Masculine Scratchpad Weekend Project

First you need a scratch pad.  You can measure if you wish but I like to just wing it.  I do measure how wide the the scratchpad is but after that I just fold things over edges, mark them with my fingernail and score as I go.  My Island Indigo card stock measures 7-7/16" x 3-1/16".  It's not that important because each scratchpad is going to be different. Scratchpads are not precision work so it will be rare to find a whole pack that is exactly the same, especially if you buy them in bulk.  I had gotten mine in bulk from Staples.  Paper is heavy so you may have to pay a lot for shipping.  Fortunately when I ordered these I needed printer ink so I was able to get my order high enough to qualify for free shipping!!! 

I took a full sheet of cards stock and cut it on the short side at 4-1/4".  I did that so I could use the other side for a future card.  I took the other piece and cut it the width of my scratchpad.  Then I marked the edge of the card stock where the back of the scratchpad lined up to it.  I scored that line.  Then I marked the next edge where the card stock folds over the bound end of the scratch pad.  I scored there too.  Then I measured 2" from that last score and cut the end off.  You don't have to measure.  You can eye it, just make sure you have enough to fold over.  The top edge is tucked under so a fold is showing on the front and not a raw edge. Plus that makes a little side "pocket" for you to slide in the strip of card stock to bind the top piece to the scratchpad.  I took the strip of card stock that was left over from cutting the width of my scratchpad.  I slipped it in the "pocket" and folded it around the scratchpad to the front.  I cut off the end, leaving over an inch of card stock to slip into the other "pocket."

Now for the assembly.  Glue your card stock to the back of the scratchpad.  You can tape it but you need the Sticky Strip.  It just seemed like a lot of Sticky Strip to use and it's not as easy to work with if you get the pad on crooked.  And trust me, it doesn't always want to go on straight.  Glue the card stock to the bonded edge of the scratchpad, plus glue the inside flap to the white paper on the pad.  The bottom photo shows the card stock glued to the back of the scratchpad. You can see the bound edge is not glued or that inside flap.  In the photo the inside flap is facing outward. Once I glue that it will fold in and stick to the white scratch paper.  Do not glue that flap shut or you will not be able to slip that strip of card stock inside.  A note here: Even if you cut your card stock straight and think you glued it on straight, it may not end up straight due to the scratchpad being cut just a little bit crooked.  Don't panic, it will still look fine.

This part is a bit tricky.  Put a little glue on one end of the strip and slip it inside the "pocket."  I glued both sides of the card stock strip with a light layer of glue so it wouldn't ooze out or scrape off.  Then I repeated that for the other side.  Now your scratch pad is ready to decorate as you wish!  

I have a "notes" stamp that I had custom made a LONG time ago.  I use it when I make notepads and notebooks.   Next I stamped the pages with the fish from the "By the Sea" set.  That took a little while to do.  Just a note here.  The image is not as sharp as it is when you stamp on card stock.  Scratchpads are not the greatest quality of paper.  But the image is clear enough and the paper is just going to be written on and tossed out eventually.  And there you have it, a fun notepad from a plain scratchpad.

These are very fun to make and after you make a couple they go pretty fast.  It just takes a little bit of time to get the other end of that strip in.  Just start with a corner of the strip and slowly work it in.  You can bend the strip a little on the end, it won't matter, it won't show.  It will be tucked and glued to the inside!

Have fun making these and thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda