Pretty Up Your Paper

Even in this technological world, I love using paper. Taking notes as I work is how I process my thoughts and it helps me to better remember things. Sometimes I can't get a thought out (for work or otherwise) unless I hand write it. When I need to refer back to anything, I remember if I wrote with pencil or a green felt tip or a goopy blue ballpoint. I remember if my writing was pretty or block printed and what side of the page I wrote on.

I don't use full size (8 1/2 x 11) sheets because I can fill up little pages quickly and compartmentalize better. When I'm done with the page, I review it, cross a line through it, and sometimes use the other side. Then it gets torn out and tossed (yes, into the recycling)! And so it goes until the pad is used up and I get to go to another one. It really is kind of weird these days, I guess, but that's how it is.

I needed new paper so I decided to jazz the notepads up a little. Life is too short, after all, for things to not be jazzed up a little. Here's what I started with.

This is what you do: 

1.  Pick out coordinating or contrasting papers.

2.  Spread glue on the front of the spines (that part on the top that holds all the pages together).  You can use any type of adhesive--a glue stick, school glue, tacky glue, or Mod Podge--you get the idea--but for this I use Golden Gel Medium. It's super strong and since scrapbook paper can be a little thick it holds really well.  That matters if you wrap from the front to the top like I did on the ones in the first picture. Just use your fingers--it's fast and easy.  I love the stuff! 

3.  Don't try to measure and cut the craft paper to fit the spine exactly.  It's too hard to make it right.  
You'll get a better fit if you match a bottom corner of your craft paper to a bottom corner of the front of the spine cover but leave extra paper overhanging the other sides.  As soon as the glue sets (and gel medium sets SO quickly) you can flip the pads over and slice that extra paper off right along the edge.  Looks great!

Mostly run-of-the-mill legal pads are now more colorful, much prettier, and a whole lot more fun!
One will be used for my 9 to 5 work, one will be for personal things, and another for blogging and crafting.  What about the others?

I don't know.  Maybe I'll share them or maybe I'll have three more ready to go when I need them!

This project is ridiculously easy but we need ridiculously easy projects now and then!  What's the most ridiculously easy project you've done lately?  Let's trade. ;)