How to Make Your Own Notebook
Gather your supplies., Score your note cards., Apply a layer of glue to your cards., Prepare your card stock., Apply the gold leaf., Glue your note cards to the card stock.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Gather your supplies.
You should be able to find all the necessary materials at your local craft store.
When shopping for gold leaf, avoid the "peel and stick" variety.
Search for a gold leaf kit that includes gold leaf sheets, adhesive, and a sealer.
Gather the following to make your notebook:1 pack of 4" x 6" note cards Glue Craft knife Gold leaf kit Painter's tape Foam brush Card stock Ruler Bone folder Pencil Rubber band or clip -
Step 2: Score your note cards.
Stack your note cards taking care to keep the edges even.
Use your craft knife to make small cuts along one of the 4" edges of your note cards.Scoring your note cards will help the glue stick to the cards, creating a better bond., Bind your cards with a rubber band or a clip.
Make sure you keep the edges straight.
Use a brush to apply a layer of glue to the scored edge of your note cards.You will need to add a total of 3 layers of glue.
Let the first layer of glue dry before adding another., Measure the thickness of your note cards.
If you used a single pack of 4" x 6" note cards, your stack is probably around 3/4" thick.
If so, measure a piece of card stock that is 12 3/4" long and 4" wide.If you are using a different size note card, double the length of the card and add the thickness.
For example, if you are using a stack of 4" x 8" note cards, you will need to first measure the thickness of the stack, and then add that number to 16".
The width of your card stock will still be 4".
Using a ruler and bone folder, make two score lines 6" from each end of card stock.
This should leave you with a center strip that is 3/4" wide.
This center strip will be the binding area for your notepad., Turn your card stock over and use your painter's tape to fix it to a flat surface.
If you want to make a pattern with the gold leaf, use the painter's tape to make the outline.Apply a thin layer of the gold leaf adhesive to the card stock and let it dry for at least 2 minutes, or until it feels tacky.
If you try to apply the gold leaf while the adhesive is still wet, the gold leaf will not stick.Lay a layer of gold leaf down and carefully smooth it out.
If you bought your gold leaf in a kit, you should have instructions for applying gold leaf.
Most kits come with small sheets of wax paper to help you smooth the gold leaf out.
Use your foam brush to further smooth the gold leaf.Once the gold leaf is dry, use your foam brush to wipe away any excess pieces.Apply a thin layer of sealer to the gold leaf.
The sealer will prevent the gold leaf from getting scratched.
Let the sealer dry and then remove the painter's tape., Turn your card stock over and add some glue to the center strip you marked off earlier.
Place the scored and glued side of your note cards into the center strip and hold it in place.
Let the glue dry completely before using your notebook. -
Step 3: Apply a layer of glue to your cards.
-
Step 4: Prepare your card stock.
-
Step 5: Apply the gold leaf.
-
Step 6: Glue your note cards to the card stock.
Detailed Guide
You should be able to find all the necessary materials at your local craft store.
When shopping for gold leaf, avoid the "peel and stick" variety.
Search for a gold leaf kit that includes gold leaf sheets, adhesive, and a sealer.
Gather the following to make your notebook:1 pack of 4" x 6" note cards Glue Craft knife Gold leaf kit Painter's tape Foam brush Card stock Ruler Bone folder Pencil Rubber band or clip
Stack your note cards taking care to keep the edges even.
Use your craft knife to make small cuts along one of the 4" edges of your note cards.Scoring your note cards will help the glue stick to the cards, creating a better bond., Bind your cards with a rubber band or a clip.
Make sure you keep the edges straight.
Use a brush to apply a layer of glue to the scored edge of your note cards.You will need to add a total of 3 layers of glue.
Let the first layer of glue dry before adding another., Measure the thickness of your note cards.
If you used a single pack of 4" x 6" note cards, your stack is probably around 3/4" thick.
If so, measure a piece of card stock that is 12 3/4" long and 4" wide.If you are using a different size note card, double the length of the card and add the thickness.
For example, if you are using a stack of 4" x 8" note cards, you will need to first measure the thickness of the stack, and then add that number to 16".
The width of your card stock will still be 4".
Using a ruler and bone folder, make two score lines 6" from each end of card stock.
This should leave you with a center strip that is 3/4" wide.
This center strip will be the binding area for your notepad., Turn your card stock over and use your painter's tape to fix it to a flat surface.
If you want to make a pattern with the gold leaf, use the painter's tape to make the outline.Apply a thin layer of the gold leaf adhesive to the card stock and let it dry for at least 2 minutes, or until it feels tacky.
If you try to apply the gold leaf while the adhesive is still wet, the gold leaf will not stick.Lay a layer of gold leaf down and carefully smooth it out.
If you bought your gold leaf in a kit, you should have instructions for applying gold leaf.
Most kits come with small sheets of wax paper to help you smooth the gold leaf out.
Use your foam brush to further smooth the gold leaf.Once the gold leaf is dry, use your foam brush to wipe away any excess pieces.Apply a thin layer of sealer to the gold leaf.
The sealer will prevent the gold leaf from getting scratched.
Let the sealer dry and then remove the painter's tape., Turn your card stock over and add some glue to the center strip you marked off earlier.
Place the scored and glued side of your note cards into the center strip and hold it in place.
Let the glue dry completely before using your notebook.
About the Author
Jeremy Powell
Jeremy Powell specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 4 years. Jeremy is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: