10 Minute DIY: How To Make Leather Bound Notepads

By Brittni • posted on 05/20/2015

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

Do you ever compulsively buy craft supplies without a single clue as to what you are going to do with said supplies?!? Because it happens to me all the time. Insert blushing, embarrassed emoji here.

It usually all works out in the end. But sometimes it takes an awful long time to figure out why exactly I felt compelled to buy tiny plastic baby hands in the gardening section at the store down the street. OR 5 yards of upholstery cording when I absolutely do not sew. As it turns out, the answer to the latter is… make a no sew hot pad / trivet.

Take today’s DIY for example… I’ve been trying to come up with something to use these rose gold rivets for, since I left Houston (almost 2 months ago). Luckily, while Linda and I were organizing my supplies last week, I rediscovered these guys and we came up with these little leather bound notepads. Phew.

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

Anyway, long story short, if nothing else, this project is a great way to feed any rose gold addiction you may currently be harboring. And bonus… will also soothe any notebook / notepad obsessions.

Here’s how to make a leather bound notepad in 10 minutes…

Materials:

– leather scraps
– mallet
– leather hole punch
– paper scraps
– tubular rivet peening tool
– tubular rivets

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

How To:

1. Using anywhere from 25-200 sheets of paper that are all the same size, begin poking holes (evenly spaced) at the top or along the side of the paper. I used my leather hole punch to punch the holes through the paper. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked…I could only poke through 25-50 sheets at a time.

2. Then, cut a piece of scrap leather the same length of the side to be bound and twice the width (as shown). I painted my leather with textile paint and let it dry before using it to add a pop of color. 

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

 

3. Next, punch holes in the leather in the same spots as the holes in the paper. You can do this easily by placing the paper over the leather and marking the holes. Fold the leather over, line up the holes and poke the bread through the holes. Be sure to go through the leather, the paper, and then the leather again.

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

 

4. Flip the notepad over and use the rivet tool to flatten and secure the rivets with a mallet. To do this, lay the notepad on a flat hard surface, put the rivet tool on the part of the rivet poking through and hammer it several times with the mallet. This will split / flower the metal to secure it, which you can see in the photo above.

5. Repeat this process for the remaining holes. Then flip back over and your notepad is ready to use.

How To Make DIY Leather Bound Notepads in Ten Minutes

Assisted by Linda Jednaszewski
Styling and Photography by Brittni Mehlhoff

What supplies have you been hoarding lately? Think you’ll give this 10 minutes DIY a try?

15 comments | Click here to reply

Amazing Idea.

Nwlett

where do you purchase those long eyelets/grommets. thanks

Mary

I can’t wait to give this a try! I’m loving the leather trend.

Colleen Pastoor

How cute are these! I’m definitely going to do this when I get the chance. xo
http://adelesmith.co.uk

Adele

Such a great idea! They look so sturdy!

Raquel

What an awesome idea! I have a ton of things I’ve picked up at craft stores to use “one day” and that day never usually comes. I’ll have to give 10 minute DIY’s a try!

Christine | http://www.DimesandDonuts.com

Christine

These would make such fun gifts!

Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com

Paige

Hello!

A nice article and a great idee! Distributes a time so beautiful! Especially during it rains. So the weather is a lot better. thanks!

Best, Patricia from http://blog.fancythoughts.com

Patricia

Ugh I ALWAYS buy craft stuff, thinking I’m going to get crafty. Then it just sits there! 🙁 this one looks great though!

Alyssa

Thanks Sharna.

Brittni

Great idea! I have never thought of this but I love any kind of leather projects! 🙂

PS, found this on Pinterest

Sharna

Definitely lots of possibilities with this combo, Honey & Gazelle. Let me know if you end of making these. I’d love to see how they turn out.

Brittni

Aw, I need to make these! The possibilities of combinations between the leather and the paper are endless!

honey&gazelle

Thanks Gemma.

Brittni

These are superrrr cute, I want to make one!

Gemma Louise
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