August Crafternoon: Decorate Your Own Agenda or Notebook
Crafternoons are a partnership between the Durham Tech Student Government Association and the Library.
It's back-to-school time, and usually we'd host a few Crafternoons so you can get organized and decorate your own planner/agenda or notebook. Since we're 80% online this semester, we won't be hosting face-to-face events, but we do have some opportunities for you to still get organized for the new semester with a fresh Durham Tech planner, begin your pandemic diary, or take notes for your new classes in a you-decorated Durham Tech notebook.
Able to make a quick trip to campus and pick up a blank agenda or notebook to decorate at home? We have a few to-go packets available for students in the Main Campus Library that include the blank agenda or notebook, a few pieces of scrapbook paper, and some stickers.
First come, first served. Check library hours for availability. Limit one packet per student.
Staying home and have a printer? Keep reading for files and instructions on how to print your own agenda and notebook.
Supplies (but you can be flexible with what you have):
- 8.5 x 14 paper (legal-sized)
- Templates:
- For the notebook: notebook pages (print as many double-sided copies as you want)
- For the agenda: first pages (print one double-sided copy); inside agenda pages (print as many double-sided copies as you want; 52 is enough for a whole calendar year)
- A printer that can print double-sided (you'll be printing on short-edge)
- A piece of thicker paper, such as poster board
- Scissors
- A stapler
- Glue (sticks are best because the bottle can be a little sloppy)
- Decorative things: Magazine pages, scrapbook paper, stickers, glitter glue, washi tape, duct tape, etc.
Instructions:
A note on printing--
For this project, you will need to print all the pages double-sided flip on short-edge. This will ensure that the pages are the same direction when you flip them after making a book.
You may need to expand your printing menu to find this option.
For the notebook--
Print as many double-sided, flip on short edge copies of the notebook pages as you want.
For the agenda/planner--
Print one double-sided copy of the first page. It has one side with lines and one side with an agenda week.
Print as many copies of the inside agenda pages as you want. For a whole year, I usually print 52, which comes out to 27 pieces of paper total (1 copy of the first page and 26 of the interior pages, all double-sided). I also have to use a heavy-duty stapler to get through all these pages since I fold them in half and the stapler has to make it through 54 pieces of paper (since you fold it in half) and then a cover, so be aware of that.
After you have your pages printed--
Cut a cover out of your heavier paper-- 9 inches by 15 inches allows for folding and can be trimmed later if needed. (Better to have too large of a cover than one that's too small.)
Fold your interior pages in half and staple 2-3 times-- once at the top, one at the bottom and one in the middle. Staple near the line provided on the template.
Put the cover over the stapled interior pages and staple at least 2 times-- I like to staple between where the staples holding the interior pages together are.
Fold the cover back to create the spine-- it's easier to open the book again once you decorate if you know where that bend will be.
Decorate! You can create a collage, draw or paint on the cover, use stickers, washi tape, or duct tape, layer scrapbook paper, create an interior pocket, make yourself a braided bookmark, or whatever you want. You can cover your cover (lol) in clear packing tape once you're all done to keep everything in place.
Want a little inspiration? Check out our gallery!
Did you make your own agenda or notebook? Send us a picture or share it on to Facebook or Instagram post about this Crafternoon. Happy crafting!
Keep your eyes open for our upcoming virtual Crafternoons this semester.