lil notebooks

Sometime ago for a Relief Society activity I learned how to make new notebooks with old stuff. I made a Lightning McQueen one for Sam and he loves it.... and so does Livia.... so that's why I decided it was time to make more.

They are great for having in church to keep the kids (mostly) quiet, so I thought I'd share the process in case you wanted to make some for your little angels.

Items needed:
A box
Scratch paper
Thread or string
Clamps
Electric drill

First find a box and cut off the front and the back. Some box ideas are fruit snacks, crackers, or cereal. (For a cereal box just cut to the correct size.)


Next find plenty of scratch paper and fold in half (with the used side inside) and put the folded edge on the right side of the new cover. (So the open edge will be in the binding.) And clamp it with clips.


Then mark where the holes need to be drilled and take the edge of a scissors to make a slight cut for the book to open without hurting the binding.

Using an electric drill, make the holes down the left side, making sure to get it all the way through all the pages and back cover.


Take some string or thick thread (I doubled mine) and start the first half of a criss-cross bind. Make sure to keep it tight so it doesn't get too loose when you're done.


Then start the other half of the criss-cross going back down.


And tie off the two loose ends.


And ta-da! You have a new little book with a happy little cover!


And a happy little girl who loves Ariel!


They also work great for stickers... since all kids think they need to pull off every sticker they find and stick it somewhere....