you’ll need:

• A blank book or journal
• 3 pieces of 8½ x 11 paper or   cardstock
• 3 pieces of 8½ x 11 typing paper
• Double-stick tape
• A pair of scissors
• A craft knife
• Paper cutter (optional)

You can use patterned paper, hand-decorated paper, a color-copied collage of photos...be creative! Two of the pieces of typing paper are used for the inside cover; you can use plain white paper or patterned paper. The other piece isn’t seen; it should be plain.

Now that you have all your supplies, let’s get started! 
 

1. trim the paper
Trim the cover papers so that, when one edge is ½ inch away from the spine, 1-1½ inches stick out on the other end.

To trim the binding, decide how much you want the binding to overlap the covers, add ½ inch, and trim. I decided on an overlap of 1½ inches on each side, so I trimmed my paper to 3½ inches.
 

2. cut the corners
Lay the blank book open on your covers. Line them up so there is an equal amount of paper sticking out on the top, side, and bottom, and put a dot at the two corners. With scissors cut a square into each corner using the dot as a guide. Cut the sides of both squares diagonally, about ¼ inch out from the dot.
 

3. attach the covers
Again, lay the blank book open on top of the two cover papers. Line up the corners, and fold the overlapping paper in. Using double stick tape, tape the flaps in place.
 

4. remove the contents of the blank book
Using a craft knife, cut through the piece of paper holding the contents of the blank book to the covers.
 

5. attach the binding
Lay the binding design-side down and put a strip of double stick tape along each side and the top and bottom. Carefully lay the cover on top of the binding, making sure it’s centered. Open and flatten the cover on top of the binding, then turn it over and smooth it down. Fold the overlapping paper into the inside of the cover and smooth it down.
 

6. get the contents ready for re-insertion
This is the tricky part. Fold a piece of typing paper around the contents of the blank book like a cover, making creases around the binding edge. Put a strip of double between the creases and stick the paper onto the binding edge of the contents of the blank book.
 

Fold the other two pieces in half, and tape one half to the contents and the other to the first paper taped to the contents. You should now have two thick new pages; one on the front of the contents, one on the back. Trim if necessary.
 

7. tape the contents to the cover.
Do a practice run to ensure proper alignment.Tape each edge of the front and back sides of the contents. Carefully place one side of the contents onto the inside cover, making sure it is aligned properly. Then shut the cover carefully, making sure it falls onto the contents in the right place.

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