Greeting friends today we are going to make cereal box notepads. We are continuing on with our recycle theme in honor of Earth Day coming up next week (Friday, April 22nd). These are so fun to make and give and I think they would be a terrific addition to a birthday party goodie bag. So go to your recycling bin and grab some fun boxes and lets get started.
Supplies:
cereal boxes or other cardboard
Mod podge (I used matte)
Wide thin paintbrush
2 large binder clips
2 paint stir sticks
Exacto Knife & ruler or Paper cutter
Paper
1. First of all decide what size your notepad will be based on the paper you have. You can use notecards, an existing notepad, binder paper or cut up some paper from an old composition book. Using a paper cutter or an Exacto knife with a straight edge cut your paper the size you want it.
2. Look through all of the boxes you have and then cut out the cardboard box to fit the same size as your paper you just cut. Cut one for the front of your notepad and one for the back using a paper cuter or Exacto knife with a ruler.
3. Sandwich the paper in between your two cardboard cereal boxes you cut out. Line them up all nicely shifting them in place until the top or side edge (depending on what side you plan on gluing) is even.
4. Place the paint stir stick on the front and back of your notepad and secure the binder clip on top. This will hold the book in place while you bind the top with glue.
5. Remove one of the binder clips and apply an even medium coat of Mod Podge on the edge. Move the binder clip to the side your just glued being careful to make sure the top is not touching your glue. Do the other side. Let it dry. Repeat the process two more times for a total of three coats.
When dry remove clips and stir sticks and enjoy! Give them as a gift or pop one in your purse for a handy way to jot down notes. Give them to your child in a restaurant to doodle.
For more Cereal Box Crafts…
Another fantastic idea. I think I will use blank pages and give them to the kids to create their own scrapbooks out of…I always wondered how to bind the pages in there.
Those would be such cute party favors!!! My girls love having their own notebooks to “write” in and put their stickers. Great idea, Beckie. 🙂
Love it! I think I might make some using old Pokemon cards (doubles of course!) to hand out at Josh’s Bday party!
Very Cute!! Love the idea!!
This is so neat. the next time my kids have off school we are making these
Nice! I’ve wondered how to make a notebook binding. Glue, of course!
I love this idea for the kiddos! I can’t believe Mod Podge works.. I’ll have to get right on this :o)
wonderful! love it!
It is awesome to watch the tv and say “I know her” 🙂 Love the idea! Where do you buy your mod podge? On the mosaic clip board, did you use the matte and then go over with the gloss , or how did you make them stick before the clear gloss finish??? Way to go DIY EXPERT!!!!
These are awesome, and I can’t believe they are THAT simple! I’m going to highlight these on my blog next week!
Awesome idea. I have so much random old letter head from my husbands old job lying around, I need to do this. You looked fab on your TV segment. You sound totally different than I thought you would – for some reason! LOL It’d be awesome to reinforce pictures of the kiddos on card stock or something & do this same thing – great idea for g-ma’s, etc. Thanks as always for your amazingly fun & creative ideas.
Sweet thank you!
You will have to wait and see. I will post it on Thursday.
Cool segment on your local TV!!! That’s so awesome for you and great exposure. That poor newslady is so clueless about ModPodge….
I didn’t know that MP would bind papers together like that. That’ll be a fun project to tackle!
I ♥♥♥♥ to recycle… these are SO much fun to make… *Ãœ*!!
Just poppin’ in to say “Hi”… and take a look around. My first time here and a new follower… *Ãœ*. I’m looking forward to visiting with you often. **Lots of Hugs** Deborah
This is such an amazing idea! I can’t wait to try this!!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Great job, Beckie! Love the ideas! And way to go on your second TV appearance, DIY Expert! Keep up the great work!
Hee Hee! Thank you. I am hoping to continue my home my skills. Doing a craft on TV is hard work?
How are you reading my mind??? I’ve been trying to find a suitable way to make my own notebook recently (we lefties are high maintenance when searching for a usable notebook).
Does it lay flat when opened or do you think it would mess up the binding?
I am a leftie too so I know your pain. It lays flat.
GREAT idea! Love them and it would be cool to do it with shopping bags too so you could look really trendy. Ha!
ooh! aah! i never thought to use modge podge for this. i’d done it with a more expensive liquid red glue found YEARS ago in an office supply store. super kewl! thanks!
What a great use of the boxes!! I just bought cereal last night, I will be keeping the boxes!! Thank you!
What a fun project Becky……..loved the video too! I’ll have to do this with some of the teens i teach!
Thanks!
Love, violette
Super cute idea and great way to recycle/reuse/repurpose!
Totally fab! I have a stack of old calendars with funny pics on them that I have been saving for something. I think this is it!
Oohh that sounds fun!
OMGOSH! This is awesome, i’ve been wanting to make these but didn’t know I could use modge podge!!! Thank you for sharing this! 🙂
Thank you! I love mod podge. I use it on everything!
I have a lot of cardboard from Japanese food products. This is a great way to use them, too!!!
Hooray!
I love this! I will be featuring it on somewhatsimple.com next Tuesday! Thanks for the great idea!
Thanks Steph!
Wooooo! Lefties unite!
This is so great! I’m “craft challenged” and I think even I can handle this one. I’m thinking of using the boxes my Little Guy’s toys come in for the covers. Legos, especially. How cute would that be? Found you on Today’s Creative Blog. I’ll be following you now – so many great ideas! I’m sure I’ll have to try this and feature this on my blog soon! I’ll be sure to link back here!
Such a inexpensive and creative way to liven up notebooks and pads of paper. Thank you for sharing such an awesome project!
This is such a cute and easy Idea. I love it 🙂
I found you on Tip Junkie
Neat idea! ~
You are a diy expert. I love this idea. I have been making bookmarks from cereal boxes, but this is genius!! I want to dig through my pantry right now and get all the boxes in the recycle bin to start making these as gifts for my friends and family. Thanks for the awesome idea. You rock!!!
This is amazingly cute!!
what a cute idea!!! I love notebooks, and always have one in my purse! I am def making some of these!
Hey guys,
I’m always looking for gift and craft ideas that I can give to 30 adults with developmental disabilities. My adult daughter is mentally handicapped and they have lots of parties at her day program. Need tons of ideas for things to make (besides food) to contribute to the celebrations. please send me your ideas at melanie.ledgerwood@yahoo.com
Blessings,
Melanie
Melanie,
Unfortunately I can’t send you an email every time I have a gift idea that might work. But if you want to sign up to receive updates from me you can do so on the front page under “subscribe via email” and you will receive emails everytime I post.
I’d love for you to come link this up at my Tuesday Time Out Linky Party! The link is below!
Smiles,
Melanie
Reasons To Skip The Housework
Tuesday Time Out Link Up Party
Link up Your Weekly Parties Here
I’ve been saving my cereal box fronts and backs for a while now. Now I know what I can use them for. Wahoo! Hey, was that part of the Friend magazine I saw on your menu board? Love your creative geniusness!
AAwww thanks Lyndee. I have no idea what I used. I actually made that quite a while ago.
I love this idea! SO CUTE!!!
I’d love for you to link up at DIY Thrifty Thursday @ http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com
~Michelle
I love recycled crafts! This one looks like it would be fun for the school’s Artist Market! Thanks for the great idea!
I love this project!
We did something similar reusing and recycling paper scraps on our Out of Office blog: http://www.outofoffice.fedex.mediacdt.com/blog/recycle-reuse-repurpose
Happy Earth Day!
Great idea here..thank you so much for sharing.
Love this! What a fabulous idea! I am totally gonna do this!
Fantastic! I’m a first grade teacher and my kids are bringing in cereal boxes next week for to reuse for some projects. I’ll definitely be making the post cards and notepads. We’ve also been saving leftover worksheets and copy paper that would otherwise be thrown away- so those will be the pages. Thanks for showing how easy it can be to reuse!
Melissa
You bet! I hope your kids have a blast!
What a cool and simple idea. Never thought of making my own notebook before. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this week.
Love this! What a great way to recycle!
Would love for you to share at Calling All Crafters, today!
http://allthingsfee.blogspot.com/2011/04/calling-all-crafters-4th-edition.html
Such a nifty, thrifty idea, my kids would love for me to make some of these for them. 🙂 I invite you to share your creativity with my followers too. Please link to my blog bash K.I.S.S. , also happy to be your latest & greatest follower!!
Drop By The Tattered Tag
I’m so excited to see you are from Indiana. lol. ME TOO! This is so cool. I need to invest in some Mod Podge. haha. 🙂 Thanks.
Love it!!! Could you please tell me about how long it takes for the glue ‘layers’ to dry? I may try this at a girls camp, & we only have ~30 min to complete the project. Thanks!
It is pretty quick. Probably less than 45 mins to dry.
Thanks so much for this idea – it’s adorable! I have a lot of cardboard from recycling and since I haven’t taken it to the bin in a while, I can sort through it to use for this craft. I have a lot of kids in mind who love little notebooks – these will make great gifts!
I’ve shared this link via e-mail, other blog comments, etc and am thinking of doing a blog post about it. I’m not sure how that works (linking to this, etc) but I’m sure I’ll figure it out.
Again – thanks for a great idea!
I featured this on my blog here
http://jolynnshobbyshop.blogspot.com/2012/09/cereal-box-notepads.html
Wonderful idea tha tlove can’t wait to try
Thank you Johannah
Marie! Thanks so much! Just copy and past the url into your blog and it will show right up! Can’t wait to see how yours turn out 🙂
Will it pingback to you or should I let you know when I post it? All this is new to me, lol.
It should ping back if you link to me.
Thanks Beckie! I’m not sure which day I’m doing this (still canning season!) but it will be soon.
Beckie,
Posted this morning! Thanks SO much!
I need to get some Mod Podge, I keep coming across fantastic crafts that you can use it on. Apparently MP is to crafting what white vinegar is to the natural household! Thank you for this!
Riversana, I love your comparsion!!! MP is AMZAING!
Girl Scout Cookie Boxes!! USE RESOURCES WISELY!
Girl Scout Cookie boxes would be a great idea. But I can’t buy them for sure. I can eat a whole box in one sitting.
I’ve seen a recipe for homemade mod podge on Pinterest. Do you think that would work for this? Love this idea! Thanks for the beautiful, detailed tutorial.
I’m glad you like it, Melaine. As far as the homemade Mod Podge… I would think so, but I personally wouldn’t use homemade Mod Podge on anything that you need to preserve for years.
Quick question… even though we r making these from the cereal and cracker boxes, if we sell them is that on any infringement or copyright laws?
Hi Alie, Honestly, I am not sure about that. I have never made them to sell so I haven’t looked into it.
Hi!
I followed these directions exactly as written, and the notebook completely fell apart the first time I opened it. I let the modge podge sit and dry for over 12 hours without touching it, and it just fell apart. Any suggestions?
Did you put a thick coat on? I always put it on pretty thick. That’s all I can think of! So sorry it didn’t work for you.