DIY Midori-Style Notebook | Tutorial

Hi everyone!  Christine here today to show you a tutorial on how I made my own Midori-style notebook for my Midori Traveler’s Notebook!  If you’re not sure what a traveler’s notebook is, I googled some images for you.  The original traveler’s notebook was created by Midori in Japan.  It is a leather cover with a series of elastic bands.  You can include from 1-5 or so notebooks inside it, and use it for scrapbooking, journaling, list-making, sketching/drawing, or anything else you want!  You can even use it as a planner.  The Midori-branded notebook refills are slightly pricey and also very plain, so I thought I would make my own notebook refill with Evalicious goodies!

These are the main supplies I used to make my notebook.  Some 8.5x11 cardstock for the cover, and filler paper for the insides.  A ruler, paper trimmer, rotary trimmer, long-reach stapler, and ink and stamps.

I measured my authentic Midori notebook that came with my Midori leather notebook cover.  The cover is about 8.75” x 8.25”, or 22cm x 21cm.

I trimmed my cover cardstock to the size above.

Then I trimmed the filler paper down to the same size.  I used Hammermill 32 lb. color copy paper, because that’s what I have on hand and it’s nice and thick so pens won’t bleed through to the other side.  Yes, I’m very picky about writing paper and I love this paper.  It’s very smooth.

I stamped the cover cardstock with various Evalicious stamps.  I used Field Notes clear stamp set and Happy Note stamp set.

I spaced the stamps out for the front and back cover of the notebook.

Then I folded the filler paper pages in half, using a bone folder to get a good fold.

I unfolded both the cover and the filler papers and lined them up and secured them with binder clips.  Then I used my long-reach stapler to staple the middle seam of the notebook all the way through.  If you don’t have a long-reach stapler, you can unfold a regular stapler, put a mouse-pad or eraser underneath the papers, and staple it through and bend the wires shut on the other side.

Now you have a notebook!  But wait, the inside papers are showing past the cover, due to the thickness and the folding.

I trimmed off the paper overhang with a steel ruler and a rotary trimmer.

Then I added a label from This Way Snipsnip Labels to the cover.  Once I start using the notebook I’ll stamp or fill in the title and dates onto the label.

I slipped my new notebook into one of the elastic cords inside my Midori traveler’s notebook.  Now I have two notebooks in there.

I love how the stamped images look on the front cover of my notebook, all lined up down the middle!

I can’t wait to start using my new DIY notebook for my Midori!  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make your own refill notebooks.  Now go forth and make notebooks, it’s addicting!

Christine

Evalicious Products Used:

Field Notes Stamps

happy note stamps

this way snipsnip labels

Destination | Inspiration

Hello there, Evalicious fans!  Christine here today to show you a layout I created using mainly stamping as my background. 

I started with a white cardstock background and drew some horizontal lines in pencil with my t-square ruler.

Then I picked out some Evalicious stamps and stamped in alternating colors across each line. 

When I was done, I had a colorful stamped background for my layout.  I added some paper strips in matching colors across the top and bottom of my layout to anchor and balance.

I filled in the “Date / Place” stamped images with the information from our trip.  On our trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, we celebrated my birthday with lunch at the Four Seasons.

I added some paper and embellishments around my photo to make it stand out from the stamped background.

I love how the stamped background turned out!

Try stamping a background next time you make a layout!  Evalicious has lots of travel and everyday stamps that are just perfect for this purpose.

Hope you enjoyed having a look at my process of putting this layout together!  Thanks for stopping by!

Christine

Evalicious Products Used:

destination stamp set

daily life stamp set

field notes stamp set

photo shoot clear stamp set

adventurer stamp set

Rainbow Planner Tabs | Inspiration

Hello Everyone! This is Sam today to share a simple step-by-step post on how I make my own planner dividers and use various Shop Evalicious stamp sets to make own own patterned papers + rainbow tabs. If you look closely, those tabs aren't perfectly aligned / have straight edge. I am such an IM-perfectionist! *LoL* But those rainbow colours are seriously to die for.

This is a very photo-heavy post so I made the step-by-step into a simple collage.

This is basically a set of B&W dividers for my Kate Spade planner (equivalent to Filofax in Personal sized) with some colourful rainbow tabs. I was inspired by Erin Joy's video about her planner setup for 2015. I love how she set her filofax up in simply B&W.

1. I was looking for B&W patterned papers from my stash to match my black Kate Spade planner.

2. Okay, I cheated, I sneaked in 2 pieces of paper with a tiny bit of pastel colour.

3. Then I decided to stamp repetitive patterns to make my own patterned papers. I use Love Today stamp set to make this divider + add a tiny stripe of polka dots MT tape.

4. Then I wanted to have a typewrite & Banner patterned divider - so I made my own using Field Note Clear Stamp Set & Daily Life Clear Stamp Set.

5. Here's a peek of the 3 dividers that I made with stamping repetitively.

6. I couldn't stand that it is only in B&W so I added some paint splatter and water-colour using Distress Stain & Peerless Watercolor.

7. Then I used the inserts from my Kate Spade planner to use as a guide to punch the 6-holes for all the dividers.

8. I decided to stamp a few banners using Solid Banners Stamp set with various Versacolor ink pad.

9. I finally picked out 7 banners that I like which is in the following colours - form Blue to pink to yellow and green.

I stick the page tabs that I made with stamped banner with tape glue. Then send them to hot laminate. p.s. I took pictures of the dividers before I laminate them to avoid the glare. 

And here's a peek of the individual dividers.

Thanks for looking and if you are interested, do check out the list of supplies that I used to make this set of dividers.

Products Used:
  

Honey, I Shrunk The Stamps!⎪Inspiration

Hello there! This is Sam to share a fun way to use your Shop Evalicious Stamp set. Some of you may have seen me posted on Instagram about me making those little charms using Shop Evalicious stamp sets and shrink plastics. So today I am going to walk you through my process of making these cute little charms and also ideas on how I use them on my planner and Midori Traveler Notebook.

So to shrink your stamps (no pun intended) you would need these:
1. Shrink plastics (I have them in white and clear, got them from Art Friend Singapore)
2. Stamp Sets (I used this, this and this) and Acrylic block
3. Inks (My favourite is Staz On here, and I will explain further later)
4. Heat Gun / Oven to bake the plastics
5. Scissors
6. Circle Punch
7. Crop-a-dile
8. Paints and Markers

Firstly, if your shrink plastic sheet is smooth, you would sand one of the smooth side so that the texture will hold the ink / colouring. My plastic sheets come with one smooth and one texture side, so I didn't have to sand the plastic sheet at all. 

Punch various sizes of circles using circle punch - I used 1', 1 3/8' and 2' here.

And here are the inks I tried and I like Staz On the best.

P.S. My Staz On is drying up as I have had it 5 years ago, so it doesn't ink well. But thats okay, we can go over it with a sharpie or Zig marker. But this step is rely optional as the ink will turn out darker once shrunk. 

From left to right: Staz On, Ranger Archival Ink, Brilliance, VersaFine, Verscolor and Prima Resist Chalk Edger.

Close-ups of the stamped image before I heat it up: 

Staz On, Versacolor and Prima doesn't bleed  but the rest bleed, especially Ranger Archival Ink (although it doesn't show here)

Punch a small hole using your crop-a-file before heat up the plastics or send them to the oven. You gotta be careful not touching the stamped image else you would have smudge the inks like mine show below.

I placed mine into a baking tin that I got from Daiso and heat it up with heat gun. I seriously couldn't imagine my life without my heat gun. It might look wonky in the process but don't worry, just keep calm and keep heating it up. You can use a tweeter or craft stick to hold the plastic while heating up. Once done, use something to flatten the plastic while it is still warm. I use a glass jar tand it works well in flattening the plastic.

And here's the result.

• Staz On: It doesn't smear before / after we heat it up.
• Ranger: It bleed and smear badly, even after we heat set the ink.
• Brilliance: It smears a little before heating it up. Once heat up, it doesn't smear and it is perfect.
• VersaFine: It smears a little before heating it up. Once heat up, it doesn't smear and it is perfect.
• Prima: It doesn't smear before / after we heat it up.
• Versacolor: It smear badly before and after we heat up the plastic. But after heat up, you can actually clean up the smudges with wet wipes. The colour will not be as vibrant as we normally stamp on paper.

 I re-stamped all the images with thee three inks that smudge / smear/

And here's the end result! I love how tiny this little charm is! It shrunk from 2 inch circle to 3/4 inch circle. 

The stamped image with versacolor looks perfect after we clean it up with wet wipes.

And now, move on to the advanced part: create a water-colour effect / ombre colour effect on your shrink plastic. I use Tim Holtz Distress Stains and Distress Paints. I prefer Distress Paints over Distress Stains as the paint is permanent once its dry on the plastic and doesn't react to water much.

I draw paint stokes using the mediums below and quickly add water to the paint strokes to make the water less opaque. You gotta work quickly s the Distress Paints dry up real fast.

Then wipe away all the excess colours. Do not worry if the paint strokes look really pale here. Once the plastic shrink, it will look more vibrant.

Stamp and cut the image. Remember to punch hole before heat up the plastic. And use 3/16' hole punch (not 1/8') else the hole might turn out too small.

Once shrink, the colour looks more vibrant right?

I spent hours making these and I had so much fun. And now the fun part is add them to my projects!

I added jump rings and handphone straps to make them into keychains / handphone charms.

 I added it on the front of my Midori Traveler Notebook cover.

And also added another set to my Kate Spade Planner zipper.

These tiny cameras look so cute together <3

I also use my Fox stamp from Typo and added jump ring + chain, hang it on my Kate Spade Planner pen loop.

Added a clasp to the plastic and add it to my Swaroski crystal pen. You can also do the same and add it to your bag charm or Thomas Sabo bracelet.

I have fun making these cute little charms / shrink dinks. Hop you enjoy my step by step process too!

Thanks for looking.

Evalicious Product used:

• Oh Snap! Clear Stamp Set
• Photo Op Clear Stamp Set
• My Favourite Stamp Set
• Conversation Stamp Set

XoXo,

Sam