Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tutorial Tuesday - Matchbook Notepad


Just a note, the title of this post isn’t necessarily a promise for future “Tutorial Tuesdays” (although I think it would be fun if I could pull it off), I just liked the sound of it! :)

Anyway, I've been making a few things as little gifts to include in my Etsy packages and these cute little matchbooks are one of them.

Here's what you'll need:
- Heavy-ish scrapbook paper for the outside. One piece of 12x12 paper will make 8 books. I like the double-sided kind because once you open the matchbook you see another pretty pattern inside. (see photo below) I found that Scenic Route paper is a great thickness.
- Filler paper. This can be anything you want (Junk mail? old school papers?). I used 8 ½" x 14" sheets of old accountant's work sheet paper I found at the thrift store.
- A paper trimmer (or just use a cutting mat, ruler, and xacto knife)
- A bone folder
- ruler, pencil, stapler

1. Cut all of your paper. I cut the filler sheets 2 ¾" square and the scrapbook paper 3"x6". I used 15 filler sheets per matchbook.

2. On a cutting mat, lay out a few of the scrapbook pages, with what will be the inside of the matchbook facing up. Using the ruler as a straight edge, measure over ½", using the marks on the cutting mat as your guide (see photo below). Use the bone folder to score along this line.
3. Fold up the little tab.

4. On the tab, measure and mark with a pencil at 1" and 2". This will be where you staple.
5. Take your little stack of filler paper, put it under that tab and staple staple. I like two staples but you could also just do one.

6. Fold the top flap of scrapbook paper up and around, tucking the edge under the stapled flap.
7. Use the bone folder to get rid of the arch in the scrapbook paper, making that top fold more like a real matchbook. (I hope that makes sense...)

And you're done! Wouldn't these be cute as stocking stuffers??
Oh, and I know this would be easier as a PDF, I'm sorry. I plan on working on that soon!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are so cute!

Doreen Martinez said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Doreen Martinez said...

I love your work! I too am an avid scrapbooker and I am always looking for inspiration to create and organize. I am currently in a contest to win an EZ View desk. It is am amazing piece of furniture. I will buy the workbox if I win the desk. If you like you can view the furniture at the following website and vote for my entry, #274 in the giveaway gallery. Check out my blog for examples of my work sometime soon! Thanks for sharing.
Doreen Martinez

http://www.theoriginalscrapbox.com/

Mary Ann (ovationstudio.etsy) said...

I am definetly going to make these. Thanks