Binder Re-Cover Tutorial- as promised!

I can't even believe I have a moment to sit here and write this down- and so soon after last nights post!

I made this little recipe binder as part of a wedding gift for my brother and my new sister-in-law.  I sent out a request to all family members to send me some of their favorite recipes to add to this collection.  My goal was to give a gift that would allow them to add to the book as they went.

Added bonus:  I have yet to finish their big wedding gift (quilt guilt!) so it was nice to have something to gift on the day of their wedding.

This project was surprisingly simple and it delivered a great finished product, in my opinion.





Supplies:

 // Binder of choice to re-cover // I chose a mini 9x11 two-ring binder that I found at Marshall's for    $6.99
         Bonus:  this one included 5x7 recipe card pockets and page dividers as well.

// two sheets of craft paper large enough to cover the opened dimensions of the binder - in this case 22"
 I purchased wrapping sheets from Paper Source - Floral paper by Rifle Paper Co // Gold Lattice

// Elmer's spray adhesive

// ModPodge Matte

// ruler, exacto knife, scissors, sponge application brush for ModPodge, Gold Sharpie Paint Pen

[measure and cut]

measure your open binder on a flat surface.

add one inch on each side and cut your exterior paper as shown below.  this will be all one piece for the outside of the binder.

[spray adhesive & miter corners]

// spray //

lay your measured & cut exterior paper on a large piece of cardboard or an old towel and lightly spray the inside (white side on this particular paper) with the spray adhesive.

*be sure to use something underneath the paper for the overspray of glue or spray outside. 

take the newly sprayed paper and lay glue side UP on your work surface.  place the binder centered on the paper-  leaving a 1" border to fold over along the edges.  

gently press the front of the binder using your fingers to smooth any bubbles or wrinkles.  I found that the Elmer's glue was forgiving enough for me to adjust my placement more than once.  

// miter //

using your exacto-knife cut a small square from each corner.  take your cut close to the corner of the binder but leaving a tiny lip - this way you wont see any of the ugly paper you are trying to cover once you fold over your edges.

repeat square cut on all four corners.

fold over the side edge on the front and back as shown below. press to smooth on both edges.

with the binder still lying open and flat on your work surface,  press the top edge over the binder.  use scissors cut an angle- creating a nice mitered finish.  repeat for bottom edge.

// note // on this particular binder it was necessary for me to cut a wedge out of the top & bottom folds to go around the hardware.  I did this freehand using my exacto-knife.  I later covered the gaps by piecing in some of the inside paper with spray adhesive.

HALFWAY THERE! 

[cut inside paper to size and glue]

// cut // 

measure your interior paper to fit your binder.  i made mine about 1/3 of an inch smaller than the size of my binder, this way the nice edge from the front paper would still show.

I ended up with two matching squares- one for each side.  leaving a gap in the center for the hardware.

// spray // 

spray both sheets with adhesive-  working one side at a time.  lay the paper centered on the binder and press flat.  this time I used a ruler to help get rid of bubbles.  

look at those lovely edges!!

Now- for the majority of us- this project is complete!!  

But alas, I was giving this binder as a gift and as a recipe book it would likely be around spills and splatters in the kitchen.  I decided to make this a little moisture resistant and there were still a few touch-ups to finish.

[filling in the gaps]

I took some leftover paper from my interior piece and cut small wedges to fill in the spaces above and below the hardware.  I didn't want any of the ugly green showing through.  I simply eyeballed some squares, did a dry-run test fit, and then added some spray adhesive to the back of the paper.  This ended up being a super simple fix.

 Can you even tell??

[modpodge]

I was very hesitant to take this next step- for fear of ruining my hard work.  However, I knew I needed to make this book a little more durable for its intended purpose in the kitchen.  Using a small craft sponge brush I applied a thin coat of Modpodge Matte to the entire binder-  inside and out.  I had some slight disappointment after the first coat created some bubbles under my nice, smooth paper.  But- when the glue dried, the bubbles were no more

I applied a second coat and sighed at the reappearing bubbles once more.

After a few hours the book was dry and the bubbles were gone.  And I was in LOVE!

For the final steps I took a gold sharpie paint pen and wrote on the cover & back binder of the book.

on the back binder I just wrote "recipes".

I filled the cards with family recipes passed along by family members from all over.  She definitely ended up with more cards than I had spaces for.  Lots of love for yummy foods in this family!

I loved giving something that was handmade and also had some sentiment behind it.  

I hope she has as much fun making the recipes as I did making this binder!

xo,
Jansen

Featured:: Fawn Over Baby

I was so fortunate to have discovered Melissa of Fawn Over Baby through my friend, Shayla's blog over at Moons & Junes.  This whole blogosphere community is blowing my mind with it's friendliness.

Melissa and I both happen to be Air Force wives.  We also love cute and functional baby fashion and happen to have little babies willing to indulge us in our obsessions.  I emailed Melissa to introduce myself and say a little "hello".  I offered to send her some bows for her adorable little McKenzie to wear, just to get the word out there.  As a super sweet gesture of "thanks", Melissa did an entire feature on her blog about my shop and bows.

So nice, right.  Internet friends are awesome.

Here are a few pictures of her sweet McKenzie showing off her cuteness.

The whole feature can be seen here:: Fawn Over Baby: The Sweet Bee Bowtique

In other exciting & craft related news, I am signed up for a craft show in November.  My brain is going non-stop thinking of fun ideas to display the bows.  I need to check myself though, if I do all of the things I have in mind I will never make a profit!

I am thinking of some fun displays like this chicken wire room partition.

I love these wine boxes for display as well as the dropcloth backdrop.  I could do so many fun doodles with a sharpie!!

I can't wait to order this stamp with my shop name and information.  I am going to stamp everything in sight.  I'm thinking brown shopping bags with a stamp, and business cards, and bow cards.  It's endless, really.  

Reign it in, Jansen.  Reign it in.

a little lately

we have been busy bees over here lately.

i have been working on an abundance of projects simultaneously which never really amounts to much progress.

i joined the local nova modern quilters guild (jeremy thinks this is hilarious) and have made a new quilting friend.  i also discovered an adorable & new local quilting shop that is right up the road.  (he thinks this is less hilarious).  admittedly i am a major novice when it comes to quilting. who knew all the work that went into matching up various fabrics and patterns??  i am working on a quilt for a special couple-to-be and i unknowingly chose a quilt pattern that is going to make me regret passing notes to my friends all through geometry.  but here goes nothin'...

i know they will love it no matter what so that helps the anxiety. i am really excited about the color palette though!

concurrent project #2 is a new deployment shadowbox for jeremy.  i had originally created one of these to showcase some of his photos and medals from his deployment to iraq back in 07-08.  when he deployed to afghanistan and accrued four more medals (my guy!) as well as some really awesome patches we thought it was time for an update.  along with each deployment he returned with an american flag to signify his time overseas.  one flag was flown over the u.s. embassy in baghdad, iraq. the flag from afghanistan traveled all over the country with him, on convoys, planes, and helicopters: he always made sure he had space to carry his flag in his 72 hour bag.  considering the significance of all of his memorabilia he asked for me to create a cohesive display.

challenge accepted.

the background behind each flag is fabric cut from each of his uniforms while deployed in iraq and afghanistan.  i wish i could claim the genius behind the idea but he came up with that all on his own.  crafty.

some stellar iphone photos to show off the work

we took up running walk/jogging/wheezing. nora loves being outside.  i almost died.  it hurts my ego seeing how out of shape i am.  for the life of me, i still hate exercise.

in the midst of all of this i am cookin' up a storm in the kitchen.  chocolate cakes, cookies, peruvian chicken, and a whole lotta' salsa. (take THAT exercise!)  i can't get enough of gina's recipes from skinnytaste.com.  that gal keeps it real.  and she loves zucchini as much as i do.  

win.

this cake has been made twice in the past two weeks.  i think he likes it.

nora and i are headed to bethany beach with some other moms and babes this next week.  it will likely be a special kind of vacation with all of those kiddos running around.  we are still struggling with mid-night wake-ups so this could be interesting. (there is not enough coffee in the world). hopefully we can squeeze every last drop out of summer so we can jump feet first into fall.  i am so ready for apples and cinnamon and sweaters and boots, oh my!

when did she get so big??

i am loving this whole mom/tot phase we are in.  late nights and all.

xo,

j