getting ready for home-made marmalade tags (my Valentine gifts for neighbors). Here is where you can get yours: Fiskars Seal of Approval Squeeze Punch, Extra Large. They are now on sale for 43% off, and only $9.99. I paid double for it before XMAS. So get yours now before the price goes up again.

As well, you’ll need some high quality scrapbooking paper to pull this project off. and here’s where you get that. The scrapbooking paper pack that I bought is now 11 years old, and I am still going with it!! So, invest in a set of beautiful papers and you’ll fill your entire home with that style. Worth to pick something good, rather than something cheap. The link here goes to a wide range of different paper design styles. You are bound to find a set you’ll love. Each of these links are affiliate links and I thank you so very much for using them, as that is what feeds me. Thank you!

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Step 2: Remove the book cover and cut acid-free art paper to size with a paper/photo guillotine.

Step 3: With Pritt/Yes-glue or other paper glue, attach the art paper to the original book cover.

Step 4: With a hole punch, cut holes in your paper, using the existing plastic holes as your guides to determine where the holes should go.  Very easy. 

Step 5: Use this plastic front cover as a template to also make a cover for the back. I choose a striped back of the book. And again, use the existing holes as a guide to determine where the holes of the back should go.

Step 6: Repeat step 5 to make the inside of the front cover. I choose simple white paper.

Step 7: Add a pocket to the inside book cover.

Fold two strips in harmonica-style and glue these on either side of the back of the pocket paper. Put glue on the bottom of the pocket and on the outside harmonica strips and place onto white paper. Add bookmarks, tags, etc.

Step 8: Add some embellishments on the outside of the book cover. I added a word from yesterday’s garland. Achieve. Perfect for this action-filled ‘to do’- book. Plus a glitter butterfly, as I adore butterflies and they go so well together with the floral paper choice I had made here. I tied a purple ribbon around the binding as I found that the way this ring-bound worked, the pages would come loose eventually, if I wouldn’t tie the rings closes.  Am leaving a long tail at the top as a bookmark.

And there you have it:

A beautiful book cover.