I spotted this tutorial last week on thelongthread and it has been playing around in my mind ever since. I finally got around to giving it a go a couple of days ago and now have some pretty orange and yellow globes hanging from our ceiling fan over our dining table. I used 2 different size circles to make varying size globes, but I am really keen to try to make a huge one, one day. My husband is probably rolling his eyes, but you can never have too many hang-y things in your house, right?

Matchbook Notepads

Matchbook notepad tutorial

Supplies
15 - 20 sheets of paper 4 x 2.75 inches (these will be your pages)
1 strip of paper 9 x 3.25 inches (this will be your cover)
Stapler
Paper cutter
Note I prefer to use a paper cutter or guillotine for cutting the paper since it is much more accurate than working with scissors and produces straighter lines. If you are more confident than me (and possibly way more patient) with your scissor skills, you may not need a paper cutter.
Once you have cut your pieces of paper to the correct size, fold one edge of your cover over 1 inch. Slip your pages under the folded edge and staple. Fold the remaining flap over the pages to create the front cover, and slip under the stapled edge to secure shut.



Get creative and use up old magazines, calendars or brochures to make the covers and get the kids to help you (if you have some).

I have two children who love making things. Many mornings, they can be found rummaging in our recycling bin for old cereal boxes, plastic containers, cardboard tubes and other trash. I mean Useful Things. We keep a craft center in our dinning area which doesn't exactly create a sophisticated grown-up atmosphere, but at least all their supplies are close at hand. Last night I made them some sweet matchbook notepads for some stamping fun. I recently purchased a handmade stamp for my etsy shop from Terbear and she was so kind to send me a puppy dog stamp as a gift with my purchase, which I have forced myself to share with the two little ones and they had a great time doing some impromptu stamping outside before school this morning.
My son is 6 and he created what he calls 'A notebook of effort' because he said he appreciated the effort I went to to make the notebook for him. My daughter is 4 and just learning about letters. Somehow she managed to completely randomly write the word 'Loon' on the front of her book in big yellow letters. She has no idea what it says, but honestly, she couldn't have come up with a more perfect word :O)



The yellow storage box is part of a set from Ikea.

These matchbook notepads are really simple to make but here is a little tutorial for you so you can use my measurements and create some for yourselves.

Click here for the tutorial.

Today I am thinking about some of the yellow things I have made. I made these things over the last few weeks, but I only realized a couple of days ago just how much yellow I have used. Isn't it interesting how I have been subconsciously drawn to a particular color? I'm guessing I have been influenced by the season. Being spring, we are spending more time outside and I get to see my lovely roses growing at the front of the house and I have been making an effort to use as many lemons as I can from our tree. It has been a good couple of months for lemons - at least in my garden. And right now, the large orange tree we have is in blossom and the scent is magnificent.

Yellow

I have surprised myself recently, by falling in love with the color yellow. I'm pretty sure it all started when I was in the fabric store buying some wool felt and my eyes fell upon a rich and yolky, bright yet subdued and all with-a-hint-of-mustard yellow. Since then, yellow has been appearing in and around my home almost without me realizing. It might just be a seasonal thing, but for now at least, I think it's what you might call a mutual attraction. I am going to dedicate this week to my new favorite color.

Felt flower tutorial