Monday, August 20, 2012

Thrifty Nifty Notebooks


Deep within the bowels of one of our local thrift stores (and with this one, yes... it was bowels,) I scored some hilarious old albums. The actual albums were scratched and warped, but the covers were irresistible cheesy goodness.

Last year I bought a Cinch binding machine on the clearance aisle at JoAnn's. I wasn't sure how I would use it, but it spoke to me as crafting contraptions in craft store clearance aisles often do.

A year later... Cinch machine meet old album covers. Together we are making some fun journals to add to the homemade holiday gift stash.

Use a craft knife and a cutting mat to cut the cover and the back to the desired size.

Use decorative tape or washi tape to cover all the edges.



Don't have a binding machine? Just use your hole punch and some binding rings from the craft store. Just as cute! Or, weave a ribbon through the holes for a softer look.

I ran out of the Cinch binding wires, so some of these will have to wait. But since I had to order more, I went ahead and stocked up. These are fun and so easy to make. And who doesn't like another notebook or journal? Especially when a man wearing lederhosen is on the cover.



I just might have to head back to the bowels for more notebook-making loot.

14 comments:

  1. This is such a clever and creative idea! Love the Tijuana Christmas cover. I will need to schedule a trip to my local thrift stores. Thanks for sharing this idea!!!

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  2. LOL these are great. What a find. And what an inventive use for them. xox

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    1. Glad you like them! I got my idea from someone else on the web, but I've never seen such cheesy albums as these!

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  3. They just crack me up!! Great idea and better you find use for them than they end up in the trash. Because some people don't have the eye to see their beauty and what they can become. These covers are doing a happy dance that they now have a new funky life!!!

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    1. I think so too! I can't wait to return to that pile of albums and search for more cheesiness.

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  4. Hilarious and useful all at once! I love them. Good for you for having the foresight to get them and then create something so neat with them. Also I really like that patchy pattern tape on the first one. Neat.

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    1. So glad you like them. I actually got the idea from something I saw on the web - only done in a Lionel Richie album (yeah!) The tape is from the Smash Book supplies. Do you have Smash Books in Toronto? You'd like...

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  5. Update: On my home from work last night, I stopped by a thrift store and bought 6 albums. I couldn't resist! Thanks again for sharing this project.

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    1. I am so excited for you! Isn't is fun to pick them out? I want to see them when you are done, so please post! How are you going to bind them? Do you have a binding machine or will you do something else? Thanks so much for sharing!

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    2. The other customers at the thrift store gave me strange looks as I giggled each time I pulled out an album. So many funny titles and album artwork. ~:o) I don't have a binding machine so, I'll going to try one of your suggestions - either ribbons or rings. I'll let you know when I post them.

      I read your article in CPS tonight. Well written. So creative!

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    3. Thank you Mia! Yes, please do let me know when you post them - I want to see what you picked and how you bind them!

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    5. Hi Jenny- I posted some photos of the finished notebooks. It was a fun and fast project! Let me know what you think. http://miabloomdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/08/album-art.html


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