Workbooks are great, but unnecessarily decorated workbooks are even better. Do I need to explain why? Of course not, just decorate your dang workbook because life is short and you deserve things that look cool, including your workbooks. Your workbook needs a nice looking book cover, trust me.

If you’re not in school anymore, or if your school is a no-fun-zone of cute school books, then use a notebook instead. Why? Okay, well, I suppose I should explain why. Covering your notebooks with a book cover can help protect them and make them last longer. And they look cooler, too. Look, aestheticism is still something worth championing, no matter what anyone says.

For real though, covering your workbooks and notebooks is just plain fun. Give yourself an afternoon transforming your favourite notebooks with some wrapping paper. Show them on Twitter with the hashtag #ConfoundedDIY, or in the comments below. If you want more papercraft, check out this category right here! Champion aestheticism, friends, make your notebooks pretty for the sake of being pretty.

Book covers

Active Time: 30 minutes

Drying Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Difficulty: ♥♥♡♡♡

An easy method to decorate your plain, sewn bound notebooks.

Print

Materials

• Book you plan to decorate
• Wrapping paper
• Scrapbooking decorations

Tools

• Glue
• Scissors
• Bone folder or ruler (Optional)

Instructions

1. Open your book and lay it flat on the wrapping paper.
2. Glue the cover of the book onto the wrapping paper, leaving 3cm all around the edge. 
3. Cut out the corners of the wrapping paper, and triangles near the book’s spine. This will make some flaps for you to glue.
4. Fold the flaps inside the book covers. You can use a ruler or bone folder to make the edges fold nice and cleanly.
5. Glue the flaps down. Use the glue sparingly, so it doesn’t come out of the flaps.
6. Close the book, then set it under some really heavy books. These will weigh it down evenly, and help the glue dry flat. Leave it to dry completely.
7. (Optional) Keep on decorating, if you like! Fake flowers, stick-on gems, paper shapes, whatever your heart’s desire!

Notes

While most glues are good for this project, you must put the notebook under heavy books if you're using water-based glue. Otherwise, the cover might warp!