Altered Notebooks

A really fun, simple project. You can use any size notebook and Stampin Up Designer Series Paper comes in so many great designs and colors you can find something for any occasion.

This is a collection of altered notebooks that I made. This tutorial is for a small one like the yellow and orange in the center of the photo but can easily be adapted to any other spiral notebook.

Cut a piece of Designer Series Paper slightly larger than the notebook cover. Here I am using Paisley Petals, a new product available July 1. You can see more designs in this collection on my blog, Mary's Tales.

I like using these little notebooks because of the hole punched in the center. You'll see why later.

Carefully remove a sheet of paper from the notebook, trying to keep the little tabs intact.

Turn the DSP face down and place the notebook paper along one edge. Mark the center of each circle, including the center hole.

Using the 1/16th inch circle punch, make a hole on each mark. These do not have to be perfectly centered but you want them close.

Here you can see the row of holes with the one below in the center.

Using scissors or paper snips, cut from the edge to each circle in the row. DO NOT CUT TO THE SINGLE HOLE BELOW THE ROW.

Add a small amount of Tombow liquid adhesive around the holes.

Lay on the spiral ring, lining up the first hole, and press through using a stylus or the paper piercing tool.

Continue across then go back and press the little tabs down firmly. There will be some glue on the wires which you can wipe off with a wet cloth or a baby wipe.

Add Tombow liquid glue to the notebook front and smooth the paper onto the notebook.

This is what it looks like from the back side.

Trim the edges. I have noticed the notebooks are not necessarily curved the same on both corners.
To tie a simple bow, cut a piece of ribbon or seam binding 3 to 4 times the width of the notebook. I am using the Cherry Cobbler seam binding (So happy they have carried that over into the new catalog.) Lay the ribbon on the front of the notebook, centered over the hole (This is where you see why I like the hole punched in the center of the notebook)

Wrap the ends of the ribbon to the back of the cover and push both ends through the hole punched earlier.

Continue pulling through the hole, keeping the ribbon from twisting. Pull it until snug around the cover. You may need to work with it a little to get it untwisted and smooth.

Another view from the inside cover.

On the front, pull the ends apart so that they are on either side of the ribbon. Tie a single knot, trim as desired. Decorate the notebookcover as desired.

I made this layered flower using some of the colors in the paper.

Here is my finished little notebook - who wouldn't be pleased to receivethis as a thank you gift or 'pick me up'.

If you try the altered notebook, please post a link so I can see your ideas too.

Waterfall Cards

Waterfall cards are very impressive but not that difficult to make. I have had fun playing with different stamp sets on these.


These are two I made for a club in April.


You will need a piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) cut 5 1/4 x 4. I used Sweet and Sour but Stampin Up has so many beautiful papers, it is hard to choose.

Card stock in coordinating colors -
Card base - 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 (I used Pumpkin Pie)
Pull strip - 9 x 2 ( I used Pumpkin Pie)
Base for images - 2 x 2 inch squares, you need 4 (I used Rose Red)
Stamped images - 1 3/4 x 1 3/4 inch squares, you need 4 (I used Daffodil Delight)
Cross-bar - 4 1/4 x 1 inch (I used Daffodil Delight)

You will also need 1 3/8 inch circle punch, two brads, sticky strip, your favorite adhesive and other items as need to decorate the card if desired.

Stamp your images on the 1 3/4 inch squares and trim if desired. I like using the round corner punch on opposite corners. This stamp set is a retired one but I just received it this week from a friend. I love it!

Mount these on the 2 inch squares and set aside.

Adhere the piece of DSP to the 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch piece of card stock. The card stock I used here had been embossed using the Big Shot butyou can just use plain card stock.

Using a tiny bit of Snail Adhesive or Tombow liquid ahesive on just the narrow edges of the 1 x 4 1/4 inch place in across DSP. Do not put any adhesive in the middle as that is where your 'waterfall' will slide.

Using the circle punch, cut a half-circle in the center of the short edge.

Add a couple brads to the edges of the cross-bar strip.

Along the long edge of the 2 x 9 inch strip - score at 2, 2 3/4, 3 1/2, and 4 1/4 inches. Fold all in the same direction.

The pull strip should look like this.

Slide the longer portion (4 3/4 inch long) under the cross - bar.

Adhere a strip of Sticky Strip to the bottom edge of the cross-bar. Expose the adhesive.

Line up the free edge with the lower edge of the brace.

Place the first 2 x 2 square item onto the end that was just placed behimd the brace. This first image will actully be the last one to display.

For the second image piece, only put adhesive along the upper 1/2 inch of the square or it will adhere to the previous image.

Place the second image lined up with the score line.

This picutre shows that only the top 1/2 inch of the image has adhesive so the square is free to flip up and over.

Stamp a greeting on the pull strip if desired.

Add a ribbon to the pull tab if you like.

Here is the finished card.
If you want to cover the bards on the back, here is an idea.

Punch two circles. Remove brads and glue just 1/2 of each circle over the brad holes.

From the back, pierce a hole through the circle front for the brad.

Put the brad through. DO NOT push the brad through the circle on the back of the card.

Glue down the remaining 1/2 of the circle to cover the brad.

This is the finished card.



This is another card I made using the shoe stamp set. The scallop circle pieces were embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.

I stamped the shoes on Whisper White and colored using the Many Marvelous Markers.


Such fun stamps, shoes and 4 greetings.


If you make a waterfall card, please post a comment so I can bounce over and see yours.

Keepsake Box

Several have asked how to make the Keepsake Box so here are the instructions. Here is a new one I made today with the step by step photos.

For this box, I used Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip and the Merry Moments paper. The ribbon is Chocolate Chip 5/8 inch satin.

You will need a sheet of 12 x 12 inch card stock and an 8 1/2 x 11 inch card stock in the main color (Ruby Red), a sheet of 12 x 12 of the designer series paper (Merry Moments) and a 8 1/2 x 11 inch card stock (Chocolate Chip).

Cut one inch off one side of the 12 x 12 inch card stock to have an 11 x 12 inch piece.

Cut the 8 1/2 x 11 piece of the main color to 8 1/8 x 9 1/8.

Score the 11 x 12 inch piece at 3 inches on all 4 sides. Score the 8 1/8 x 9 1/8 piece at 1 1/2 inch on all sides. The score lines don't show up in the photo.

Cut along the score lines along one side of the piece of 11 x 12 inch card stock - cut only up to the intersecting score line. Do this along the opposite side. This will create flaps on each corner.

Turn the card stock over and place Sticky Strip on the flaps in each corner.

Turn the card stock back over so that the Sticky Strips are facing down. Fold up one side and tuck the flap inside the adjoining strip. Remove the covering and expose the sticky strip, adhere to the adjoining side of the box creating the corner. Repeat with the other three corners. Be careful to not let the Sticky Strip touch the other side before you have it lined up. Sometimes there is just a little bit that sticks out above the main box side - you can just trim that down.

Before putting the lid together, decorate the top and sides. Cut the following:

Card stock - color 2 - (Chocolate Chip)

one piece 5 x 6 inches

two pieces 5 x 1 1/4 inches

two pieces 6 x 1 1/4

Designer Series Paper

one piece 4 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches

two pieces 4 3/4 x 1 inch

two pieces 5 3/4 x 1 inch

Trim corners if desired - I like using the Ticket punch.

Adhere the designer series paper to the appropiriate pieces of card stock.

Adhere the 5 x 6 inch rectangle to the top of the lid. Adhere the other pieces to the side of the lid.

Using Sticky Strip, tape the lid together as you did with the box bottom.

The finished lid looks like this.

Place the lid on the box bottom. Now you can decorate the lid however you wish.

I cut out some of the snow flake designs on another sheet of the DSP and added the 5/8 inch satin ribbon to the sides of the lid. Wouldn't this be a great way to give some packets of hot cocoa, instant soup, teas, coffee, anything for a snowy winter's day?